Sedona or Flagstaff, AZ???

[DMickey28]

I don't remember much about Flagstaff but Sedona is beautiful. They are fairly close together as well.

I think I would go with Sedona hands down. My image of Flagstaff is that it's just a regular city area. Sedona is beautiful and touristy, without being cheesy.

I was in AZ in June. We stayed in Scottsdale but did a day trip to the Grand Canyon through Sedona. It was a beautiful drive and we loved Sedona. People were swimming in the river.

 

[Imzadi]

I've been to Sedona, Grand Canyon & Monument Valley about 5-6 times, usually staying in Flagstaff.

This is how I usually do the trip: Grand Canyon, driving out the east end (South Rim) , driving through the Painted Desert, then driving up to Monument Valley and More Pics. It's about a 2 1/2 hour drive from the Grand Canyon. Or 2 1/4 hours directly from Flagstaff. 3 hours from Sedona.

The road just north of Monument Valley is the place where Forest Gump stopped running.

Most car commercials use it in the background. John Ford & John Wayne made plenty of movies there. One spot is even called "John Ford's Point."

This is the shot that will be embedded in your hearts & memories for all time once you see it live:

"The Mittens" - I like to think of them as God's mittens that he set down once he finished playing & sculpting the monuments. If anyone thinks God isn't creative, they need to see these monuments. It's even called The Valley of the Gods. These buttes are very different from the ones in Sedona.

 

[Vivianne]

Imzadi - Those are wonderful pictures.

Your pictures bring memories of a trip we made two years ago. We also stayed 2 days each at GC, Zion and Bryce Canyons. It truly is a wonderful part of the country all should see if they can.

There's so much more too see.

 

[Imzadi]

I loved Zion & Bryce too. I went in the dead of winter & ice was coated all over the craggy cliffs (or whatever they are called) of Bryce in a spectacular layer. Now I know why on cakes it's called "icing." It looked like someone spread icing all along the canyon walls.

I love that part of the country. Living in the manmade canyons of NYC, I really need to see Nature's natural canyons to put everything back into perspective of what's really important.

 

[IDoDis]

I could not imagine traveling a distance to stay in Flagstaff. No offense to people who live there because it is nice and cool and woodsy, but nothing special. Now Sedona is an experience. I would go there hands down over Flagstaff any day if I had a timeshare.

The only reason I'd stop in Flagstaff would be to get an In & Out Burger.

 

[Choc_marg]

The only reason I'd stop in Flagstaff would be to get an In & Out Burger.

LOL! You officially have no reason to stop in Flagstaff. The closest In-N-Out is in Prescott. There isn't one in Flagstaff

 

[Kathi OD]

We stayed at the Sedona Summit in April. Absolutely beautiful! Look out your balcony at those beautiful red rock formations! And the sunsets......OMG!! Just magnificent.

DH and I chose Sedona because it is much more centrally located to all the NP and Monuments we wanted to see. We did the 89A drive almost every day and didn't think it was that big of a deal, as long as you are not in a big hurry. Flagstaff may in fact be cheaper, but the biggest expense is the accommodations, which with a time share will be a non-factor. Flagstaff is also just a normal kind of town that you can experience in a number of different places in the country. On the other hand, Sedona is definitely more resort-minded. It kind of reminded me of being at the shore, but in the middle of the desert, if that's possible. In other words, in Sedona I felt like I was on vacation; in Flagstaff, I felt like I was at home.

The drive to the Grand Canyon was quite doable, we did it twice in the week we were there.

I'd post some pictures from our trip, but they're not uploaded to photobucket and I've got to get to work.

 

[golfgal]

Sedona is more "Arizona like" with the red rocks/desert feel. Flagstaff isn't any different then a town in New England, Wisconsin, Minnesota, etc. It just depends on what you are looking for. We stayed in Phoenix and did a day trip to the Grand Canyon. Going from either Sedona or Flagstaff is very easy to the GC. Sedona is just more touristy/resortish. Flagstaff is more of a bed/breakfast type place to stay.

 

[flipflop]

I can't thank all of you enough for all of this information! My DH and I are so excited about this trip and based on what you have told me we are going to stay in Sedona at the Summit. The pictures posted are absolutely gorgeous. I can't wait!!!

Any more recommendations for good places to eat? I have never been to an In-N-Out Burger so I think we may need to journey to Prescott.

Any more recommendations for things to do/see? We will def. do the Pink Jeep Tour since so many of you gave it a thumbs up.

 

[Wishing on a star]

OMG, Imzadi, those pictures are just awesome!!!!

That first photo, taken in the way to Monument Valley, is almost three hours from Sedona???? (6 hours round trip...) Wow, I think it would be worth the drive just to experience that view!

I am so looking forward to our trip.

 

[Imzadi]

Whoops! I misspoke. That first pic is actually a few miles NORTH (past) Monument Valley, coming from Sedona. Once you drive out of the Tribal Park, turn right & drive north about 5 miles. Pull over then look back. You will then see that view.

This next part only works in the summer when the days are long enough to fit this all in. When I said I made the trip from the Grand Canyon, I usually spent the morning there. (Unless I made it a day trip. ) The 2 1/2 hour drive to Monument Valley through the Painted Desert isn't wasted time. You will see such pretty striations & patches of pastel colors throughout the landscape. It is like a natural patchwork quilt made out of land. I didn't know the ground can come in so many colors.

On the way to Monument Valley, you will come to this butte (monument):

El Capitan -You'll know it when you come to it. Believe me! There is something "Otherworldly" about it.

While it's not considered part of the Monument Valley Tribal Park, it definitely is the sentinel to what is upcoming. The landscape takes a dramatic change after that. Really, I can only call it Otherworldly.

I usually spend about 3-4 hours driving around Monument Valley Tribal Park. (It's part of Navajo sacred land.) Add in more hours if you want to go hiking. For me, the best part of my trips to Monument Valley are ending the day there at SUNSET:

Before it gets too dark, turn right out of the park to take the drive north the see the "Forest Gump view." Alternately, before you head into the park, (because they charge admission,) drive past it to see the Forest Gump view first.

If you can time it, drive back by El Capitan & hopefully catch a bit of the sunset there too. By the time I'm back in Flagstaff or Sedona, it's time for a late dinner in town.

One warning: Make sure your car is gassed up before you drive through the desert or to Monument Valley. You can see from the pics, there are no gas stations or even houses in sight. It can cause anxiety, to say the least, when you realize you might not have enough gas.

 

[flipflop]

Thanks!!!

I am loving the pictures.

 

[Kathi OD]

Just a couple of pictures of our trip last spring. These are Sedona. My camera is not all that good, so some of them do not do justice to the view at all.