THE ARTS
Glass blowing at The Melting Point, which also offers classes.
Take An Arts Class
Being an arts-centric town, Sedona is home to many different places where you can take arts classes. No experience needed. The Melting Point teaches glass blowing for everyone from novices to pros. The Melting Point also offers torches and hot shops. Learn how to create custom paintings online or in your own home if you book a class with Paint N Play Sedona. The Sedona Arts Center also offers a plethora of arts classes including drawing, painting and ceramics.
Take An Arts Workshop
If you’re looking to do a deep dive, consider taking an arts workshop. Celebrated Seattle-based photographer Art Wolfe will be teaching a nature photography workshop from Oct. 19 to 23 in town.
EATS
Eat Something New
Every once in a while, it can great for your palette to try new, daring cuisine. Some choice examples include Rene’s escargot – snails in garlic parsley butter and preserved lemon on a grilled baguette – or the Duck Carnitas at Elote Café. No matter what you choose, it can be fun to order something you’ve never had before.
Customers relax on the patio at D.A. Ranch winery in Cornville.
Visit A New To You Winery
One of our favorite things about living in Sedona is its proximity to so many wineries in Cornville. Within minutes, you can try wines at D.A. Ranch, Oak Creek Vineyards & Winery, Javelina Leap Vineyard and Page Springs Cellars. Cove Mesa is building a new tasting room that should be open soon. If you’re not sure where to start, consider grabbing a map and hitting the Verde Valley Wine Trail.
RECREATION
Recreation activities abound in Northern Arizona. You’ve probably gone hiking many times, but there’s probably also plenty you haven’t done. From horseback riding to paddle boarding, here’s how to recreate in new ways.
Two women horseback riding in Sedona.
Go Horseback Riding
To see the Sedona area’s scenery in a new way, consider going horseback riding. M Diamond Ranch in Rimrock offers horseback riding tours of the area. Wild Western Horseback Adventures in Camp Verde sells moonlight rides during when there’s a, you guessed it, full moon high in the sky and a one hour cowboy ride through the Mingus Mountains.
Go Rock Climbing
Northern Arizona is home to many different types of rock that make it an ideal place for rock climbers to explore. Flagstaff is home to indoor climbing gyms including Flagstaff Climbing, Main Street Boulders and Beta Bouldering Gym. Outdoor climbing is another option.
Camp Overnight
You’ve probably spent plenty of time hiking in Sedona, but how many times have you camped in town? If you’ve never slept out under the stars, October provides optimal weather. Sedona features a handful of campsites including the Chavez Crossing Group Campground in Central Sedona and Manzanita Campground in Oak Creek Canyon. Both offer scenic views and a chance to see the city in a new way.
A stand up paddleboarder takes on the Verde River.
Go Stand Up Paddle boarding
Paddle boarding has grown in popularity in recent years, and it’s not hard to see why. Paddle boarding is easy to learn – you simply stand up and paddle in the water. Sedona Adventure Tours offers a Paddle to Vine Experience. Park your car at Alcantara Vineyards, and then paddle down two miles of the Verde River as you pass limestone and sandstone cliffs. Post paddle boarding,
enjoy wine from Alcantara.
Take A Yoga Class With A Twist
To shake up your yoga practice, consider taking a different kind of yoga. Sedona Hot Yoga in West Sedona has hot yoga, yin yoga and goddess yoga on the schedule. Head outdoors to take a vortex yoga tour that will take you outdoors to places where supposed various Sedona vortices lie. Once there, you can practice yoga with the Vortex Yoga Hiking tour company.
EXPERIENCES
Take A Haunted Tour
This being October, it’s the season for all things spooky. If you want to learn more about the ghosts that may or may not still be in our presence, consider booking a ghost tour in the area. Jerome is home to Jerome Ghost Tours, Tours of Jerome and Ghost Town Tours where you can visit some of the city’s haunted sites and hear tall tales.
Hit The Casino
If you’re looking to try your luck at Blackjack, poker, the slot machines and other games, it can be fun to hit up a casino. Bucky’s Casino in Prescott and Cliff Castle Casino in Camp Verde are both stellar options.
A telescope points toward the night’s sky at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff.
Go Star Gazing
Sedona is renowned for its dark skies. To learn more about them and the individual stars in the sky, consider an evening of star gazing. Professional astronomers will teach you about the constellations in the night’s sky as part of Sedona’s Evening Sky Tours. You also can look through professional telescopes at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff. Fun fact: This is the place where Pluto was discovered.
A helicopter flies over Sedona.
Take A Helicopter Tour Of Sedona
You’ve probably seen Sedona’s red rocks countless times, but chances are high that you’ve probably never viewed them from a helicopter. Guidance Air, Apex Air Tours and Sedona Air Tours all provide a bird’s eye views of Sedona’s most famed attraction.
Take The Hot List Challenge
Visit each Hot List restaurant listed here. Maybe have an appetizer, drink or just dessert at each one. If you’re looking to try new places, this can be your guide.
Make It A Family Night
If you have family in town, consider heading to Flagstaff to FlagTag to axe throw or play laser tag with the kids. Kids may also enjoy the Flagstaff Extreme Adventure Course where they can climb trees, walk on wobbly bridges and fly down a zip line. There’s even a kid’s course for children ages 7 to 11 at this course located at Fort Tuthill Park.
RETAIL
We are living in a material world, and these local shops and makers make that world even brighter. From custom jewelry to flowers, discover these incredible boutiques.
Buy An Original Work Of Art
Sedona is home to many art galleries that cater to a variety of price points and feature a wide range of mediums. Why not purchase an original work from one of the local galleries? You’ve got plenty of places to pick from. See our art gallery listings to learn more about each place.
A custom hat from True West Hats.
Buy A Custom Hat From True West Hats
True West Hats is one of the city’s most unique shops. True West designs custom hats. Customers can pick from already designed chic Western hats or go in for a professional fitting where True West custom makes a hat specifically for you. Give someone something customized and personal at Red Rock Embroidery, the staff can take a custom design or your name and place it on clothing, tote bags and hats for a truly personal present.
Buy Custom Leather
Sedona’s own Upwest Leather crafts custom Western-style leather coats, vests and jackets. Some are even made out of deerskin, elk, lamb and even rattlesnake. If you’re searching for a one-of-a-kind leather good, Upwest Leather can make it.
Buy Jewelry From A Local Maker
Handmade jewelry can be a truly spectacular gift that a recipient will remember forever. Best of all, jewelry can match just about anyone’s style. Maybe they want something simple and understated or bold and flashy. No matter what, you can probably find a piece they’ll love. Consider purchasing local jewelry from Wayne B. Light, Renee Taylor Jewelry or Starborn Creations.
A colorful bouquet from Mountain High Flowers.
Buy Someone A Bouquet
Flowers are a gift that never goes out of style. Consider purchasing a custom designed bouquet of flowers from a local shop like Mountain High Flowers. You can even buy one for yourself if you like.
CULTURE
Arizona is teeming with cultural institutions. Here are some of our favorites throughout the state.
A scene from “The Falling and the Rising,” an opera that opens on Oct. 14 at the Arizona Opera in Phoenix.
Go To The Opera
Drive down south to Phoenix to see world-class opera performed by Arizona Opera. Since the opera’s inaugural year in 1971, Arizona Opera has produced more than 200 fully-staged operas. The opera’s latest show, “The Falling and the Rising,” opens on Oct. 14. This opera tells the story of a female story known as “Soldier” who is wounded by a roadside bomb. She experiences a medically-induced coma and sees other soldiers’ stories, each on his or her own personal journey of healing.
Two dancers embrace on stage at a Ballet Arizona performance.
Go To The Ballet
Also in Phoenix, Arizona Ballet was created in 1986. Today, about 30 dancers are led by acclaimed choreographer Ib Andersen – a dancer with George Balanchine, often considered to be one of the founders of American ballet. From Oct. 20 to 23, you can watch the classic tale of “Cinderella” performed by pro ballet dancers.
The Verde Valley Sinfonietta performs a classic music concert.
Go To The Verde Valley Sinfonietta
Head to the Sedona Performing Arts Center to watch orchestral music performed by the Verde Valley Sinfonietta. For nearly 16 years, this organization has celebrated classical music with shows at the Sedona Performing Arts Center.
See Live Theater
The Village of Oak Creek is home to the Emerson Theater Collaborative where locals can see live theater. In October, watch performances of “Sell Me: I am from North Korea.” This one-woman show is about individuals who have escaped the oppressive regime of North Korea. If you’re up for the drive, you also can watch live shows at the Theatrikos Theatre Company in Flagstaff.
A guitarist plays live tunes at Sound Bites Grill.
Enjoy Live Music
More than a couple venues in Sedona host live musicians. Some options include Sound Bites Grill, Vino Di Sedona, Mooney’s Irish Pub, Sundowner, Cowboy Club and Lacuna Kava Bar Sedona.
Volunteer
Plenty of organizations in the area can use your help. If you have the time, consider volunteering for great causes like the Humane Society of Sedona, Verde Valley Caregivers, The Sedona Women and the Fine Art Museum of Sedona.
Check Out Our Amazing Museums
Looking to enrich your life culturally? You’re in luck. The Sedona Heritage Museum is a great place to learn more about the history of the city of Sedona and see the former homestead of the Jordan Family. Learn more about pioneer life in Arizona at the open-air Sharlot Hall Museum in Prescott. Flagstaff is home to the Museum of Northern Arizona, among others.
