Are you trying to decide on a family vacation in Arizona?  Sedona, Arizona is known for its beautiful scenery and hikes, but there are also several family friendly activities in Sedona during the winter.  Whether your family prefers to stay active outdoors, shop, explore nearby towns, or take in the scenery by vehicle or train, there are plenty of family friendly activities in Sedona during the winter!

5 Family Friendly Activities in Sedona During the Winter

1. Horseback Riding
2. Verde Canyon Railroad Christmas Train
3. Explore Nearby Towns
4. Experience Downtown Sedona
5. Enjoy the Beautiful Scenery By Car

My family and I love Sedona.  There’s a reason why I list it as one of the best places to visit in Arizona.  While it is primarily known for its scenery, artistic community, and vortexes, there are several family friendly activities in Sedona, not only in the summer, but also in the winter.   From horseback riding to train rides, here are some of the many family friendly activities in Sedona during the winter!

1.  Horseback Riding

My favorite outdoor family friendly activity is horseback riding.  Now that my son is older, he can participate in more outdoor activities like horseback riding, depending on the trail ride.  During our last trip to Sedona, we were able to experience a trail ride through Trail Horse Adventures, which I highly recommend.  We received a complimentary trail ride in exchange for sharing our experience, but all opinions are my own.

Trail Horse Adventures is located in Dead Horse Ranch State Park in Cottonwood, Arizona, which is approximately 20 minutes from Sedona.  While we’ve been on several trail rides, this particular trail ride impressed us with its variety.

Trail Rides Depending on Age and Level of Experience

I appreciate that Trail Horse Adventures offers trail rides depending on age and level of experience.  We signed up for the High Desert Trail, which takes approximately 1 1/2 hrs.  For us, it was the right length; however, if you and/or your child don’t ride often, the 1 hour Outlaw Trail Ride would be a great introduction.  As a parent, my son’s safety is always my first priority so I was pleased to see that my son was provided with a helmet to wear.  He also rode a very easy-going horse named Little D.  The trail ride itself is just the right amount of adventure for my son, mixed with learning experiences as well.

Our guide for the trail ride was extremely nice, knowledgeable and great with kids.  She pointed out items of interest to my son like greasewood, as well as a birds nest high up in a tree.  The highlight of the trail ride was crossing the river while on horseback. So much that once my son found out we were going to cross the river, that’s all he could focus on 🙂  Jenny also took family photos of us during the trail ride, which is something we rarely experience during other trail rides.  It’s a great experience, and ranks high on our list as one of our favorite trail rides.

Dead Horse Ranch State Park

And speaking of Dead Horse Ranch State Park, it’s worth a visit even if you decide not to go horseback riding.  There is a small fee for admission (per vehicle) but there are several things to do there, even for kids.  For example, there is a playground with a little zip line.

2.  Verde Canyon Railroad Christmas Train

My family and I like the Verde Canyon Railroad located in Clarkdale, which is approximately 20 minutes away from Sedona.  When I found out that the Verde Canyon Railroad has a Christmas Train during select weekends in December, we decided to give it a try.  We’ve taken the Polar Express in Williams, Arizona and we’ve also been to the North Pole Experience in Flagstaff, Arizona.  This was another holiday experience we wanted to experience.

The Train Depot

The Verde Canyon Railroad is similar to the Polar Express to the extent that it occurs on a train and Santa makes an appearance, and the train visits the North Pole.  That’s where the similarities end, though.  It definitely has its own personality, with a miniature village at the Depot.  Christmas carolers also sing holiday music before passengers board the train and kids can also mail letters to Santa at the Depot.

For our train tickets, we splurged and purchased tickets for first class.  While snacks weren’t included, we were provided with water bottles.  We enjoyed going out on the outdoor viewing platform to see the holiday lights outside.  However, it’s very chilly in the winter, so you’ll want to be sure to bundle up.

The North Pole

The train visits the North Pole, although like the Polar Express, the train doesn’t actually stop and let guests off at the North Pole.  It was fun to see Santa and Mrs. Claus near a sleigh, though, waving at everyone.

After the train leaves the North Pole, Santa makes an appearance on the train, handing out a gift to all the kids.

3.  Explore Nearby Towns

As I mentioned above, Clarkdale and Cottonwood are nearby towns and worth a visit, especially for horseback riding and train rides.  However, Jerome, Arizona is also nearby and worth a visit as well.  The towns definitely have their own personalities, so they are worth checking out if you have time.

4.  Experience Downtown Sedona

There are several restaurants and shops in downtown Sedona and parking is free. It can be difficult to find a place to park but once you park your car, you can walk around and people watch.

5.  Enjoy the Beautiful Scenery by Car

The Red Rock Scenic Byway is one of the most beautiful drives I’ve ever taken, and it ranks up there with a drive up the Pacific Coast Highway.  If you want photographs of some of the amazing rock formations that can be seen at Bell Rock, Cathedral Rock, and Chapel of the Holy Cross, you can pull over and take photographs.  It’s obviously colder in the winter, so that’s when I really just enjoy driving the Rock Rock Scenic Byway.  The views are amazing, and look even more dramatic in the winter.

Other Family Friendly Activities in Sedona During the Winter

There are several other family friendly activities in Sedona during the winter, such as a Trolley Ride, a Jeep Tour, and a cowboy dinner at Blazin’ M Ranch.  Because Sedona is an easy drive from Tucson, we usually plan weekend trips, which means we aren’t able to fit in as many activities we like in one weekend.   However, it’s just another reason to return!

Where to Stay in Sedona

Hotels can be expensive in Sedona so we use points to stay in hotels like Holiday Inn and Hyatt.  We’ve previously stayed at the Holiday Inn Express in Sedona, but during our last visit to Sedona, we stayed at the Hyatt Pinon Pointe, a Hyatt Residence Club.  I recommend both hotels, although the Hyatt in Sedona is pricier than the Holiday Inn Express but well worth the splurge if it fits in your budget, or if you’re able to use travel points.