Head to Arizona for a kickoff to summer in sunny, warm Sedona. With temperatures trending toward the 80s during Memorial Day weekend, you’ll find indoor and outdoor activities to keep everyone busy. Enjoy the fresh mountain air, beautiful red rock, and a pine forest like no other when you make your Sedona Memorial Day escape.
Take a scenic tour of the area and leave the driving to someone else. Available any time of year (no trains run on Memorial Day, so make your trip any day around that date), the Verde Canyon Railroad is a fun way to see the area and escape the heat of the Arizona sun. Choose a coach seat and admire the view of the canyon and surrounding area while listening to classic railroad music. All cars have access to open-air viewing cars to watch the red rock scenery go by. A seat in first-class includes spacious, living room-style seating. The caboose may be the last car on the train, but it contains the best seats. Reserved for a private party of up to six adults, the luxurious experience includes a personal valet. Due to the historic nature of the caboose, it is not ADA compliant. Enjoy a champagne toast upon boarding, full-service cash bars with premium liquor choices, and appetizers served at your seat. Set out onto an open-air viewing platform for a better view of the red rock and pine forest scenery. If you enjoy your ride, come back for a St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, Cinco de Mayo, Christmas, or other themed tours.
Sedona offers hundreds of hiking opportunities. Trails lead to beautiful red rock vistas dotted with the greenery of a forest of ponderosa pines, junipers, cottonwoods, and more. There are hikes appropriate for all ages and skill levels. Take adventures to see landmarks like Cathedral Rock, Bell Rock, and Chapel of the Holy Cross.
Take a short trip that can last all day when you tour the area on a drive along the Red Rock Scenic Byway (SR 179). The byway itself is just ten miles long, but you can spend hours along the route at the many scenic pull-off points as you marvel at the towering natural beauty of Red Rock Country on your Memorial Day respite. There are plenty of photo opportunities along the way, or you can choose to take in the fresh mountain air later in the day for a view of the reds and golds of sunset. Take a drive through the pine forests of the Coconino National Forest and make a stop at the forest visitor center for maps for your hiking and biking excursions.
Get up-close to more than just bears this Memorial Day. You’ll come close to black bears as well as javelina, prairie dogs, North American river otters, wolves, and more. Stay socially distanced from other guests as well as the animals as you drive your own vehicle through the park on a three-mile drive you take at your own pace. Make sure the car you bring is completely enclosed (no convertibles, ATVs, or open-top Jeep®s) and has operational windows.
Enjoy some adults-only time this Sedona Memorial Day. The town of Sedona hosts over 20 wineries. The unique Sedona weather – the heat of a desert day combined with the low temperatures of a northern Arizona night – add up to equal a great recipe for winemaking. Set out on the Valley Verde Wine Trail and stop at several of the wineries. Special package tours are available, or you can designate a driver and choose your own route.
Make sure to add time to relax and unwind this Memorial Day. Choose one of the many spas in the area and indulge in services like facials, body wraps and scrubs, and more. Enjoy a myriad of massage options, including classic Swedish massage, a CBD oil massage, or a deep-tissue massage using heated basalt stones so you’re totally relaxed and ready for whatever is next.
Enjoy live music and good food. That’s what you get when you devour a meal at Sound Bites Grill. Come on Wednesdays and enjoy a “no cover” music performance combined with a wine tasting event on Wineaux Wednesdays, Chill on the Hill Thursdays, We Made It Fridays, Showtime Saturday, or Jazz Brunch Sundays. Check out their calendar to see who’s playing and what’s special on the menu.
You came to Sedona for a fun, exciting Memorial Day wrapped in relaxation. Make sure the feeling lasts throughout your trip when you book a vacation rental with Sedona.org. Prepare a home-cooked meal in the fully equipped kitchen. Enjoy the privacy of your own bedroom or sprawl out in an open living space. For the most intimate experience, choose a one-bedroom unit with a kitchenette. For bigger groups, there are units of up to six bedrooms! Choose a premium unit for upgrades like stainless steel appliances, granite counters, hardwood floors, flat-screen TVs, and more.
Contact us today to book your Memorial Day getaway to Sedona!
