Hidden Gem: Sedona, Arizona

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Sedona is one of my favourite destinations in the US. And I think that’s mainly because I’d never heard of it before I arrived in town. Which is usually the case with my ‘Hidden Gem’ series, they’re a bit random sometimes, but always delightful.

Anyway, back to Sedona.

I stopped off there en-route between Phoenix and the Grand Canyon a few years back, on a road trip through Arizona. I hadn’t heard anything about the place so didn’t really know what to expect.

But what I discovered was pretty much the Wild West!

Red Rock in Sedona

The gigantic ‘red rocks’ that dotted the desert were straight out of a Western, with cacti all over the place. It’s just a different kind of landscape that I had ever experienced! Really lovely and picturesque I think.

Red Rock in Sedona

Cacti in Arizona

Cactus

Also, the people of Sedona are really keen to keep their home town looking lovely, so there are strict colour and design restrictions in place. So much so, that McDonalds were unable to open their iconic golden arches, instead opting for a turquoise version!

McDonalds Sedona

But the best part of my visit was a 4-Wheel Drive adventure with Sedona Red Rock Jeep Tours! This was an off-road drive in the desert, that to be honest I hadn’t imagined would be as fun as it actually was. It started off a really nice drive out into the wilderness, taking photos of the landscape and generally just appreciating the scenery. When they suddenly went into full-on adventure-mode with sharp turns and skids – it was pretty adrenaline-fuelled! But be warned that you have to hold on tight!

Sedona Red Rock Jeep Tours

Red Jeep Tour in Sedona

Red Jeep Tour in Sedona

Off-Roading 4WD Experience

4WD Adventure

The jeeps were driven by real-life cowboys, complete with stetsons and pistols! How awesome is that?! And they really played the part for us, posing for photos! It was a LOT of fun.

Being a Cowboy in Arizona

Cowboy Drivers in Sedona

Overall, I had a blast in Sedona and it was so unexpected. Definitely one of my Hidden Gems in the States.

Have you been to Sedona? Did you chill with the cowboys too? Let me know your experience in the comments section below or tweet me @HeelsInBackpack!

 

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