Sedona, Arizona
Sedona for Grown-Ups: Things to Do for Adults
Sedona is a small town with an enormous setting: red rock at every turn, dinners with a view, wineries down the valley and some of the darkest skies you'll find near a resort town. Here's how grown-ups get the best of it.
- Best base
- Uptown for walking to dinner, or near Tlaquepaque on SR 179
- Ideal stay
- 3 nights, with a day in the Verde Valley
- Book ahead
- Elote Cafe (60 days out), Mariposa, Cress on Oak Creek, stargazing, jeep tours
- Good to know
- You need a car here; Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX) is about two hours' drive
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Itineraries and guides
Start with the 3-day Sedona itinerary, or our Sedona weekend itinerary for two days. Couples should read things to do in Sedona for couples. Flying into Phoenix? Add a few nights in Scottsdale.
Grown-up essentials
Airport Mesa Scenic Overlook
Airport Rd, Airport Mesa
Sedona's classic sunset view across the whole red rock skyline, from the lot the airport runs on top of the mesa. Parking is $3 for the day (keep the receipt); cards and cash accepted. The short Airport View and longer Airport Loop trails start here.
Tip: The airport says to arrive an hour before sunset, because the road backs up.
Mariposa Latin Inspired Grill
700 W State Route 89A
Chef Lisa Dahl's restaurant on a bluff above the canyon, opened in 2015: South American-inspired grill cooking from Argentina, Chile and Uruguay, with floor-to-ceiling windows and a terrace facing the red rocks. Lunch and dinner.
Tip: Ask for a window or terrace table and book dinner around sunset.
Elote Cafe
350 Jordan Rd, Uptown
Chef Jeff Smedstad's modern Mexican and Southwestern cooking, drawn from years of travel in Oaxaca, Veracruz and Puebla. Dinner from 5 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday; closed Sunday and Monday. Reservations are required and open 60 days ahead.
Tip: Book the day the 60-day window opens if you want a table at sunset.
Cress on Oak Creek
L'Auberge de Sedona, 301 L'Auberge Ln
L'Auberge de Sedona's restaurant, beside Oak Creek. Dinner daily from 5 to 9 p.m. (last seating), Sunday brunch, and the Cress Bar from 2 to 9 p.m. Reservations strongly recommended.
Tip: Ask for a table by the creek; the bar is a good stop if dinner is booked out.
Pink Jeep Tours: Broken Arrow
Departs Uptown Sedona
The company's best-known off-road route, climbing the slickrock of the Broken Arrow trail in a pink open-air jeep. The standard tour lasts about two hours; a shorter twilight version and a three-hour combo with the Scenic Rim also run.
Tip: It is a bumpy ride. If that's not for you, choose a gentler scenic route.
Evening Sky Tours stargazing
Village of Oak Creek (Big Park), south on SR 179
Heads-up: Start times change with the season.
A professional astronomer walks you through the constellations, then at least six objects through big telescopes: planets, star clusters, nebulae and galaxies. Tours run year-round; in September they start at 8:30 and 10 p.m., in October at 8 and 9:30 p.m., and from November at 7:30 and 9 p.m.
Tip: Bring a warm layer: desert nights cool fast in autumn.
A day, three ways
For the rocks, climb Cathedral Rock early and visit the Chapel of the Holy Cross on the way back. For art, browse Tlaquepaque and the Sedona Heritage Museum. For wine, drive down the valley to Page Springs Cellars, then on to the tasting rooms of Jerome with a driver.
Cathedral Rock Trail
Back O' Beyond Rd, off SR 179
Heads-up: Trailhead parking is closed on days the shuttle runs. Check sedonashuttle.com for the schedule.
A short but steep scramble up the slickrock to the saddle of Sedona's most photographed formation. The free Sedona Shuttle serves the Cathedral Rock trailhead from a park-and-ride, and the trailhead lot is closed on shuttle days; a Red Rock Pass is needed to park at trailheads.
Tip: Wear shoes with grip and start early; there is little shade.
Chapel of the Holy Cross
Chapel Rd, off SR 179
A chapel built into the red rock buttes, looking out over the valley. Open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; free (donations welcome). The lot is small and fills at weekends, and a golf-cart shuttle helps with the steep ramp.
Tip: Go at opening or in the last hour to find a parking space.
Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village
336 State Route 179
Galleries, craft shops and courtyards in an arts village on SR 179, with restaurants including René at Tlaquepaque and Oak Creek Brewery & Grill. Shops open around 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sedona Arts Center
15 Art Barn Rd, Uptown
Sedona's community arts center, running for more than 68 years, with a gallery of regional artists plus classes and workshops. Gallery open Monday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday noon to 5 p.m.
Page Springs Cellars
1500 N Page Springs Rd, Cornville (about 25 minutes)
A Verde Valley winery on Oak Creek with a tasting room and bistro. Open Sunday to Wednesday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Thursday to Saturday until 8 p.m.; tastings are booked online.
Tip: Book a designated driver or a wine tour: the roads are winding and rural.
Easier evenings
Not every night needs a big dinner. Have a glass of wine at the Cress Bar by the creek, or eat at The Hudson on SR 179.
Cress Bar at L'Auberge
L'Auberge de Sedona, 301 L'Auberge Ln
The bar beside Cress on Oak Creek, open daily from 2 to 9 p.m.: a quiet glass of wine or a cocktail by the creek without committing to dinner.
The Hudson
Hillside Sedona, 671 SR 179
A restaurant and cocktail bar in the Hillside Sedona shops, open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Reservations are limited, walk-ins are seated as tables free up, and tables have a two-hour limit.
Oak Creek Brewery & Grill
Tlaquepaque, 336 SR 179
A brewpub inside Tlaquepaque with craft beer and casual grill food, open for lunch and an early dinner. An easy stop between galleries.
Worth knowing
- Trailhead parking in the red rocks needs a Red Rock Pass. The free Sedona Shuttle serves Cathedral Rock, Soldier Pass and Dry Creek Vista, and the Cathedral Rock lot is closed on shuttle days.
- The Airport Mesa overlook charges $3 to park (the Red Rock Pass doesn't cover it); arrive an hour before sunset.
- Elote Cafe is closed on Sundays and Mondays and takes reservations only, up to 60 days ahead.
- Stargazing tour times move with the season: 8:30 p.m. in September, 8 p.m. in October, 7:30 p.m. from November.
Everything here was checked in September 2026. Hours, shuttle days and tour times change with the seasons, so confirm before you go.
Questions people ask
What is there to do in Sedona for adults?
Watch sunset from Airport Mesa, dine at Mariposa, Elote Cafe or Cress on Oak Creek, ride the Broken Arrow trail by jeep, hike Cathedral Rock, go stargazing with an astronomer and taste wine at Page Springs Cellars or in Jerome.
Is Sedona good for a weekend away?
Yes. Two nights covers a sunset, a jeep tour, a hike, two very good dinners and a night under the stars. Add a third for the Verde Valley.
Do you need a car in Sedona?
Yes, in practice. The Sedona Shuttle covers some trailheads, but the restaurants, viewpoints and wineries are spread out, and the nearest big airport is Phoenix, about two hours away.