Sedona or Flagstaff, AZ???

[flipflop]

DH and I are planning a vacation for ourselves sans the kiddos. We have a timeshare week that we can trade for a resort in Sedona or Flagstaff. We will be renting a car. We will be going in April, May or June. We def. want to take a day trip to see the Grand Canyon. We'll be looking to go out to dinner, do some light hiking, sight see, etc. Opinions on which is the better locale? I know if we don't stay in Sedona we will want to take a day trip there - not sure I can say the same for Flagstaff but I am really very uneducated about AZ.

Thanks!

 

[minniecarousel]

My sister and her husband just got back from a week at their timeshare in Sedona. It's beautiful there! We can use our timeshare in Sedona also, and will at some point. A daytrip to the Grand Canyon is doable.

Don't know anything about Flagstaff.

 

[Diva of Dragons]

I would say Sedona just because it's so beautiful. Very otherworldly. The two places are are so different, it's hard to believe they are so close together. You know, Sedona is like a desert on Mars, but with trees and water. Flagstaff is your basic mountain college town. The drive through the canyon to get from one to the other is worth it, no mater what!!

I think there is a lot more to see in and around Sedona. You've got to go out to Jerome (20 miles from Sedona). It's an old mining town on the side of a cliff that people still live in. If you like old ruins, then visit Montezuma Castle, Montezuma Well & the Sinagua Indian Pueblo Ruins of Tuzigoot!

I could go on but Google around. I don't know which place you'd be staying in Sedona. If you let me know, I let you know if I know anything about it.

 

[flipflop]

Thanks!


Diva: We have a choice of three different resorts: Sedona Pines, Sedona Summit or Sedona Vacation Club.

 

[jonestavern]

We love Sedona, too!
We do like quieter vacations, but with lots of things to do alternatives.
Diva of Dragons expressed it best.
We also enjoyed Jerome, so picturesque & friendly.

Jean

 

[Philadisney]

DH and I are planning a vacation for ourselves sans the kiddos. We have a timeshare week that we can trade for a resort in Sedona or Flagstaff. We will be renting a car. We will be going in April, May or June. We def. want to take a day trip to see the Grand Canyon. We'll be looking to go out to dinner, do some light hiking, sight see, etc. Opinions on which is the better locale? I know if we don't stay in Sedona we will want to take a day trip there - not sure I can say the same for Flagstaff but I am really very uneducated about AZ.

Thanks!

i spent 10 days in the grand canyon area this past June. 4 days in Sedona, 4 in Williams (right near Flagstaff), 2 in Scottsdale.
we LOVED Sedona. we were so sad to leave it for Williams. it was beautiful, we had some wonderful meals there (kid friendly places), and were able to do a lot of small hikes through the gorgeous scenery. our hotel was lovely too, with a nice pool and winding gardens.
although i admit we did not spend much time in flagstaff, driving through we found it to be no match for sedona's beauty. williams, the town we stayed that was near flagstaff, was pretty awful - that area seems to exist solely to cater to the tourists visiting the grand canyon, and it's a lot of steakhouses & motels. we got lost a few times and ended up doing a lot of driving thru flagstaff, and did not find it very pretty at all.
(sorry if i offended any flagstaff natives here - it just wasn't for us.)
enjoy your trip! if you do go to sedona, be sure to eat at Angel's and the 101 Omelettes place - i still dream about those meals today

 

[Imzadi]

If money is tight stay in Flagstaff - it will probably be cheaper. It's really a regular city. Sedona as a day trip, is only about 12 miles away down Route 89A - considered one of the most scenic routes in America. Driving to the Grand Canyon & Monument Valley from Flagstaff is definitely easier. That twisty scenic drive on 89A can be quite a pain doing it twice a day from Sedona. It adds another 20-25 minutes each time onto your trips as it's really the only way to drive north.

However, if you know you will be staying at the resort for most of the vacation & you really want the quiet serenity & unsurpassed beauty, Sedona can't be beat. It's one of my favorite places in the world.

 

[Green Tea]

Sedona!!! You can easily do a day trip to the GC. Take the Oak Canyon road-beautiful drive.

 

[jsmith]

actually ill second imzadi-stay in flag-its beautiful-wayyyyyyyyyyy less expensive than sedona-and if you are there in the summer more comfortable temperature wise-and its an easy drive to sedona. also if you do stay in flag the asu observitory has great night shows-and there is very little light polution there so you see some really awesome stuff.

 

[Diva of Dragons]

Philadisney;21455466 the 101 Omelettes place - i still dream about those meals today

OMG!! How could I forget??!! "The Coffee Pot"!!!!

 

[Vivianne]

On our one and only trip to Vegas-Grand Canyon area, we stopped at both Sedona and Flagstaff. We visited what we could during our two week trip. We stayed at this lodge after researching for trip on another website. It's a beautiful area. Have fun.

www.skyranchlodge.com

 

[Diva of Dragons]

Thanks!


Diva: We have a choice of three different resorts: Sedona Pines, Sedona Summit or Sedona Vacation Club.

I'm not fsmiliar with these but I looked them up to see locations. The first two are near each other (and close to the aforementioned "Coffeee Pot")and I couldn't find anything on the Club. Check them out on TripAdvisor.com.

 

[Choc_marg]

This is a topic I can definitely speak to! I was born & raised in Flagstaff (my parents still live there) & my grandparents lived in Sedona. So, here's my take on both areas.

Sedona - Sedona is a gorgeous, very spiritual town. There is tons of hiking & lots of shops to buy Native American jewelry, pots, kachinas, etc. The Pink Jeep tours are a fun thing to do to tour the town. The scenery is all red rock with some shrub-like trees. It will be fairly crowded at that time of year since the weather is getting warm. It will be warmer in Sedona than in Flgstaff. Oak Creek Canyon is a heavily wooded area where the road winds through the canyon to Flagstaff. Although it is a short distance, it can be a lengthy drive with the traffic. We used to drive to my grandparents & it took about 45 minutes to get there. The drive through the switchbacks was about 30 of that. Sedona is a short drive to the scenic areas another poster listed (Jerome, Montezuma Castle/Well), etc. It is definitely more of a tourist town & has a more concentrated area of shopping/dining. Tlaquepaque is a neat arts/crafty area in Sedona to see. The center of the spiritual world is also in Sedona. Expect to see lots of crystals for sale in the shops

Flagstaff - Flagstaff is definitely a college town. The downtown area is very "earthy" & filled with lots of shops where you can find most of the same stuff you can find in the Sedona shops (minus the crystals). It is a mountain town as opposed to a desertish/red rock area. Lots of pine/oak trees & aspens are not too far away. There is lots of hiking & lots to do for day trips. The Canyon is 90 minutes away via auto, but you can also drive to Williams & take the train to the canyon. My DH & I get lots of questions about what to do in Flagstaff, so we pulled together a list of stuff within a short distance. I'll paste in in below.

Personally, I would stay in Flagstaff. It is right off 2 freeways & the day trips to anywhere (including Sedona & Jerome) are more convenient. The switchback drive is a great one to take, but I wouldn't want it to be my commuter road. MOst of the timeshares in Flagstaff are by the country club & that is super convenient to I-40. If you are looking to settle in one place & hang out at the timeshare without trying to "do" alot, then Sedona would be a good choice. If you plan on trying to see as much as you can while in N AZ, Flagstaff would be a good bet.

Here's the list of stuff to do in Flag. Feel free to ask me any questions about any of this stuff & I'll do my best to answer!!

There are 3 National Monuments just outside of Flagstaff

Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument - http://www.nps.gov/sucr
Walnut Canyon National Monument - http://www.nps.gov/waca
Wupatki National Monument - http://www.nps.gov/wupa

Lowell Observatory - Where Pluto ws discovered - http://www.lowell.edu

Meteor Crater - http://www.meteorcrater.com

Museum of Northern AZ - http://www.musnaz.org

Snowbowl Scenic Skyride - http://www.arizonasnowbowl.com - This doesn't open until Memorial Day weekend.

Might find more info at http://www.flagstaffarizona.org


Beaver Street Brewery - 11 S Beaver (1 blk S. of visitors center) - Good Wood-fired pizzas

Mike & Ronda's - 21 S Milton (on main drag just S. of overpass) - Great big breakfast for cheap

Grand Canyon Deer Farm (petting zoo - definitely for kids) - http://www.deerfarm.com/

Lava River Cave - http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino/volcanic/lava_special.html
http://home.att.net/~whitethorn.house/lavariver.htm

Grand Falls - http://www.primenet.com/~steved/bin/photo/photo10.html
http://ag.arizona.edu/AZWATER/reference/gauges/ltlcolo1.html
http://az.waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/current/?type=flow

Grand Cayon Railway - www.thetrain.com

Verde Canyon Railroad - www.verdecanyonrr.com

 

[Wishing on a star]

I am very interested in this thread.
We are also planning a trip to the area, the first week of June!
We are so excited. I am just trying to figure out when I might be able to find some air-fare discounts/specials.

We will be staying at The Ridge on Sedona, it is a highly rated golf resort in the Oak Creek Village area, right outside of Sedona. It sits right across from the Hilton, with access to their amenities as well.

We never considered Flagstaff. We chose this area in AZ to see the Great Desert Southwest. And, I know that Sedona, the red rocks, and Oak Creek Canyon have been voted the most beautiful place in America. Movies are filmed here. It seems to me that Sedona is the kind of place that is simply unique, and you just don't see anywhere else. It is where I want to be. It is where I want to experience the sunsets, the atmosphere, etc... Not just a place I want to pass through one afternoon.

Right now we are considering the Verde Canyon Railway.
A day trip to the Grand Canyon with Greatwest Tours (I am leaning towards them over Redstone tours)
And, of course, a Pink Jeep tour.

To the OP...
Go to RCI.com and you can look up each of the resorts that you are considering. Including trip-reports and reviews from RCI members who have stayed there.

Think about the kind of trip you envision, just you and your DH.... (active, romantic, eco-educational, etc...) Then, from that, decide which area and which resort might best offer the experience that you are hoping for.

For me, it seems that one of the kickers for Flagstaff is that it might be cheaper. Well, your resort exchange is exactly the same. Of course, dining may be more costly in Sedona. But, for me, that would not begin to be the factor that would make up my mind.

I will have to remember The CoffeePot!!!
Somebody here on the DIS recommended Oaxaca. And it does look neat. But, I am getting some very mixed reviews. Many - not so good.

I am open to any recommendations, tips, and advice!!!

 

[wilderness01]

Oaxaca

I wouldn't go here, it has terrible food.

Tlaquepaque: has a restaurant there that I believe is associated with a brewery. Nice, clean and great food.

For mexican food there is a place in a strip mall before you get onto the main drag (I'm drawing a blank on the name) that has great food. You have to go upstairs to eat here.

I personally would stay in Sedona. It is beautiful there and very romantic.

A Pink Jeep Tour is a must!

 

[wilderness01]

Javelina Cantina is the name of the mexican restaurant. It has great food.

 

[Wishing on a star]

Okay, to the OP...

I did a quick search on RCI for the three resorts you mentioned.

The Summit - This is a Sunterra resort. (The Ridge, were we will be staying is also a Sunterra resort) This seems very nice and upscale! Supposed to right there close to Sedona. I did not check a map, but I am assuming that it is like right-there, but just not on what might be considered the main drag. I have not done a lot of additional looking, but this sounds very very nice.

Do a search for this resort, or check on Sunterra.com

Vacation Club - According to how I read RCI, this is the Los Abrigados Resort. It is supposed to very atmospheric and nice. (landscaping, walkways, ambience, etc...) It is not a new resort, so some of the units may seem a bit 'dated'. I know that there is ongoing renovation. By next Spring, I think most units should be renovated. This resort is located right in Sedona. It backs up to Oak Creek. And it is located shoulder to shoulder with Tlaquepaque.

Do a search on Los Abrigados, or try ilxresorts.com

After doing my initial research, it was between Los Abrigados or Sunterra... Sunterra had an opening on our dates, and the guy who reserved our week could not recommend Sunterra enough.

The Pines - I am not sure I would recommend. This is a small resort, and the units are all freestanding modular(prefab) units.

 

[Beca]

I lived in AZ for 11 years...not nearly a "native", but long enough to get to know the place pretty well.

I think it depends on what you like. We are not AT ALL "Desert Southwest" people...we don't like cacti, the heat, the lack of green, etc. We visited Sedona and were bored out of our minds...plus, it was as hot as Phoenix.

We absolutely ADORE the Flagstaff area!!! It's like being in Colorado. It is quite a respite from the rest of the EXTREMELY hot state. Some of the surrounding towns, like Prescott are gorgeous places to go, and exploring the mountains is always fun. It is a short drive (downhill all the way) to the Grand Canyon. When I was a teenager. My family made a vacation out of going to the Grand Canyon. It was July, and we were miserable. We decided to "amend" our itinerary, and just stay in Prescott....we had a BLAST!!!

I guess different places appeal to different people.

 

[Wishing on a star]

Beca, thanks for the post!!!

It all is 'perspective' isn't it!

We live in green mountains. The same arid, warm, desert conditions that you loved to escape from are exactly what we are traveling to AZ to experience!!!

 

[Beca]

Beca, thanks for the post!!!

It all is 'perspective' isn't it!

We live in green mountains. The same arid, warm, desert conditions that you loved to escape from are exactly what we are traveling to AZ to experience!!!

Well, then I would DEFINITELY go to Sedona!!!!

I hope you have a GREAT time!!!