msrose

I am taking my daughter to Sedona for her 16th birthday in November for 3 days. Neither of us have ever been to Arizona. I've booked our flights to Phoenix but nothing else. Please comment and offer suggestions on the following. I am planning on renting a car and driving to Sedona after we land in late morning. I was thinking of stopping at Heard Museum on the way to our hotel. Is this on our way? Also do you have any Sedona hotel recommendations? I want to stay somewhere nice but get it at a great price. In Sedona we want to take a Pink jeep tour one day. Maybe get one spa treatment and take a bus trip to Grand Canyon. We have 3 nights in Sedona but just 21/2 days before we have to drive back to Phoenix airport. Do you have any other thoughts on what we should do ? Am I planning too much or too little? Is there any must sees for a teenager in Phoenix or Scottsdale before we go to the airport. Thanks

TahitiTams

I would stay 3 days in Sedona and bag the Grand Canyon and also the Heard museum..imo, you just don't really have the time.
We enjoyed our stay at the Sedona Rouge resort & spa..check expedia for any good deals or direct..Amara resort is nice too.
Have lunch at Yavapai restaurant at the Enchantment resort..stunning views and good food.
Pink Jeep tour and maybe go on the vortex tours and there are some great hiking trails.
Cowboy Club for dinner is good and she would enjoy it.
I am not into the shopping scene at Sedona but I am sure she will want to browse the stores.
It takes approximately 2+ hours to get from Sedona to Phoenix.

NewbE

I wouldn't bag the Grand Canyon--you can't be that close by and not see it!--but if I were you, I'd drive there. It isn't a difficult drive, and having your own car would enable you to control your time at the various scenic lookouts. But you won't have time for the Heard and Scottsdale and "something else" in Phoenix--go straight to Sedona, maybe take a day for the GC, and that's it. I think you'll love it out there--enjoy!

paula1470

I agree with NewbE-don't miss the Grand Canyon. There is no reason to take a bus tour if you are renting a car. Not only will you be able to stop anywhere you want for scenic views but you will be on your schedule not the tour's schedule.

Julie314

I agree about driving straight to Sedona (about 2.5 hours) from Phoenix. And I definitely recommend the Pink Jeep tours (there are others that are good too). If your daughter likes to hike, definitely take a short one, thats one of the biggest attractions in Sedona. For hikes, Cathedral Rock is very nice and not too long, and if you just want to walk around and have an easy hike with amazing views, do Bell Rock (just ask any local how to get there).
There are two main areas in Sedona, one is the town of Sedona, and the other is the Village of Oak Creek. There are many many places to stay and you may get some good deals in November. Try www.sedona.net as they have great links to many hotels. You may want to stay somewhere central so you can get more accomplished with less driving. If your daughter likes artsy things (or you do) you could try Tlaquepaque in the middle of town - its a big open air mall with wonderful shops, jewelry, art, some clothes, and novelties, and some great restaurants. I love the mexican restaurant there but cant remember the name offhand. Also, dont miss Coffeepot restaurant for breakfast. Its a landmark coffee shop where the locals go and they have a great breakfast. Another way to get some great views without spending a lot of time is to go to take a quick drive up to the Sedona airport. It sits very high on a hill in West Sedona and you get a wonderful view of the city. You can hike around up there, get a cheap meal (there is a diner uptop) or watch an amazing sunset. For an excellent, but pricier, meal, I recommend Shugrues hillside for lunch or dinner. It is one of the only restaurants where you can see an amazing sunset while dining (make sure to book the table a bit early to get there in time). Have a wonderful time.

elnap29

Our 16-year-old daughter liked our stay at Sky Ranch Lodge (the view and the spa) and also BestWestern Inn at Sedona (the one on a hillside, not downtown).
And the Pink Jeep Tour was great.

msrose

Thank you so much for all the advice. I think we will go straight to Sedona and skip Scottsdale and Phoenix. We feel however we can't be so close to Grand canyon and not go. The only reason we were going to take a tour was so I could relax instead of worrying about driving and getting lost. Is drive complicated or pretty direct? You are right however about doing what we want on our own schedule. Artsy shops sound like fun( something we look forward to away from the 4 boys in our family) and we will definitely try alittle hiking. We look forward to trying some of the restaurants you suggested.Right now I'm leaning towards Sedona Rouge if I can find a good deal on it. Is it in good location? Thanks!

Jo1023

We just returned from a similar trip last week. We skipped Phoenix and drove straight to Sedona. Stayed at the Adobe Grand Villas which was incredible! I've also stayed at the Best Western Inn (on the hill, not in town) and loved it also (request the upper floor which is the lobby level). The hotel has wide patios with incredible views. It's not far from the airport for great sunset views and close to a number of good restaurants. We did the Pink Jeep tour which covered the desert as well as the valley rim-a great ride! Montezuma's Castle is just off the highway on the way to Sedona from Phoenix and is definitely worth stopping to see (not so much Montezuma's well with so little time). It's fun to wander thru the shops at Tlaquepaque in Sedona--lots of different things and not as touristy as the shops on the main street. One year I took the tour trolley which is obviously touristy but does qive you a quick tour of the highlights of the town (very helpful when your time is limited)--I like doing that because then I can get a better sense of where I want to go on my own after the tour. The drive to the Grand Canyon isn't difficult (the portion to Flagstaff is beautiful and a fun drive), but it's several hours each way and you're packing a lot into 3 days. A bus trip might make it a little easier for you (although I agree going by car would definitely be my first choice).