Hotels

Sedona is one of the most popular destinations in the Southwest, with dozens of hotels and motels around town. However, accommodations here tend to be overpriced for what you get. (Blame it on the incomparable views.) My advice is to save money elsewhere on your trip and make Sedona the place where you splurge on a room with a view.

A Taxing Situation -- You can save a little bit on your hotel bill by staying in the Village of Oak Creek rather than in Sedona proper. Not only are there several budget hotels here, but also the room tax is only 7.35% vs. 13.737% in Sedona.

Campgrounds -- Within Oak Creek Canyon along Ariz. 89A, there are five national forest campgrounds. Manzanita, 6 miles north of town, is both the largest and the most pleasant (and the only one open in winter; $20 per night). Other Oak Creek Canyon campgrounds include Cave Springs, 13 miles north of town ($20 per night), and Pine Flat, 12 miles north of town ($20 per night). The Beaver Creek Campground, 3 miles east of I-17 on F.R. 618, which is an extension of Ariz. 179 (take exit 298 off I-17), is a pleasant spot near the V Bar V Heritage Site ($16 per night). For more information on area campgrounds, contact the Coconino National Forest's Red Rock Ranger District, 8375 Ariz. 179 (tel. 928/203-7500; www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino), which is located south of the Village of Oak Creek. Reservations can be made for Manzanita, Pine Flat, and Cave Springs campgrounds by contacting the National Recreation Reservation Service (tel. 877/444-6777 or 518/885-3639; www.recreation.gov).