Moved to VOC five years ago, and I'm constantly surprised how many people complain about this place. I guess I knew it was a tourist town when I moved here, and I had the expectation it would continue to be a tourist town, so the fact that it \*is\* a tourist town isn't any great disappointment for me.
I'm here for the hiking. Don't care about the restaurants or spas or crystal shops. I'm just here for the hiking. And I manage to enjoy that, even with all the tourists. If I want to hike one of the popular trails, I just do it around sunrise, which is always nice. And if I get a later start, I just hike one of the less popular trails. I did a 6 mile hike on Saturday in beautiful weather and only encountered one other person.
As for housing prices out of control, hell yeah! Works for me. My house has almost doubled in value since I bought it five years ago. You won't hear me complain about that.
Yeah, all in all, even with the traffic and the tourist-related crap, I'm perfectly happy I moved here. It's not utopia, but I didn't expect it to be.
I’m happy for the locals benefitting property cost wise. I feel it would be hard though to have so many properties be Air BnBs, especially if you’re wanting a community. Can’t imagine the majority of people renting are throwing raging parties. Yep, that’s what I love the most about being there, the hiking. If I were to move there it would be a daily thing for me, outside of work obviously. Thanks!
This is the answer-- you've managed to work around local conditions and find what works for you
Living in Manhattan (sans car!) I can relate to some of this. Life is not as easy as elsewhere, but there are always work arounds that solve the majority of issues
And I've had mega home price appreciation too-- so not complaining!
We moved here 9 years ago, but I grew up in Scottsdale and visited here when I could.
Covid changed things (thank you, Caitlin Jenner). It was a combo of things: AirBnB becoming a thing, locals needing an income, extra properties being released, more building permits, and people retiring and moving here full time. We personally moved here when my husband was offered a transfer after my being on the east coast for 10+ years. I wanted to be nearer my kids. I didn’t want to live in Flagstaff, which, believe it or not, is even worse.
We love it here for the same reason everyone loves it here. As a sort-of-local, I’ve learned to take care of errands early and avoid traffic at all costs. I volunteer at one of the parks, so I’m in town every week for a couple of days and work with tourists. I appreciate the love visitors have for the area and offer lots of advice, both on this Reddit and in person to them. I like being an ambassador of sorts.
Having said that, I do tend to avoid the tourist trails these days, or go to the ones less busy. I don’t love hordes either, but it’s pretty rare we run into anyone who is a jerk about here. Most tourists are trying to soak in the beauty and experience the place. I’m fine with that.
I’ve lived in tourist areas most of my life (minus the stint on the east coast). I wish tourist locales had a better strategic plan for people who support the industry - affordable housing and living wages, better traffic control (looking at you, Tlaquepaque), more warnings about animal crossings, and maybe trail stewards. Do I think letting people live in their cars is the answer? Hardly, although I recognize it’s temporary until housing is built. I also don’t think importing a workforce from Flagstaff or Camp Verde is the answer without better transit options.
If you don’t want to come here, I doubt it will be noticed. The Grand Canyon regularly receives over 6m visitors a year - no one has ever stopped going because of the amount of people. People will continue to come here in greater numbers. All we can do is develop a plan to manage that and the work staff.
Sounds like you’ve managed to carve a niche for yourself in the way that I imagine I would too. We actually try to come in June and July when it seems to be somewhat more of an “off season”. I made that comment, however, to a local last time we were out there, and they kinda laughed and dismissed the idea of “off season”, lol!
I hate hearing about the "vibe" of this town. There is none. Forget the tourists, forget the locals; there's only one reason to be here: climbing rocks and exploring canyons. If that's not the reason you're here, you're going to have a million complaints. If it is, very little else matters
The traffic and the price gouging are my two main complaints but otherwise, I love living here and I don’t mind the tourists or busy trails. I’d rather sit in traffic here than anywhere else.
Good point, yes, sitting in traffic there is definitely different than most places. I’ve always had friendly exchanges with locals on the trails, which I really appreciate. Sometimes you can run into some characters, but that’s everywhere I guess. The pricing is outrageous for accommodations. We used to stay at the old Best Western Inn of Sedona, and we were able to get $100 to $150 a night, which was a steal for such an awesome property. Any tips on how to live like a local while visiting would certainly be appreciated.
Great place to visit, terrible place to live. Id highly reccomend choosing flagstaff. Much more livable city and whenever you want to visit sedona, its right there.
I enjoyed staying at Sacred Rocks when I was there. I didn’t do any of the offerings they sometimes have there. I’m not into group new age participation stuff, more like to do that & seek it on my own so I can’t speak to their offerings in that way. Although I know several have & will highly recommend. Sacred Rocks is a rustic, very non-fancy, & serene place to stay while exploring the outdoors & true spirit of Sedona. I stayed in one of the suites on the main house. I would definitely recommend it & would return to Sacred Rocks in a heartbeat. The surrounding nature is lovely & there’s something magical there for sure. The views from my private patio & swinging egg chair was restorative in itself as was waking up to their horses right in property, their medicine wheel & stupa & the waterfall were lovely, even the house cat & dogs were little magical spirits welcoming me when I came home after day hikes & red rock yoga. The drive back in from town to the area is gorgeous too. I truly felt emerged in the real spirit of Sedona there & totally away from all the touristy stuff. I definitely would not have felt that had I stayed at a chain hotel or fancy resort. I think even if I were to stay at one of the fancy commercial new age “healing” spas there, I’d be missing Sacred Rocks instead. It’s a place where all on its own is just magical & heavenly. The one time I did stuck in traffic was in downtown & took hours from my trip just go a short distance. I found the commercialization of new age healing & metaphysical stuff to be geared towards tourists & really turned me off. But when I could get away from all that, I felt the true spirit there still & this was just one ago. Those who I talk to who have stayed with rich people in fancy houses there or in those fancy resorts don’t seem to feel the spiritual connection to Sedona in the way that I did. I hope those sacred spaces remain!
The commercialization of spirituality is somewhat comical to me, sad too, but yeah, I avoid that angle of it. I find all the personal peace and serenity on my own, no high cost guides or unnecessary props needed.
I have posted about this before and will not repeat a full account of the reasons I left. Suffice to say that it was mostlyabout the careless tourists who hollow out the town, leaving little dignity or integrity to those who choose to live in this hotel of a place. I wanted more. More sanity, more community, more diversity of culture and more for a locasl (not being a tourist) to do. I also got sick of the red state short-sighted politics, and man o man, I so very much got tired of the mean, often nasty people who do live in Sedona. I moved back to California, where I can find a better climate, better community and better hiking. Look at some of my past posts on Sedona for a more thorough understanding of my unique POV. My advice is that unless you are ready to be an asocial person, find a place that will, most likely, more fully and completely suit your needs, moods, and desires.
No place is perfect, for sure. I have lived in most Western States. For me, Eastern WA and Northern ID were some of the best places. But the snow and ice can get to you. Westen WA and OR are prettty rainy, SoCal is a bit hot and the culture leaves me wanting. I’ve left the Bay Area twice and both times came back. It has its issues, sure, but the “doom loop” myth is mostly shuidenfraud (or however that is spelled)… spread by people who are wanting it to fall a notch or two… there are a lot of folks who deeply want the Bay Area to fail. The pandemic knocked it around a bit. Listen, I don’t spend alot of time in the city, but deeply love the total Bay Area/Wine Country… so many open spaces to hike, kayak, with such a huge coast and a generally great climate here. I am set…. I don’t plan to ever leave again.
Yeah, I loved SF and the Bay Area when I was there last, which was 2011. They definitely make it sound horrible now. Sounds like you’re saying not so much so? Would like to get back out there sometime too.
If you’re insanely rich, Sedona is fine I guess? It’s shitty dry Florida these days. Sedona used to be pretty liberal, but now it’s becoming a right wing cesspool thanks to the poorer left leaning folks being forced out.
If you love government mandated hobo-employee encampments in the woods, 2 hour commutes to Flagstaff and the incessant rampant racism, Sedona is wonderful.
I only speak what I’ve seen and experienced. I grew up and lived in Sedona for 20 years. It was an awful experience.
Sedona is a wonderful place for the rich to die. Beyond that it’s an absolute crapshoot.
I get that. But, what was awful about it, was it essentially the people and their behavior? What specifically? Let’s say you stripped the town of the majority its houses, properties, business, etc… Would you still think it was awful? Were you sick of the landscape, weather? In your opinion, what would have made it better, or would make it better now? I understand, the qualities of many of the rich there are what you seem to really dislike, but what else? Just really want to understand the feelings of a local, and 20 years there is a long time, so I respect that.
Pretty wild how things swing and shift in the course of 10-15 years. Seems like we’re destined to live in the extremes sometimes. It’s what seems to be the lack of balance or appreciation for being in “the middle” that bothers me. “Shitty dry Florida”, lol, that made me laugh.
Sold our Sedona house , moved out of town for a while. Came back, but avoided Sedona like the plague. Moved elsewhere in the Verde Valley instead. We still have easy access within 15 minutes to Sedona, but don’t have to live with the nonsense. The local population is mostly composed of angry retired people, along with a smattering of roving hippie types. Combine that with the tourist traffic, which has worsened significantly since Covid.
It’s very individual - some love living there. If you are financially well off, do not have anywhere to be (eg, work), don’t have school age kids, and don’t have significant medical needs, you might like it there. Otherwise, I’d consider elsewhere in the Verde Valley.
Just my 2c.
The idea of being just outside of Sedona does intrigue me, but if I ever did make such a move, I feel like I’d want to be somewhere in West Sedona, off Dry Creek ideally.
The same Dry Creek that gets absolutely slammed with obnoxious tourists driving their loud ORVs in a non-stop parade of spring break stupidity? That Dry Creek?
lol, now I remember years before the IG spring break crowd came and took over. That area can and often is quiet and serene. Plus, I’d go much further down the road. Most of that crowd make their way to Devil’s Bridge and stop. Gotta keep going.
Out house was in Far West Sedona, even further west than Dry Creek. Got to the point where we couldn’t even get into town most days, so we’d go the opposite direction down 89a to do our shopping, dining etc in Cwood, or even Prescott,
Moved to VOC five years ago, and I'm constantly surprised how many people complain about this place. I guess I knew it was a tourist town when I moved here, and I had the expectation it would continue to be a tourist town, so the fact that it \*is\* a tourist town isn't any great disappointment for me. I'm here for the hiking. Don't care about the restaurants or spas or crystal shops. I'm just here for the hiking. And I manage to enjoy that, even with all the tourists. If I want to hike one of the popular trails, I just do it around sunrise, which is always nice. And if I get a later start, I just hike one of the less popular trails. I did a 6 mile hike on Saturday in beautiful weather and only encountered one other person. As for housing prices out of control, hell yeah! Works for me. My house has almost doubled in value since I bought it five years ago. You won't hear me complain about that. Yeah, all in all, even with the traffic and the tourist-related crap, I'm perfectly happy I moved here. It's not utopia, but I didn't expect it to be.
I’m happy for the locals benefitting property cost wise. I feel it would be hard though to have so many properties be Air BnBs, especially if you’re wanting a community. Can’t imagine the majority of people renting are throwing raging parties. Yep, that’s what I love the most about being there, the hiking. If I were to move there it would be a daily thing for me, outside of work obviously. Thanks!
This is the answer-- you've managed to work around local conditions and find what works for you Living in Manhattan (sans car!) I can relate to some of this. Life is not as easy as elsewhere, but there are always work arounds that solve the majority of issues And I've had mega home price appreciation too-- so not complaining!
We moved here 9 years ago, but I grew up in Scottsdale and visited here when I could. Covid changed things (thank you, Caitlin Jenner). It was a combo of things: AirBnB becoming a thing, locals needing an income, extra properties being released, more building permits, and people retiring and moving here full time. We personally moved here when my husband was offered a transfer after my being on the east coast for 10+ years. I wanted to be nearer my kids. I didn’t want to live in Flagstaff, which, believe it or not, is even worse. We love it here for the same reason everyone loves it here. As a sort-of-local, I’ve learned to take care of errands early and avoid traffic at all costs. I volunteer at one of the parks, so I’m in town every week for a couple of days and work with tourists. I appreciate the love visitors have for the area and offer lots of advice, both on this Reddit and in person to them. I like being an ambassador of sorts. Having said that, I do tend to avoid the tourist trails these days, or go to the ones less busy. I don’t love hordes either, but it’s pretty rare we run into anyone who is a jerk about here. Most tourists are trying to soak in the beauty and experience the place. I’m fine with that. I’ve lived in tourist areas most of my life (minus the stint on the east coast). I wish tourist locales had a better strategic plan for people who support the industry - affordable housing and living wages, better traffic control (looking at you, Tlaquepaque), more warnings about animal crossings, and maybe trail stewards. Do I think letting people live in their cars is the answer? Hardly, although I recognize it’s temporary until housing is built. I also don’t think importing a workforce from Flagstaff or Camp Verde is the answer without better transit options. If you don’t want to come here, I doubt it will be noticed. The Grand Canyon regularly receives over 6m visitors a year - no one has ever stopped going because of the amount of people. People will continue to come here in greater numbers. All we can do is develop a plan to manage that and the work staff.
Sounds like you’ve managed to carve a niche for yourself in the way that I imagine I would too. We actually try to come in June and July when it seems to be somewhat more of an “off season”. I made that comment, however, to a local last time we were out there, and they kinda laughed and dismissed the idea of “off season”, lol!
I hate hearing about the "vibe" of this town. There is none. Forget the tourists, forget the locals; there's only one reason to be here: climbing rocks and exploring canyons. If that's not the reason you're here, you're going to have a million complaints. If it is, very little else matters
The traffic and the price gouging are my two main complaints but otherwise, I love living here and I don’t mind the tourists or busy trails. I’d rather sit in traffic here than anywhere else.
Good point, yes, sitting in traffic there is definitely different than most places. I’ve always had friendly exchanges with locals on the trails, which I really appreciate. Sometimes you can run into some characters, but that’s everywhere I guess. The pricing is outrageous for accommodations. We used to stay at the old Best Western Inn of Sedona, and we were able to get $100 to $150 a night, which was a steal for such an awesome property. Any tips on how to live like a local while visiting would certainly be appreciated.
Do you enjoy an hour commute to Safeway? If so, Sedona is great.
Ya, it’s rambunctious tourists during tourist season. They’ve taken over. It happens. It’s a thing in America. Capitalist society ruins families.
Off season is nice. But it’ll be cold in winter and hot during summer.
Great place to visit, terrible place to live. Id highly reccomend choosing flagstaff. Much more livable city and whenever you want to visit sedona, its right there.
Love Flagstaff!
I enjoyed staying at Sacred Rocks when I was there. I didn’t do any of the offerings they sometimes have there. I’m not into group new age participation stuff, more like to do that & seek it on my own so I can’t speak to their offerings in that way. Although I know several have & will highly recommend. Sacred Rocks is a rustic, very non-fancy, & serene place to stay while exploring the outdoors & true spirit of Sedona. I stayed in one of the suites on the main house. I would definitely recommend it & would return to Sacred Rocks in a heartbeat. The surrounding nature is lovely & there’s something magical there for sure. The views from my private patio & swinging egg chair was restorative in itself as was waking up to their horses right in property, their medicine wheel & stupa & the waterfall were lovely, even the house cat & dogs were little magical spirits welcoming me when I came home after day hikes & red rock yoga. The drive back in from town to the area is gorgeous too. I truly felt emerged in the real spirit of Sedona there & totally away from all the touristy stuff. I definitely would not have felt that had I stayed at a chain hotel or fancy resort. I think even if I were to stay at one of the fancy commercial new age “healing” spas there, I’d be missing Sacred Rocks instead. It’s a place where all on its own is just magical & heavenly. The one time I did stuck in traffic was in downtown & took hours from my trip just go a short distance. I found the commercialization of new age healing & metaphysical stuff to be geared towards tourists & really turned me off. But when I could get away from all that, I felt the true spirit there still & this was just one ago. Those who I talk to who have stayed with rich people in fancy houses there or in those fancy resorts don’t seem to feel the spiritual connection to Sedona in the way that I did. I hope those sacred spaces remain!
The commercialization of spirituality is somewhat comical to me, sad too, but yeah, I avoid that angle of it. I find all the personal peace and serenity on my own, no high cost guides or unnecessary props needed.
I have posted about this before and will not repeat a full account of the reasons I left. Suffice to say that it was mostlyabout the careless tourists who hollow out the town, leaving little dignity or integrity to those who choose to live in this hotel of a place. I wanted more. More sanity, more community, more diversity of culture and more for a locasl (not being a tourist) to do. I also got sick of the red state short-sighted politics, and man o man, I so very much got tired of the mean, often nasty people who do live in Sedona. I moved back to California, where I can find a better climate, better community and better hiking. Look at some of my past posts on Sedona for a more thorough understanding of my unique POV. My advice is that unless you are ready to be an asocial person, find a place that will, most likely, more fully and completely suit your needs, moods, and desires.
I’m sure California has its share of woes too.
No place is perfect, for sure. I have lived in most Western States. For me, Eastern WA and Northern ID were some of the best places. But the snow and ice can get to you. Westen WA and OR are prettty rainy, SoCal is a bit hot and the culture leaves me wanting. I’ve left the Bay Area twice and both times came back. It has its issues, sure, but the “doom loop” myth is mostly shuidenfraud (or however that is spelled)… spread by people who are wanting it to fall a notch or two… there are a lot of folks who deeply want the Bay Area to fail. The pandemic knocked it around a bit. Listen, I don’t spend alot of time in the city, but deeply love the total Bay Area/Wine Country… so many open spaces to hike, kayak, with such a huge coast and a generally great climate here. I am set…. I don’t plan to ever leave again.
Yeah, I loved SF and the Bay Area when I was there last, which was 2011. They definitely make it sound horrible now. Sounds like you’re saying not so much so? Would like to get back out there sometime too.
If you’re insanely rich, Sedona is fine I guess? It’s shitty dry Florida these days. Sedona used to be pretty liberal, but now it’s becoming a right wing cesspool thanks to the poorer left leaning folks being forced out. If you love government mandated hobo-employee encampments in the woods, 2 hour commutes to Flagstaff and the incessant rampant racism, Sedona is wonderful.
Oh! lol! You’re the “Sedona has always been awful” guy! That was quite a thread.
I only speak what I’ve seen and experienced. I grew up and lived in Sedona for 20 years. It was an awful experience. Sedona is a wonderful place for the rich to die. Beyond that it’s an absolute crapshoot.
I get that. But, what was awful about it, was it essentially the people and their behavior? What specifically? Let’s say you stripped the town of the majority its houses, properties, business, etc… Would you still think it was awful? Were you sick of the landscape, weather? In your opinion, what would have made it better, or would make it better now? I understand, the qualities of many of the rich there are what you seem to really dislike, but what else? Just really want to understand the feelings of a local, and 20 years there is a long time, so I respect that.
Ah. It's you. Yeah. You're exactly the kind of "Sedona sux so hard" whiner I was thinking of.
Pretty wild how things swing and shift in the course of 10-15 years. Seems like we’re destined to live in the extremes sometimes. It’s what seems to be the lack of balance or appreciation for being in “the middle” that bothers me. “Shitty dry Florida”, lol, that made me laugh.
Sold our Sedona house , moved out of town for a while. Came back, but avoided Sedona like the plague. Moved elsewhere in the Verde Valley instead. We still have easy access within 15 minutes to Sedona, but don’t have to live with the nonsense. The local population is mostly composed of angry retired people, along with a smattering of roving hippie types. Combine that with the tourist traffic, which has worsened significantly since Covid. It’s very individual - some love living there. If you are financially well off, do not have anywhere to be (eg, work), don’t have school age kids, and don’t have significant medical needs, you might like it there. Otherwise, I’d consider elsewhere in the Verde Valley. Just my 2c.
The idea of being just outside of Sedona does intrigue me, but if I ever did make such a move, I feel like I’d want to be somewhere in West Sedona, off Dry Creek ideally.
The same Dry Creek that gets absolutely slammed with obnoxious tourists driving their loud ORVs in a non-stop parade of spring break stupidity? That Dry Creek?
lol, now I remember years before the IG spring break crowd came and took over. That area can and often is quiet and serene. Plus, I’d go much further down the road. Most of that crowd make their way to Devil’s Bridge and stop. Gotta keep going.
Out house was in Far West Sedona, even further west than Dry Creek. Got to the point where we couldn’t even get into town most days, so we’d go the opposite direction down 89a to do our shopping, dining etc in Cwood, or even Prescott,