All About Sedona Arizona by Southwest Inn at Sedona

It can be concerning to travel in the winter, especially if you are traveling with children or large groups. Here are some tips for making your winter in Sedona a success. Pack Smart: The best way to enjoy a winter trip to the desert is to dress warmly. Sedona is beautiful in the winter, especially when the snow is clinging to the red rocks. With average lows between 23 and 20 degrees fahrenheit to from December to February, the weather will be constantly cold. However, snow is not a major concern. What does fall rarely sticks to the ground past the early morning sun. Plan in Advance: Not all of Sedona’s attractions are open year round. While most of the trails and natural wonders are still open, the weather makes hiking difficult. Local restaurants and boutiques may have different hours during the winter months but most will still be serving up the same spectacular local crafts as in the summer. If there is something specific you are coming to Sedona for, whether th...

The most popular times for visitors in Sedona is undeniably the warmer months. However, Sedona has a lot to offer during the winter season as well! The holidays are particularly busy, with local businesses coming together with the city to create many different types of festivities. There is already magic in Sedona and that special something only becomes more obvious during the holiday season. The Sedona Northern Lights is a breathtaking event that will be going on from December 13th to the 16th.  At the top of each hour from 6 to 9pm, the 3D light show will begin. This even is being produced by PaintScaping and presented by the Sedona Chamber of Commerce and the City of Sedona. This festive, family-friendly event is free to the public and will be visible from various points throughout Uptown Sedona and Gallery Row – and can even be seen in some areas in West Sedona. The goal of the show is to highlight Sedona’s natural beauty, art scene, and to raise awareness of the need...

Sedona is known for breathtaking beauty which has inspired many artists to create. These films, books, and other works of art capture small pieces of the overall effect of the towering red rocks cradling desert life. Only some of those pieces are inspired by the winter in Sedona. The transformation effect of snow on the red rock can not be overstated. This special kind of winter wonderland also comes with other perks, such as fewer tourists and cheaper rates! The average daytime winter weather is between 50 and 60 degrees. This might seem to be perfect weather or surprisingly cold depending on where you come from. Proper preparation is what will make the difference between a perfect vacation and a chilly one. Bring jackets, as well as a light waterproof raincoat just in case. Most of Sedona’s extensive trail system remains open during the winter months. The Oak Creek trails, for example, are available year round as well as the Courthouse Loop. Since it is not the busy seas...

Hiking in Sedona is one of the most popular activities for visitors and locals alike. Every year over a million people visit the Sedona area. Many of them come just for our virtually endless and gorgeous trail system. However many of these people come unprepared for the reality of hiking in the desert. Every year on average, dozens of people need rescuing by emergency services in the Sedona area. This year (2018) there have already been more than fifteen rescues. Don’t become part of that statistic. Here are four tips for making your hiking trip a success: Water: No matter how long of a hike you have planned, bring water . Bring enough water for each person hiking to have their own liter or two, even if you aren’t planning on being out for very long. Make sure young children (and easily distracted adults too) are drinking throughout the trip. Water: Yes, water is both tip one and two. Not only should you bring water on your adventure but you should also begin thinking about it...

Tourism has always been a part of Sedona since its gorgeous scenery first appeared in movies in 1923. Wine tourism, also known as Enotourism, made its appearance in Sedona much later but remains incredibly popular.Wine tours are widely considered to have began in the Napa Valley region of California, gaining popularity in 1975.  Wine tours can be small personal events with only you and your party, or they can be large events perfect for socialization. These tours usually feature information on the winery and their creation process, tastings of their wines, and picnic style snacks. As always, Sedona’s unique style of tourism makes their tours special in their own right. Jeep tours around the red rock area are often considered the most iconic type of tour. This rugged off-road experience has been combined with tastings of the amazing wines in the area in the  Jeep and Wine Tour . The tour includes information from the local winemakers about both the grape growing and the ...

Running is an important part of life to many people. Even people who are not professional athletes can benefit from a weekly run. Of course, not everyone can run and most people certainly can not run a marathon. Marathons have been an Olympic event since 1896, although the distance was not standardized until 1912. The 42.195 kilometres or 26.2 miles that we now recognize as an official marathon comes from the story of a Greek soldier’s run from the Battle of Marathon to Athens. While this story is now considered more of a fable, the event remains. There are over eight hundred official marathon events worldwide, and one of them is here in beautiful Sedona. February 3rd, 2018 will be the 13th annual Sedona Marathon . The course takes runners through the scenic Coconino National Forest District, known for its magical scenery and rock-formations. There will also be an Event Expo for spectators, supporters and participants. The Expo will feature local artists and live perfor...

When someone says vacation, most people automatically think of being outside, eating out at a nice restaurant, or simply relaxing. In an age when busier is always better until you barely have room to breathe, the idea of taking a vacation can feel both impossible and crucial. In the end, downtime is important not only for our sanity, but for our physical health as well. How much rest you get will make or break your attention span, your skin complexion, and your overall energy levels. So vacations are important, but setting aside the time to do nothing is easier said than done. There are hotel rooms to book, tours to research, and restaurant reviews to read. And, on top of all that, many of us have kids. Children make vacation planning a logistical nightmare. Being out in nature is great until someone has to pee, nice restaurants are amazing until the appetizers end up on the floor, and simple relaxing is a completely foreign concept to a high-energy six year old. Location is ev...

The holidays are an amazing time to get together with family. Spending time at home catching up and eating good food has always been important this time of year.  But this month can include a multitude of different types of family time. Weekend trips to Sedona can be full of amazing adventures but during the winter months, sometimes the best adventures are not hikes or nature walks. While the Sedona area is known for its natural beauty, the city of Sedona also puts on an amazing variety of events throughout the year. The holidays are an especially busy time in Sedona. The variety of holiday events includes performances, movie showings, and candle lighting. The Tlaquepaque Village hosts two different events every year and both are incredibly popular with locals and visitors alike. One of the most highly anticipated events this year in the Sedona area is the The Nutcracker . Put on by the Sedona Chamber Ballet, this performance is coming up soon. On Dec 2nd and 3rd The Phoen...

Running is an important part of life to many people. Even people who are not professional athletes can benefit from a weekly run. Of course, not everyone can run and most people certainly can not run a marathon. Marathons have been an Olympic event since 1896, although the distance was not standardized until 1912. The 42.195 kilometres or 26.2 miles that we now recognize as an official marathon comes from the story of a Greek soldier’s run from the Battle of Marathon to Athens. While this story is now considered more of a fable, the event remains. There are over eight hundred official marathon events worldwide, and one of them is here in beautiful Sedona. February 3rd, 2018 will be the 13th annual Sedona Marathon . The course takes runners through the scenic Coconino National Forest District, known for its magical scenery and rock-formations. There will also be an Event Expo for spectators, supporters and participants. The Expo will feature local artists and live performers. ...

There is something magical about winter. Snow on the ground, dark quiet nights, and days spent with family and friends are all things to look forward to when winter rolls around. Sedona is especially beautiful when the season changes. Snow on red rocks makes for unbelievably picturesque views and photographs. As winter approaches, now is a good time to start thinking about planning a family vacation to Sedona. The plethora of things to do in Sedona only begins with winter sports and indoor dining, although there is plenty of that too. There are also a good many kid-friendly events throughout the winter season. The Tlaquepaque Arts and Craft Village offers an amazing abundance of events throughout the month of December. First of all, the entire village is decorated with lights. The streams of twinkling holiday lights sets the festive atmosphere that carries on for the rest of the month. Last year the holiday month was kicked off by a tree lighting in Tlaquepaque center. Past event...

If someone asked you to summon a mental image that you associate with Sedona, Arizona, what would you think of? You are most likely imagining red rocks, vibrant forests, or stunning landscapes. If you know Sedona more intimately, you might be thinking of Cathedral Rock or Oak Creek Canyon. Sedona is of course known for it’s breathtaking beauty but the people of Sedona also create their own beauty. Handmade crafts in Sedona range from wearable art and home decorations to everything edible. There are also hundreds of other products for sale in the many diverse galleries and shops in and around downtown Sedona. One of the largest shopping centers in the area is Gallery Row .The collection of plazas are set in a beautiful location, surrounded by Sedona’s signature red rocks and stunning views. Hillside Sedona is one of these plazas.  Home decor is easy to find here, including luxury rugs and bronzework, as well as clothing handmade by local artisans. Hozho Plaza is another, kn...

Book now from Nov to Jan 2018 and receive    30% off  your stay . Simply use promo code is "winter30" when you book here:  http://www.swinn.com/ special/sedona-hotel-special/ Best rates are found on SWINN.com How to get to Sedona faster? If you are traveling from Phoenix take the cottonwood exit, Hwy 260.

When someone says vacation, most people automatically think of being outside, eating out at a nice restaurant, or simply relaxing. In an age when busier is always better until you barely have room to breathe, the idea of taking a vacation can feel both impossible and crucial. In the end, downtime is important not only for our sanity, but for our physical health as well. How much rest you get will make or break your attention span, your skin complexion, and your overall energy levels. So vacations are important, but setting aside the time to do nothing is easier said than done. There are hotel rooms to book, tours to research, and restaurant reviews to read. And, on top of all that, many of us have kids. Children make vacation planning a logistical nightmare. Being out in nature is great until someone has to pee, nice restaurants are amazing until the appetizers end up on the floor, and simple relaxing is a completely foreign concept to a high-energy six year old. Location is ev...

Oak Creek Canyon has been many things to many different people. Long before Europeans even considered the existence of this continent, it was home to countless groups of Native Americans. While some tribes seemed to have settled for a while in the valley, most of them appeared to use the area seasonally. As the United States expanded, the Tonto Apache peoples clashed with soldiers and settlers. By 1875, the last of the Native Americans were captured by the soldiers of Fort Verde, now Camp Verde. Settlers trickled in, slowly at first, until roads and irrigations systems were installed. Once word of the area’s natural beauty and thriving crops and orchards spread, homesteaders began to arrive in earnest. In 1902, with the installment of a post office in the back of a family home, the area officially became Sedona. Sedona’s popularity has only grown since then. Now the second most visited tourist destination in Arizona, behind the infamous Grand Canyon, Sedona is still known first...