The Best Way to Get from Phoenix to Sedona

The Drive: Distance, Time, and Route Options

From downtown Phoenix, Sedona sits about 115 miles north, and nearly every route funnels you onto I-17 before you reach the final stretch into town. How you finish that stretch is really the only decision you need to make.

Via I-17 and AZ-179 (the Direct Route)

This is the route most GPS apps will default to, and for good reason. You head north on I-17 through the high desert, exit onto AZ-179 near the Village of Oak Creek, and watch the landscape shift from scrubland to red rock formations over the final few miles. It’s about two hours door to door in normal traffic, with wide, easy-to-drive roads the whole way.

Via I-17 and SR 89A through Oak Creek Canyon

If you’d rather save the scenic drama for later in the day, take I-17 to SR 89A instead. This route winds through Oak Creek Canyon, with tight switchbacks, creekside overlooks, and tree cover that turns brilliant red and gold in fall. It adds roughly 30 minutes compared to the AZ-179 route, and because the switchbacks can be slow going, many travelers prefer to drive it on the way out of Sedona rather than the way in.

Where to Stop Along the Way

The drive north from Phoenix passes several small towns worth a short detour, whether you need a coffee break or want to stretch your legs before reaching Sedona. For a full rundown of what’s worth a stop and how far off-route each one sits, our guide to things to see between Phoenix and Sedona breaks down the options by distance and drive time. And if your trip starts further out, say in Nevada, our guide on the best way to get from Las Vegas to Phoenix covers that leg too.

What to Do Once You Reach Sedona

Sedona is known for its red rock formations, spiritual sites, art galleries, and outdoor activities, and most visitors find a day or two isn’t quite enough to see it all.

Red Rock Viewpoints and Trails

Airport Mesa Viewpoint is a popular first stop for its wide-open views over town, and Cathedral Rock Viewpoint offers one of the most photographed formations in the area. Boynton Canyon Vortex draws visitors interested in Sedona’s spiritual reputation, while Oak Creek Vista, along the SR 89A route, offers a sweeping overlook of the canyon you’ll have just driven through.

Art, History, and Culture

Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village gathers galleries, shops, and courtyards into one walkable spot downtown. For a look further back, Palatki Heritage Site and Honanki Cliff Dwellings preserve ancient cliff dwellings and rock art in the surrounding canyons.

Where to Eat

Sedona’s dining scene ranges from quick café stops to destination dinners. Wildcraft Kitchen is a farm-to-table café good for breakfast or lunch with locally sourced dishes. Elote Cafe serves modern Mexican dishes like smoked brisket enchiladas, and reservations are recommended, especially on weekends. The Vault Uptown has one of the better Uptown patios for watching the sunset over drinks and burgers, while Saltrock focuses on locally sourced American cuisine with an extensive wine list. For a more formal evening, Cress offers fine dining built around local ingredients in an intimate setting.

Where to Stay

If you’re looking to settle in for a night or two, Amara Resort and Spa sits along Oak Creek with a full-service spa and gourmet dining on site, making it an easy base for exploring the red rocks without much driving in between.

Planning Your Phoenix-to-Sedona Day

Once you’ve picked a route and a few stops, the harder part is often fitting everything into a single day without running out of daylight or showing up to a closed trailhead parking lot or a restaurant between lunch and dinner service. This is where Journey Builder genuinely helps: it builds the route for you automatically, with distance and drive time for every leg plus alternative roads like the AZ-179 and SR 89A options above, and it ranks towns along the way so you can see how far off-route each stop really is. Once you’ve picked your stops, its auto-scheduler arranges everything around your wake-up and bedtime, drive times, and meals, and it won’t schedule a visit or a meal at a place that’s known to be closed at that hour.

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