Fun things to do in Sedona Arizona with Kids – I spent 8 nights with my hubby and two youngest kids in Sedona, Arizon on a once in a lifetime dream vacation. We’d been to Walt Disney World, Shenandoah National Park, Assateague and all over the place but nothing prepared me for the absolutely breathtaking views and activities of Sedona.
Sedona is a city in the northern Verde Valley region of the state of Arizona. Nestled in a geological wonderland, Sedona’s close proximity to a multitude of activities made it the perfect place for us to stay when we took our once-in-a-lifetime trip to the Grand Canyon. I think we drove about 2 hours (approximately) to the canyon, spent the entire day, then back to Sedona that night.
After a native dance outside of the Hopi House (Hope House is at the Grand Canyon) we walked for quite some time along the rim admiring the views and the natural wildflowers and plants in the area.
In a place where rugged meets resort, Sedona surely has something for everyone: art galleries, Vineyards, dozens of spa facilities, endless restaurants, swimming pools, beautiful flowers – you name it….. we needed more time to take it all in. Sedona’s main attraction is its array of red sandstone formations. They jut up out of the desert floor to a mesmerizing height in the sky. The image above is the one we took when we 1st arrived in Sedona – You can see the excitement on our faces for our 1st sunset in Arizona!
We took an exhilarating drive through the countryside in the all terrain vehicle we rented from the Rio Verde ATV rental company, so we could get up close and personal with nature. I was originally a little afraid but now I’m so glad we did it. The kids loved the thrill, my husband was like a kid again, and I enjoyed the natural beauty of the area – things I just couldn’t see from a car.
These beautiful rock formations appear to glow in brilliant orange and red when illuminated by the rising or setting Sun, the scenery actually changed hourly with the change of the light. The Native Americans regard it a sacred place and the beauty truly feeds your soul like nothing I’d ever experienced before. I learned what an energy vortex was while in the area too. It’s apparently an area with increased magnetism where many people find spiritual relief and calmness. We were fortunate enough to be present for a full moon so we did a little late night hiking up to the Airport Vortex – incredible!
Naturally we had to stop and feed our bellies too. One of our favorite meals was a delicious fresh meal at the Wildflower Bread Company, any place that serves good fresh food for a family of 4 and costs less than $50 is a winner in my book!
Oh, and for dinner on night four, we stepped into the old West at the Cowboy Club of Sedona where rattlesnake is definitely on the menu. Lol! That place is a dining experience we’ll never forget! After all, how frequently can you go somewhere for a meal where famous people went like John Wayne!!!
There are hundreds of hiking and mountain biking trails in the 1.8 million acres of National Forest land. We went to Slide Rock State Park, which is a beautiful park with awesome views as well as a natural swimming hole. Talk about cooling off on a hot day – the ultimate!
We also spent a day at the Crescent Moon Ranch. Another natural water wonderland for the kids just minutes from downtown Sedona.
At the ranch (which really is more of a park so don’t be fooled by the name) you can hike or play in the water or a combination of both – just like we did! Oh, and there’s some really neat history associated with the place too!
We hit some fun Heritage (historical) sites too. Who would have guessed that while Michael Angelo was busy painting the Sistine Chapel, Native American Indians were drawing on the walls of caves. This is the Pilatki Heritage site – perfect 1/2 day tour for history buffs or parents that just want to broaden a child’s knowledge of the world! You can see the cave drawings up close and personal or check out the ancient cliff dwellings.
Once you’ve had enough hiking, biking & swimming, you can do it the way we did and ride 40 miles of spellbinding beauty on the Verde Canyon Railroad. Okay, well really we did a little hiking each day and took the ride on the vintage train the last day of our trip. I’m so glad we made time for that adventure! It was so beautiful to view the sites from an open air train car!
Sedona is the perfect exotic destination with the small hometown feeling of welcome. The Sedona Chamber of Commerce sits mid-town Sedona and has all the knowledgeable people, brochures and maps you could possibly need to take advantage of whatever adventure you and your family choose. They have historical areas they call the “heritage sites” as well and maps for everything else you can imagine. As a home school family, we were very pleased with the interesting history associated with Sedona and the surrounding areas. Easy access, rich in history and incredible views everywhere you turn.We had a lot of family fun while we made memories we will cherish for a lifetime. I hope you get the chance to take your family to Sedona, Arizona. Even though we traveled all the way from the Mid-Atlantic region it was worth every minute! You’ll never regret it!
The Grand Canyon has been on my bucket list for year now and once my daughter is 8 (next year) we plan on going. I’ve heard about Sedona before but never knew much about it. Sounds like your family had so much fun. I didn’t realize there was so much there
We r looking at going in the winter, I have never been before but we have been researching the area. We are out of New York so this is a big deal for us to fly out but we r just a family of 3, not 4 like it looks like u had. Never thought of going on an ATV before