Sedona, AZ, A Personal View

The rocks in the header are not in the Sedona area. They are somewhere in northern AZ though, probably near the Monument Valley.  Here's what Sedona has:

These are just two of the many brochures that are spread around the town to keep the tourists happy and occupied. There are many types that a traveler can pick up in the visitor center, motels, grocery stores, shopping malls, art galleries, etc. A lot of people come to Sedona to check out the psychic and spiritual stuff available, like the Vortex Tours, and there is plenty of down-to-earth funspots, too, like the Horsin' Around Adventurers. I don't mind givin' them a plug and hope they sell lots of tours. The Pink Jeep Tours is very popular and you have the helicopter and airplane tours over the Grand Canyon. Sedona Airport is a nice place to have  breakfast or dinner and look out over the valley, but there are many nice, expensive restaurants to grab a bite.

Thirty years ago, we had friends that lived in Oak Creek Village adjacent to Sedona, and back then it was touristy but a lot smaller with only a few nice places to eat and NO ROUNDABOUTS. Traffic was not so bad then and the stargazers and vortex seekers had to stop alongside the road to gaze at the rocks. Now the city has provided lookout stops along the way so you don't hold up traffic. West Sedona was barely populated with real estate offices and a couple of restaurants and now its all built up with all kinds of businesses and housing.  My drunken sailor buddy and I hit all the drinkin' places back then to the utter dismay of our wives on what we considered "good times." And I don't apologize for any of that crazy stuff. I was taken back to those days when we were eating dinner in the Cowboy Club the night before the book festival and cussing out all the people crowdin' into the town and bars and restaurants. Both my friend and his wife were killed in an auto accident one morning when they were heading to the doctor on one of the two-lane roads and now rest in peace at a cemetery in Sedona. One of these days I'll stop by with a bottle of wine and pour us a snifter for the "good ole times," if my sawbones says it's all right to have a drink. Even with the crowds and the roundabouts, its a nice place to visit and contemplate your navel or world problems, whichever strikes you as the most needed.

Before I end this post, I want to tell you about the 43 western movies made in Sedona, but I won't, I'll just refer you to this site: greatlifegreatlove.com  
which has the complete list. You may have to search for the post there and the YouTube video under "western movies filmed in Sedona." Good luck.