Sedona is one of our favorite road trip adventures from Los Angeles. And while the Sedona Vortex is legendary — that’s not what brings us back year after year. But hey, if vortexes are your thing, no judgement. Okay, maybe a little! For us, there is so much more to Sedona than its New Age reputation, sound baths and shamanic healers. No matter how many times we visit, Kevin and I can’t help but be awestruck by Cathedral Rock and Sedona’s towering rock formations that dot the landscape.
Kevin takes in the stunning sunset from our hotel in Sedona.
On this last trip, we rumbled our way over the rocks and jagged peaks with Pink Jeep Sedona Tours. We can’t think of a better way to explore. Follow our journey as we tagged along Pink Jeep’s signature 2-hour Broken Arrow Tour. It was the highlight of our entire vacation — and from the photos alone, you’ll understand why.
How Long Does it Take to Drive from Los Angeles to Sedona?
Just another day in Sedona.
Driving from LA to Sedona? Are we crazy? It’s not as bad as it sounds. While squeezing in a visit to Sedona over a regular weekend might be tough, it’s completely doable over a long holiday weekend. Or of course, as part of a larger vacation in Arizona. No doubt about it — driving to Sedona from Los Angeles is a long and tedious haul. If you’re going to do it, we recommend breaking up the trip by staying overnight in Palm Springs and seeing Elvis’ honeymoon hideaway. And if you have extra time, we suggest staying in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area to check out the Botanical Gardens as well as the OdySea Aquarium and Wrigley Mansion.
Arrival: Pink Jeep Sedona Tours, In the Heart of the City
We made it! Kevin is excited for some off-roading adventures.
Sedona Pink Jeep Tour’s main office is conveniently located in the heart of the city at 204 State Route 89A. You’re just steps away from Sedona’s walkable commercial district packed with coffee shops and restaurants. Be sure to buffer in plenty of time ahead of your tour. Sedona’s traffic has increased significantly over the past decade. The city attracts somewhere around 5 million tourists annually.
Such a gorgeous place with the red rocks in the backdrop.
Pink Jeep recommends arriving 30 minutes ahead of the scheduled tour time. However, we suggest arriving an hour earlier. That way, you can grab a coffee or bite to eat across the street at Wildflower Bread Company. You technically can eat your breakfast in the Jeep. But more than likely, you’ll end up wearing your breakfast in the Jeep! It’s a bumpy ride.
Meeting Up: An Unexpected Comedy Routine and Safety Briefing
Pink Jeep’s long-time employee Herb entertains as we wait for our tour.
Who knew waiting around for your tour to start could be so much fun? We signed up for a 10 AM tour, and arrived as instructed at 9:30 AM. So of course, Kevin’s very first question was — so now what do we do? It’s a short walk from the Pink Jeep offices to the main tour group holding area. There were around 50 others waiting. Don’t worry, you’ll be divided among the various tours. The groups are kept small with our group just consisting of 6 people including us.
Herb, who reminded me of a Hollywood studio audience warm up guy, cracked jokes with a deadpan delivery like his lesson on how to use a seatbelt. If you are a fan of “dad jokes,” he’s full of zingers. My favorite? “Did you hear about the laundromat that got robbed? The thieves made a clean getaway…” Okay, maybe its better when Herb delivers the punchline? Pink Jeep runs a well-oiled operation and within 5 minutes our guide, David, called our names and we were off.
I’m feeling the excitement. Ready for the Broken Arrow Adventure.
Tours leave approximately every hour, on the hour starting as early as 7 AM during the longer summer season and 8 AM during the winter. One other important note, use the bathroom before you get on the Jeep. There are no restrooms available on the tour, except for the Ancient Ruins tour.
Pink Jeep Tours: The #1-Rated 4×4 Tour in the World
Before we set off into the rocky terrain, we learned about Pink Jeep’s long history, going back to 1960. The company was owned by Don Pratt, originally from Long Beach, Calif., who was inspired to start the company while on vacation at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, known as the “Pink Palace” due to its color. When Pratt returned, he painted all the vehicles pink and thus the name stuck. The business was eventually bought from Pratt in 1988 and has expanded significantly ever since.
While the terrain might look beyond frightening to drive over, the company prides itself on its perfect safety record. In the history of the company, Pink Jeep has never flipped a vehicle. And while I’ve never flipped my car, clearly I’m not ready to apply to be a Pink Jeep driver. Let’s just say, in the not too distant past, I ended up driving my Hyundai Elantra straight into a ditch in Mexico. And in case you’re wondering, no I wasn’t even remotely calm. The screening process to be a Pink Jeep driver is vigorous to say the least — including both driving tests and written examinations. In recent years, we were told that over 250 people applied, with around 30 selected. But only around seven make it through training. So clearly, we were much better off with David behind the wheel than me.
Climbing the towering rock formations. Hang on tight.
What Can you Expect on Pink Jeep’s Broken Arrow Tour?
Making our way into Coconino National Forest.
Some of Hollywood’s most beloved westerns were filmed at this very site, including Jimmy Stewart’s classic 1950 western Broken Arrow. David pointed out the street names — like Paramount and Columbia Drive — named after the studios that set up camp here in the 1950’s and 1960’s. At that time, Sedona was just a movie town with around 500 residents. It’s easy to see why the movie industry set up shop with these kinds of majestic backdrops.
Blown away by these views.
Each tour is different and every driver brings their own personality and insight to the journey. Our guide David not only covered Sedona’s history but also pointed out the unique vegetation such as the Pinyon Pine, Shaggy Bark Juniper and Arizona Cypress Trees. And you’ll know you’re in the great southwest after spotting all those spiky Agave plants.
Passing by an agave plant along the desert path. I certainly wouldn’t want to fall on that.
Our Jeep continued along the rugged path to the next stop — a panorama of towering rock spires. You won’t ever get a true sense of Sedona’s grand scale until you arrive here. If you look skyward, you may even see Sedona’s White Line — famous among thrill-seeking mountain bikers for its seemingly impossible path along a cliff face.
The view from stop #2
I feel like this could be a Jeep ad.
Some Serious Off-Roading: Bring Your Nerves
Riding down the UFO rock. The view will take your mind off the fact you’re driving straight down.
The first half of the tour included a few stops to stretch the legs. But the second part was our favorite since it included the most adrenaline-pumping moments in the Jeep. David pointed out several of the rock formations including a rock in the shape of a humpback whale and another that looked like a UFO. Then he said we’d be riding over it. Hold on tight and tighten up those seat belts. Like riding a roller coaster, you’ll want to hang onto any loose objects. Within minutes, my sunglasses flew off my head. But not only did they survive, the Pink Jeep driver behind us, snapped them up and delivered them back to me within minutes.
Riding down the UFO rock.
Just when we thought we hit the most extreme terrain of the trip, we hit the tour’s grand finale: The Road of No Return or also known as The Devil’s Staircase. You’ll quickly see how this run earned its name. Hang on tight since this is one bumpy ride.
Kevin smiles for the camera and shouts, don’t lose your camera.
Heading down the Devil’s Staircase.
After a few more bumps and jolts, we were back on the highway. And let me tell you, it felt like soaring on ice skates after nearly 2 hours of off-roading. What an adventure. And for once, I didn’t have to do all the driving. And clearly, that was best for everyone. After all, I’m sure we probably would have ended up back in a ditch like in Mexico. Clearly, I’ll never live that down!
Living the high life on the Pink Jeep Sedona Tour. Without a doubt, our favorite adventure on our road trip adventure.
THE LOW DOWN:
- Pink Jeep’s signature trip is the 2-hour Broken Arrow Tour.
- Tours leave on the hour, every hour starting at 7 AM during the summer and 8 AM in the winter.
- Advanced reservations are highly encouraged. These tours book up quickly, especially during the holidays. Pink Jeep has a 48-hour cancellation policy (that are fully refundable for any reason within that window).
- Broken Arrow Tour is $124 for adults and $108 for children (ages 1.5 to 12 years old).
- To make a booking, go directly to Pink Jeep Sedona Tours. Pink Jeep also offers tours in Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon and the Smoky Mountains.
Have more time in Arizona and looking for other travel ideas? Check out our perfect 2-day itinerary in Page, Arizona that takes you through the picture-perfect Antelope Canyon. Love quirky travel spots and classic Americana? Follow our great American road trip along Route 66. And be sure to check out all our Arizona coverage on Gourmet Globetrotter.
Antelope Canyon on our 2 day itinerary across the US Southwest, spanning Northern Arizona and Utah.
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