Thanks drumdr and klpca for sharing that. We will be in Sedona from Nov 12-19. Will the fall colors still be on display or will they have failed by then?
This will be our first time staying there for a week rather than just a day trip from Phoenix. Looking forward to it.
Best regards.
Mike
The colors will likely be gone in Flagstaff by November, almost certainly at Lockett Meadow, however Sedona should still be in late Autumn. Oak Creek gets cooler because the elevation rises and the creek itself. We usually start to see the end of Autumn around Oct 31. It used to be that every year around Halloween we would get one day with heavy winds and it would knock all the leaves off the tree overnight. This has changed a little in recent years, but I wouldn't count on fall colors into November unless we have a warmer Indian summer.
Good suggestions above with Enchanted Resort, Haunted Hamburger (Jerome), and Verde Canyon Railroad, and Wildflower Bread Company (some of the best views). There's a lot to do in the area, it just depends on what a person wants to focus on. My wife & I travel a lot, so we understand you can't do everything in one trip. Here's some overall helpful tips in AZ if you're a fan of:
Landscape Viewing:
Grand Canyon (must see), Monument Valley, Sedona, Blue Canyon (hidden gem no one knows about), Thumb Butte (Prescott), Perkinsville Rd cutoff all the way to Jerome (nice fall colors by the railroad bridge over the creek and an adventure...4x4 only), Painted Desert (only at sunset...boring otherwise), Meteor Crater, Humphrey's Peak (Flagstaff which includes the ski lift), Lockett Meadow (Autumn), Hoover Dam (about the same distance as the Grand Canyon), North Rim Grand Canyon...which also takes in Glen Canyon (just the northeast end of the Grand Canyon). In one day I've fit in Bryce Canyon, the Escalante Staircase, Glen Canyon, Monument Valley, and took the Ferry back over Lake Powell and into Page by sunset. Just be sure to check your time difference in Utah from AZ for the ferry. If you're feeling really crazy, drive up to Moab, Arches National Park, Canyonlands, and Deadhorse State Park. Drive the back way through Valley of the Gods and drop off that 3,000ft cliff. Awesome. You can also drive northwest and hit Havasupai Falls. You have to have a permit, so check before you plan. If you go west, hit Lake Havasu and visit the London Bridge.
Shopping and Meandering:
T'laquepaque, Uptown Sedona, Downtown Prescott on Whiskey Row (visit the Palace where Doc Holiday and Wyatt Earp frequented), Hyatt Pinon Point shopping district (Sedona), Williams (downtown district), Old Town Cottonwood (this is actually an up & coming yuppie/urban hangout now with nice restaurants & wine tastings), Jerome of course with its cliffside appeal. Lots of shops and old ghost-town buildings (I remember when it mostly vacant. The best food is at the Asylum in the Jerome Grand Hotel), just 1.5 hour drive south is Scottsdale. Be sure to visit old-town and wander north...you'll hit all sorts of shops & restaurants.
Food:
There's good food everywhere. Sedona is expensive unless you know where to go. Hiro's Sushi used to be at the location where Sound Bytes is now, but they still have great food. If in Prescott, hit the Barley Hound for dinner, avoid Murphy's unless going to happy hour (nice bar-side atmosphere), The Hassayampa Pub is actually quite charming in downtown Prescott as is Cafe St. Michael, and of course the Palace for ambiance (food...meh). Lots of great restaurants in Scottsdale like Malee's Thai, Geisha a Go Go, etc. People have mentioned the best spots around Sedona for food but no one mentioned L'Auberge. L'Auberge de Sedona is a high-end, fine dining resort with a fabulous Sunday brunch. Get a reservation. Williams has some great BBQ at Cafe 66 as does Bobby D's in Jerome. Prescott Valley is largely a waste of time, but if you're driving 89A through the backside toward Prescott, absolutely stop at Maya's Mexican behind Robert's market. It's the best Mexican food anywhere in the region. If you hit it on Thursday or Saturday, they do roadside chicken (OMG...the best). There's also a pretty good little Thai joint right across the street if you happen to be driving back at night. It's very small but good food. If you're at the Grand Canyon there's actually not many places with fabulous food. Most of the employees and servers are jaded from the millions of visitors every year. Be patient and encouraging, it'll go a long way at the canyon.
Motorcyclist:
89A...all the way. Oak Creek Canyon, Sedona, Mingus Mtn., Jerome, Prescott Valley, Prescott (via Pioneer Parkway to Williamson Valley Rd), Iron Springs Rd over the mountain (or take White Spar Rd down the "Spars" or the curves), (Granite Mountain...highest peak in north Prescott) down the curves to Kirkland, through Yarnell, out to Wickenburg, then head to Phoenix and back up I-17 to the Sedona exit.
If I were doing a week in Sedona visiting, I would spend a few days just enjoying Sedona. There's a lot to do and see. Plenty of hiking, biking, sight-seeing, walking, helicopters, pink jeeps tours etc. Look at it this way, I've been in the area my whole life, and my wife & I go to Sedona at least once a month for a couple of days and we stay there for at least a full week every year. Why? Because it's awesome. I would certainly visit the Grand Canyon for an entire day if you've never been. Drive the road from Mather Point all the way up to Desert View. I think the best hike is Kaibab Trail. It's not busy because they don't let anyone park where the residents live, but it's a short hike from the roadside parking spots. It's also not super steep like Bright Angel and there's a nice "half-way" spot to hike to going down. I would also visit Prescott for a day, hang out downtown, take a nap on the grassy lawn of the courthouse, go see the Sharlot Hall Museum, hike the short trail up Thumb Butte, take the back way on 89A returning to Sedona (via Sedona) and stop at Mayas for some take-out chicken on Thursday! I would also take a day to drive north and hit Monument Valley. It's a full day but you'll be able to take in Glen Canyon and even Blue Canyon (if you're brave enough to wander back into Indian territory... just kidding. The people are all very nice.) It's desolate and 20 miles from anything on a dirt road, but awesome. I would also hit Antelope Canyon on the way up to Powell.
Some of my photos below:
Blue Canyon
Lockett Meadow
Cathedral Peak Sedona
Cathedral from the interior saddle. Yes, that's me.
Sedona looking north at Sunset from some trail I was on
Thumb Butte Prescott