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Thrushmassuh t1_j70ds4u wrote

Reply to comment by autopartsandguitars in West Fork Oak Creek, Sedona, Arizona, USA [OC] 1920x1370 by ShexyBaish6351

Should have been a national park :( Sad to see it consumed over my life time, but nature would reclaim Sedona if we vacated it. It would be super truly to backpack through overgrown gift shops and resorts.

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TonalParsnips t1_j70hvkg wrote

I agree, but I feel enough of it is still preserved.

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ShexyBaish6351 OP t1_j71z0th wrote

Agreed. Almost all of it is in National Forest, and within the forest there are a couple of large designated wilderness areas. Not as well protected as a National Park, but still protected.

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Fender088 t1_j71v75x wrote

The actual town of Sedona is such a trip, especially that "main street" area. Reminded me of Gatlinburg tbh. The surrounding hikes were breathtaking, but I was not expecting the town to be like that.

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ShexyBaish6351 OP t1_j71zcn3 wrote

Very, very touristy. Lots of shops selling crystals, palm readings, photos of your aura, turquoise jewelry, etc. It has everything a self-styled "spiritual" person could desire.

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Fender088 t1_j71zsa7 wrote

When I told my better-travelled friend this, they agreed and suggested I go to Taos next year instead. Any experience with that town?

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ShexyBaish6351 OP t1_j721a12 wrote

I was only in Taos for three days, and it was during the winter. So my experience there is limited. To be honest, I was actually kind of disappointed... in fact, kind of shocked. What struck me most about the place was the vivid contrast between extremely wealthy people walking around in fur coats and the addicts shooting up in the parking lots. I'm not trying to trash the place at all... I was just surprised. Three days was enough for me there... I doubt I'll return.

Sedona, on the other hand, is truly fantastic, which is why I moved here. It's very touristy and very crowded, for sure. But if you're willing to wake up early and hit the trails around sunrise, you can actually find solitude for a while. There are also some world class restaurants and spas, if that's what you're into. I'm clearly biased, but if I were you, Sedona is where I'd spend my vacation. I just wasn't all that impressed with Taos.

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Fender088 t1_j7233vy wrote

We went for our honeymoon and did Mariposa as our big meal. Excellent service and food. We woke up early every morning and managed to get to all of the trails we wanted. Appreciate the advice on Taos.

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ShexyBaish6351 OP t1_j729v79 wrote

My wife and I went to Mariposa for our last anniversary. Excellent cocktails and world class views!

And like I said, I was only in Taos for a few days. It was around Christmas and I didn't do any actual hiking. Could be a totally different experience at other times.

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Augustus_Medici t1_j729cpq wrote

I love Sedona as well but have always been a little disappointed with the food. If I can't get into Hideaway, I end up at Picazzo's most of the time! I did go to Stagecoach and Shorebird the last time I was there and thought they were decent. Do you have any recs?

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ShexyBaish6351 OP t1_j72ah3z wrote

I'm a fan of Shorebird... not always stellar, but definitely always good. I really like Dellapiane (Argentinian restaurant with empanadas and good burgers), but my favorite is Cress on Oak Creek located at L'auberge resort. That's some genuine fine dining.

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smalllpox t1_j70u7f9 wrote

Consumed? Rofl. October through April there's nobody there

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fgreen68 t1_j70z0fk wrote

I was there in November. It was packed. Maybe Jan and Feb are empty.

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smalllpox t1_j73lkxs wrote

Packed with what?. Nov 28th to Dec 3rd was empty. I got whatever air bnb I wanted cheap. Nobody in any water. Slide rock was empty

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fgreen68 t1_j73wajz wrote

People. Couldn't get reservations at some restaurants. On every trail I went to the parking lots were full or close to full.

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ShexyBaish6351 OP t1_j71rr7q wrote

That may have been true at some point, but believe you me, it’s insane all year round now.

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smalllpox t1_j73l96p wrote

I just went in Nov for trout and it was a ghost town but ok I go every Nov and march

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ShexyBaish6351 OP t1_j73lqc0 wrote

I live here. I see it every day. But ok.

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smalllpox t1_j73m8qn wrote

We must really have a different view as to what packed is. July 4th is a great example of packed

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ShexyBaish6351 OP t1_j73ugat wrote

Room occupancy rates in Sedona in fiscal year 2022 averaged 66.3% for the entire year.

The July occupancy rate in 2022 was 62.6%. About average.
The November occupancy rate in 2022 was 76.2% - about 10 points above average.
The March occupancy is 2022 was 77.8% - about 12 points above average.

Them's the facts. The numbers confirm the informal observations I make on a daily basis. This place is not a ghost town in November or in March. In fact, both months are busier than average.

I've linked to the City of Sedona's report if you'd like to check for yourself.

https://acrobat.adobe.com/link/review?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:df4d7ef5-a778-31e1-a327-9274075ef22f

See you when you return to Sedona!

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