mjer

We are thinking of visiting for 1 week there. What are the "must do's" other than then GC. Planning on renting vehicle. What's the best month to go when the temp doesn't reach 86F or higher. From reading others responses, sounds expensive to stay there. Any suggestions for a "moderate hotel and restaurants"

emd

October or April are best times for weather, but both are more expensive to stay there. There are some less expensive places to stay (Kokipelli Suites, etc.) but I haven't stayed in them and will let others hopefully fill you in on those.
There are LOTS of posts here (including many recent ones of mine) on where to eat.

emd

BTW- if I was staying a week I would look into a rental unit. There are houses and condos, some modest and relatively inexpensive, in both Sedona and Oak Creek. Do internet searches on both places for rentals and you'll see. You have to look fo rthe less expensive ones, but depending on how much space you need, and since you would be booking so far in advance, you should have good luck.

lindafromNJ

Do the Pink Jeep Tour. They take you in a jeep up on the red rocks and it is really alot of fun as well as beautiful. It was one of the highlights of our trip there 3 years ago. We stayed at the Apple Orchard Bed and Breakfast. They have theme rooms. Serve a nice breakfast in the morning.

Cher

There is some great hiking in the area. You should be able to get a map with trails and difficulty/length of trail noted. Whatever you do, a "must do" is to hike to Cathedral Rock ... very short and easy. Go late in the day when the sun is low in the west; that's when you'll get the best light on the rocks. It's beautiful. Cathedral Rock is one of the most photographed places in Sedona.

Also, go up to the Chapel (?name) that's built into the hill. Go early in the morning. It's very peaceful and the light is great at that time there.

Another "must do" is the drive through Oak Creek Canyon. Be sure to stop at the overlook at the top. You can do this on your way to the Grand Canyon.

emd

Cher: I think your statement about Cathedral Rock needs some clarification, for sake of people who may try those hikes. There are two hikes at Cathedral Rock. One is Cathedral Loop trail, which is rated as a moderate hike (see: Sedona Hikes by R. and S. Mangum, as well as the Red Rock Country map put out by US Dept of Ag.,which includes challenge levels of hikes.) The loop trail starts at the same trailhead for Cathedral Rock Trail, but it converges to run along a red rock ledge, takes you up a 150 ft. climb to the vista w/wonderful views. I think this is the trail to which you refer. However, Cath. Rock Trail is much more challenging and is rated "hard." This trail climbs very sharply on alot of loose rock to end up btwn. the "saddles" at the top of Cathedral Rock. I am a good hiker w/good boots, and I've tried this one and couldn't make it up to the saddle (due to steepness towards the top- and I really tried.) The top is one of the vortex sites in Sedona.
Anyone attempting Cathedral Rock trail should think of having a guidebook also, as the cairns are not always easy to find, esp. at the start of the trail. The tourist center at the "Y" in Sedona has red rock trails maps and guidebooks, as well as the redrock passes you ned to have in your car windshield to park at any of the trailheads.

UMJulie

I adore Sedona and try to get there as much as I can.

We stayed at the Ridge on Sedona Golf Resort in a studio condo for around $110/night and it was lovely. The views were great and there were several pools and jacuzzis and the guests were allowed to use the next door Hilton hotel's health club for free. We also stay often at the Best Western Inn of Sedona, usually for around $100/night. The rooms are your basic Best Western rooms but a continental breakfast is included and the views (of Thunder Mountain, I believe) are spectacular. Bell Rock Inn is reasonable (usually less than $100/night) and our room there was clean and spacious and they have nice views of Bell Rock. Finally, the Radisson Poco Diablo Resort is a Priceline hotel (and maybe Hotwire too) and I was able to get a room there for $80/night. Nice hotel but we had no view whatsoever.

Places I recommend to eat are Rene (not cheap, but very good) and the Oak Creek Brewery in Tlaquepaque, the Cowboy Club (cactus fries...interesting!) Casa Rincon (Mexican) and Coffee Pot restaurant for breakfast.

As far as things to do, I concur with the others recommending the jeep tours but I'd like to throw in a vote for Earth's Wisdom tours. I haven't taken a Pink Jeep tour and I am sure they are a fine company too, but Earth's Wisdom tours are fantastic, a little cheaper than Pink Jeeps and recommended by the "other" F guide book (Frommers.) Take a sunset tour, a Vortex tour or Medicine Wheel tour. More information on all their tours can be found on www.earthwisdomtours.com.

Chapel of the Holy Cross is one of my favorite places in the world. Slide Rock State Park is great and we always take a bottle of wine up to the airport to watch the sunset. Often we'll get up early to watch the sun rise on the airport mesa.

If you want to get out of town take a trip to historic Jerome or Montezuma's Castle, an ancient Indian Cliff dwelling. Both are within an hour of Sedona. If you're inclined to enjoying spas, the Hilton's is nice. There is hiking, biking, golf and hot air balloon rides too.

Finally, if you can, rent a convertible. It's great to drive around Sedona and the surrounding areas with nothing in the way of the spectacular views. Enjoy!

emd

If you go in October or April, I can't imagine going to Sedona for a week and not hiking some every day. I suggest the book in my previous post, it is very good esp. for someone who doesn't know the area and trails. Do some of the hikes that take you in viewing distance of Indian ruins. Rent mountain bikes at Bike and Bean (coffee shop also) and do one of the really great bike rides, like the loop around Cathedral Rock and Red Rock Crossing (info available form bike shop.) Fish in Oak Creek (it is stocked w/trout.) Go to Lowell planetarium (where Pluto was discovered) in Flagstaff on one of the nights when they have the b-i-g telescopes open to the public. Go for a horseback trailride close to Red Rock state park at Trail Horse Adventures (it's a bit hilly terrain, but fine and fun for kids and adults.)
I like Shugrue's Hillside for dinner, good food, good service, great views..
I skip the tours, although alot of people really like the jeep tours. I'd rather hike and see it on foot myself. In a week you can get a guidebook and see alot on your own. West Fork of Oak Creek is a popular hike w/good reason, it has sheer cliffs on each side at some points, very colorful, amazing fall colors in Oct.
As for getting out of town, we have been to Jerome and wouldn't go back. It was an old mining town, which had no appeal to us, it was pretty hokey although there were a few nice shops. Actually we've never ventured anywhere we liked, except Flagstaff- some of the hikes at San Fransisco mountains are nice, and they have a ski lift you can ride up for views in fall and spring. We always wanted to go to the Painted Desert or petrified desert area but we have never made it in our many week long trips to Sedona. There is also an astromoner in Sedona who gives night sky tours w/his huge telescopes oout in the darkness od the red rocks (Dennis- his last name will come to me- everyone in town knows him), but we've never made it aroudn to doign that either. We have been so many times and still have alot to do; we keep going back.

Cher

emd: Thanks for your information. The particular Cathedral Rock trail that I was referring to was flat and very easy. (So from your note it sounds like there are a few different trails in that area.)

You can get to the one we took via a road off 89A just outside (south) of town; it was a loop road (?Red Rock Loop Rd) that went past a state part at one point. Anyway, you turn down one of the streets off this road into a residential area and at the end of the street is a small park with parking area. (There's a booth with a person collecting a small parking fee.) There are two hikes you can take from there ... One along the creek (20 min walk); And another (5 min) to another spot on the creek where you can see the view of Cathedral Rock that is the one shown in the photographs ... Very nice photo spot, especially late in the afternoon when the light will be shining on the rocks from the west. Both of these were easy walks and flat ... sneakers OK.

emd

Cher: I think you are describing one of the Red Rock Loop trails, out by Red Rock State Park (there is both an Upper and Lower Red Rock Loop Road, but I'm not sure. The folks at the Uptown gateway Visitor Center at the "Y" (junction of Hwy 89A and 179) in Sedona would know. That area of you are talking about is one of the most picturesque and most photgraphed areas of Oak Creek, called Red Rock crossing, w/Cathedral rock in the background. I haven't ever done that trail and since you have described it so nicely will try it next time. Geez, I am so depressed, as I am supposed to be on a plane right now this morning on the way to Las Vegas to go to hike at Zion and Bryce this weekend, but my friend had to call it off at last minute due to work demands. All this hiking talk is killing me. I wish I was at Red Rcok Crossing right now.