Sedona has a reputation for expensive resort pricing. That reputation is earned — but it's also incomplete. The actual landscape, which is the whole reason to come here, is largely free. Here's how to build a genuinely great family day in Sedona without blowing your whole vacation budget before dinner.
Completely Free Activities in Sedona
These cost $0. Just show up.
Snoopy Rock (4.8 stars) — Pull over on AZ-179 near the Village of Oak Creek and point at the rock formation. It looks exactly like Snoopy lying on top of his doghouse. Kids get it immediately, and that moment of recognition is genuinely delightful. Free from the roadside pullout — no pass needed.
Sedona Airport Scenic Lookout (4.7 stars) — Drive up to the mesa and get a 360-degree view of every major red rock formation in Sedona. Takes 30–60 minutes. Free. One of the best viewpoints in the area and almost always less crowded than trailhead parking lots.
Amitabha Stupa and Peace Park (4.8 stars) — A giant white stupa rising against red rock backdrop with walking trails and meditation gardens. Kids are fascinated by the scale and the unusual visual. Entirely free; donations welcome.
Posse Grounds Park (4.7 stars) — Sedona's best local park. Big playground, climbing structures, swings, open lawn. No fees, no parking charges. Bring sunscreen and water and you're set for a couple hours.
Sedona Bike Skills Park (4.8 stars) — A purpose-built bike park at Posse Grounds with pump tracks, berms, and features for beginners through advanced riders. $0 admission — bring your own bikes. If you don't have bikes, budget $25–$40 per bike for a half-day rental from a local shop.
Birthing Cave (4.7 stars) — One of Sedona's few hikes with no trailhead fee. Round trip is 1.5–2.5 hours and ends at a massive natural alcove carved into red sandstone. No pass required. Bring water.
Bootlegger Picnic Area (4.8 stars) — Oak Creek access for wading, rock throwing, and splashing. Free day use area. No vendors on site — bring a packed picnic.
Sedona Wetlands Preserve — A rare riparian habitat with birds and wildlife. Free to walk through. Good for families with kids who like spotting animals.
Sedona Military Service Park (4.6 stars) — A small city park with veterans' monuments, a playground, and zero admission. Combine with Posse Grounds nearby for a longer free morning.
Village of Oak Creek Association Park (4.8 stars) — Neighborhood park in the southern part of Sedona. Playground, open space. Free and rarely crowded.
Under $20 Per Person — the Sweet Spot
These require a small spend but deliver a lot.
Airport Mesa (4.8 stars) — $5–$10 Red Rock Pass. Best-value hike in Sedona. Vortex site, 360-degree views, under 3.5 miles round trip. The Red Rock Pass covers one car for a full day, so split across four people that's $1.25–$2.50 each.
Crescent Moon Picnic Site (4.7 stars) — $10–$15 Red Rock Pass. Wade in Oak Creek directly underneath Cathedral Rock. This is the shot on every Sedona postcard, and you can swim here for the price of a parking pass. Arrive before 9am on summer weekends.
Devil's Bridge Trailhead (4.8 stars) — $10–$15 Red Rock Pass. Sedona's most famous natural arch. 2–4 hours round trip. Use the Dry Creek shuttle trailhead to avoid weekend parking chaos.
West Fork Oak Creek Trailhead (4.8 stars) — $10–$15 Red Rock Pass. The slot canyon trail crosses the creek 13 times. Bring water shoes. Go as far as you want and turn around.
Sedona Heritage Museum (4.6 stars) — $20–$30 for a family of four (adults ~$7, children under 12 often free or discounted). A 1930s homestead with original orchard and Hollywood filming history of Sedona. Plan about an hour.
Zclaw Arcade (5.0 stars) — $20–$50 for a family of four. West Sedona's boutique arcade. Perfect 5.0 rating, well-maintained games, solid prize selection. Open Thursday–Sunday noon to 7pm. Good rainy day option.
Arizona Botanical Gardens (5.0 stars) — $20–$40 for a family of four. Native Sonoran and Chihuahuan Desert plants in Clarkdale, about 20 minutes from Sedona. Perfect 5.0 rating. Combine with Verde Canyon Railroad in the same area for a full northern Arizona day.
Worth Paying For — Best Value Paid Attractions
The Science Vortex (4.9 stars) — $20–$40 for a family of four. Hands-on science museum in Cottonwood where kids run actual experiments. Near-perfect rating. Check hours before driving out — they're limited.
Highlands Center for Natural History (4.8 stars) — $30–$50 for a family of four. Interactive exhibits on Arizona's natural world with nature trails designed for kids. Membership pays off in 2–3 visits.
Money-Saving Strategies for Sedona Families
- Buy the $20 annual Red Rock Pass rather than $5/day if you're doing multiple hiking days — pays for itself after the fourth day.
- America the Beautiful Pass ($80/year) covers USFS day-use fees at Grasshopper Point, Call of the Canyon, and other federal sites. Worth it if you visit multiple national parks and forests in a year.
- Pack every meal. Resort-adjacent Sedona restaurants are expensive. A packed cooler with lunch, snacks, and drinks saves $40–$60 per day.
- Combine nearby attractions into one driving day. Clarkdale has Arizona Botanical Gardens and is near Verde Canyon Railroad — one drive covers both. Williams has Bearizona and Grand Canyon Deer Farm.
- Check hours before driving to smaller attractions. The Science Vortex and Sedona Heritage Museum have limited hours. Showing up to a closed museum is an expensive mistake.
- Kids under 4 are often free. Verify age cutoffs at each paid attraction before purchasing tickets.
Seasonal Free Events to Watch For
- Summer monsoon afternoons bring dramatic light shows over the red rocks — free to watch from any pullout or park.
- Sedona Film Festival (February/March) has family programming and some free screenings.
- Verde Valley birding events in spring include guided free walks through riparian habitats.
- First Fridays in Uptown Sedona feature gallery openings and street activity — free to browse.
Plan Your Visit
A solid free-to-cheap Sedona family day looks like this: morning hike at Airport Mesa or Birthing Cave (Red Rock Pass: $10), lunch at a packed cooler spot at Bootlegger Picnic Area ($0), afternoon at Posse Grounds or the Bike Skills Park ($0). Total: $10 plus whatever you spend on food. You don't have to spend $300 to have a great day here.