Hey, foodies! Yes, we’re talking to you. The hottest thing about Arizona this June isn’t the pavement but the inaugural Dine in Sedona Restaurant Fest. The 16-day culinary event is guaranteed to be a party for the taste buds as well as the wallet.

Here’s the scoop, a variety of Sedona restaurants are offering three-course, prix-fixe dinner menus beginning Monday, June 15 through Tuesday, June 30, 2009. Diners will be able to select an appetizer, entree and dessert. There are three different price points fitting every foodie’s dining budget.

The Dine in Sedona Restaurant Fest Web site lists all the participating restaurants but here are our picks from each price point:

Modest Dining $19.95
Dine like a Sedona local at the hopping Blue Moon Café with cooked-to-order entrees and portions mama used to serve. Dining options are outdoors on the patio (where Fido’s welcomed) and inside.

Classic Dining $29.95
Okay, we admit the name of this Sedona restaurant piqued our interest and although it’s a favorite with tourists, the Southwestern cuisine on the menu is worth the trip. We’re talking about the Barking Frog Grill which proclaims to be “An American restaurant with a Southwest bark!” Don’t worry, you won’t find any dishes made with amphibian frogs on the menu.

Elegant Dining $39.95
Planning a date night during the Dine in Sedona Restaurant Fest? Reserve a table at Cucina Rustica for the romantic atmosphere, magical musicians and Continental cuisine. Enjoy an adult beverage before or after dinner on the outdoor patio to take in a perfect Sedona evening.

Dine in Sedona Restaurant Fest is coordinated by the Sedona Chamber of Commerce. Ready to book your Sedona vacation? Check out the best accommodation rates available June 15 – 30, 2009. Importantly, don’t forget to tip your server!

Photo Courtesy: Sedona Chamber of Commerce

The kidlets will be out of school soon and time to start planning that family summer vacation. Consider a Sedona vacation and plan the trip around one of these hot summer festivals:

Festival of Native American Culture, June 5 – 13, 2009: The weeklong celebration is an opportunity to learn more about the indigenous people of the Southwest. A film festival, fine arts and crafts festival, music and dance festival, and educational programs round out the event. New this year is the Conference on Archaeoastronomy of the American Southwest. For those unfamiliar with Archaeoastronomy, it’s basically the study of how people of the past understood the sky and the role the sky had influencing their cultures.

Red Rocks Music Festival, August 30 – September 6, 2009: Enjoy world-class sounds including classical, smooth jazz and show tune favorites. Tickets begin at $25 each and that’s pretty cheap for topnotch entertainment.

Moonlight Madness Street Festival, September 5 – 7, 2009: Nothing says “goodbye summer” and “hello fall” like a good old sidewalk sale. This festival combines the best of free music and entertainment with children’s activities and fabulous sidewalk sales along Hwy. 89A and Hwy. 170. Be sure to bring an empty suitcase to bring home all your new treasures.

Ready to go? Book your summer Sedona vacation now.

Photo Credit: ©Janise Witt

Sedona’s bold reds aren’t just found in rock formations and sunsets but in wine glasses. Find Sedona Wine Country just a short distance away in Page Springs and Verde Valley where wineries produce award-winning red, white and rose’ wines. Fertile soil, warm days and cool nights meld to create the conditions for growing grapes which are then converted into Cabernets, Syrahs and Chardonnays, among other varieties.There are more than five wineries in Sedona Wine Country each offering tastings, tours and fabulous wines. When planning a trip to Sedona Wine Country, start at the southern-most winery, San Dominique, for a bit of character and great selection of affordable wines. Ask for Bill, the owner. If lucky, plan a visit around one of the gourmet dinners held every few weeks with Bill’s line of gourmet foods. Rumor has it he even has a garlic wine!

Next stop, Alcantara Vineyards, and transition to Italy in a Tuscan-style farmhouse which is the first winery built on the Verde River. Sip wine made with grapes grown on site while enjoying magnificent vistas.

Located in the once 1880s mining town of Jerome, next stop is Jerome Winery for distinct wines leaving a memorable impression.

Do something good for the body by sipping certified organic wines of Granite Creek located in the town of Chino Valley. This is Arizona’s first certified organic farm and only one of a handful of U.S. wineries producing full certified organic wines.

The next four wineries are clustered together so if a Sedona vacation only allows a day of winery tours and tastings, check these out:

Page Spring Cellars: Feel good tasting the signature Syrahs, Petite Sirahs, Grenaches and Mourvedres because education, family and living life to the fullest are philosophies of this winemaker and winery. Other red and whites are produced, too.

Oak Creek Vineyards: The vineyard grows along a gentle slope across from Oak Creek and a water supply located about 425 feet below keeps the grapes hydrated properly. Almonds are grown on site, too.

Javelina Leap Vineyards & Winery: Don’t expect to smell stinky javelinas (wild, pig-like creatures) here but do expect to sniff bold reds. Not only does this winery have the coolest name in Sedona Wine Country but also has a great old west feel in the tasting room.

Echo Canyon Vineyard & Winery: As the name implies, the winery is tucked away in Echo Canyon and organic and bio-dynamic farming methods are used to grow grapes. These magical wines are produced in limited quantity making them extra divine.

Ready to do a little swirl, sniff and sip in Sedona Wine Country? Book your Sedona vacation now to take advantage of unbelievable deals.

Photo: Courtesy of Sedona Chamber of Commerce