It has been revered as a magnificent spiritual haven since prehistoric times. Native Americans have been coming to Sedona for their religious ceremonies, their spiritual awakenings, their rites of passage and their weddings for hundreds of years. The first time you visit this marvellous valley with its awe inspiring beauty, you will understand why it has been venerated for so long.

Red sandstone cliffs rise a thousand feet above the valley floor. Buttes, mesas and pinnacles of rock rise throughout the valley. Everywhere the rocks have been eroded into fantastic shapes resembling giant fortresses, towers, pinnacles and other exotic visages.

The village of Sedona is located in the midst of this scenic splendour surrounded by cascading mountain streams, lush green meadows, and forested hillocks all dominated by the imposing red rock formations.

The Grand Canyon, just a 90 minute drive to the north, is similar to Sedona but on a much larger scale. Other geological attractions like Yosemite Valley are equally magnificent.

The climate is semi arid, so it gets little rain or snow, but it has a plentiful supply of water from the nearby mountains. Summers are a bit milder and winters a bit colder than the low altitude deserts near Phoenix.

Sedona reputedly is the location of several universal vortexes that provide spiritual healing and metaphysical enlightenment. New age advocates come to this beautiful valley seeking spiritual and physical rejuvenation. You can easily visit some of these vortexes and sit on the rocks absorbing the metaphysical energy sources. I personally think a bottle of good wine helps. Shops and boutiques in the village sell power crystals, Indian amulets, copper bracelets and other spiritual appliances. Many of the resorts and spas offer yoga classes and various esoteric spiritual regimens in addition to the usual massages, facials and traditional cures.

A wide selection of accommodations is available in the village of Sedona with some exclusive resorts located in nearby canyons and some tourist cabins and camping along Oak Creek Canyon. There are plenty of restaurants, groceries, gas stations, boutiques and souvenir shops in Sedona. It has a small airfield located atop a mesa overlooking the town. The airport offers some airplane and helicopter tours of the area and a limited number of charter flights to nearby locations.

You can take airplane rides, helicopter tours, balloon adventures, jeep tours, hummer tours or horseback rides in Sedona. There are numerous tourist adventures available from the many tour operators in Sedona. If you are less inclined to adventurous activities, the many resorts and spas will provide you with plenty of pampered luxury. Some of them have golf courses, swimming pools and tennis courts within the very shadows of the spectacular red rock cliffs.

Shopping and dining are also favoured activities in Sedona. It provides plenty of choices in both. Designer shops, boutiques and quality restaurants abound in this little village. Some of them can be rather expensive, but there are plenty of moderately priced alternatives as well.