What to Do in Sedona When It’s Too Hot Outside (A Relaxing, Beginner-Friendly Option)
Sedona is beautiful year-round, but summer changes the rhythm of the day.
You may arrive imagining long hikes, scenic overlooks, afternoons wandering through town, and hours spent soaking in the red rocks. Then the temperature climbs, the sun gets intense, and suddenly spending the entire day outside doesn’t sound quite as appealing.
That doesn’t mean you have to retreat to your hotel or spend the afternoon simply waiting for sunset.
One of the best ways to enjoy Sedona in the summer is to plan around the heat: explore outside early, slow things down during the hottest part of the day, and head back out again when the temperature begins to drop.
And sometimes that middle part of the day is the perfect opportunity to try something completely different.
Trade the Heat for a Creative Sedona Experience
A beginner-friendly painting workshop gives you a chance to sit down, cool off, and actually make something while you’re here.
At Lovejoy Creations, workshops take place in a shaded, covered studio in West Sedona with an evaporative cooler that generally keeps the space noticeably cooler than the temperature outside.
You can settle in, enjoy the creative process, and give your body a break from the sun without feeling like you’ve stopped experiencing Sedona.
In fact, you may find that slowing down becomes one of your favorite parts of the trip.
Instead of trying to squeeze one more activity into the day, you get a couple of hours to focus on one thing, work with your hands, laugh at the awkward stages of your painting, and watch something gradually come together in front of you.
View upcoming Sedona painting workshops
You Don’t Need to Know How to Paint
One of the biggest reasons people hesitate to take an art class while traveling is simple:
“I’m not artistic.”
That’s exactly who these workshops are designed for.
Lovejoy has been teaching beginner and first-time painters for more than 15 years, and you do not need any previous painting experience, drawing ability, supplies, or artistic confidence before you arrive.
The process is broken down step by step so you can concentrate on making the painting rather than worrying about whether you know what you’re doing.
Many students arrive convinced they cannot paint.
A few hours later, they’re looking at their finished piece and saying some version of:
“I can’t believe I made that.”
That moment is part of what makes the experience so much fun.
A Better Way to Plan a Summer Day in Sedona
Summer in Sedona often works best when you stop trying to treat noon the same way you would treat 7:00 in the morning.
Start your day outside.
Take an early hike, explore a trail, visit an overlook, or enjoy the red rocks before the strongest heat arrives.
Then give yourself permission to slow down.
A painting workshop can become that mid-day reset—a chance to sit in the shade, drink some water, create something, and let your energy come back.
Later, when the sun drops lower, you can head out again for dinner, a scenic drive, an evening walk, or sunset.
Rather than fighting the summer heat, you’re working with the natural rhythm of the day.
More Memorable Than Simply Killing Time
When the temperature climbs, it’s easy to start looking for anywhere with air conditioning.
You shop for a while.
You sit at a café.
You scroll through your phone.
You head back to your hotel.
And sometimes that is exactly what you need.
But if you want your afternoon to become part of the trip rather than simply a break between activities, doing something creative gives the time a completely different feeling.
Painting asks you to pay attention.
You notice colors.
You make decisions.
You experiment.
You stop looking at your phone for a while.
And at the end, you have something tangible that exists because you spent those hours creating it.
A Sedona Souvenir You Actually Made
Most people leave Sedona with plenty of photographs and maybe a few souvenirs.
A painting is different.
You remember making it.
You remember which parts were easy, which parts surprised you, where you laughed, and what it felt like when the painting finally started coming together.
Months or years later, that artwork can bring you back to the experience in a way that a store-bought souvenir often cannot.
It becomes more than something you brought home from Sedona.
It becomes something you did here.
Great for Couples, Friends, Families and Solo Travelers
A creative workshop is also an easy activity to add to many different kinds of Sedona trips.
Couples can turn it into a creative date.
Friends can try something completely different together.
Families can share an experience that doesn’t revolve around another hike or restaurant.
Solo travelers can spend a few hours doing something engaging without needing a group.
And if you’re visiting from Phoenix or another particularly hot part of Arizona, it can be a welcome change of pace while still giving you something memorable to do.
The common denominator is simple: you do not have to consider yourself an artist.
You only have to be willing to try.
When Sedona Gets Hot, Slow Down and Make Something
Summer doesn’t have to mean choosing between overheating outside and spending the afternoon hiding indoors.
Sedona can also be experienced at a slower pace.
Explore the red rocks in the morning.
Give yourself a creative break during the warmer part of the day.
Then step back outside when the desert begins to cool.
A painting workshop gives you a chance to recharge, try something new, and leave Sedona with a memory you actually created yourself.
Join a Sedona Painting Workshop
Weekend workshops are designed for beginners and first-time painters, with both Paint Your Pet and Pick Your Painting options available.🎨 View upcoming Sedona workshops
Explore More Ways to Paint with Lovejoy
🎨🐾 Sedona Workshops — Weekend Mornings View Sedona workshops
🎨🥳 Private Painting Events — Sedona or Your Location. Explore private events
🎨😎 San Diego Workshops — Limited Dates View San Diego classes
🎨💻 Paint Your Pet Online Course — Paint at Home. Explore the online course
