To the untrained eye, Sedona may present itself as a gimmicky, spiritual woo-woo town nestled in a majestic desert landscape with stunning red rock formations. In reality, Sedona is a vibrant community with a rich history and a diverse array of wellness and authentic, transformational spiritual experiences for all walks of life and belief systems. It is an impossibility to soak up the depth and quality of healing energy present in Sedona in just one weekend. This itinerary – which includes authentic transformational healing sessions, a hike through one of the most iconic red rock formations, and a sampling of Sedona’s favorite eateries – is here to help you rediscover wellness through the town’s natural beauty and unique cultural offerings.

Recommendations

Key stops
  • High Vibe Collective Retreat Center is Sedona’s premier healing destination offering the most authentic, high-integrity healers. People in all stages of their journey come here to initiate or expand upon their spiritual growth, from emotional processing, to personal development, deep healing, and physical relaxation.
  • Chapel of the Holy Cross is a Catholic chapel built in the 1950s and is known for its unique architectural design, which features a large cross rising out of the red rocks of Sedona. The chapel is open to the public for tours and is a popular tourist attraction in the area.
  • Amitabha Stupa and Peace Park is a Buddhist temple. It is a peaceful, meditative space that is open to people of all faiths. The stupa is a traditional Tibetan Buddhist structure that is believed to bring peace and healing to those who visit it. The peace park also includes a Medicine Wheel, walking paths, prayer book to write in, and silent meditation area.
Restaurants and nightlife
  • Chocolatree is a vegetarian cafe and retail store that is considered to be its own energy vortex. The vibes here are authentically Sedona. Sit inside or better yet indulge in relaxation in the peaceful garden. There is a variety of organic and locally-sourced meals and drinks, including coffee, tea, smoothies, and snacks.
  • Local Juicery is a juice bar and cafe that offers the highest quality organic and fresh cold-pressed juices, smoothies, and other healthy drinks, as well as a selection of vegan food options.
  • Vespa is an Italian cafe that specializes in Pinsa (better than Pizza) that is made of Organic flours that doesn’t have the awful wheat effect of normal grain pizza crusts. This Italian cuisine includes Pinsa, Sandwiches, Salads, Deserts, Wine, Cappuccino, and other healthy drinks.
  • Tamaliza is a family owned restaurant offering a range of organic traditional Mexican dishes, including tamales, burritos, and enchiladas. This space is so authentic, so filling, and never makes us feel bad after stuffing ourselves.
  • Indian Gardens Cafe & Market is a beautifully situated cafe in Oak Creek Canyon, featuring garden seating under pine trees, just across the road from the creek. Dip your toes in the healing waters across the road before or after your meal.
  • Lacuna Kava Bar is an alcohol-free bar that specializes in serving kava, a traditional drink made from the roots of the kava plant. Kava is believed to have a number of potential health benefits, including reducing anxiety and improving sleep. In addition to kava, the bar often has DJ nights.
  • Conscious Dance Sedona is an ecstatic dance hosted Saturday nights. Let yourself free in an alcohol and judgement free environment. Consciously express yourself and move to conscious DJ sets. This is one of Sedona’s main local ecstatic dances and is recommended for all walks of life.
  • Vino di Sedona is a wine bar that features a selection of Verde Valley wines, as well as live music on certain nights.
Shopping and markets
  • Dragon’s Den is a store that sells a variety of spiritual and metaphysical products, such as crystals, tarot cards, and fresh modern spiritual apparel.
  • Bohemian Dreamer is an art studio and a shop filled with high vibrational items curated from around the world and art created by local artist Rachel Farabaugh.
  • Gypsy Jenny’s is a unique gift shop for local and imported handmade exotic clothes, jewelry, bags and satchels, accessories, incense, cards and gemstones.
  • Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village is a popular shopping and dining destination that features a range of boutiques, galleries, and restaurants, as well as outdoor areas for walking and relaxation. The village is known for its Spanish-inspired architecture and is a popular spot for tourists and locals alike.
Outdoor activities
  • Cathedral Rock Hike offers stunning views of the surrounding red rock formations and is considered a moderate to difficult hike. This is the iconic rock that you can stand in-between and feel the sacred energy. Cathedral Rock is considered the female energy vortex in Sedona and is esteemed as one of the best hikes for a reason.
  • Star Gazing is a popular activity in Sedona due to the area’s clear dark skies, lack of light pollution, and noted U.F.O. activity. The high altitude and dry climate of Sedona make it an ideal location for stargazing, as there are few clouds and the air is generally very clear. 
  • Guided Hike & Vortex Tour is a hike and meditation session with High Vibe Collective will take place at the Stupa, also known as the Peace Park in Sedona. You will walk away from this experience with a greater understanding of Sedona, spirituality, and how to navigate your inner journey.
  • Scenic Sedona Tours offers tours of Sedona’s highlights on open-air bus. Choose between a 2hr or 5 1/2hr tour.
Getting around
  • It is best to rent a car and see Sedona with the most accessibility possible. Walking is do-able but it takes wheels to get to all of the best places in Sedona in a timely manner. Uber and Lyft rideshare services, along with taxis, are few and far between for what most visitors would expect. Do yourself a favor and bring your vehicle or rent a car so that you can take advantage of everything Sedona has to offer.
Where to stay
  • Don Hoel’s Cabins is a private set of rustic cabin rentals, each of which is equipped with basic amenities and is surrounded by beautiful natural surroundings. The best part, there is no wifi. The resort has private creek across the street from the cabins where you can cold plunge or bask in the natural beauty. 
  • Arabella features comfy rooms situated amongst red rock hiking trails and free bikes to take to Tlaquepaque for shopping and dining.
  • Sky Rock Sedona offers a communal terrace overlooking Sedona’s majestic red rocks while being walking distance to the High Vibe Collective Retreat Center, Whole Foods, crystal stores, and some of Sedona’s best restaurants. Stay here if you plan to visit Sedona without a car!
  • Enchantment is a luxury resort setting the scene for red rock immersion, pristine wilderness, and a connection to nature. Stay here if you’re ready to invest in a prime luxury Sedona experience.
  • Local Airbnb “Mariposa House” is a communal house rented by the room on Airbnb. Stay here and meet other travelers visiting Sedona with similar spiritually minded intentions.

Itinerary

Friday

3 p.m. Hike to the top of Cathedral Rock

One of the most iconic and photographed landmarks in Sedona and the hike to the top offers breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape. The trail is moderate in difficulty and takes about 2 hours round trip, there are also incredible views from any point in this hike if you happen to not make it all the way up! Be sure to bring plenty of water and wear sturdy shoes.

5:30 p.m. Relax into a powerful Sound Journey

Head over to High Vibe Collective and relax into bliss through sound healing frequencies, guided meditation, and cellular refreshment. Use this time to reset and honor your body, mind, and soul and soak in the good vibes.

7 p.m. Enjoy a classy dinner at Shorebird

Take your party or just yourself on a date to one of Sedona’s most popular modern eateries featuring delicious shareable plates and influences from traditional seafood and steakhouses. 

8:30 p.m. Drink without alcohol like a Sedona local

Grab a non-alcoholic drink at the Kava bar to experience a conscious, alcohol-free bar experience. Walk straight over from Shorebirds after dinner. Kava is known for making people feel calm, relaxed, and happy. Kavapyrones, substances in Kava, act similarly to alcohol on your brain but does not offer the same drunkenness that alcohol does.

9 p.m. Stargaze at your hotel or choose a company

Soak up the stars as you relax (hopefully in a hot tub) through the night. The stars are easily seen in Sedona which is part of the International Dark-Sky Association.

Saturday

10 a.m. Unlock your aliveness with Emotional Release Breathwork

Breathe into all of yourself with guided breathwork for emotional release at the High Vibe Collective Retreat Center. Use Sedona as your opportunity to unlock all of your being. Take this newfound energy and emotional expansiveness and experience a new sense of your self.

11:30 a.m. Decompress your body with Transformational Bodywork

Pop back over to High Vibe Collective Retreat Center for a life changing bodywork session. Through a “compression and movement” based myofascial release technique tissue health becomes optimized by rehydrating and un-adhering hardened connective tissue. Pain patterns can become disrupted as range of motion increases, muscles recall the experience of freedom, and nerves and blood vessels become free from constriction.

1:30 p.m. Eat under canyon walls and pine trees

Have lunch at the historic sight that is now Indian Gardens Market & Cafe, where natives used to have gardens along the creek to feed the community.

2:30 p.m. Dip your feet in the healing waters in Oak Creek Canyon

Walk across the road and dip down into the creek. The water is cold and refreshing, providing the perfect antidote to the heat if it’s summer time. Oak Creek Canyon is is also known as one of Sedona’s beautiful scenic drives, reaching up to 7000 as it approaches Flagstaff, Arizona.

4:00 p.m. Bask in wrap-around Sedona Sunset views

Hike the Airport Loop to move your body, see most of the major rock formations in the city centers of Sedona, and gain some perspective of yourself. The energy of the land of Sedona is very powerful and insightful. If you listen while you walk through the rocks, you may find yourself feeling powerfully alive.

5:30 p.m. Indulge in Home-Style Mexican food at Tamaliza 

With recipes that are authentic and time tested, this cafeteria style atmosphere always has the best fresh ingredients and your taste buds will be buzzing! 

8 p.m. Free your body with Sedona Community

Attend Conscious Dance Sedona’s Saturday night DJ’ed ecstatic dance and liberate yourself in a non-judgmental, conscious community scene.

Sunday

10 a.m. Fall in love with organic superfood breakfasts

Have brunch at Local Juicery. Treat your soul to raw, fresh juice, smoothie, or organic waffles! It’s impossible to go wrong with what you order here.

11:30 a.m. Practice self inquiry through an Astrology or Human Design Reading

Receive insights from an intuitive expert at the High Vibe Collective Retreat Center. Learn more about your true nature and gain strengths in any previous weaknesses.

1 p.m. Eat in one of Sedona’s cultural hearts

Eat 100% organic food in the garden at Chocolatree and soak in the pure Sedona energy present here, so that you can take the good vibes with you. 36 hours in Sedona is not enough, it’s only a tempting teaser.