By air, land, and see
Ok, so admittedly, Sedona has very little in the way of shoreline (with a few exceptions like Buddha Beach) and no seaside to speak of. There are, however, so many ways of seeing our beloved city from the air and land if you are coming to visit.
You can explore some of the areas spectacular hiking and mountain biking trails: Broken Arrow, Devil’s Bridge, Bell Rock, and West Fork to name a few. You could also responsibly drive some of the rugged 4x4 trails that Sedona is known for in a Jeep or UTV. If you opt to take out your own equipment you should know that some trails can be a bit, well, rough on equipment. You could also opt to let someone else take the wheel with a tour like Pink Jeep.
If you are looking for a truly unique way of seeing Sedona and you aren’t afraid of a bit of drifting, a hot air balloon might be just right. Some time ago I was fortunate enough to experience a balloon ride with our friends at Northern Lights and it was something else entirely. You set off at the crack of dawn (bring your coffee!) to the launch site where the balloons are prepped for take off. You pile into a giant basket and then you are whisked away into the air to the sound of a blasting torch. Now here is the interesting thing, once you get past the first few feet off the ground you lose the sense of heights. After that it is a truly Wonka-esque ride as you gently rise into the air to watch the sunrise over the red rocks. No vibration from a motor, no rotor noise and between useful bits of information from your pilot and an occasional blast from the burner it is very quiet and serene. I would also recommend bringing a hat, the burner can be intense!
A hot air balloon floats in front of Cathedral Rock • Sedona, AZ
The experience is different for every expedition since the pilot uses air currents to navigate, meaning it is not a set route but an adventure in its own way. It also means that you should prepare for the possibility that the flight will be canceled if the weather is not right. Of course no-one wants their trip canceled when they are on vacation but it is comforting that they would not go out in gale force winds as well. Aside from that it is good to be prepared for the landing. The balloons land softly but it is an exercise in wrangling the basket to where it needs to go so it can be the one semi wild part of the trip. Once you land you are also rewarded with a champagne toast, apparently a tradition stemming from early balloon pilots bringing a bottle to share with farmers when they would land in their fields.
All in all I would say that having grown up in the area and seen this land in all kinds of ways, the hot air balloon is still one of the most interesting, the most serene, and the most memorable ways to see it. Truly unique.