I spent two weeks in Sedona in early March 2024. This is one of the best times of the year to visit as you may still see snow (Snowdona is indescribably beautiful!) and then the next day it will be sunny with a high of 68 degrees Fahrenheit. This place has a healing allure to it that is hard to put into words. I met soo many locals during my visit who vacationed once or twice before deciding to permanently relocate to this peaceful northern Arizona mountain town. The town is known for having “vortexes” or natural rock formations that have an unusually high electromagnetism to them. There are a large number of alternative and holistic medicine practitioners colocated in the same space which also contributes to the town’s reputation as a hub for spirituality. I self-identify as a hardcore logician who is as math-and-science as they come and I even felt the allure of Bell Rock. After driving for four hours from Tucson, AZ, I skipped checking in to my Airbnb, unconsciously drove to Bell Rock (without knowing it was Bell Rock), parked my car, climbed to the base of it and walked away with what I can only describe as a renewed vigor for the rest of the evening. A later conversation with my Airbnb host put words to my experience as Bell Rock is known for having a strong masculine energy to it. Other vortexes have a more feminine energy to them and made me feel nurtured in their presence. Like anything, the power of your experience is constrained by the power of your belief in these things. It takes an open mind; skeptics will likely feel nothing and write it off as some quack new-age mumbo-jumbo.
Outside of healing and spirituality, Sedona is a world class destination for outdoor activities including hiking, off-roading, landscape photography, natural swimming holes, and rock climbing. With so much to offer, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the population in Sedona balloons on the weekends. With nearly 3,000,000 visitors each year, that works out to nearly 58,000 people per week, many of whom come on the weekends. March – May is considered peak season before it gets too hot; coupled with spring break, I learned first hand just how congested the roads and trailheads can get in this small town of only ~10,000 full time residents. I’ll be sharing some lessons learned for beating the crowds.
- Lodging
- Things To Do
- Places To Work
- Food and Drink
- How to Beat the Crowds
Lodging
I stayed in an Airbnb located in Oak Creek Village across the street from Bell Rock, slightly south of Sedona proper. My host Haejung is AWESOME! I can’t recommend her enough. She is a yoga teacher and offers a $20 class three times a week for Airbnb guests that she facilitates in her living room. It’s one of the most unique yoga classes I’ve ever participated in as she ends the class with a 30 minute meditation and a tea ceremony. After my first yoga class with Haejung, she was gracious enough to serve a few cups from a $10,000 tin of award winning green tea from Taiwan. Haejung also knows many legit spiritual healers in town, including a third generation acupuncturist and traditional Chinese medicine practitioner named Banya who offers past life readings. I spoke with three of my Airbnb guest roommates who all spoke extremely highly of Banya. I wasn’t able to book an appointment with Banya this visit, but definitely will be looking into it the next time I pass through Sedona!
One thing to understand about Sedona is that tourism is the largest industry in the town. Staying at a resort and asking the concierge for things will get you pointed towards local tour guides that the hotel (most likely) has cut a deal with. Many “influencers” are also in cahoots with local hotels – this is why so many videos recommend staying at places like Arabella. If hiking is your jam (like me) there are over 200+ trailheads in Sedona; after waiting in line for 20 minutes to take a photo at popular sites like Birthing Cave, Cathedral Rock, or Seven Sacred Pools, it’s refreshing to get a recommendation that is off the beaten path that provides some solitude. Some of my favorite activities in Sedona were things Haejung recommended that don’t really show up in search results returned from Google. There’s no substitute for experience – my host has lived in Sedona for 13 years now. It’s futile to think a weekend or two of Googling is going to compete with that type of knowledge base.
Things To Do
It’s impossible to list everything there is to do in a single blog post for a place like Sedona. What is written here is unique to my experience of intentionally doing something new everyday for two weeks straight.
Hiking
This is my favorite activity to do at this stage of my life. Nothing else brings me closer to my higher power than being immersed in beautiful natural settings. Sedona did not disappoint!
What to Bring in a Daypack
Depending on the time of day, hike duration, and weather, this list varies a bit. In general, this covered all of my bases during the “wet” early March season.
| Item | Notes | Link |
| Backpack with a water pouch sleeve | This backpack is small, but has enough storage for everything I need and has a water pouch sleeve. | https://amzn.to/49iy6G1 |
| Camelbak 3L Hydration Bladder | 3L is perfect for all the hikes listed below. In general 3L works (for me) up to 18 miles. | https://amzn.to/4aC9Q2M |
| Swiss Army Knife | Mainly for the scissors and the knife to open snacks. | https://amzn.to/3U37lRB |
| Camera Bag + Camera | Fits camera and two lenses; stuffs perfectly into the middle pocket. | https://amzn.to/3J2HHWU |
| Epic Bison, Bacon, Cranberry Bar | Favorite snack; I eat more of these than I care to admit. | https://amzn.to/3PQmSls |
| Apple | 2nd favorite snack when I concede that I need to chill on the Epic Bars. Honeycrisp > | – |
| iPhone | AllTrails, taking pictures, using OpenAI Whisper to capture thoughts for this blog | – |
| Spot 400-R Headlamp | A must for night hiking. Get the one with the red-light option if you intend to stargaze or do astrophotography! | https://amzn.to/3VOgYVO |
| 20000mAh Power Bank | Charging headlamp, camera, iPhone. Nothing worse than having AllTrails map or light source die on you in the middle of a night hike! | https://amzn.to/49jkA56 |
| Camera tripod | Tripod for camera | https://amzn.to/3J8wELK |
| Sunscreen | Sun protection for face, hands, body. Don’t look like a prune by age 40! | https://amzn.to/4cNSXUT |
| Gloves | Keep hands warm | https://amzn.to/4ao1dJm |
| Gore-Tex Technical Shell | A technical shell is an outer layer that is made for any weather conditions including snow, hail, rain, wind, and sun. This thing saved me a few times when it unexpectedly started hailing! Gore-Tex is waterproof. Like stand under a waterfall and walk away completely dry level waterproof. This also means it is windproof! | https://bit.ly/3vtWS8A |
0 – 2 Miles
Doe Mountain Trail
Doe Mountain (AllTrails) is an awesome place to see the sunset and do some stargazing! Located right off of Boynton Pass Road, the trail is a moderate ascension up a series of cliff side switchbacks that leads to the top of a plateau. Bear Mountain to the west makes a great foreground subject for astrophotography while the lights of Sedona to the east invoke a sense of adventure as you look down on all the homes from this 5000 ft elevation vantage point. If you go for sunset or stargazing, don’t forget a head lamp as the descent down is treacherous on the cliff side.
Raven Caves Trail
Raven Caves (AllTrails) is a short hike that leads to a pretty cool cave carved into a cliff overlooking Oak Creek, located off highway 179. I stumbled upon this trail looking for something to do after work one day. Be on the lookout for the tiny parking lot, I drove right by it the first time and had to flip a U-turn!
Cathedral Rock Trail
Cathedral Rock Trail (AllTrails) has multiple trailheads. This short hike is the one that begins at the parking lot off Back O Beyond road. The hike is short yet requires some scrambling up the smooth rock faces (I felt like a Billy goat at times!). The path can be a bit hard to follow on the first attempt – look for the cairns. I knew I was in for a treat, as there was a professional photographer and a couple celebrating their ten year anniversary starting the hike at the same time I was. The scrambling and pathfinding is rewarded with a million dollar view at the top. I’m grateful the professional photographer was there to snap a few photos of me and provide some tips for someone just beginning their photography journey!
2 – 5 Miles
Cathedral Rock via Baldwin Trail
The second time I went to Cathedral Rock, I started the trail from Baldwin Trail (AllTrails). The sunset view of Cathedral Rock coming from this direction is second to none. I loved this hike as it hugs Oak Creek to begin and end the hike. Pay attention to the map and try not to wander off into La La Land or you’ll miss a turn (I did this on the way there and on the way back!). To reach Baldwin Trailhead, you must drive all the way out Verde Valley School Rd until it turns into a dirt road. This was convenient for me as my Airbnb was located in the Village of Oak Creek at crossroads of Bell Rock Blvd and Verde Valley School Rd. If you are staying in Uptown, Sedona proper, or West Sedona, this trailhead is pretty far out of the way. I stayed until long after the sun had gone down to do some stargazing and took one of my best astrophotography shots to date:
Bear Mountain Trail
Bear Mountain (AllTrails) is the second highest peak in Sedona at 6,616 feet elevation. I started this one at like 3:30PM and was at the summit with plenty of time remaining before sunset. Sunset did not disappoint from the elevated vantage point! Neither did the stargazing. I didn’t really know what I was doing at this point in my astrophotography career and was still able to get some beautiful shots, especially facing north of Sedona where there is absolutely zero light pollution. Definitely bring a headlamp for the hike back in the dark – this one hugs a cliff face and can be pretty sketchy, especially in the dark.
Bell Rock Pathway to Big Park Loop
This loop (AllTrails) is a great walk in-of-itself. Seeing Courthouse Butte from multiple different angles was pretty cool and the panoramic views offered when you get east of the Butte are awesome. When I got near Bell Rock, the vortex was calling and I felt compelled to scamper up the rock, getting near the top. The call was felt by others around me with one gentleman continuing all the way up to the summit of the rock, only to rappel down the side of Bell Rock! Great place to watch the sunset.
Chapel Trail to Broken Arrow Trail to Mystic Trail
This was one of the trails (AllTrails) my host Haejung recommended. It’s a nice little loop that takes you around the Holy Chapel of the Cross, along the famed OHV Broken Arrow Trail, offering views of Wilson Mountain to the north. Keep your head on a swivel, this hiking trail overlaps with a mountain biking and an OHV trail. If you go clockwise and time it right, the moon rise over Holy Chapel of the Cross during blue hour is awesome to witness!
Gordon’s Ridge via Boynton Canyon Trail
This one has been photographed ad-nauseam and is a very popular destination. (AllTrails) The trail to Gordon’s Ridge passes through the beautiful Boynton Canyon, an energy vortex possessing balanced feminine and masculine properties. The first part of the hike takes you past a resort and golf course. This eye sore doesn’t diminish the beauty of the canyon as you make your way further back. As you approach Gordon’s Ridge, a scramble up a crack in the rocks is required to make it to the angle many choose to snap a photo at. Don’t forget to go around the corner! The view outside of the cave opening is just as jaw dropping.
Devil’s Bridge via Mescal Trailhead
This trail (AllTrails) is a must see in Sedona. Unfortunately, everyone else has the same idea. Be prepared for crowds and waiting your turn to take the iconic shot on the bridge.
5+ Miles
Seven Sacred Pools via Soldier Pass to Brins Mesa Loop
This trail (AllTrails) was one of my favorite hikes of the whole trip. I did it the second day I was in Sedona after summiting Wilson Mountain. Admittedly this was biting off a little bit more than I could chew as I finished the day out with like 44,000 steps! I parked the car at the shuttle stop at like 430PM with three hours before sundown, missing the shuttle by a few minutes. The bus driver informed me that it’s only 3/4 mile and like 15 minutes to walk to where the trail begins. I met two fellow adventurers from California on the walk to the trail; after some small talk they hurried ahead. We kept bumping into one another on the trail on the way to Soldier Cave. I ended up helping them climb up the ravine to the window of Soldier Cave, engaged in an impromptu photoshoot, and had a blast getting to know them. We exchanged Instagram handles and they went left back to the trailhead and I went right to finish the loop around Brin’s Mesa. Anne has been an awesome friend since meeting her – we’ve talked on the phone a few times and I’ve come to sincerely appreciate her perspective. Pushing onward to Brin’s Mesa proved to be a little too ambitious as the sun quickly started setting, my phone was on like 10%, and I forgot my headlamp. Sedona is an international dark sky city and it gets dark REAL fast. I ended up running most of the way back to the car, high strung about my phone dying and the prospect of losing the map. Lessons learned aplenty on this one.
Wilson Mountain Trail
This was the first hike (AllTrails) I did when I got to Sedona! I woke up early and drove to the trailhead, only to realize I had forgotten my SD card for my camera. After turning around, going back to the Airbnb and looping back to the trailhead, I snagged the last parking spot in the parking lot. It snowed the previous night and I was treated to Snowdona in all its glory. The trail was super muddy and I was grateful for having my Gore-Tex Merrell hiking boots and Norona technical shell as I got snowed, rained, and hailed on; not to mention blasted with the cool breeze for most of the hike. The views are spectacular as Wilson Mountain is the highest peak in Sedona, especially with the contrast between the white snow and the red rock.
West Fork of Oak Creek Trail (Sedona Narrows)
The Narrows is a famous hike upstream through a canyon in Zion National Park that I had the pleasure of doing last weekend! Sedona has their own version (AllTrails) that is equally as cool as the one in Zion. West Fork of Oak Creek Trail is like 20 miles north of the town of Sedona and costs $8 for a day pass. The hike leading to the Sedona Narrows hugs a creek and includes 10+ crossings, some of which require tiptoeing across natural log bridges. At the very end of the trailhead is the beginning of the Sedona Narrows. I went in late afternoon and it was awesome seeing the light reflections off the water onto the canyon walls! The water is pretty cold in March and it took like 5 minutes for the feeling to come back in my toes.
Spirituality
Sedona is famous for attracting spiritual people from around the world. There is undeniably strong potential energy in this part of the world. Many people postulate that there are stronger electromagnetic forces present. I think the strength of one’s conviction of belief in spirituality has a lot to do with the likelihood of one feeling anything when they visit. If you’re overly skeptical, it’s unlikely you’ll feel anything.
Vortexes
The main spiritual draw to the area are the famous energy vortexes scattered around Sedona. Vortexes can be thought of as sites on Earth that possess geological and environmental properties that make them more prone to electromagnetic activity. Earth’s magnetic field is not uniform and varies in strength and direction at different locations. The local magnetic field can be prone to further localized distortion by the presence of high concentrations of minerals and other geological formations like fault lines. It is theorized that Sedona contains a mix of geological and environmental properties that contribute to the enhanced “energy” people feel when they visit the vortex sites. In general there is a distinction made between vortex sites where energy enters the Earth, leading to a more feminine energy and vortexes where energy exits the earth, yielding a more masculine energy. Some sites are believed to have a balance between their feminine and masculine energies.
Cathedral Rock
Cathedral Rock possesses an energy that can be described as more feminine and nurturing in nature. I felt this more on the hike where I took pictures of the stars when it was after dark and I had the whole place to my self. Since energy is flowing into the Earth at this site, it is easier to reach deeper levels of introspection and states of trance if you try meditating here. Some, like the spiritual healer Banya, claim they can see past lives, a service she offers to those interested.
Bell Rock
Bell Rock possesses an energy that can be described as more masculine and energizing in nature. Many of the guests I shared the Airbnb with remarked that they felt they shared the experience I had of feeling drawn towards Bell Rock as soon as they rolled into town. My host shared multiple times that proximity to Bell Rock was a factor in picking the location of her home. In general, this vortex site gives fearlessness, assertiveness, and a more goal oriented vibe, as embodied by the man who free bouldered up to the top of Bell Rock last time I hiked there. If you only have time to see one vortex, I would recommend this one.
Boynton Canyon
Boynton Canyon possesses an energy that is balanced between feminine and masculine. The landscape plays a part in the balance of energy as the canyon contains lush vegetation and towering rock spires. This part of Sedona was held in very high regards by the Yavapai-Apache people, who believe this is where the Great Spirit Mother (First Woman) gave birth to the human race. Ancestors would not enter the canyon without purifying themselves first by fasting or meditating.
Chapel of the Holy Cross
Chapel of the Holy Cross is a Roman Catholic place of worship. The structure was commissioned by local rancher and sculptor Marguerite Brunswig Staude who originally worked with Frank Lloyd Wright’s son to try and implement the design in Budapest, Hungary. Her efforts were thwarted by the outbreak of WWII so she decided to have the structure built in her native Sedona. It is one of the only places of worship that depicts Jesus on the cross with his eyes open. There is also a very powerful vortex allegedly located on site.
Amitabha Stupa & Peace Park
Buddhists refer to a consecrated stupa as a “Wish Fulfilling Jewel”. In this context a wish is the equivalent of a prayer. You can explain it as a spiritual generator or amplifier meaning that any prayers, meditations, visualizations and spiritual practices that are done at the stupa will be made more powerful by the spiritual energy that is imbued within it. A stupa’s sole purpose for being in the world is to alleviate suffering, to move humanity forward on our spiritual path. The Amitabha Stupa & Peace Park is on private property owned by Kunzang Palyul Choling, a Tibetan Buddhist Temple in the Vajrayana Tradition. It is aptly named as the serene grounds are central to Sedona on top of a hill overlooking the red rock mountain ranges. There are Buddha statues and multicolored paper mache flags hung on trees throughout the Peace Park on the way up to the stupa. Traditionally, stupa visitors prostrate, pray, meditate, make offering and walk around a stupa in a clockwise direction. At the end of your visit, it is recommended to offer in your mind any virtue or positivity that was created by your visit to the end of suffering for others. You can say your own, or use Jetsunma Akhon Lhamo’s dedication prayer. This helps seal in the blessing.
“By this effort, may all sentient beings be free of suffering. May their minds be filled with the nectar of virtue. In this way, may all causes resulting in suffering be extinguished, and only the light of compassion shine throughout all realms.”
Off Roading
Sedona has some world class off-roading trails. My childhood best friend Jesus came up to visit me while I was in Sedona and brought his TRD 4×4 Toyota Tacoma.
End of the World
Originally we wanted to 4×4 this trail, but alas the gate to the trail was closed. The views are epic, the road is fun to off-road, the pics looked legit. Next time!
Broken Arrow
After we were turned away at End of the World, a quick Google search surfaced Broken Arrow as the most difficult OHV trail in Sedona. I distinctly remember asking Jesus if he was up for it as he had never taken the Taco out 4x4ing. True to form, he was like “hell yeah” and off we went!
This OHV trail is gnarly. 4×4 and high clearance is a must to get through this trail. There isn’t a ton of deep sand, but there are boulders you have to climb over. The video below is probably the gnarliest drop we endured on Broken Arrow.
Broken Arrow is a loop that takes you past the Devil’s Dining Room sinkhole to Chicken Point overlook. Upon reaching Chicken Point, the mentally taxing drive rewards with panoramic views of the Twin Buttes, Gibraltar Rock, Courthouse Butte, and Bell Rock. Many park the car and get out to explore Twin Buttes on foot. The view is worth scrambling up to the saddle point overlooking the Chapel of The Holy Cross even if it is super windy at the saddle! On the way down check out the White Line.
Swimming Holes
Sedona has some cool swimming holes to escape the heat! In March the water is super cold; during the summer it is probably a refreshing break from the incessant heat.
Slide Rock State Park
Slide Rock State Park is like 20 minutes north of Sedona and includes a naturally occurring rock formation that is a blast to slide down! When I went, a handful of dads and their kids were the only ones brave enough to go down the slide on account of the sub 40 degree snowmelt that caused Oak Creek to swell. I was hell bent on going down the slide; after watching a man in his 40s go down with his 11 year old in tow, I knew I had to give it a shot. The first time was terrifying as the water was raging in the stream. After overcoming the initial fear, I ended up going down the slide three more time! This was pre-GoPro days so the (shaky) point of view footage below was caught using a waterproof lanyard pouch that is typically used for snorkeling.
Red Rock Crossing
This was a local recommendation from Haejung. To get to this swimming hole, you’ll want to park at the Baldwin trailhead. Instead of following the path up to Cathedral Rock, cut north towards Oak Creek. You know you’ve reached the spot when you come to a flat, smooth red rock with Cathedral Rock in the background. When I went, Oak Creek was FLOWING from all the snowmelt and the water was super cold. In the summer it’s a great spot to beat the heat and cool off in the creek. When the water if really flowing, walking or sitting along the flat, smooth red rock creates an illusion like you’re levitating on top of the surface of the water. There is strong spiritual energy at this location and many people postulate it is the site of a vortex.
Stargazing
Sedona was the eighth designated International Dark Sky Community city and gets DARK once the sun goes down. It’s perfect for stargazing and dabbling in astrophotography. Really anywhere off the main roads is a great vantage point to see the star – the spots below are for those trying to minimize light pollution.
Brewer Trail
If you Google “Sedona stargazing”, one of the first results that surfaces is the Airport Mesa trail. This one is great, but is usually filled with people who are similarly discovering it on Google. Haejung tipped me off to Brewer Trail which is immediately to the left of the trail up to Airport Mesa as the place where the locals go to see the stars. It’s like a 10 minute walk once you park the car – no mountain climbing involved! I went here to watch the full moon rise.
Doe Mountain
Doe Mountain is west of town and offers a panoramic view of the mountain range where the sun sets. Shots taken from this vantage point looking west will include Bear Mountain in the foreground, a good subject amidst the backdrop of the night sky. The winding path up to the top of the mesa includes a bit of scrambling so you’ll want to be sure to bring a headlamp! Preferably your headlamp will include a red light to preserve night vision. I typically use red light on the way up and then switch back to ambient white for my descent. See the section under hiking for a time lapse I took of the setting sun from atop Doe Mountain.
Bear Mountain
Bear Mountain is west of town and across the street from the Doe Mountain trailhead. This is the second highest peak in Sedona and hiking it in the dark is not for the faint of heart! The path includes 2,000 feet of elevation gain and tightly hugs many cliff drop-offs. Definitely need a headlamp for this one. The advantage of Bear Mountain are the views to the west / northwest. It’s wild seeing the contrast between looking south / southeast towards Sedona and observing the light pollution that leaks into your shots vs turning west / northwest and seeing true pitch black. See the section under hiking for a shot I got of the moonrise on my iPhone during the descent down.
Tlaquepaque
Tlaquepaque is a word from the Nahuatl Native Indian language, the ancient language of the Aztecs meaning the “best of everything.” This is a pretty good description of this beautiful village of shops, art galleries, and restaurants in the heart of Sedona. It’s the location of one of my favorite tea shops in North America: The Chai Spot. Grab a tea and meander around the cobblestone streets, stop and smell the roses, throw a penny in the fountain, and check out the southwestern inspired art in one of the 10+ galleries! Afterwards, stop by Rene for a glass of wine and steak tartare with grilled Noble bread.
Places To Work
Reliable WiFi, good coffee/food, and dope views are a few of the things I look for in a place to work.
The View Coffee Shop
This place is licensed to sell Starbucks coffee – anything you can get at Starbucks, you can get here. They do make their own food and the egg bites are cheap and delicious. They share the patio with the restaurant next door – the patio is open to patrons of the coffee shop as long as the restaurant is closed. The restaurant is closed all day Mondays and Tuesdays. WiFi is fast and they let me sit there for literally nine hours one day!
Food and Drink
There are some fantastic dining options in Sedona. I ate at a lot of different restaurants and the establishments highlighted in this section include my favorites.
Food
Picazzo’s Healthy Italian Kitchen Sedona
Picazzo’s is technically a chain with multiple locations in Arizona and bills itself as a healthy Italian option. I went on St. Patrick’s Day; instead of a generic overview of a good restaurant, I wrote a short story in real time depicting my experience:
A Google search for “Sedona Best Healthy Restaurants” surfaced Picazzo’s Healthy Kitchen as the first search result. A lobby full of people welcomed me as I walked in. The host suggested sitting at the bar; I’m hungry and typically you can place your order at the bar faster. Plus who wants to wait two hours for food?!
As I squeezed my way through the crowded bar, it dawned on me that it’s St. Patrick’s day today. The bar is the last place I’d like to be. The two seats next to me were soon occupied by a middle age man in his forties wearing a cowboy hat and his wife who doesn’t look a day older than 27 – 28. They’re locals as the bartender knew their name and exactly what order to place as soon as cowboy declared “the usual”. I asked them what they would recommend to eat and could tell they were extremely wealthy by the way his wife answered without even looking at me in the dismissive manner reserved for anyone less than someone on their level. To my right, a middle age man drunk stinking of alcohol who I soon learn, lives in a garage for $2000 a month and leads UFO and vortex tours around town. 6PM at the bar in Sedona on St. Patrick’s Day.
In my left ear, conversations about hiking trips to Kilimanjaro, $300 rounds of golf at Sidewinder Golf Course in Gold Canyon, AZ (the wife exclaiming “you pay that much in Hawaii babe and it’s HAWAII”), and how they can do first class to New Zealand but only with a layover as the direct first class flight is 150,000 frequent flyer points more. In my right ear, the drunk excitedly showing pictures of UFO to visitors from Wisconsin, complaining about how the “fucking tourists from California drive reckless”, and a story of how the original design for the cross at the Church of the Holy Cross was based on aliens, “it’s trueee man they almost fucking killed the original architect, it’s why Jesus has his eyes open in the crucification mannn”. This place is nuts. I went with the wife’s suggestion: Thai Peanut Quinoa Bowl add Salmon and Avocado. Not gonna lie, it’s pretty bomb, even if it is $35.
Momo’s Kitchen
Momo’s Kitchen is a food truck that is fantastic, especially for lunch. My godmother is Korean and ever since I was a little kid I’ve had a soft spot for bomb Korean food. Momo’s does not disappoint! “Always get the kimchi“, my godmother told me you can tell the quality of a Korean kitchen by the quality of the kimchi. The kimchi at Momo’s is delicious. Needless to say, the Bibim-bap and Mandu are phenomenal.
Tara Thai Restaurant
Tara Thai Restaurant was the first place I ate dinner at when I rolled in to Sedona night one. The vibes are chill with Buddha statues and bamboo, the staff is a little sassy (the hostess told me to “chill” when I interrupted her flow state packing up To-Go orders to ask if I could have a menu), and the food is delicious. I ended up eating here three times and highly recommend the Massaman curry add beef and the pineapple fried rice, add shrimp.
Drinks
The Chai Spot
The Chai Spot has some of the best tea I’ve ever had! They specialize in, you guessed it, Chai based drinks and have an awesome mission to empower women in Pakistan. 50% of the profits go to helping in the empowerment of women in rural and tribal areas of Pakistan through their non-profit foundation, Sughar, and other organizations. The vibes in the cafe are influenced culturally by owner Khalida’s home country of Pakistan. The whole shop is filled with colorful rugs, mandalas, and decorations; they have this cool outdoor seating area where people gather to sip tea and chat. I went here to work one afternoon and ended up chatting up a local Sedona woman and a van life couple from Vancouver who gave me some recommendations on places to see around the area! My first go around I ordered the Sulaimani Chai which is a chai with water instead of milk, it was delicious I had to get another cup! The second time around I ordered the Traditional Cardamom Chai after a big meal. You really can’t go wrong with any of their offerings; don’t forget to get an almond cookie with your tea!
How to Beat the Crowds
If you go to Sedona on a weekend between March-May or September – November, expect a crowd at any of the hiking trails discussed above, especially at the “big ticket” hikes like Devil’s Bridge, Cathedral Rock, Gordon’s Ridge, and Seven Sacred Pools. The only way I found to reliably beat the crowd was to either show up at dusk/dawn on the weekend or during the afternoon on a weekday. Be weary that the town of Sedona prohibits parking at the most popular trailheads Thursday – Sunday and forces you to ride the shuttle to get to the trailhead. One thing they don’t mention is that the shuttle only runs from 7:00AM until 5:30PM. If you show up before or after this time range, the workers wearing the green construction vests who normally prevent you from driving up to the trailhead won’t be there and then you can drive up and park your car! I used this workaround frequently in March when the sun wouldn’t set until 8:00PM to go hiking at the popular spots after work.
Travel, Nature, Growth 
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