There’s a reason Southwestern scenery has inspired so many artists
By Natalie Carrasco
When you think of Sedona, the obvious comes to mind: wide-angle views of terracotta mesas, canyons blushing crimson, barefoot dreamers wearing crystals and yoga pants. Hiking, energy vortexes. On the ground, whatever the draw is gives way to this Arizona town’s unique marriage of art and nature.
In Sedona, the local craftwork tradition is as standout as the surrounding landscape. On one corner you’ve got guitarists lining restaurant patios, and on the other, plazas thick with painted canvases, hand-thrown pottery, and jewelry. Less apparent, a romp on scenic trails in a Jeep integrates with a landscape photography practice, and a world-famous Catholic chapel designed by a Frank Lloyd Wright protégé sits on a high-top butte.
This stretch of Arizona’s high desert just south of Flagstaff has become a refuge for anyone who wants to hike by day and gallery-hop by golden hour. With lodgings offering equal doses of the famed desert views and proximity to sites worth seeing—plus a lot more—Outbound Sedona is the perfect base camp for any trip combining art with adventure. Not to mention it has its own activities to spark your inner artisan and get the creative juices flowing, from inspiring workshops to moving your body with a yoga session or a game of pickleball at the on-site courts. Plus, there’s plenty of ways to unwind after outdoor excursions like lounging by the Moonwater pool or indulging in a spa day.
Here’s how to combine nature and art in Sedona to max out inspiration.
1. Find Inspiration in a Gallery Crawl
Sedona is full of antiques, fine art galleries, and hidden gems you won’t find anywhere else. With what feels like an infinite number of corner-side plazas to choose from, one of the most popular stops for art enthusiasts is Exposures International Gallery of Fine Art, just off Highway 179. It’s a large 20,000-foot showroom of silver earrings, stained glass, and large-scale paintings, brought to life by docents who know the living artists’ work like the back of their hands.
If you’re after something a little more intimate, try the Sedona Arts Center, which showcases fabulous pieces while bridging the gap between viewer and creator through hands-on classes. Village Gallery of Artists boasts local curations from 40 different artists that specialize in authentic Native American jewelry, Western oil paintings, photography, and sculpture.
Town-wide openings take place on the first Friday of any given month, so you can do a gallery crawl and chat with owners fueled by street-side tacos and mezacalitas.
2. Visit Tlaquepaque Village
The Tlaquepaque arts and shopping village is famous for a reason. One good look at the wrought iron Revival arches or its native sprawl of passionfruit vine, and you know you’re taking in a landmark of Southwest beauty.
Set outdoors, there’s a quiet hum to the courtyards and fountains, while the inside opens up into bustling art, sculpture, food, agave spirits, and strangers haggling over turquoise. Bring a chunk of cash if you want to leave with something nice, or simply observe and take in the details.
3. Hike to the Honanki Heritage Site
If you’ve got a free afternoon, you have to try a hike up to Sinagua cliff dwellings, putting you face-to-face with ancient petroglyphs and pictographs. After a quick 0.6-mile jaunt through stunning red silt, you’re suddenly standing where people lived centuries before you. It’s a relatively short, moderate trail (there’s a rocky little scramble near the base of the cliff that might not be stroller or wheelchair-friendly).
If you’re up for a second peek into the past, Palatki is Honanki’s quieter sister site just down the road. The site, marked by a cluster of shield-like pictographs, is home to one of the largest cliff dwellings in the area, dating back to circa 1150-1350 CE.
4. Listen to Live Music Outdoors
There’s a ton of places to enjoy local live music outside in Sedona. In some cases, you don’t even need to leave Outbound Sedona thanks to the property’s packed calendar of events. Check the calendar to learn about any live music nights during your visit.
Apart from Outbound, there are plenty of other good spots for music around town. A local favorite is Redwall Lounge, where you can bring your pup along and sip a craft cocktail while listening to new bands every week. A few other options include Basecamp Beer Garden or Oak Creek Brewing Co., both of which pour cold pints on the patio with bands singing you to a tipsy slumber under the stars.
Or, if you’re in the mood for something more substantial, check the city’s events calendar for what’s happening at Posse Grounds, like the Sedona Music Festival or Red Dirt Concert Series.
5. Get the Vantage Point on a Jeep Tour
In Sedona, the best way for photographers and nature lovers to reach harder-to-access desertscapes is by Jeep. Outbound Sedona‘s concierge can help you book a tour with a local guide service tailored to what you’re after, whether that’s a peaceful golden hour drive or a more rigorous off-road experience that scratches your adventurous itch.
As Sedona has gained popularity over the years, the main highways to various trailheads can feel a bit stifling to navigate. But with a private Jeep tour, you skip the risk of crowds and can romp around well-maintained trails with a knowledgeable guide, gaining access to landscapes around town you likely wouldn’t otherwise see on foot or in your own car.
6. Aim Your Lens at the Dark Night Sky
Sedona has a stamp of stargazing approval as an official International Dark Sky Community, making it ideal for astro photography. There are some great pull-off and easy-to-get-to spots near Thunder Mountain Trailhead, or the overlook on Beaverhead Flat Road off 179. But if you want a more private experience with someone who knows what to look for and where, Outbound Sedona’s concierge can help point you toward a guided stargazing session with a local outfitter.
If you want to learn more about your personal connection to the stars, book one of Outbound Sedona’s What’s Your Sign? workshops. Here, local astrologers guide you through a session exploring your Zodiac sign.
7. Hone Your Own Art Practice
The Sedona Arts Center offers hands-on art courses and workshops ranging from taking better iPhone pictures of nature to watercolor illustration while birdwatching. Or, get your hands real deep in the dirt with a private stone-sculpting class for just you and a friend. All classes are outside to hone in on the natural integration of craft and outdoors.
You can even practice your craft or try a new medium right at Outbound Sedona; book one of the hotel’s private art experiences to take a class in pottery or watercolor painting. The team also has connections to a variety of creative outfitters, whether you’re a photographer, painter, sculptor, or jewelry maker.
8. Enjoy a Red Rock Sunset
The best way to catch Sedona’s red rocks is soaked in golden light right before dusk. There are a handful of trailheads that’ll get you up to a west-facing view without eating up your whole evening.
At just a 3.3-mile round trip, Airport Mesa is an easy one that grants you a 360-degree view of the whole valley. Cathedral Rock is shorter on paper and more famous, but closes with a scramble near the top, so bring the sneakers. Devil’s Bridge is the longer haul at closer to 4 miles round trip, but if you’ve got the time (and don’t mind a line for the money shot at the top), it’s worth every step. Don’t forget a wide-angle lens if you’ve got one.
