Recently, my sister took me on a birthday trip to Sedona. I have wanted to go there for years (even though I grew up in Arizona, I had never been). To say that I was impressed with the beautiful rock formations is an understatement. It was much more beautiful than I imagined. Known for its stunning red rock formations and natural beauty, it is a popular tourist destination and home to several hiking trails, art galleries, boutique shops, and luxury spa resorts. I think it is the perfect spot for a family vacation!
 

Getting There

You will want to fly into Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix, rent a car, and drive approximately 2 hours north to Sedona. Almost every airline flies into Phoenix, so you have a lot of options for your flights. Let’s keep it easy and go with Southwest Airlines. You can have a Southwest credit card or a card that earns Chase Ultimate Rewards (then transferring those points to Southwest).
 

 

 

 

 
We’re traveling from Dallas and will need about 100K Southwest Rapid Rewards points for our family of four to get to Phoenix. If we had the Southwest Companion Pass we would only need around 75K points as we’d get one flight free (minus the $11.20 in taxes and fees).

 

 

Lodging

When I was in Sedona, we stayed at the Hyatt Piñon Pointe, and it is the perfect place for a family to stay. A studio room has a king bed and a sofa sleeper and costs 15K Hyatt points/night (perfect use of a free annual night certificate)! A one-bedroom suite is only 21K points/night.
 

A four-night stay would be 60K points or 84K points depending on which you choose. Here are some cards that will help you earn enough points for this stay:
 

 

 

 

Hyatt Piñon Pointe

This hotel has a great swimming pool area, lawn games, a pool table, and an area for kids to play in (with adult supervision). There is also a nice fitness center. It is close to a shopping area and many restaurants.

 

Activities

There are so many hiking trails in the Sedona area. It is seriously an outdoor paradise! It is close enough to go to the Grand Canyon via the Grand Canyon Railway in Williams, Arizona , check out Route 66, or take a kayak tour in Cottonwood, Arizona.
 

Jess took her family of 6 to Sedona back in 2016 and the highlight of their trip was the Broken Arrow Pink Jeep Tour!

 

Bottom Line

Sedona is perfect for a family vacation. There are so many fun things to do, and it is the perfect place to create family memories without breaking the bank (thanks to points and miles)!