Road Trip: Tlaquepaque - Exploring the Art of Sedona

As I'm getting ready to embark on an epic road trip from Michigan to Arizona, I remember a visit to a wonderful village in Arizona. Tlaquepaque (pronounced Tla-keh-pah-keh) is a beautiful art & crafts village showcasing the art & soul of Sedona. My niece and I stopped in for an afternoon of browsing through the quaint little shops.

Entrance to TlaquepaqueHeather Raulerson

This place is modeled after a traditional Mexican village and has been a part of the Sedona landscape along Oak Creek since the ’70s. The village is filled with graceful arches, dancing fountains, huge sycamore trees, tranquil plazas, vine-covered stucco walls, cobble-stoned walkways, and shady verandas that give a slight relief from Arizona’s bright, sunny, and hot days. Make sure to bring your camera as there are plenty of photo ops around every corner.

Decorative walls in the villageHeather Raulerson

There are four different courtyards to explore and more than 50 shops to browse through. Each one has its own charm and character with plenty of opportunities to bring home some amazing souvenirs. It felt like stepping into the past, so peaceful and picturesque.

Courtyard in TalequepacaHeather Raulerson

The neat aspect of this village is that it is not laid out like other shopping areas. It has shops and galleries located all throughout, down paths, hallways, and even on the second floors of some of the buildings. The shops are more on the high-end but, it is exciting to walk around and find something unexpected, and the art/crafts are beautiful. You can even meet and talk with the artisans working right in their galleries.

Quilt hanging outside one of the shops in TlaquepaqueHeather Raulerson

Throughout the village, there are statues scattered around that are begging you to interact with them. Kayla had lots of fun posing with the statues.

Kayla posing with running statuesHeather Raulerson

When we got hungry from all of our exploring, there were plenty of choices for restaurants like authentic Mexican cuisine, French-influenced food, gourmet sandwiches & salads, and American grill cuisine. We opted to eat at Oak Creek Brewery and Grill. The food was delicious!

Chapel at TalequepacaHeather Raulerson

Depending on the timing of your visit, you might get to watch an amazing event happen with weddings at the beautiful Chapel at Tlaquepaque. Listen for the peal of bells, and you know that a destination wedding is happening, and you might get to wander through the celebration receptions being held in the courtyards.

Walking around Tlaquepaque, you definitely get the sense of stepping into the past of a true Mexican village. It reminds me of a quote from Pablo Picasso, “Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.” This is truly an unbelievable experience that every visitor to the Sedona area should experience!

Have you found an unexpected place to visit lately? I would love to hear all about it!

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