There is nothing worse than taking a family vacation somewhere and discovering that there’s nothing that everyone in the family ALL loves to do, or that there may be some really cool activities that you could be doing but you just don’t know what they are. Fortunately, you chose I Love Sedona to host your family vacation, and we don’t just leave you stranded at the door of our extremely comfortable and amazingly luxurious vacation rentals. We are a full-service company ensuring that your family trip to Sedona will be a memorable one, especially when you follow the hints and tips found in our ultimate family guide to the most magical town in the nation. (Dare we say world? Why yes, I think we dare!)
Chances are, no matter what the season you are visiting, the sunny skies and naturally wonderful weather will inspire you and your family to stay outside as often as you can. In the summer months, it can get a little hot; temperatures often reach the triple digits during the daylight hours. But that’s ok! You can save the cooler morning hours for your outside adventures, and in the afternoons, stay inside, where it is air-conditioned and cool. We will take the adventures inside shortly, but first let’s all go outside and play, starting the good times with some water activities that everyone in the family will enjoy, especially during the summer months!
Not so long ago, Slide Rock State Park was an apple orchard that stayed moist due to the icy water that flows through Oak Creek. The farm owners and their families soon learned that the area we now call Slide Rock offered a great way to stay cool in the hottest months of the year, and before long, their neighbors, their community, and finally tourists from all over the world made their way to the slippery rocks, making it one of America’s Top 10 Swimming Holes once again! One half mile of Oak Creek has been designated the official swimming, sliding, and wading spot, with an 80-foot-long super slippery chute of sandstone giving it its name. There are entrance fees to the park, ranging from $10 per car (November through February) to a top cost of $30 per car (Memorial Day through Labor Day), and the money is used to maintain the area.
The Verde River is a tributary of the Salt River, flowing peacefully through the nearby towns of Camp Verde, Clarkdale, and Cottonwood for about 170 miles and the Verde Adventure River Trips offer a fun way to explore the river. Their Inflatable Kayak Adventure is a family friendly one, that provides beginner kayaks (called Spuddy Kayaks) for kids 7-12. If your child is younger than 7, they also offer tandem adult & child kayaks for your 3- to 7-year-old to share with you (or up to 12 if they are afraid to try the trip by themselves), ensuring that most families will be able to enjoy the 5-mile float along the river. Taking about 2.5 to 3.5 hours to complete, a vehicle will be waiting for you at the end point taking you back to where you parked. The costs of this adventure vary depending on the age of the kayaker and the day of the week; weekends cost on average about $5 more per person.
There is nothing more serene, peaceful, and fun than a quiet morning spent fishing on Oak Creek, and although your tiniest travelers are probably not all that suited to staying quiet and still, your tweens will adore this opportunity to spend more time with you and your teens probably won’t snarl or sulk too much when they catch their first fish. Stocked with rainbow trout from the Page Springs hatchery, anglers may also catch sunfish, largemouth bass, and flathead catfish, and even channel catfish can be caught from the lower sections of Oak Creek. When you catch your limit, nothing tastes better than the catch of the day grilled to perfection on the barbecue sitting on the deck of your I Love Sedona vacation escape, and if that catch happens to be one that your children caught, the pride on their faces will be a memory you will never forget.
As we mentioned earlier, in the middle of the summer, triple-digit temperatures may entice you to stay inside with the air conditioning, and the occasional rainy day may do the same. (Although the latter is a lot more rare than the former) This next group of family friendly activities can be enjoyed inside, ensuring that every minute of your Sedona getaway will be filled with fun.
No matter where you are traveling, be it Paris, France, Austin, Texas, or of course, Sedona, Arizona, the best way to figure out what sites you would like to explore in depth is by taking a tour, and Sedona Trolley Tours offers the added benefit of being climate controlled. Their tours take off daily at different times depending on the sites you want to see, and prices range between $15.99 and $37.99 per person. When the weather is nice (which is the majority of the year), the charming red trolleys offer an open-air experience as they take you to vortexes, famous red rocks, and even the Chapel of the Holy Cross, but when the rain starts to soak the landscape, they close the windows, allowing riders to see clearly while keeping the bad weather out.
This next adventure is a mild one, but one that will be most enjoyed during the hottest days of summer. It is, of course, a visit to the Black Cow Café to enjoy a frosty treat. Their homemade ice cream comes in a variety of flavors, with prickly pear probably being the one that amazes your kiddos the most, because hey, they are eating cactus! Personally, our favorite is their Chocolate Lovers’ Dream Sundae made with chocolate ice cream, hot fudge, chocolate sprinkles, whipped cream, and a cherry perched on top. The moments spent inside this cool spot will be enjoyable ones and may provide the perfect opportunity to talk about the activities your family has loved the most while on vacation in paradise.
Of course, we had to slip some shopping into your Sedona adventures, and this fun shop located in the heart of Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village can actually enhance your “at home” adventures, as it offers a variety of board games that should most definitely be played while gathered around the dining table of your I Love Sedona family hideaway. Stop here first and we can promise that your kiddos won’t mind hitting a few more shops in this world-famous shopping center and the souvenirs you bring home will always be a fantastic reminder of the fun you had during your visit.
A Christmas visit to Sedona ranks right up there with chocolate and Disneyland, and this guide to some holiday fun will make you wish you could spend every holiday with your family right here in Sedona.
Yes, we realize that our last adventure took you to the village as well, but we promise that this charming parade that is generally held a couple of weeks before Halloween is worthy of making a return trip to the walled shopping center. Sponsored by the pet boutique BowWow Sedona, the proceeds of the parade ($10 to register a pet) go towards helping save homeless animals, and if you are staying in one of our I Love Sedona pet friendly sanctuaries, we encourage you to dress up your pup and enter him in the parade as well. If you are traveling sans fur baby, it’s ok; this parade will give you your puppy fix, warming your heart as you see all the cute doggy costumes.
The Verde Canyon Railroad makes daily trips from its historic depot in nearby Clarkdale, offering a scenic tour of the region, but at Christmas they go the extra mile with their Magical Christmas Journey. Your child’s adventure actually begins before they arrive at the depot, as Santa will be sending a letter and a postcard to send back to him with three toy wishes they will need to list on the card. In the days leading up to the journey, updates will be emailed to your starry-eyed child, building the anticipation to a fevered pitch, and when the big train day finally arrives, the magic will thoroughly entrance.
The depot will be dressed in its holiday finest, Flurry the Bald Eagle and Princess Noel will be waiting to meet your child, and the decorated train cars will take you and your family on an hourlong trip to the North Pole, where it will be met by Santa and Mrs. Claus and a whole passel of elves. There is so much involved with this magical adventure, too much to list here, but rest assured there will be Christmas carols, sweet treats, and gifts that will help keep the spirit of Christmas alive a little longer for tweens who may be about to outgrow their beliefs.
The Wild, Wild West is still alive for families visiting Sedona, and these next activities will help create memories your tiniest cowpokes will treasure forever.
This next Sedona adventure takes us to another nearby town with a visit to the Blazin’ M Ranch. The ranch allows your entire family to experience more than a little of the magic of days gone by. Offering dinner and a show, the ranch also provides a shooting gallery, roping lessons, tractor pull, a saloon (Don’t be afraid to let your child tell the barkeep to pour him a beer—a ROOT beer, that is!), and before you leave, make sure to visit the Old Tyme Photo Studio for a souvenir that you will treasure forever.
A horseback ride through the Sedona landscape will make parents a hero to their littles, and Horsin’ Around Adventures is the premier horseback riding company. Offering a variety of trail rides, their cowpoke ride is an adventure that can be enjoyed by riders who are at least 6 years of age. This tour is a public one and may have as many 15 riders “getting along like little doggies,” but if you prefer more privacy, they also offer private rides at a higher cost. Prices range from $139 for public rides and $249 for private ones.
Some of your favorite adventures may occur without having to leave the comfort of your I Love Sedona family rental. You’ll find game rooms, theater rooms, and large backyards that may be anchored by pools, hot tubs, or even an 18-hole golf course just outside your door, depending on the property you choose to make your own. Spend your evenings playing board games around our large dining room tables, enjoying a private pool party and barbecue on a warm summer’s day, or teaching your children the joy of a good game of pool. Every minute spent with us on your family trip to Sedona will be your favorite family friendly moment, moments that you will never forget. Reserve your favorite escape today and explore the magic of Sedona with the entire family!
