After seeing countless photos of the amazing red rock formations in Sedona from other dog moms on social media, I decided it was a must-see pet friendly destination for Teddy and I to explore together. My sister, Sara, decided to join us on our dog friendly adventure to Sedona and it’s surrounding areas. We flew into Phoenix, Arizona to explore the area including Scottsdale and we made our way to hike in Sedona. We then drove to the Grand Canyon and Horseshoe Bend to end our weekend dog friendly adventure. I put this dog friendly travel guide for Sedona together so you have all the information you need to plan your trip to Sedona with your dog!
My favorite dog friendly hike was Devil’s bridge due to the unique bridge at the end of the hike that you can walk across (if you’re brave enough!) The Grand Canyon is a must see once in your life and Horseshoe Bend is stunning at sunset! Although Phoenix was basically dead, I recommend eating at Cibo for the most authentic Italian food I have had outside of Italy. Most people will go to Scottsdale because there is so much more to do there from shopping to restaurants. And it’s only about 20 minutes from the airport in Phoenix.
Overall, the trip was dog friendly with many activities available to do with your dog but some hikes are difficult for (small) dogs, most hotels in Sedona charge for having a dog and many restaurants do not allow dogs despite having outdoor seating. Altogether, I recommend traveling to Sedona with your dog to explore and using this dog friendly travel guide to help plan your stay!
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My Dog Friendly Itinerary For Sedona + Grand Canyon + Horseshoe Bend
Our adventure started in Phoenix and stayed the first night at the dog friendly Kimpton Hotel Palomar Phoenix and explored the area plus Scottsdale. Then drove two hours to Sedona to hike on dog friendly trails for a day and a half. I recommend a day trip from Sedona to Horseshoe Bend to catch the sunset and staying the night in Page, Arizona on the third night. The last day, I recommend starting early to drive to the Grand Canyon before heading back to Sedona and onto Phoenix. It’s a packed trip with a lot of driving but was worth all the views! We made a change to our initial itinerary, which lead to a significant amount of driving in one day. Don’t make my mistake and follow the itinerary I recommend to maximize your dog friendly travel in Sedona.
Phoenix/Scottsdale, Arizona
Phoenix/Scottsdale, Arizona Dog Friendly Travel Guide
DAY ONE
Phoenix/Scottsdale, Arizona
I took an early flight into Phoenix so I could maximize my time in Arizona. I usually fly with Delta Airlines when I travel with a dog. Prior to traveling, I told Delta that I plan to travel with my dog and paid the pet fee. I recommend renting a car from the airport. I chose to stay in Phoenix instead of Scottsdale because the Kimpton Hotel Palomar Phoenix is incredibly pet friendly! We spent the day relaxing by the pool and explored Scottsdale about 20 minutes away.
Where to stay
Kimpton Hotel Palomar Phoenix
The Hotel gets a 10/10 for our stay! They do not charge an extra pet fee, have dog beds and bowls for your dog and even had extra poop bags for me when I lost mine at the airport. Also, the Kimpton Hotel has wine happy hour!
You can find a list of dog friendly hotels in Scottsdale, Arizona here recommended by Bring Fido.
Best Restaurants in Phoenix/Scottsdale
Cibo
Authentic Italian restaurant with plenty of dog friendly outdoor seating space. I recommend making reservations but we were able to walk in and get a table.
The Arrogant Butcher
Found right next to Kimpton Hotel Palomar Phoenix, it has a dog friendly patio and serves great meat and seafood options.
Farm & Craft
Dog friendly outdoor patio with a great healthy-ish lunch menu.
Breakfast/Brunch
Hash Kitchen
Snooze an AM Eatery
They have a great variety of food from the garden harvest omelet to the pancake flight. You’re bound to find something! They even brought out a water bowl for Teddy.
Things To Do In Phoenix/Scottsdale
We honestly did not do much in terms of hikes. All the trails seem not as impressive as trails in Sedona. We spent our time relaxing by the pool.
Phoenix/Scottsdale Travel Tips
Getting Around
I recommend renting a car at the airport because everything is far apart in Arizona. Check with your hotel to see if they charge to park overnight.
Sedona, Arizona
Sedona, Arizona Dog Friendly Travel Guide
DAY TWO & Three
Early start by driving 2 hours to Sedona.
Let me start by saying the photos of Sedona do not do it justice. The views are breathtaking in person! When you lay eyes on the red rock formations in the distance and feel the energy of the vortexes you’ll know there is nothing quite like it! All of Sedona is considered to be a vortex but there are specific sites where the energy is said to be more intense such as Airport Mesa, Bell Rock, Cathedral Rock and Boynton Canyon. A vortex is a concentrated area of energy useful for self-exploration. You will see people mediating or doing yoga. People say you do not leave Sedona unchanged and I would have to agree with them!
We spent the next 1.5 days exploring different dog friendly trails in Sedona. I recommend starting with the easier trails like Bell Rock trail or Airport View Trail which you can connect to the Airport Loop Trail if you are feeling ambitious. In my opinion, the best hikes are Cathedral Rock Trail and Devil’s Bridge Trail. Although both trails are challenging (especially with small dogs), the magnificent views make it worth the climb!
Where To Stay
There are many Airbnbs available but we decided to stay in a dog friendly hotel for our stay. I recommend finding a hotel or Airbnb in Sedona or West Sedona because it will be closer to all the restaurants and trails. In my opinion, they are all over priced.
Hilton Sedona Resort at Bell Rock
Found next to Bell Rock, we upgraded to a suite with a view of Bell Rock. Although considered to be dog friendly hotel, there is an extra pet fee and they did not provide dog bowls or a dog bed.
Best Dog Friendly Restaurants in Sedona
** A quick note: Out of the many places I have traveled with Teddy, I did not find Sedona to have the most dog friendly restaurants. Many restaurants with outdoor seating still did not allow dogs on their patio. We found ourselves sitting in the back or out front where people usually wait for a table. **
Miley’s Cafe
Creekside American Bistro
Mesa Grill
Wildflower
Hideaway House
Cucina Rustica
Things To Do In Sedona
Hike A Dog Friendly Trail
I encourage you to get the All Trails App before embarking on a hike. The app will tell you everything you need to know about the hike. I recommend starting with easier hikes such as Airport Mesa and going early to hike Devil’s Bridge because it is popular and gets very busy. Read more about my hiking experience here to learn which dog friendly hikes are a must-do and what to expect on the trail.
Vortex Tour: Yoga/ Individual Meditation/ Energy Healing
I recommend a vortex tour whether it is something you do on your own or with a guide. There are many options such as hiking, yoga or energy healing with guides. My sister did a energy-reading spiritual vortex hike at Amitabha Stupa (a Buddhist temple) and enjoyed it!
Sedona Dog Park
Your dog may enjoy some space to run around off leash at the Sedona Dog Park. The park is located at the corner of Solider’s Pass Rd and Carruth Dr. Honestly, my dog was exhausted from all our hikes and did not need to visit the dog park.
Jeep Tour
A great way to tour Sedona off-road while still with your dog. Arizona Safari Jeep Tours and A Day In The West are dog friendly. Keep in mind the ride is bumpy!
Veterinary Clinic/ Emergency Center
Bell Rock Veterinary Clinic (928)-284-2840
Although located in Sedona they have limited hours.
Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Center of Northern Arizona (928)-779-5522
Open 24 hours over the weekend for emergencies. Located in Flagstaff.
Find The Most Instagrammable Places In Sedona To Take Photos Here!
Sedona Travel Tips
Download the All Trails App
What To Wear & Bring
This will ultimately depend on what time of year you visit and the weather but I recommend wearing layers. As a true desert, it can get very hot midday and cold after the sun sets. I mostly wore shorts with a t-shirt and a sweatshirt for warmth when the temperature dropped at night. You will need hiking boots or shoes as some of the hikes can be difficult. I recommend these as they were very comfortable! Booties for your dog are not necessary. For small dogs, I recommend this K9 Sportsack because you will need to carry your dog on some of the more difficult trails.
Scorpions + Other Animals
Thankfully, I did not encounter any scorpions or animals on my visit to Sedona. I did however check my shoes every morning before putting them on because scorpions like small spaces like your shoes. All you have to do is turn your shoe upside down and shake them before putting them on.
Dog Friendly Day Trip From Sedona to Grand Canyon + Horseshoe Bend
Horseshoe Bend + Grand Canyon Dog Friendly Travel Guide
Day three & four
I encourage you to travel from Sedona to Horseshoe bend and the Grand Canyon as both have dog friendly trails with stunning views! After lunch on the third day, drive up to Page, Arizona to catch the sunset at Horseshoe Bend. The drive there is magnificent especially as the sun starts to set on the red rock formations. The sunset at Horseshoe Bend is worth the drive up there!
I recommend spending the night in an Airbnb or hotel at Page, Arizona and start the day early the next morning by driving the ~2 hours to the Grand Canyon. It will be a long wait to get into the National Park and costs $35 per car. In the Grand Canyon National Park we pulled over many times to get different views of the canyon and walked a mile on the Grand Canyon Rim Trail (it is a total of 12.7 mile).
We headed back to Phoenix to catch a red eye back home.
During the time of our trip, much of Navajo Nation was still closed to tours which did not allow us to see Antelope Canyon.
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