Thinking of visiting Sedona but not entirely sure? First, get to know the city of Arizona a little better. While it has astonishing natural beauty that attracts millions of tourists throughout the year, Sedona is also a spiritual place with a rich cultural history.
While Sedona is home to well-known attractions like Tlaquepaque, Red Rock State Park, and several Verde Valley wineries, it’s not much fun traveling through the inspiring city without knowing more than the average tourist.
Here are 12 cool facts about Sedona that will have you planning your next vacation here.
1. The city of Sedona was named after the wife of its first postmaster in the early 1900s.
2. Sedona receives an average of 330 days of sunshine per year. That’s more than Florida, the sunshine state.
3. Sedona looks amazing when it snows. The red rock formations are dusted with majestic white.
4. There are more national parks and monuments in Arizona than in any other state, and Sedona is close to most of them.
5. Sedona has a rich Native American history. Archaeologists have found countless evidence of Paleo-Indians who were the first known humans to find the Sedona region. Around 650 AD, Sinagua settled and prospered for several hundred years before leaving the land for unknown reasons.
6. There is only one McDonald’s in the world with turquoise arches instead of the iconic golden arches, and that’s Sedona. The distinctive yellow clashed with the natural colors of the beautiful Sedona landscape.
7. Sedona was a hot spot for movies from the 1940s to the 1970s. Classic films such as Apache and Billy the Kid were shot in the area, as well as over sixty other films.
8. In 2012, the comedy-drama film Sedona was the first feature film to also be shot entirely in Sedona since the 1970s. The film’s cast includes Frances Fisher, Seth Peterson, and Barry Corbin.
9. Sedona is known for its spiritual vortexes. A vortex is a funnel-shaped spiral energy that can emanate a positive force, giving you an uplifting feeling days after you have left the site.
10. The Sedona canyon walls display nine layers of stone. They date back to different geological periods and span millions of years. Top layer
11. The famous red color of the rocks comes from iron oxide (rust) that has stained the formation for a long period of time.
12. Sedona is a tourist center with four million people visiting the city each year. Its population is just a little over 10,000.