Perfect Sedona Itinerary – 3 Amazing Days in Arizona

Summer break started off in the absolute best way possible as my husband and I traveled to Sedona, Arizona for a getaway! Sedona has been on our travel list for quite sometime. Honestly, I am not sure why we hadn’t made the trip sooner! After four days in beautiful, northern Arizona, we quickly realized just how special Sedona is. And that we will most definitely be back! I am so excited to share our Sedona trip itinerary as we did quite a bit of research prior on the best things to do in Sedona. My hope is that our specific Sedona trip itinerary can assist you in planning your own incredible Sedona getaway. 

A 3-Day Sedona Trip Itinerary 

Sedona, Arizona is one of the most beautiful places in the United States. For our incredible trip to Sedona trip we chose to stay four nights. We originally had only booked three nights, but thankfully our dog boarding facility had an opening and we were able to arrange our flights for a day earlier. I am so glad that we did that, as three full days was the perfect time to enjoy beautiful Sedona. Granted, the morning of check-out, I definitely was in my feels as I was not quite ready to leave the beautiful landscapes and energy vortexes of Sedona. 

For our trip, we took an early flight from Atlanta to Phoenix. Originally, our flight was scheduled to arrive 9:33 am MST, however due to a flight delay, we were running about an hour and a half behind schedule. From the Phoenix airport, we picked up our rental car and were on the road by noon. The drive from Phoenix to Sedona is an incredibly scenic drive. Originally, we had thought of stopping at a winery on the way to Sedona. The drive from Phoenix to Sedona takes you directly through the Verde Valley wine trail. However, due to our little bit later start, we decided it would be best to go ahead and check into the hotel. 

Regardless, take your time and enjoy the drive to Sedona. It truly is one full of many breath-taking views. And when you finally approach the city, the views of the Red Rock formations along the skyline are something else! 

Where to Stay in Sedona, Arizona

We checked into the Wilde Resort right at three in the afternoon. Fortunately, our room was already ready upon our arrival. However, other guests checking in at the same time did not have their rooms ready. Upon check-in, we received a complimentary (small-pour) cocktail of their featured Crystal Margarita (it was delicious!) We dropped our bags off in our room, quickly unpacked, and then left to explore the property. 

The Wilde Resort in Sedona, Arizona

The Wilde Resort is an ideal place to stay in beautiful Sedona. Located in West Sedona, it provides that luxury feel, yet at a more affordable price point. The Wilde provides beautiful views, is less than a ten minute drive from sone of Sedona’s best hikes. Additionally, the onsite restaurant, The Rascal is a great place to have either brunch, lunch or dinner. And their happy hour is fantastic. One of the first things we did after checking into the Wilde, was enjoyed happy hour at the Rascal. 

We each ordered a speciality margarita and an order of chips and guacamole. My husband ordered the Prickly Pear margarita, and I ordered the Blackberry Jalapeno margarita. Both were incredible. The rest of the menu also looked incredible. We would have eaten more, however we had a dinner reservation at 5:00 at Dahl & DiLuca. 

After our happy hour visit, we walked across the street to a Safeway. Conveniently located just a stone’s throw away from the Wilde, we were able to pick up a few things to keep with us in the room for the rest of the week. 

Dinner in Sedona – Dahl & DiLuca

I highly recommend booking your dinner reservations for Sedona as soon as you know of your travel dates. A lot of the best restaurants tend to book out early. I couldn’t have been happier with the restaurants we dined at while in Sedona. If you are looking for more info on the best places to eat in Sedona, be sure to check out my full review on the best places to eat while in Sedona.

Dahl & DiLuca was a short five minute walk from the Wilde. Which was the perfect place for our first Sedona dinner, as we could walk and not have to get back into the car. We sat outside, in the beautiful outdoor patio. We shared a bottle of wine and each ordered a speciality pasta dish. My husband ordered the Pollo al Rustica, which was incredible delicious. While I ordered the gnocchi paradiso. Both were very tasty, however, I think my husband ordered the better dish!  I would highly recommend dining at Dahl & DiLuca when traveling to Sedona. 

After dinner, we walked back to the hotel, explored the grounds a little more, including the beautiful grove area full of outdoor fire places, hammocks, and a labyrinth. Then headed back to the room for an early night in. I couldn’t have imagined a more perfect start to our travel day to Sedona. 

Sedona Trip Itinerary Day 1 – Devil’s Bridge Hike and Fay Canyon 

Our bodies, still on eastern-standard time (three hours ahead) woke up early on Tuesday (our first full day in Sedona!) Both my husband and I were up before 5:00am, and decided to go ahead and get ready for our first day in Sedona, as well as one of the more popular hikes. While in Sedona, we used the AllTrails app which I highly recommend downloading and using to explore some of the best hikes in the area. Additionally, the AllTrails app allows you to download the trail and navigate through the app to help avoid getting lost. Plus, it shares with you the length, elevation, estimated time of completion, and a general rating of difficulty. 

Our first Sedona hike was to see Devil’s Bridge. By mistake, we took the longer hike to get there. The more popular trail to Devil’s Bridge is Devil’s Bridge via Mescal Trailhead. The trail that we arrived at based on what we entered into Google maps was the Devil’s Bridge via Chuck Wagon Trail. This was closer to 6 miles and provided incredible views of Sedona and the Red Rock Mountains. If you have the time and are up for a longer hike, I would highly recommend Devil’s Bridge via Chuck Wagon Trail. 

Hike No. 1 of the Day – Devil’s Bridge Hike via Chuck Wagon Trail

We started our hike around 6:15am, the parking lot had plenty of spaces still available, and we got to the iconic Devil”s Bridge close to 7:30am. The line to wait for photos was pretty short at this point. Another reason I recommend starting this hike as early in the day as possible. Plus, it is a lot cooler temperatures to enjoy the hike in. 

After enjoying the view, we headed back to the start of the trail, and once again, completely enjoyed some of the best views in Sedona. Truly, I cannot get over how insanely gorgeous and serene everything in Sedona is. 

After our hike at Devil’s Bridge it was time to refuel, so we stopped at Berry Divine Acai Bowls and enjoyed a delicious and refreshing acai bowl! The perfect thing to eat after a solid three hour hike. From there, we decided to embark on another hike, before heading back to the resort to relax by the pool. 

Hike No. 2 of the day – Fay Canyon Trail

For our second hike of the day, we chose Fay Canyon, an easy hike offering beautiful Red Rock views from the canyon. This was a much easier hike, with a decent amount of shade cover. This hike would be an easy hike to do if traveling with older or younger family members. Plus, the views of the canyon are beautiful. 

Day 1 Post-Hiking Adventures

After completing two hikes the first morning of our Sedona getaway, we headed back to the Wilde Resort to shower and then get ready for an early afternoon at the pool. The Wilde Resort has a beautiful pool, the perfect place to relax, cool off, and enjoy beautiful views of the red rocks. 

After a relaxing hour at the pool, we freshened up and got ready for dinner. We booked reservations at Elote Cafe for 5:15pm. And decided to go ahead and get an Uber to explore the downtown Sedona area. We enjoyed a delicate glass of wine at the 1912 Wine Tasting Room. Located in the downtown Sedona, this wine tasting room offers beautiful scenic views and delicious offerings of Arizona’s best wines. 

Sedona Trip Itinerary – Dinner at Elote Cafe

After enjoying a glass of wine, we walked to Elote Cafe to check in for our dinner reservation. This dinner was absolutely incredibe. Highly recommend making a reservation as soon as you know you are traveling to Sedona. In fact, this meal was so good, we had signed up for alerts for future reservations, and had dinner again on Thursday night. (Which we will rarely ever do when traveling, however Elote Cafe was that good!) 

I urge you to order the elote as an appetizer as it was absolutely incredible. The brisket enchiladas for a main dish are also incredible. We ate so much, but felt it was justified after a full day of hiking. 

Sedona Trip Itinerary Day 2 – Cathedral Rock, Airport Vista, and Pink Jeep Tour

Another early start to the day. We picked up our coffee to-go and drove directly to the parking lot at the Cathedral Rock trailhead. We arrived at the parking area just before 7:00 am and got the very last parking spot. Cathedral rock hike is a shorter hike, but definitely one more challenging. It was listed as a moderate in AllTrails, however I think difficult would be a better rating. This hike was absolutely stunning, offering some of the most gorgeous panoramic views I have ever seen. So many times throughout this hike we just stopped to take it all in. Truly in awe. This is rated as one of Sedona’s top hikes and for good reason. 

Cathedral Rock Trail

In total, it took about two hours to hike up and back down, including stopping at various points for photos. Once you get to the end of the trail at the top, be sure to explore along the rim. If you veer to the left, there is a spot that allows you to walk around (to the right) of the Red Rock. Then, it opens up to where you can climb up another set of rocks, to get to an incredible view. From this vista, you can see both sides of Cathedral Rock and it is absolutely breathtaking. 

Sedona Airport Loop Trail 

Another incredible hike with insane views is the Airport Mesa Vista trail. Easy to get to, with a larger overflow parking area, if the main parking area is full! This trail is a 3.3 mile loop that overlooks all of scenic Arizona. A perfect spot to also see the sunset if you want to plan an evening hike. Definitely a hike that is more kid-friendly and one that you can enjoy more leisurely. Additionally, you don’t have to make it along the whole loop, you can always walk for a little ways and then turn back to enjoy the views. There are some sweet spots and overlooks that would make great for photos.

Lunch – Vespa 

Another little hidden find that is a great lunch option is Vespa. An Italian eatery specializing in Italian flatbread pizzas. A perfect stop for a quick bite in between a long day of hiking. While dining at Vespa, we each had a hard jun kombucha from a local Arizona company and we are now on a hunt to find this brand in Georgia, because what a refreshing summer beverage! 

Sedona Trip Itinerary Must-Do – Pink Jeep Tour

A great way to explore Sedona is to book a pink jeep tour! Pink Jeep Tours are highly rated and a really fun way to see so much of scenic Arizona. The tour that we did was the Broken Arrow tour. This is the most popular Pink Jeep tour. The tour lasted exactly two hours. It began at the Pink Jeep location in the heart of downtown Sedona, across the street of the visitor center. W e were quickly loaded onto our Pink Jeep to begin the tour promptly at 1:00pm. 

The tour guide did an excellent job and was very knowledgeable with the history and geology of Sedona. The tour included two different photo opts to commemorate the beautiful and scenic landscape of Sedona! If you find yourself in Sedona, I strongly recommend a Pink Jeep tour! Truly a beautiful and fun way to get up close with Sedona’s wilderness areas. 

Sedona Trip Itinerary – Dinner at Mariposa 

Okay, by far the most incredible dinner we had the entire trip. As soon as I began my research for planning our trip itinerary to Sedona, I knew that we had to have dinner at Mariposa. A Latin-inspired grill famous to the city. As soon as we began talking about traveling to Sedona, I knew we had to have dinner at Mariposa, and booked a reservation. I would recommend booking a reservation during daylight hours, as the views from the floor to ceiling windows in the restaurant are truly marvelous. Our reservation was closer to 8:00pm, thus it was already dark. However, that did not stop us from enjoying an incredible meal. Highly recommend dining at Mariposa when traveling to beautiful Sedona. 

Sedona Trip Itinerary Day 3 – Boynton Canyon Trail & Subway Cave, Tlaquepaque Arts Village

On our third and final full day in Sedona, we opted to start the day off with another longer hike. The Boynton Canyon Trail is another highly rated hike in Sedona, and after completing this beautiful hike, I know exactly why. Another hike that is recommended to use the AllTrails app for as there is an amazing climb and photo opportunity at Subway Cave, a detour about two miles into the hike. The parking area is rather small, so I would suggest getting here earlier in the day. This trail requires a Red Rock pass for access.

Boynton Canyon Trail

The parking lot was full by the time we got to the trail, close to 8:00am. Therefore, we parked in the overflow parking area, near the trailhead. If you exit the parking area and take a left, there is overflow parking along the roadside right after the stop sign. It was a really close walk to the start of the trailhead, and felt very safe to park on the side of the road. 

Sedona Trip Itinerary Must-See – Subway Cave

Many turn back after Subway Cave, however I firmly believe that if you have the time, you should continue on the hike to complete the full Boynton Canyon Trail. The views at the end are incredible! And a great place to sit and have a snack, before turning back to get to the trailhead. One of my favorite parts of the Boynton Canyon Trail is that on the way back, the views are even more incredible. Walking in the opposite direction gives an entire different perspective which is incredible to see! Honestly, one of the best views in all of Sedona! 

The Local Juicery 

After our beautiful hike through Boynton Canyon, we made a quick stop at a local favorite. Not far at all from the major hiking destinations, The Local Juicery is a perfect stop for breakfast or lunch. Full of fresh made juices, smoothies, acai bowls, breakfast plates, and coffee. Both my husband and I enjoyed a fresh juice, which truly felt so refreshing after a long Sedona hike. If in need of a little caffeine refuel, the Local Latte is divine.

Lunch at the Hudson

Alright, so in all honesty, we originally had our Thursday dinner reservation for the Hudson, but when we received the notification for another opening at Elote Cafe, we decided to dine again there. But, given the well known reviews of the Hudson, we decided to do the best of both worlds and have lunch at the Hudson. And I am so glad that we did. The Hudson offered the most incredible views. We had lunch on the outdoor patio, which overlooked beautiful Sedona, with all the Red Rock views. Additionally, the food was delicious. I had a chicken caprese sandwich with fries (which I usually don’t order unless I am in the Chick-fil-a drive-thru) and they were so tasty! The perfect lunch to fuel after a long morning hike. 

Tlaquepaque Arts Village

After lunch at the Hudson, we stopped by the Tlaquepaque Arts Village. This is a beautiful outdoor market. A fun place to shop and to explore the work of local artists. Full of cute cobblestone pathways and beautifully decorated buildings. When Tlaquepaque Arts Village was built, the builder intentionally kept all the trees in the area. Therefore, walking through and shopping in this village is so incredibly charming and definitely a must-see on your Sedona trip itinerary.

After our visit to the arts village, we journeyed back to the Wilde to relax by the pool, before getting ready for our final night in Sedona’s downtown. We stopped by another wine tasting room, the Art of Wine, to enjoy another Arizona wine. After which we headed back to Elote Cafe (again) for our dinner. And the second time dining at Elote Cafe was just as incredible as the first!

Before calling it a night at the Wilde, we enjoyed the beautiful stars and expansive night sky all from the comfortable hammocks within the Wilde’s Grove area. After which, we turned in for the night. All to wake up the next morning, pack our bags, and head back to Phoenix. What a trip Sedona is!

An Incredible Trip to Sedona, Arizona

Sedona, Arizona is truly a special place. After spending an incredible four days surrounded by beauty, hiking through the beautiful Red Rocks and feeling incredible restored with the energy vortexes, Sedona will always hold a special place in my heart. It truly is remarkable what quality time spent in nature can provide for our hearts. I hope your life brings you to Sedona as you too deserve to experience the healing nature and the joy that Sedona brings! Until next time friend, have the best day!

Looking for More Long Weekend Trip Itineraries?

Have a thirst for adventure and travel and want more inspiration on where to go next in the beautiful United States?  Bozeman, Montana is another must-see destination. Personally, traveling to Montana for a long weekend during the colder, winter months was the perfect escape. Sharing a complete weekend itinerary for traveling to Bozeman, Montana. 

Looking for a fun weekend away in the Southeast? Look no further than Dahlonega, Georgia. A wine lover and outdoor enthusiast dream destination for a long weekend. Perfect for couples and/or a weekend with your girlfriends! Dahlonega, Georgia is a real gem.