The magic of Sedona sparkles even brighter when you visit during the winter months, as moderate temperatures, sunny skies, and fun events draw visitors from all over the globe. If one of those visitors happens to be you, let us to be the first to welcome you to the wonders of Sedona! Our village, located in the shadows of the red rocks, is guaranteed to be your new happy place as you play, explore, and dine at the places that represent the best of Arizona. If you are slightly unsure as to what you can do while you are enjoying your Sedona winter break, this guide to our most popular winter activities will help you fill your vacation minutes! As you sleep deeper and awaken each day feeling refreshed and renewed, you can rest assured that this winter getaway will be one you will never forget. These are some of our favorite Sedona winter activities:
The View from Above
If you spend any time in Sedona at all over the winter months, there are a few sounds you get used to hearing. Christmas music playing during the holidays, people laughing and chatting over dinners held on patios, and the roar of hot air balloons flying overhead (interspersed with more than a few gasps of awe) as experienced balloonists pilot visitors over the rugged landscape. If a flight aboard the basket of a hot air balloon interests you, Red Rock Balloons, located at 273 AZ-89A M & N, has the ride of your dreams awaiting you, but you will need to get up early. Red Rock Balloons only offers sunrise flights, but the celebratory toast that commences upon landing definitely makes it worth getting up at dawn! If the weather is a little chilly this early in the day, but you are still interested in seeing the Sedona landscape from above, Sedona Air Tours, 1225 Airport Road, offers tours above the red rocks that run all day long. Lasting between 15 minutes and 35 minutes, the thrill of the motor adds an exciting element to the beauty of your adventure.
Explore the Vortexes
Ok, we admit that this isn’t just a winter activity; as a matter of fact, because the weather stays so nice year-round, most activities we write about can be explored at any time! (With the exception of swimming at Slide Rock; trust us when we say this activity is strictly a SUMMER one if you don’t want frozen toes, chattering teeth, and blue lips!) There are many ways, however, to get out and explore the vortexes, and the easiest is from the back of one of the many different colored jeep tours found in the area! Pink Jeep Tours offers a mystical Touch the Earth tour that lasts about 2.5 hours and hits the major vortex sites. Red Rock Western Jeep Tours has their own version, entitled the Sacred Wheel Jeep Tour, which combines meditation, nature, and the vortexes that give Sedona the mystical powers it is famed for. And last but not least, Safari Jeep Tours takes you on an off-road adventure for an up close and personal tour of the vortexes! Called the Vortex Experience, this tour also lasts 2.5 hours and is a favorite of all who take part. The magic of the winter solstice is expanded by the natural magic found at these spots that virtually hum with electricity, making these tours the single most popular way to get to know our red rock village!
The Verde Valley Wine Trail
No, there is no exercise involved with exploring the Verde Valley Wine Trail, except for however many calories you may burn lifting the glass from the table to your lips! Northern Arizona has become a wine region that is creeping up on the popularity found in Napa Valley, and the trail runs right through Sedona, offering another way to stay warm on a cool winter’s day. Take a tour of the local wineries with Wine Tours of Arizona & Sedona Red Rock Adventures and let someone else drive you from winery to winery, sipping to your heart’s content. The beauty of an Arizona winter day combined with the joy of discovering a new flavor you can make your own is an experience that will never be forgotten. Not everyone enjoys the group dynamic of a wine tour, of course, and when you just want to spend a few quiet hours enjoying the wine, places like Winery 1912 in Sinagua Plaza and Vino Zona in Tlaquepaque are there to help you quench your thirst for the grape!
Winter Wonderland
The snow doesn’t normally fall on the Sedona landscape (but it has been known to happen) and a winter hike through the woods usually won’t require a heavy coat in the middle of February, but the warmth of your Stay Sedona seasonal sanctuary will make your winter break one you will never forget. Contact us to reserve your favorite property today! See our Sedona condo rentals here.