10 Things to Do in Sedona in February

The city of Sedona is part of the geological complex in Arizona, the famous western state that is home to the Grand Canyon. Sedona offers visitors a variety of activities in February, which is a winter month, but offers temperatures that allow for outdoor and indoor experiences .

You can take advantage of the fact that the tourist crowds are low to visit the small themed towns like Blazin 'M Ranch or Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village, participate in the Sedona Marathon or the Sedona Film Festival, take a hot air balloon ride and do some trail tours. You can also celebrate Valentine's Day with a wine tour in the Verde Valley and many other things to do in Sedona, which I'll tell you about in a moment.

To warm up for the February days in Sedona, you can join the annual Sedona Marathon held in Sedona during the first few days of the month. This event brings together dozens of people to take on the rocky, vegetation-lined trails for recreation and competition.

The RunSedona Marathon brings together not only local athletes, but national and international athletes as well. The event takes place in 5k, 10k and half marathon modalities , to adapt to the performance of each person. To participate as a runner, all you have to do is register on their website in advance.

You don't necessarily have to run to be part of this event, as you can simply be a spectator in the activity, where the scenery will be one of the main protagonists.

The best thing is that you could take advantage of being close to the hilly area to join one of the Sedona Canyon ATV tours, take a hiking trail or visit a viewpoint to appreciate the scenery from above.

If your visit to Sedona coincides with Valentine's Day, one of the plans that the city offers to celebrate this date is to go on a wine tour through the Verde Valley and experience a unique moment full of good taste and scenic beauty.

To do this tour, you must go to Verde Valley Wine Trail. Once there, you can opt for the wine tasting experience and tour the facilities of this site. You can also enjoy some snacks in the company of your partner.

Due to its location, this site offers exceptional landscapes. You can sip your glass of wine while appreciating the natural surroundings and, if you do the activity at night, you might get a good view of the sky.

In fact, you can add a touch of romance and mystery to your Valentine's Day celebration by joining one of Sedona 's stargazing and UFO tours, which is one of the most popular things to do in Sedona at night.

Although February is a cold month in Sedona, the sun is still out and whether it's cloudy or not, this month is a good time to tour the city by bus so you can keep warm by not exposing yourself too much to the outdoors.

For this bus tour of Sedona, you'll meet with a guide who will teach you a little about the culture and history of the sites you visit. This type of experience is usually done in small groups of no more than 13 people, at different times of the day, so you can add it to your 2 day Sedona itinerary or more.

Among the places you will visit is the famous airport overlook, where you can see a beautiful sunset, as well as various points of the city. You'll also see the 7 Canyons, an area made up of several rock formations that offer a special view of reddish hues and attract hikers.

You'll also pass the Chapel of the Holy Cross, a striking structure built on the rocks that serves as a lookout point.

Useful information

• Price: the cost of this experience starts at approximately €110 per person.
• Duration: this exercise can last approximately 5 and a half hours.

Although February is the winter season in Sedona, you should know that it's one of the least crow ded months of the year, which translates into peace and quiet and space for activities like hiking the nature trails. This way, you can warm up a bit and have some special time for reflection.

The best thing is that the options for your hike are not few, as there are many popular trails, such as:

• Devil's Bridge, a natural archway formed by sandstone that offers unparalleled views of the canyons and is often crowded to have your photo taken on it.
• Cathedral Rock Trail, another of the most famous trails, approximately 1.2 km each way, with some rocky sections but offering a panoramic view of the rock formations.
• West Fork of Oak Creek, a longer trail of approximately 10km (6.5mi), is oriented through the interior of the canyon.

If you want to explore much more of Arizona, then you can opt for a trip to Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend from Sedona, one of the most popular day trips.

If you're a film buff, you can't miss the Sedona International Film Festival in February. The Sedona International Film Festival is an event that brings together film professionals and film buffs in February and March.

The event, which celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2023 and usually runs for 9 days, features independently produced films. You can see documentaries, animated films, student projects and much more.

The festival also includes other activities, such as panels and debates on the film industry and its protagonists, question and answer sessions with the participants of the event and some workshops on topics of cinematographic interest.

In short, a perfect event to go alone, with children or with family and friends. Just buy your pass, bring your coat and get ready to watch films in one of the festival's designated theatres and screening venues.

With February's low visitor traffic and cool weather, the invitation to a meditation practice in Sedona's vortexes is open. Sedona is renowned for its concentration of spiritual energy, with several natural vortexes within it. Thus, it is an ideal region for meditation.

This type of activity can be done on your own or with the guidance of a specialist in the area. You could sign up for a healing session, or simply head to one of the strategic points and enjoy the desert silence of the space.

In either case, you can head to Amitabha Stupa and Peace Park or Buddhist Stupa, a magical place that functions as a kind of Buddhist temple, park and relaxation space surrounded by rocky mountains and arid vegetation.

It's not only a convenient activity in February, but you can also do it in other months of the year, for example, if you're in Sedona in April. In short, this practice will give you a sense of renewal, transformation and balance.

The cold weather may have you looking for activities in more enclosed spaces, so I suggest a visit to the Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village. This place is a kind of village full of art and culture, but it also functions as a shopping and events centre .

Inside this space, you will find:

• Art galleries, with a diversity of objects, sculptures and pieces of high aesthetic value.
• Restaurants, offering a wide variety of traditional dishes of the Mexican culture and from other latitudes. Also, a range of wines, beers and other liquors.
• Shops, offering clothing, accessories such as blouses, hats and more.
• Traditional celebrations and private events. You will be able to witness the celebration of some traditional Latin festivities such as the Day of the Dead, the 5th of May, the Candelaria festival or a particular event such as a wedding.

This picturesque place can be visited at various times of the day, so it's easy to incorporate it into your 3-day Sedona itinerary or longer.

The first rays of sun rise are a spectacle in Sedona from any point, but know that in the month of February you can take advantage of the partially clear skies to witness first hand the appearance of the red, orange and yellow colours in the sky. This is all in the form of a hot air balloon ride.

To do this activity, you'll need to head to the launch site on Dry Creek Road in the early hours of the morning. In February, sunrise occurs between 6am and 7am, so you'll need to leave your accommodation much earlier.

You will fly over the canyon area for about an hour and a half. Along the way, you will see how the minerals present in the rocks help to reflect the sun's rays, creating vibrant hues perfect for photographic capture.

Keep in mind that for this activity, you should dress comfortably but warmly enough, even though the warmth of the balloon will keep you comfortable. Also, if you are going in a group, you can organise to ride together, whether you are 5, 8 or 10 people. As you will be doing this activity early in the morning, you can easily join other tours and day trips in Sedona.

Useful information

• Price: this experience can be found for approximately €350 per person.
• Duration: The average total time for this activity is between 3 and 4 hours.

The Midgley Bridge is an iconic landmark of the city and a perfect destination for February days because the crowds are thinning out, so you can hike there, take some amazing panoramic photos and, if you're more daring, swim in the cool waters of the creek.

For this hike, you can go at any time of the day, depending on the experience you want to have. Plus, it's a free activity, so you can fit it into your itinerary without difficulty.

If you want to do a slightly longer hike, you can opt for one of the hiking trails near the bridge, including:

• Huckaby Trail.
• Wilson Mountain Trail.
• Wilson Canyon Trail.

Sedona afternoons in February can be more fun if you travel to the Blazin 'M Ranch, a place where you can take a trip back in time and feel like you're in the old west. This activity is ideal if you're travelling with kids, friends or family, as it offers a variety of options, with tractor rides, museums, shops, restaurants and more.

Just 20 minutes from Sedona you'll find this small town, which opens its doors from 5pm, with a varied programme full of Old West-themed games, delicious local food and live entertainment.

You'll live extreme experiences such as axe throwing and mechanical bull riding. You will also listen to great musical hits from the old west, presented by a live band. You'll also enjoy a delicious dinner, which is usually chicken with hot sauce, accompanied by prickly pear coleslaw and baked potatoes. This, with drinks such as iced tea, lemonade and water.

February in Sedona is part of the winter season, so cold temperatures range from 8°C to -1°C (46°F to -1°F). A few days of snow are also likely , while rain is less expected, but it will still be relatively cold and wet.

However, despite this chilly outlook, the days have approximately 11 hours of sunshine, which provides a mild climate that allows outdoor activities to be carried out without great difficulty. In any case, it is advisable to be prepared to take shelter from the cold and always keep an eye on the day's forecast.

Accordingly, your suitcase should be packed with warm clothes. Include all the clothes you usually wear on cold days and dress in layers to best suit the conditions. Jackets, jumpers, trousers, hats, gloves, etc. are a must. If possible, try to have thermal garments for a better conservation of body heat.

Regarding footwear, you should wear sturdy shoes or boots with a good level of traction, especially if you will be hiking. Bear in mind that there may be snowy or even rainy days and that the ground will be damp. Don't forget sunscreen either , because even if you can't see the sun, the sun's rays can still reach your skin.