11 Things to Do in Sedona That Go Beyond the Vortex Tours

Everyone tells you to do the vortex tour. And sure, Bell Rock and Cathedral Rock are genuinely special places. But if that's all Sedona is to you, you haven't actually been to Sedona.

This is a town where world-class musicians choose to live and perform outdoors. Where the creek runs cold and clear through red canyon walls. Where the light at dusk does something to the landscape that photographers have been chasing for a century. These are the experiences worth driving for.

1. Attend a Live Concert at the Red Rocks

Tyler Carson is a classically trained violinist who has toured internationally and chose Sedona as home. He performs intimate outdoor concerts at private red rock locations several times a week — Thursday evenings and select weekends.

The Thursday Red Rock Nature Concert is open to groups of all sizes, starting at $175 per person. For couples who want a fully private experience, the Romantic Escape is $399 for two. It's one of those rare things that is exactly as good as it sounds.

2. Hike Soldier Pass Trail to the Devil's Kitchen Sinkhole

Soldier Pass is one of Sedona's most diverse trails — within 4 miles roundtrip you'll pass a natural arch, seven pools (seasonal), the collapsed Devil's Kitchen sinkhole, and finish at a ridge with panoramic views. It requires a Red Rock Pass and fills up fast on weekends, so arrive before 8 AM.

3. Swim at Slide Rock State Park

Oak Creek carved a natural sandstone slide over millennia, and the state park preserves it. The water is cold even in summer, which is the point. Come on a weekday. Bring sandals you don't mind getting wet and a dry bag for your phone. Lines to enter form early on weekend afternoons.

4. Drive Oak Creek Canyon at Dusk

Route 89A north through Oak Creek Canyon is one of the most scenic drives in Arizona. The canyon walls narrow to a few hundred feet wide in places, the creek flashes alongside the road, and the cottonwoods turn gold in fall. Drive it slowly. Pull over anywhere that looks interesting.

5. Watch Sunset from Airport Mesa Vortex

This is the one vortex site worth going out of your way for, specifically at sunset. The short trail climbs quickly to an exposed ridge with 360-degree views over the red rock basin. On a clear evening, you'll watch the formations cycle through a dozen shades of orange and red in under an hour. Arrive 45 minutes before sundown.

6. Explore Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village

Built to resemble a traditional Mexican village, Tlaquepaque is the only shopping destination in Sedona worth a full afternoon. Independent galleries, craft studios, and a handful of good restaurants sit around a shaded courtyard. It's calm, beautiful, and the antidote to the outlet strip on 89A.

7. Take a Morning Yoga Class Outdoors

Several Sedona studios and retreat centers offer sunrise yoga sessions in outdoor settings with red rock views. Serenity Retreat Sedona and Sedona Yoga Festival are good starting points. Even if you're not a regular practitioner, doing yoga outdoors with cathedral formations in your eyeline is something different entirely.

8. Visit Palatki Heritage Site (By Reservation)

The Sinagua people lived in the Sedona red rocks for centuries, and Palatki preserves some of the best-remaining cliff dwellings and rock art in the region. Access requires an advance reservation through the Red Rock Ranger District. Groups are small, the ranger-led tours are genuinely fascinating, and most visitors consider it one of the top experiences of their trip.

9. Stargaze on Schnebly Hill Road

Drive the unpaved Schnebly Hill Road (passable in a standard car for the first few miles) after dark and pull over anywhere above the tree line. As an International Dark Sky Community, Sedona's night sky is something city people genuinely aren't prepared for. On a moonless night, the Milky Way is visible from horizon to horizon.

10. Book a Private Red Jeep Tour off the Beaten Path

Skip the large group jeep convoys. Sedona has several operators who run fully private off-road tours into backcountry terrain that most visitors never reach. Ask specifically for Broken Arrow or Soldier Pass routes, and book first thing in the morning before the trails get crowded.

11. End the Trip with Live Music Under the Stars

The best way to close out a Sedona trip is the same way the best ones begin — with music and open sky. Tyler Carson's Thursday evening concerts run through the season and welcome guests of all ages. Show up as the sun drops behind the mesa. Leave when the stars come out.

Book tickets at fiddlerontherock.com.