Sedona has plenty of ways to make a romantic getaway memorable, but sometimes the best stories come from the things you didn’t expect to do together. Like feeding an alpaca, cuddling with a wolf, or getting closer to a bear than you ever would in the wild. For couples who want to trade the usual date-night itinerary for something a little more adventurous, there are several animal encounters and wildlife experiences within an easy drive of Lantern Light Inn.
Some get you surprisingly close to the animals, while others take you into the landscapes where Arizona wildlife actually lives. So grab your camera, wear something you don’t mind getting a little dusty, and prepare to make a few new four-legged friends along the way.
Key Takeaways
- Sedona offers unique animal encounters, making romantic getaways memorable and adventurous.
- Couples can visit places like the Wolf Sanctuary, Bearizona, and Out of Africa for close animal interactions.
- At the Grand Canyon Deer Farm, couples enjoy hand-feeding various animals together, including deer and wallabies.
- Horseback riding through Arizona’s wine country enhances the romantic experience, available through Horsin’ Around Adventures.
- Private transportation options allow couples to explore animal encounters and sights around Sedona conveniently.
Wolf Sanctuary
1350 Reay Rd., Camp Verde, AZ 86322
This isn’t a look-at-the-wolves-from-afar experience. Couples can actually enter the enclosures for an up-close encounter with the Sedona Wolf Sanctuary’s rescued wolfdogs, with every interaction happening on the animals’ terms. The roughly three-hour experience also incorporates the sanctuary’s medicine wheels and spiritual traditions, making it an especially unusual way to connect with nature and each other.
Bearizona
1500 E. Route 66, Williams, AZ 86046
Part road trip, part wildlife safari, Bearizona makes a fun addition to a couples getaway. Drive three miles through ponderosa pine forest while watching for black bears, bison, wolves, reindeer, and other North American wildlife, then explore the walk-through area together. For an extra-special date, the VIP Experience includes behind-the-scenes animal encounters and wolf training sessions.
Out of Africa
3505 W. Camp Verde Bridgeport Highway, Camp Verde, AZ 86322
Who needs an African honeymoon when you can go on safari just 30 minutes from Sedona? Out of Africa’s 100-acre wildlife park is home to hundreds of exotic animals, with safari tours that bring couples surprisingly close to giraffes, zebras, antelope, and more. Splurge on the SuperMog tour for an even more up-close adventure together.
Heritage Park Zoological Sanctuary
1403 Heritage Park Rd., Prescott, AZ 86301
Make a day trip to Prescott even better with a stop at this 10-acre nonprofit Heritage Park Zoo wildlife sanctuary overlooking Willow Lake. More than 200 animals call the sanctuary home, including rescued wildlife that cannot be released. Couples can wander the naturally landscaped grounds together, get surprisingly close to some residents, and even brave the Tarantula Grotto.
Grand Canyon Deer Farm
6769 E. Deer Farm Rd., Williams, AZ 86046
There’s something ridiculously charming about hand-feeding deer together, especially when they’re wandering freely around you. At the Grand Canyon Deer Farm, couples can mingle with fallow and sika deer, then meet wallabies, reindeer, porcupines, alpacas and even a zonkey. For more one-on-one time, add an interactive animal encounter with a keeper.
Horsin’ Around Adventures
2650 N. Dancing Apache Rd., Cornville, AZ 86325
Few things say romantic getaway quite like riding horseback through Arizona wine country together. Horsin’ Around Adventures offers guided rides through canyon and vineyard terrain, with options for beginners and experienced riders. Couples can make it extra special with a private Premier Ride, which can include a sunset departure and a guide dedicated entirely to your adventure.
Grand Canyon Mule Rides
Bright Angel Lodge, 9 Village Loop Dr., Grand Canyon Village, AZ 86023
Seeing the Grand Canyon together is already bucket-list material. Seeing it from the back of a mule takes the adventure up a notch. South Rim mule trips include the three-hour Canyon Vistas Ride along the rim, while overnight trips descend to Phantom Ranch. Reservations can fill far in advance, so this is one romantic adventure worth planning early.
Map of Animal Encounter Experiences Near Sedona
While these are all “near” Sedona, we put a liberal dose of context on that since Northern Arizona is a large place.
Pin Wildlife Tours of Sedona for Couples
See the Sights with a Private Driver Around Sedona
Ready to turn these animal encounters into a Northern Arizona adventure? Exec Rides AZ offers private transportation and customized tours throughout Sedona, the Grand Canyon and beyond. Even better, they’re headquartered right at Lantern Light Inn, making it easy to head out for the day, enjoy the ride together and leave the GPS, parking and driving to someone else. We can also coordinate private tours based on the places you want to check off the bucket list. Read more about romantic things for couples to do in Sedona on our blog, the Lantern Light Insider.
