Sedona Day Trip from Phoenix
Red sandstone buttes, creekside trails and the drive up Oak Creek Canyon
A one-day drive from Phoenix to Sedona — 244 mi round trip, about 4h 22m behind the wheel, with stops, timings and where to eat already worked out.
Red sandstone buttes, creekside trails and the drive up Oak Creek Canyon. It's a day out of Phoenix: 234 mi of driving in total, about 3h 58m behind the wheel, and the rest of the day on your feet.
The plan below is paced so the driving doesn't eat the day: leave after breakfast, be back for the evening. Every stop can be swapped for one of three alternatives if it isn't your kind of thing.
Red-rock day: you watch Bell Rock and a cliffside chapel by daylight, then close on Sedona's skyline at sunset before heading home.
Just north on AZ-179, Bell Rock rises abruptly from the highway — the first big red-rock moment of the day.
Bell Rock
Iconic red-rock formation right off AZ-179, with an easy paved pullout and short flat walking paths around its base.
💡 Pull into the Bell Rock Vista parking area — no permit needed for roadside viewing.
Bell Rock
A few minutes further along AZ-179, a short spur road climbs to the chapel tucked into the cliffs.
Chapel of the Holy Cross · Sedona
A modernist chapel built directly into red sandstone cliffs, with sweeping valley views from its terrace.
💡 Free to enter; small donation box inside, short walk up from the parking lot.
780 Chapel Rd, Sedona
Drive a few minutes into central Sedona to this shaded arts village near the creek.
Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village · Sedona
A walkable Spanish-colonial-style arts village with galleries, fountains and courtyards — an easy, unhurried stroll.
💡 Free to wander; galleries open through the afternoon.
336 AZ-179, Sedona
After the arts village, settle in nearby for the day's one sit-down meal.
Elote Cafe · Sedona
A locally loved Sedona restaurant known for elevated Southwestern flavors and a loyal following.
💡 No reservations taken — arrives early or expect a wait, especially at sunset hours.
350 Jordan Rd, Sedona
A short drive up Airport Road leads to this mesa-top overlook for the golden hour.
Sedona Airport Scenic Lookout · Sedona
One of Sedona's most famous sunset viewpoints, looking out over the red-rock skyline with minimal walking required.
💡 Arrive 30 minutes before sunset — the small lot fills up fast.
538 Airport Rd, Sedona
- Book Elote Cafe expectations low on wait times — it's walk-in only and popular.
- AZ-179 through the Village of Oak Creek requires a Red Rock Pass for trailhead parking, not needed for roadside viewpoints.
- Fill up on gas in Phoenix — Sedona stations are pricier.
- Airport Mesa lot is tiny; have a backup like Sunset Point if it's full.
- Slide Rock State Park+9 mi
A scenic creek-carved canyon with swimming holes and orchards, a classic Oak Creek Canyon stop.
- Cathedral Rock Vista+5 mi
One of the most photographed formations in Sedona, viewable from an easy roadside pullout.
- Montezuma Castle National Monument+6 mi
Well-preserved 12th-century cliff dwelling, an easy detour just off I-17 on the way back.
Make this trip your own
Plan your own road trip →This route was drafted with AI. Please double-check roads, opening hours and local conditions before you go.
Made with Roadanza
What will the fuel cost?
This route covers 234 mi. Put your own car's consumption and local fuel price in and you'll have the number in a few seconds.
Work it out for this route →Questions, answered
- How far is Sedona from Phoenix?
- About two hours by car, roughly 190 km up I-17 and then east. It is the single most popular day trip from the city, which means the trailhead car parks fill by mid-morning at weekends: arriving before eight makes the difference between parking and circling.
- Can you visit the Grand Canyon in a day from Phoenix?
- The South Rim is about three and a half hours each way, so it is a long day: eleven or twelve hours door to door with only two or three hours at the rim. It works if the drive is part of the plan; it is far better as an overnight in Flagstaff or Tusayan.
- When is the best time for day trips from Phoenix?
- October to April. Winter is the region's high season for a reason: clear, dry days in the low twenties. From June to September, restrict yourself to the high country: Flagstaff, the Mogollon Rim, or to water, and start at dawn.
- Which of these works in summer?
- The high-elevation ones: Flagstaff at 2,100 m and the Mogollon Rim are usually fifteen to twenty degrees cooler than the valley. Canyon Lake works too if you're on the water rather than beside it. Saguaro country and the low desert are for the cooler months.
Other routes you might like
Jerome & Prescott Day Trip from Phoenix
A mining town clinging to a mountainside, then Victorian Prescott
1 day · 249 mi
Flagstaff Day Trip from Phoenix
Ponderosa pine at 2,100 m — the valley's escape from summer
1 day · 295 mi
Montezuma Castle & Verde Valley Day Trip from Phoenix
A cliff dwelling in a limestone alcove, plus Verde Valley wine
1 day · 809 mi