Looking for the PERFECT 3 day Sedona itinerary? Then read on! This Sedona, Arizona itinerary combines the best hikes, art experiences, and dining for the ultimate outdoorsy yet artsy Sedona itinerary.

Sedona, Arizona is a special place – once you’ve visited once, you’ll undoubtedly be ready to visit again! Sedona is known for its unique combination of majestic red rock buttes, pine forests, a thriving art scene and community, standout dining, epic hikes, secret caves, and a special spiritual energy unlike anywhere else in the world. 

Sedona is a fantastic blend of outdoorsy yet artsy; with unforgettable hikes  and local arts and artists enlivening the town. The Sedona outdoor-scene is so popular that if it were a National Park, it would be the THIRD most visited in the United States! And in case all of that wasn’t enough to convince you to visit – the dining is some of the BEST in the United States too; with Mexican influences and an emphasis on local ingredients putting it a cut above the rest. It’s home to many unique restaurants and few chains; a notable exception is McDonald’s, which has turquoise arches here (!) instead of yellow (due to city officials requiring it to blend with the surrounding natural landscape).

Sedona is also home to multiple vortexes, which are geological and energetic phenomena reported to have a positive effect on visitors’ physical, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing. These swirls of energy are believed to be highly conducive to healing, meditation, and stress relief.

But whether you’re coming to Sedona namely for its epic hikes, unique spiritual energy, vibrant art scene, or its downright incredible dining, I’ve put together the ultimate 3 day Sedona itinerary to capture the best of all of what Sedona has to offer.

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Start your Sedona, Arizona itinerary with one of the most iconic hikes: Devil’s Bridge! This incredible trail is a must-not-visit; but one thing to keep in mind is that the trailhead is down a VERY difficult road that is ONLY suited for high-clearance, 4×4 vehicles. I wouldn’t recommend taking your rental car down; just hike to the trailhead, it’s just a bit further down. If you want a shorter hike though, you can take a jeep tour or even an ATV to the trailhead instead! 

If you’re getting into Sedona a bit later, make sure to drive into town via the Red Rock Scenic Byway – it’s 7.5 miles of INCREDIBLE beauty and it is so worth it! The views are truly breathtaking around every corner. And you haven’t had breakfast yet either, head over to Sedonuts for the BEST donuts!

After your hike, fuel back up with lunch at Rascal Modern American Diner & Bar. Their shrimp appetizer was both a work of art and SO yummy, and THE menu item to try is their Wagyu burger! I loved that Rascal Modern Diner is dog-friendly; you might see locals with their adorable pups enjoying the special dog menu too!

From Rascal Modern American Diner & Bar, you can actually walk straight to Rovang Ceramics and take a pottery class where you get to make your OWN souvenir from red clay and ethically-sourced local Sedona sand! I made a cute little Sedona magnet and I’m obsessed with it (and don’t worry if you’re not “artsy”, it’s super easy and beginner friendly). There are also ceramics for purchase from local artists as well; so if you’re not crafty or forgot to reserve a class in advance, swing on in anyway to check out the beautiful artwork.

If you’re visiting on the weekend, do not miss Pete A. Sanders Jr.’s Scientific Vortex talk, which he gives every Saturday afternoon at Sky Rock Sedona. As an MIT Honors Graduate and the founder of Free Soul Mind/Body Education, Pete Sanders is the leading expert on Sedona’s vortexes.​ In his talk, he’ll share insights on Sedona’s vortex energy based on scientific principles and teach you several mind/body/spirit techniques that help to reduce stress and connect back to a higher energy, even when you are no longer in Sedona. 

My session with Pete Sanders was incredibly powerful, and it was incredible to tap into the vortex at Thunder Mountain afterward. I’d recommend his book as well if you can’t make it to one of his talks: “Access Your Brain’s Joy Center: The Free Soul Method” or check out his website here. If the timing doesn’t work out to see Pete Sander’s talk, you can also take this Vortex tour instead! 

Depending on what time sunset is (before or after dinner), try to catch it with a sunset hike regardless! The Airport Loop Trail   is fantastic as it has 360 degree views; so there’s no chance of missing ANY sunset color from any direction! It’s a short loop but you could also do it as an out-and-back to make it even shorter if you don’t have a ton of time before/after dinner. The Airport Loop Trail is also home to one of Sedona’s multiple vortexes; Airport Mesa vortex. Vortex expert Pete A. Sanders Jr. recommends coming to the vortex with an intention (e.g. healing your mind/body/other) in mind to make the most of your experience; try meditating, listening to the desert sounds, and check in with how you are feeling.

At the end of your day, have dinner at Stagecoach Country Roadhouse to end on a high note! Roadhouse Stagecoach Country Roadhouse is known for their hand cut steaks, craft cocktails, Arizona BBQ, and live entertainment. I can personally recommend their bison short ribs and their prickly pear margaritas. I’d definitely also tell you to not skip their starters or desserts; the country cornbread is easily the BEST cornbread I’ve ever had, and their carrot cake is also insanely good! I would also recommend making a reservation so you don’t miss out!

Grab breakfast at Sky Rock Sedona (or at your accommodation if you’re not staying at Sky Rock), and hit the trails early. Soldier’s Pass is an incredible hike; it’s a bit long but since it’s an out-and-back, you can cut back early if you need. I’d recommend at least making it to the Seven Sacred Pools, which form with some rainfall and are SO beautiful! Tip: there is limited parking (and during high season NO parking allowed), so whether or not you have a rental car I’d recommend taking the shuttle to the trailhead, as it’s in a neighborhood and otherwise hard to access. If you’re not up for the hike, try out this fun Jeep tour around Soldier’s Pass instead!

Tamaliza Cafe is a family-owned restaurant with authentic Mexican tacos that are to die for! And as a lactose-free girlie I super appreciated that they had a vegan horchata, I never see that! Their vegan tacos are fantastic too.

Tlaquepaque Village is a STUNNING shopping center that looks straight out of Mexico! It has over 50 shops, galleries, and restaurants here, and tons of incredible art. I’d recommend grabbing a coffee at the Chai Spot, checking out the bookstore, and grabbing some local art, jewelry, or gemstones.

No trip to Sedona or Arizona is complete without Mexican food, and El Rincon has the BEST tacos and margaritas in town imo! They are also incredibly unique in that they also have Native American cuisine; including a Navajo and Hopi inspired pizza and a fry bread dessert that is sooo so delicious! 

If you only visit one sunset spot; make sure it’s Cathedral Rock! This short but steep hike can be a bit challenging, especially as the middle part of the trail includes a bit of a rock scramble, but it’s so worth it! Tip: do NOT hike this if it is raining or is going to rain – it’s much too slippery then! Once you are at the top of the trail, stay where you are or head right for epic sunset views, and make sure you head left at some point as well so you can experience the Cathedral Rock Vortex. It’s often windy up near the vortex, but I felt as though that really emphasized the energy here!

If you still have energy left after your sunset hike, head back to Sky Rock Sedona and stargaze on their deck! If you aren’t staying at the hotel, you can actually still stargaze here, and it’s very worth it. It is downright breathtaking, and if you can get it on a clear night with a new moon (or as close to a new moon as possible), you’ll be treated to thousands of stars! Sedona is an International Dark Sky Community certified by the International Dark-Sky Association (now Dark Sky International) in 2014, and so it’s one of the few places in the world where you can truly see the night sky in all its glory. Just make sure to pack layers as the desert gets quite cold at night, even if it was hot during the day! As an alternative to Sky Rock, you can also do this nighttime stargazing tour or have a local take you stargazing on this private tour.

Before you know it, it’s already the last day of this 3 day Sedona itinerary! After all the hiking adventures, you deserve to slow down and stretch out. Grab breakfast at Sky Rock Sedona and then head outdoors to take a yoga class – I can’t recommend the sunrise yoga session with Aumbase Sedona enough! It was the most INCREDIBLE way to start the day and I loved how our instructor (shoutout to Yolanda!) themed the practice with drawing energy from the sun and earth of Sedona.

Since it’s your last day and you might need a bit of a pick-me-up, head over to Freeform Coffee a bit of energy. If you are huge into coffee, I’d recommend grabbing some coffee beans and roasting supplies here too!

The theme of this morning is RELAX and unwind, and what better way to do that than to go wine tasting! The pizzas at Page Spring Cellars are UNREAL yummy and while Page Spring Cellars is a bit of a drive out of town, their food and wine are well worth it!

Sedona is a well-loved destination and it deserves to be loved back! Volunteer Sedona is directed by Spring Graf, who was inspired after volunteering after the Maui fires to bring volunteer efforts to Sedona. I personally took part in a river cleanup in a joint effort with The Oak Creek Watershed Council (donate here to help cleanup efforts!) but what’s great about Volunteer Sedona is that they offer both events you can join AND have volunteer opportunities that match YOUR interest! Check out the calendar here to find a volunteer opportunity that you connect with – volunteering is one of the most memorable and meaningful parts of a trip to Sedona, trust me!

You’ve made it through this jam-packed Sedona itinerary! And I’ve saved the best for last: Mole Mexican Kitchen. As the name suggests, do NOT miss out on trying the mole here! I’d also recommend the bone-marrow elote starter, their margaritas (prickly pear, mango, seasonal – you can’t go wrong!), and their goat-milk caramel filled churros, which are LIFE-CHANGING. Make a reservation, come hungry, and enjoy your last evening!

• Pack sunscreen, a hat, water, salty snacks, and layers: Sedona can get INCREDIBLY hot and heat stroke is no joke! Always pack sunscreen, a hat, more water than you think you need, and salty snacks to refuel. But keep in mind that deserts can get WAY colder at night than you’d realize too; so pack layers and a headlamp for any sunrise/sunset/after dark adventures. You might want a rain jacket as well, keep an eye on the weather! And for sure invest in a good pair of hiking boots as well for this trip.
• Download offline trail maps with the plus version of AllTrails  – it’s what I use as a solo traveler & solo hiker so I never get lost! There’s even notifications now that will go off in case you start to head off-trail.
• Get a parking pass: in case you’re driving a rental car and not taking the shuttle, make sure you purchase a Red Rock Pass; they have 1-day and 7-day options
• Stay on trail: in the Southwest deserts of the United States, including Sedona, there is something called “cryptobiotic soil”, which is a very delicate, living, crust-like soil that plays a critical role in the health of the desert ecosystem, including protecting against erosion. Something as simple as a single footstep on this soil is damaging and it can take YEARS for it to recover!

• Check out my list of the 10 best hiking trails in Sedona here and try out more of the incredible hikes in the area such as Bell Rock or Doe Mountain Trail
• Visit more of the vortexes; there’s one at Bell Rock and another at Boynton Canyon that weren’t a part of this 3 day Sedona itinerary that are nevertheless still worth visiting! 
• Photograph and visit the Chapel of the Holy Cross
• Swim and slide at Slide Rock State Park (don’t miss the natural slide here!)
• Picnic at Oak Creek Canyon
• Walk and shop along Main Street
• Take in the art at the International Gallery of Fine Art
• Drive up and enjoy the views at Schnebly Hill Vista
• Go stargazing at night – try for the new moon for the darkest skies!

Only have one day to spend in Sedona? Check out my 1-day Sedona itinerary here, also linked below!

• Visit the Grand Canyon from Sedona; it’s just 2 hours away to this breathtaking National Park!
• Take a scenic train ride on the Verde Canyon Railroad track
• Explore Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend – it’s about a 3 hour drive away and both are STUNNING!
• Drive to Monument Valley, about 4 hours away but well worth the trip!
• Wine taste in Verde Valley  – this tour will take you to four different wineries!
• Road trip to Las Vegas from Sedona  and visit multiple epic stops along the way; you could easily see the Grand Canyon, Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend, Monument Valley, Bryce Canyon, and Zion National Park all in one trip!

Sedona Hiking Guide: The 10+ Best Trails in Sedona For Epic Views & Stunning Photographs

24 hours in Sedona: Photograph the Red Rocks of Arizona

Where to Stay in Sedona: Hotels, Glamping & Resorts for Your Arizona Trip