Published October 14, 2026Updated October 18, 20265 min readDesert

Things to Do Near Sedona Vacation Rentals

Sedona rentals skew toward couples and small groups who come for red-rock hiking, art and scenery. Mid-October into winter is the comfortable hiking season, with shorter park hours from late November. This guide lists 6 activities that fit that kind of trip, with what we could confirm about each one from mid-October into winter. Every detail comes from the operator’s or managing agency’s own website, checked on October 14, 2026. Seasons and hours change, so confirm before you go. Still choosing where to stay? Start with the Sedona neighborhood guide. For meals, see where to eat near Sedona rentals.

Quick answer

Red Rock State Park runs a daily 10 AM guided nature walk. Slide Rock State Park is open 8 AM–6 PM through November 20, then 9 AM–5 PM, but its swim area is closed and there is no fall apple picking this year. The Chapel of the Holy Cross is open daily 9 AM–5 PM. BnB Search is a rental directory, so the list is not ranked and shows no prices or ratings.

Open in late fall

Red Rock State Park, Slide Rock State Park, Chapel of the Holy Cross, Tlaquepaque Arts and Shopping Village and Sedona Arts Center list fall or year-round operation on their official sites. See each card for the dates we found.

Outdoors and scenery

Red Rock State Park, Slide Rock State Park and Verde Canyon Railroad are outdoor options. Conditions change fast in this season, so check alerts on the day.

Bad-weather backups

Sedona Arts Center are mostly indoors.

Activity details and sources

Each card shows what the official site says about the season from mid-October onward, checked October 14, 2026.

Red Rock State Park

Where: Sedona
What it is: An Arizona state park with daily guided programs.
Mid-October onward: A volunteer naturalist leads a guided nature walk every day at 10 AM. Guided bird walks run Wednesdays and Saturdays at 8 AM (9 AM in December). An archaeology hike about the park’s pre-Columbian people is listed for Sunday, November 15 at 1 PM, and an ethnobotany hike for Sunday, October 25 and Sunday, November 22 at 1 PM. Reservations are required (dates rechecked October 18, 2026).
Who it suits: Couples who want a guided introduction to the landscape before hiking on their own.
Website: azstateparks.com · Source: azstateparks.com

Slide Rock State Park

Where: Oak Creek Canyon
What it is: A state park on the historic Pendley Homestead in Oak Creek Canyon, known for its creek swim area.
Mid-October onward: Open 8 AM–6 PM through November 20 (entry closes at 5 PM), then 9 AM–5 PM from November 21 (entry closes at 4 PM). The swim area is closed because of high water, and there is no apple picking in fall 2026. Entry is by vehicle only, with no reservations. The Apple Packing Shed opens on Saturdays and Sundays, 10 AM–noon. Volkswagens in the Canyon is on November 7.
Who it suits: Couples who want a short creekside walk and a bit of homestead history.
Website: azstateparks.com · Source: azstateparks.com

Chapel of the Holy Cross

Where: Sedona
What it is: A chapel built into a red-rock spur and completed in 1956. Visitors are asked to keep silent, not eat or drink, and leave pets outside.
Mid-October onward: Open 9 AM–5 PM seven days a week, with last entry at 4:45 PM. Parking is limited to 45 spaces, and RVs and trailers are not allowed.
Who it suits: Couples who want the classic view. Go early to find parking.
Website: www.chapeloftheholycross.com · Source: www.chapeloftheholycross.com

Tlaquepaque Arts and Shopping Village

Where: Sedona
What it is: A village of shops, galleries and restaurants with a monthly events calendar and a village map on its site.
Mid-October onward: Check the monthly calendar on its site for events during your stay.
Who it suits: Couples who want a slow afternoon of galleries and shops.
Website: tlaq.com · Source: tlaq.com

Sedona Arts Center

Where: Uptown Sedona
What it is: A nonprofit arts center with a gallery that represents more than 100 artists, plus a School of the Arts with workshops and classes. Parking on campus is free.
Mid-October onward: The gallery is open Monday–Saturday 10 AM–5 PM and Sunday noon–5 PM.
Who it suits: Couples who like art, and anyone looking for a class during the trip.
Website: www.sedonaartscenter.org · Source: www.sedonaartscenter.org

Verde Canyon Railroad

Where: Clarkdale depot
What it is: A scenic train ride through Verde Canyon. The Clarkdale depot has the Copper Spike Café, the Boxcar Gift Store and the John Bell Museum.
Mid-October onward: Its site posts a train schedule but we did not confirm specific late-fall departures. Check the schedule before you book.
Who it suits: Couples who want a relaxed day of scenery without hiking.
Website: www.verdecanyonrr.com · Source: www.verdecanyonrr.com

What this guide does not cover

We have not covered jeep and helicopter tour operators, wineries, spas, vortex or wellness tours, or Montezuma Castle and Tuzigoot national monuments. Their sites either blocked our check or did not show current hours. We also did not cover national forest trailhead parking rules, so check the Coconino National Forest site before you hike.

Tips

Late fall is a shoulder season: some places run reduced days, and winter openings depend on snow and weather.
Check the operator’s site or call the week of your trip, especially before a long drive.
Use the Sedona hub map to see which rentals are near the places you plan to visit.

FAQ

What is open near Sedona rentals from mid-October?

Red Rock State Park, Slide Rock State Park, Chapel of the Holy Cross, Tlaquepaque Arts and Shopping Village and Sedona Arts Center list fall or year-round operation on their sites. Dates were checked on October 14, 2026 and can change.

Does BnB Search rank these activities?

No. BnB Search is a vacation rental directory. This is an unranked list of activities whose details we confirmed on official or operator websites, and it shows no ratings or prices.

Hotels, resorts and lodges in our Sedona directory

Each of these listings has a BnB Search page that links to the property’s own website or its managing company’s site. The list is alphabetical, not ranked, and shows no ratings.