Adventure
Sometimes, when time is limited, it is great to get a close up tour of the red rocks. The Jeeps come with private guides and you can opt for Mild, Bumpy or Extreme Tours. We like Sedona Jeep Tours because they are family operated and have been doing tours of the area since 1945 when Hollywood first came and started making Westerns.
Night vision googles and a fun experience to share with your friends back home. UFOs and Sedona are a classic combination.
Has all your water adventures when the AZ temps start to rise. They offer rafting, inflatable kayaks, standup paddle boarding, tubing, and even ebikes. The Essex House especially loves the Water to Wine Tour, which involves kayaking to a vineyard. That is a win-win in our book.
Apex Air
Bound to get your heart racing, Apex Air offer doors on or doors off tours, ranging from 15min to 55min We can’t think of a better way to get gorgeous photos of the scenery. The tours leave from the Sedona Airport, which is prime sunset viewing.
Verde Canyon Railroad
Choo Choo! One of the best family experiences. The four hour train tour includes outdoor viewing cars with plenty of wildlife spotting.
We always make a beeline for Grasshopper point on hot summer days. You can even bring a picnic, but we also suggest water shoes. The park is filled with adrenaline junkies who like to climb up the side of a cliff and jump into Oak Creek below. There is shade and the water is cool. Please note: the park has a small parking lot (cost - $25) which fills up rather quickly. Once it is full, you are out of luck and you will have to try again another day.
Red Rock Balloons
Most early mornings you can see Red Rock Balloons in the sky just behind the Essex House. For those of you that want to soar at a slower pace while watching the sun rise over the red rocks, then this might be just the ticket.
We have some fantastic wineries nearby in the Verde Valley. Sedona Vineyard Tours will pick you up directly from the Essex House and take you to 3 -4 of the best wineries around. They even give you your own charcuterie board to enjoy during your picnic lunch. Salut!