The Airport Mesa Vortex, is one of Sedona’s most accessible vortexes and a truly inspiring place to watch the sunset. It is renowned as an upflow zone, effectively elevating your spirit and energy. It cultivates a profound sense of perspective and oneness, making it the perfect spot for meditation and deep self-reconnection. Airport Mesa is one of the top sunset spots in Sedona thanks to its easy accessibility by car and stunning panoramic views.
The Airport Loop Trail is a 3.5-mile moderate hike around the butte, providing a full 360-degree view, though it can be shortened if desired.
Oak Creek Canyon in Sedona is renowned for the iconic West Fork Oak Creek Trail, which invites hikers year-round. The Oak Creek Canyon Scenic Drive runs between Sedona and Flagstaff, Arizona, offering stunning views through lush forest whether you choose to climb up from Sedona or descend from Flagstaff. And don’t forget to stop at Slide Rock State Park, a favorite summer spot for water recreation with a natural water slide. This canyon hike is one of Sedona’s most popular trails.
At the top of the canyon, you’ll find a variety of Native American artisans displaying their hand-crafted, authentic art at Oak Creek Canyon Vista Point, a great place to find a souvenir from your journey. From the scenic overlook you can soak in the breathtaking views of the canyon and appreciate the striking difference between this forested scene compared to the more arid conditions around Sedona.
Cathedral Rock is one of Arizona’s most photographed sights and this Sedona icon can be seen from many different viewpoints – but visiting this natural sandstone formation up close is an essential Sedona experience. Known for its incredible vistas, the Cathedral Rock Trail is a heart-pumping adventure as you trek along this 1.2-mile out-and-back red rock path and scale up the slickrock as far as you feel comfortable to go. Just bear in mind, this hike is not ideal for trekkers with mobility or balance issues, mainly due to the scrambling sections. The energy that Cathedral Rock is supposed to emit is considered feminine energy that calms, inspires, and grounds you. Experience the power of Sedona’s vortexes on a Sedona Tour.
On a hot summer’s day in Sedona, Slide Rock State Park in Oak Creek Canyon is a great place for the whole family to cool off with cliff jumping, rock climbing, and natural water slides. One of Arizona’s most popular state parks, it’s also one of Sedona’s most well-known attractions thanks to the unique swimming hole and creek with a totally natural 80-foot long waterslide. There are also some hikes and preserved heritage buildings to explore here. If you want to make the most of your drive through Oak Creek Canyon or Sedona, check out our Sedona Tour.
Discover the charm of Tlaquepaque Arts and Shopping Village nestled under the sprawling sycamores along the picturesque banks of Oak Creek in Sedona. This complex of Mexican-style plazas, complete with fountains, wrought iron, stucco walls and arched entryways, is a delightful outdoor market to wander through. This vibrant shopping haven offers an extraordinary experience where you will delight in an array of fine contemporary jewelry, stylish casual wear in luxurious silks and leathers, and an assortment of unusual gift items that are sure to surprise and inspire!
Tlaquepaque, meaning “the best of everything,” stands proudly as a Sedona landmark where every visit feels like an adventure waiting to be explored, and is a lovely place to browse or grab a bite to eat.
The graceful, 200-foot long Midgley Bridge, located just a short distance from uptown Sedona, provides stunning views of Oak Creek Canyon and Mitten Ridge. This single span bridge was the last structure built to complete the new highway route between Sedona and Flagstaff in 1939, and a really great photo to snap is the steel arch of the Midgely Bridge, taken from below road level.
The bridge was named after highway supporter, grocery store owner, rancher, and former Major in the National Guard W.W. Midgley, who long supported such projects. It’s an excellent spot for hiking and picnicking, making it a perfect site for photography and exploration during your Sedona tour.
The Boynton Canyon Vortex is a captivating 1.1 miles round-trip hike, making it one of the shortest and easiest trails in Sedona and ideal for beginners eager to connect with nature. This enchanting trail leads to a saddle nestled between two majestic red rock spires. The tallest, known as “Kachina Woman,” pays homage to the Yavapai-Apache people who hold Boynton Canyon and its surroundings sacred. Here, the vista reveals breathtaking views of the canyon, one of Sedona’s most stunning gems, and when the ground is blanketed in snow, the experience transforms into an even more extraordinary wonder.
One of the most popular Sedona hikes with options to extend your hike to a total of 6 miles, Boynton Canyon offers a little of everything: a Vortex, an impressive spire, a large cave-like formation and even Ancestral Puebloan ruins – not to mention the generally awesome views along the way.
Contemplate the sacred at the Amitabha Stupa and Peace Park on the Sedona tour, where you’ll find a 36-foot structure that serves as a monument to the Buddha Amitabha. Located at the base of Thunder Mountain, this spiritual destination was built in 2004 and attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year for prayer, meditation and peace. Included inside this particular stupa are mandalas, nearly one billion prayers for peace, and soil and medicine from around the world. Visitors of all faiths are welcome, and can leave written prayers at the stupa, as well as monetary or material donations as offerings.
Stupas are regarded as the “body of the Buddha” and have been constructed worldwide to purify negativity, alleviate suffering, promote awakening and compassion, and protect beings from illness, famine, poverty, and war. The word stupa comes from the Sanskrit stupa, which means “to heap up, pile, elevate.”
The Sedona Tour’s largest sandstone arch, Devil’s Bridge, is the place for Instagram-worthy photo shoots, so it’s a popular destination!
The hike isn’t particularly difficult but there is some scrambling, and venturing to the top may test your nerves. Just be prepared to wait for your turn in the spotlight on the arch.
Completed in 1956, the Chapel of the Holy Cross was first inspired by the construction of the Empire State Building and is built right into the Sedona Tour’s red rock landscape.
This stunning Catholic church features an iron cross that is set into the southwestern facing window, which is visible from the church’s interior and exterior. Many visitors come here to enjoy a quiet moment of contemplation in one of Sedona’s most spectacular settings, and of course the incredible views.
These two formations dominate the view as we drive the Red Rock Scenic Byway just north of Oak Creek Village on the The Sedona Tour.
Bell Rock is a bell-shaped butte that’s one of the most easily recognizable formations in Sedona, and to its east is Courthouse Butte. These are two places where trails depart from if you want to get closer to inspect the rock, and also to experience another of Sedona’s energy Vortexes.
