Arriving

From Phoenix, take I-17 north to Ariz. 179; it’s about a 2-hour drive. From Flagstaff, it’s a 1-hour drive, heading south on I-17 to the turnoff for Ariz. 89A and Sedona. Ariz. 89A also connects Sedona with Prescott.

Sedona Phoenix Shuttle (www.sedona-phoenix-shuttle.com; tel. 800/448-7988 in AZ, or 928/282-2066) operates several trips daily between Phoenix’s Sky Harbor Airport and Sedona. The one-way fare is $55.

Visitor Information

The Sedona Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center/Uptown Gateway Visitor Center, 331 Forest Rd. (www.visitsedona.com; tel. 800/288-7336 or 928/282-7722) is at the corner of Ariz. 89A and Forest Road in Uptown Sedona. The visitor center is open Monday through Saturday 8:30am to 5pm, and Sunday and holidays 9am to 3pm.

For information on hiking in the area, contact the Coconino National Forest's Red Rock District Visitors Center, 8375 Ariz. 179 (www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino; tel. 928/203-2900), just south of the Village of Oak Creek on the south end of Sedona. It’s open daily from 8am to 5pm. About 4 miles north of town, the Forest Service’s Oak Creek Visitor Center on Ariz. 89A ([tel] 928/203-0624) is another source for maps, park passes, and hunting and fishing licenses; it’s open April through November 9am to 4pm.

Another useful website for the area is www.redrockcountry.org.

Getting Around

It’s only 12 miles from I-17 to Sedona proper, but this is a major tourist destination, and traffic can really bog down on two-lane Ariz. 179 on a Friday afternoon. Whether traveling by car or on foot, you’ll need to be patient when navigating traffic in Sedona. Just like you, other drivers are apt to gape at the rocks, so be prepared for slow traffic on roads with good views. You may hear or see references to the “Y”; that’s the intersection of Ariz. 179 and Ariz. 89A between the Tlaquepaque shopping plaza and Uptown Sedona.

Special Events

The Sedona International Film Festival (www.sedonafilmfestival.com; tel. 928/282-1177), held late February to early March, always books plenty of interesting films. In early December at the Tlaquepaque shopping plaza, Sedona celebrates the Festival of Lights (www.tlaq.com; tel. 928/282-4838) by lighting thousands of luminarias (paper bags partially filled with sand and containing a single candle).

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.