Four-Legged Friends Welcome! Discover the Beauty of Pet-Friendly Sedona with the Whole Family

Nestled in the heart of Arizona, the small city of Sedona is a must-see destination offering breathtaking natural beauty, a plethora of outdoor activities, a thriving arts-and-culture scene, and much more. While Sedona is sure to captivate human visitors, the city also has a reputation for being proudly pet-friendly, ensuring that a trip to Sedona will be an incredible experience for all members of the family.

Outdoor Adventures with Pets

Renowned for its stunning red rock formations, Sedona is a haven for hikers, mountain bikers, and other outdoor enthusiasts. The area boasts a wide variety of hiking trails, with options suitable for all skill levels. Many of these trails are pet-friendly, allowing visitors to explore the enchanting landscapes alongside their four-legged friends. For example, popular options like West Fork Trail, Margs Draw, and Bell Rock Pathway offer easy-to-moderate treks that provide human and canine hikers alike with a close-up view of Sedona’s iconic scenery. Leashed dogs are also welcome at Slide Rock State Park, a refreshing destination that is named for a natural, smooth-bottomed “water slide” in Oak Creek.

In West Sedona, visitors will find a more low-key outdoor experience to enjoy with their pets: an amazing new dog park with breathtaking vistas of the red rocks. The park features separate areas for large dogs, small dogs, and senior dogs, as well as an expansive, completely fenced natural area—perfect for safely hiking off-leash!

For those who would prefer to explore Sedona by vehicle, jeep tours—which carry passengers to off-the-beaten-path destinations not accessible by most cars—offer the ideal balance of comfort and ruggedness. Many local jeep tour companies allow well-behaved pets to accompany their owners on these exciting excursions.

While Sedona’s landscape can be mesmerizing, it is always important to make safety a priority when exploring the outdoors—particularly when pets are involved. For example, be sure that pets have access to adequate food and water, consider carrying a first-aid kit, and remain vigilant about hazardous terrain and other animals that could pose a threat. Taking proper precautions will ensure a safe and enjoyable adventure for both humans and pets.

Exploring Sedona’s Arts and Culture Scene

After a long day on the trails, visitors and their furry companions can enjoy a relaxing stroll through Uptown Sedona. As the heart of Sedona’s vibrant artistic community, Uptown is teeming with galleries, boutiques, and a diverse selection of restaurants with cuisines for every palate. Many of these restaurants offer pet-friendly patios.

In the nearby Historic Arts District, visitors will find a bounty of additional shopping and dining options at Tlaquepaque Arts and Shopping Village, which was built to reflect the charm of a traditional Mexican village. Leashed dogs are welcome to accompany their humans as they meander along Tlaquepaque’s magical cobblestone paths.

Pet-Friendly Hotels in Sedona

When traveling with pets, finding a hotel that truly welcomes them—rather than merely accepting them—is the key to an enjoyable trip. El Portal Sedona Hotel, a twelve-suite luxury boutique inn located just steps from Tlaquepaque, proudly welcomes guests and their pets. As Sedona’s original pet-friendly hotel, El Portal never charges pet fees and is committed to providing personalized concierge service for all guests, both human and animal alike.

Upon arrival, pets will receive a welcome basket that includes a blanket, treats, and waste bags. Throughout their stay, pets can enjoy over 1,000 square feet of dog-friendly patio spaces, while their owners admire the hotel’s unique architecture and décor, which has been described by Sunset Magazine as having a “rustic elegance that beautifully captures the romance of the Southwest.” El Portal – a AAA Four Diamond Hotel – has also received acclaim specifically for its love of pets. For instance, Dogster Magazine has named El Portal the second most dog-friendly hotel in the country, and USA Today and 10Best.com ranked it number one in the “Best Pet-Friendly Hotel” category.

To learn more about what El Portal and Sedona have to offer guests and their pets, please visit https://elportalsedona.com/.

El Portal Sedona Hotel will present Anya Kouznetsov of Phoenix, Arizona on the October 4 First Friday Artwalk here in Sedona.

A little about Anya…

Anya Kouznetsov is an 18 year old painter, and daughter of two Russian immigrants. Witnessing the challenges her family endured to establish new beginnings in an unfamiliar country ultimately incited her interest in navigating artistic avenues. With the threat of poverty becoming highly probable in the then crippled economy of 2008, Anya turned to visual arts. She attempted to provide a vivid escape for relatives and friends encountering somber circumstances. Classically trained since the age of eight; she demonstrates the significance of solitude by creating surreal scenes and aims for her work to supply spectators with a place to contemplate independent of outside responsibilities. During her career as a high school student, Anya participated in the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards and was honorably mentioned for her accomplishments in visual arts. Additionally, she partnered with the owner of “Infinite Finds” in Cave Creek, Arizona to raise money for a charity aiming to help women suffering from cancer or auto-immune diseases. Now, freshly into her first year of college at Arizona State University, Anya intends to expand her artistic abilities and continue to advocate for the importance of art.

The Sedona Chamber of Commerce and Steve Segner of El Portal Sedona Hotel have developed a tour or walk of Sedona’s galleries, so tourists and locals alike can see and appreciate why Sedona is a world-class art destination.

El Portal Sedona Hotel 1.800.313.0017.

El Portal Sedona Hotel Showcases Landscape Painter Dawn Sutherland

Sutherland’s depictions of Sedona’s breathtaking scenery will be on display at El Portal for the October First Friday Art Walk.

On October 4, 2019, El Portal Sedona Hotel will present local landscape painter Dawn Sutherland, along with two other artists, as part of the Sedona Gallery Association’s First Friday in the Galleries Art Walk. The First Friday event, which is free and open to the public, is designed to help Sedona residents and visitors explore the city’s thriving arts scene, described by the New York Times as a “New West enclave” of artists and galleries. Held from 5-8 pm on the first Friday of each month, the Art Walk showcases both established and emerging artists representing a wide variety of mediums. Attendees of the October 4 event will enjoy Sutherland’s enchanting Southwestern landscape paintings amidst the charming setting of El Portal, an adobe-style architectural masterpiece located in the heart of the Sedona arts district.

A former teacher and counselor, Dawn Sutherland has been a painter since 2001. After moving from Wisconsin to Arizona in 2004, Sutherland became captivated by the state’s striking blue skies, intricate canyons, and distant horizons. Inspired by the raw beauty of nature, she prefers painting outdoors — or “en plain air” — as a way to capture the depth, definition, and feeling of the landscape. Many of Sutherland’s works depict the majestic red rock formations of Sedona, as well as scenes of the Grand Canyon. For the past five years, she has been invited to participate in the annual Grand Canyon Celebration of Art, which features selected artists painting en Plein air on location at the Canyon for a week. Sutherland is a founding member of Arizona Plein Air Painters and is also a member of The Nature Conservancy, Grand Canyon Conservancy, Best Friends Animal Society and Morris Animal Foundation.

El Portal Sedona Hotel has been displaying a selection of Sutherland paintings since 2007. Located steps from the famed Tlaquepaque Arts and Crafts Shopping Center, El Portal is a AAA Four Diamond Hotel, a 12-suite boutique inn offering unpretentious luxury and personalized concierge services. Recognized as one of the most pet-friendly hotels in the country by Dogster Magazine and USA Today, El Portal never charges pet fees and greets all four-legged guests with a welcome basket. Upon entering El Portal, visitors — and art lovers in particular — will instantly notice the inn’s unique architecture and décor, which include building materials sourced from nature, handcrafted furniture, and an amazing art collection on the walls. As a champion of the local arts scene, owner Steve Segner has worked with the Sedona Chamber of Commerce to develop a walking tour guide of the city’s galleries in an effort to help residents and visitors alike discover what makes Sedona a world-class art destination.

To learn more about Dawn Sutherland and view samples of her paintings, visit https://dawnsutherlandfineart.com.
El Portal Sedona Hotel 1.800.313.0017, https://elportalsedona.com.

Sedona’s Fall Festivals & Events

Fall is a beautiful time of year in Sedona, filled with amazing festivals and events!
This fall starts out with the fantastic 11th Annual Sedona WineFest! Come and experience Arizona wines, delectable food, live music, and vendors galore while enjoying the breathtaking panoramic views of the majestic red rocks. The WineFest will be at the Posse Grounds Park again this year.
September 28-29, 2019 from 11:00 am – 5:00 pm. Tickets are $35/person in advance or $40 at the door, which includes 6 wine tasting tickets and a commemorative glass.

October is filled with “artsy” events!

The Sedona Arts Festival is October 12 – 13, 2019 on the campus of Sedona Red Rock High School. This is a favorite here in the Southwest, showcasing 126 juried artists, the Gourmet Gallery, an international guest artist, and KidZone, as well as great music, food, and raffle prizes. Admission supports arts education in the community. Tickets go on sale August 1,  2019!

October 12 – 19, 2019 marks the 15th Annual Sedona Plein Air Festival, presented by the Sedona Arts Center. It is a week-long celebration of breathtaking landscapes, world-renowned artists, unique workshops, and wonderful free events. Experience as the artists paint ‘en plein air,’ where they leave the four walls of their studio behind and paint and draw in the mesmerizing landscapes of Sedona!

Ending the art events is the Fall Open Studios Tour October 25 – 27, 2019 presented by the Sedona Visual Artists’ Coalition (SVAC) and is always free to the public! The tour provides a unique opportunity to meet over 50 artists in their private studios, working in a variety of mediums. The private studios are located throughout Sedona and the Verde Valley. It is open 10 am – 5 pm on Friday and Saturday, and 12 – 5 pm Sunday. It has become one of the “can’t miss events” in Sedona!

So start planning your September trip to Sedona now – it’s never too early!

El Portal Sedona Hotel offers guests a unique lodging experience that exemplifies AAA’s Four Diamond quality standards in every aspect. With only twelve, amenity-filled suites, the entire property features unique architecture and decor that reflect its stunning Southwestern setting, in unpretentious luxury. Guests and their pets are welcomed with exceptional service at this pet-friendly hotel located in the heart of Sedona. Call for your reservations 1.800.313.0017

Sedona Open Studios Tour – A Spring Event

At El Portal Sedona Hotel we love the art here in Sedona, and the Open Studios Tour is a wonderful event for visitors and locals alike. Here’s what it is all about…

Working artists in the Verde Valley open their private studios to the public for the Spring Sedona Open Studios Tour, held the weekend of April 27-29, 2018. The Sedona Visual Artists’ Coalition (SVAC) presents this exciting self-guided event, which is always free to the public. The Tour runs from 10 am to 5 pm on Friday, April 27 and Saturday, April 28, and for the first time this year, the studios will be open from 12 pm to 5 pm on Sunday, April 29. 

The Tour’s co-chairs, clay artist Mike Upp and painter Julie Ronning Talbot, are counting the days until the Spring Tour kicks off. “Astounding, gratifying and exciting,” are words that both artists say describe the phenomenal growth of the 15 year-old Open Studios Tour in the six years that they have been at the helm.

The SVAC Tour has built a reputation as a wonderful weekend for art lovers to visit with professional artists in their working studios, as well as an opportunity to purchase art while enjoying the lush landscape of Sedona and the Verde Valley. It also offers a fabulous venue for local artists to shine by engaging visitors and fostering a community that values the arts.

Past visitors report that one of the distinct pleasures of shopping on the studio tour for their own collection or for gifts is the chance to spend time with the wide variety of artists who offer a personal look at how and where a piece is made. Open Studios’ co-chair Mike Upp explains that artists enjoy demonstrating their creative processes as they share their workspaces and, more importantly, make that special and personal connection with buyers and visitors alike.
“For the visitor, the Open Studios experience invites the artwork to speak much more intimately to them as it provides an opportunity to gain a deeper appreciation and understanding of the creative process,” says Upp, adding that a major appeal of such an experience is the chance to buy gorgeous, one-of-a-kind and locally produced artwork directly from the artist. “The wide range of style, quality, and art forms is a testament to the thriving vitality of the arts community in Sedona and the beautiful Verde Valley.” 

This year, there will be over 40 studios and close to 70 artists participating in Sedona, the Village of Oak Creek, Cornville, Cottonwood, and Clarkdale. Open Studios visitors agree that the tour is an excellent way to experience the creative process as a hands-on learning event. From exploring the artists’ various tools — such as brushes, cameras, canvas, paint, kilns, glass, and fibers — that are used in creating the beauty on display to watching artists give demonstrations, the unique, up-close insight into the production of artwork is one of the tour’s most appealing aspects.

“There is really no way not to be charmed, beguiled and thrilled with something different or original in whatever your favorite medium is, be it glass, ceramics, pottery, sculpture, digital art, jewelry, painting, drawings, photography, fiber, weaving, mixed media, silks…it’s all here!” Talbot and Upp cheerfully promise.

Reserve your rooms today at El Portal Sedona Hotel for the Open Studios Tour. We are a pet friendly hotel with no pet fees! Some of our rooms have fenced patios, perfect for morning coffee or evening pet potty breaks. The boutique hotel is within walking distance of galleries, shops, and restaurants. Call 1.800.313.0017 or book online.

For complete information, including artists’ names and mediums, studio locations, a downloadable map, and suggestions and ideas for planning a personalized tour, please visit the SVAC website: http://sedonaartistscoalition.org/.

Sedona’s Art Scene – Outstanding. Diverse. Exceptional.

The Sedona has a thriving arts scene, it has grown into what the New York Times refers to as “A new west enclave of galleries.”  Fascinating landscapes and breathtaking beauty provide inspiration and revelation for artists of all mediums. Sedona is home to an array of galleries and studios, events and festivals for the collector, want-to-be artist, or the souvenir shopper.

The Sedona Gallery Association organizes the First Fridays event. On the first Friday of every month from 5:00 – 8:00 pm members of the association offer an exceptional showcase highlighting artists, special exhibits, and events. These remarkable art receptions give locals and visitors the opportunity to enjoy light refreshments while beginning their weekends with an exploration of Sedona’s exciting art scene. The Sedona Trolley provides free transportation to wander from gallery to gallery.

There are numerous classes available to locals and visitors to get a hands-on experience. The Melting Point and Sedona Arts Center are just two studios that will provide workshops and classes to suit guests of all levels – from beginners to advanced.

Another exciting event for artists and the public is the Sedona Visual Artists Coalition Open Studios Tour. Get up close and personal with 40 +/- professional artists in the area when they open their private studios to the public to view. The annual tour has become known as a golden opportunity for art lovers to visit with professional artists in authentic working environments, as well as purchase art while enjoying the lush landscape of Sedona and the Verde Valley. It also offers a venue for local artists to shine by engaging visitors and fostering a community that values the arts. This year it is April 27 – 29 and is a free event!

Come to Sedona and experience the rich art culture here with a tour of the various and diverse art galleries of Sedona.

Owner of El Portal Sedona Hotel, Steve Segner, worked with the Sedona Chamber of Commerce to create the Sedona Gallery Walk, so tourists and locals alike can see and appreciate why Sedona is a world-class art destination.

The art collection at the hotel itself is eclectic and exceptional!