Las Vegas to Sedona Road Trip: 11 Fun Stops to Make

Need ideas for planning a road trip from Las Vegas to Sedona? I can help. I’ve traveled all over the southwest, by myself, and with my daughter who lives in Nevada and this route to Sedona from Las Vegas is one of my favorite road trips.

The landscape is incredible — the Mojave Desert to higher altitudes and ponderosa pines to the red rocks of Sedona — one of the most surreal places I’ve ever been. The best part is it’s less than 5 hours from Las Vegas so you can easily drive it in a day with a few fun stops.

Southerner Says: Arizona doesn’t observe Daylight Saving Time — so the time difference between Las Vegas and Sedona depends on the time of year. In winter Nevada and Arizona are on the same time. In summer when Nevada springs forward Arizona stays put making it one hour behind Las Vegas. Set your phone to update automatically and double check any reservations or tour times when you cross the state line.

Planning to Drive Las Vegas to Sedona

Las Vegas is one of the best jumping off points for a southwest road trip — whether you’re spending a few days on the Strip first or flying in to explore national parks and public lands.

How Many Days Do You Need

This itinerary is for one day and is just right for seeing a few sights along the way but still arriving in Sedona without feeling exhausted. If you’d rather take it slower there are plenty of additional things to do and places to add to the itinerary.

For a second day, I suggest staying in Williams, Arizona for one night and visiting Grand Canyon National Park. To extend the road trip a third and/or fourth day, stay overnight in Flagstaff, Arizona and check out one or two of the national monuments like Sunset Crater, Walnut Canyon or Wupatki before continuing on to Sedona.

A Rental Car

Flying into Vegas you’ll obviously need a car for the drive to Sedona. DiscoverCars.com makes it easy to compare vehicles and prices to find exactly what you need. Arriving late? This La Quinta, less than a mile from Harry Reid International Airport, or this Tru by Hilton are in the perfect location to spend the night before hitting the road.

The Route

The easiest and most direct route from Las Vegas to Sedona is approximately 280 miles and takes about four and a half hours if you drive it straight through. via Interstate-11, Highway 93, I-40, Interstate-17 and ultimately 89A — a good mix of interstate and secondary roads.

Southerner Says: I’ll have details on other route options later in the article.

Las Vegas to Sedona Stops

Hoover Dam

37 miles from Las Vegas

Leaving Las Vegas, the first stop on your road trip to Sedona should be the impressive Hoover Dam. If you’ve never seen the dam properly, here’s your chance. A morning tour would still put you in Sedona by early evening before it gets dark.

Constructed in the early 1930’s during the Great Depression, Hoover Dam is one of the most amazing engineering feats of our time and was built to harness the power of the Colorado River to prevent downstream flooding and bring water to growing desert cities.

The Bureau of Reclamation — the agency that oversees Hoover Dam — offers three tours at the dam. If you decide to go, I highly recommend the tour that includes the turbine room with access to the visitor center and old exhibit room.

Southerner Says: There are three ways to approach Hoover Dam from Las Vegas — through Lake Mead National Recreation Area along the lake (you’ll pay the park entrance fee), via I-11 to Boulder City then Highway 93 (free, and puts Boulder City first — a great breakfast stop), or staying on I-11 straight to the dam. If you take I-11 southbound watch for the Robert L. Mendenhall Scenic Overlook — easy pull off, great views of Lake Mead that most people drive right by. See the Google Map above or click here.

Mike O’Callaghan – Pat Tillman Bridge

37 miles from Las Vegas

If you’re in a hurry to get to Sedona and don’t really want to take the time to visit the dam, at least walk across the Mike O’Callaghan — Pat Tillman Bridge. This bridge is the main route across the Colorado River at the Hoover Dam.

What’s ingenious is when the bridge was constructed, they added a pedestrian walkway alongside the car lanes — not only do you get the best views of the dam but you also get bird’s-eye of the river below the dam and Lake Mead in the background.

Parking is free and it’s an easy, accessible walk to halfway across where you get a good, central view of the dam and you can get a photo of the Nevada state sign.

Colorado River Overlook

51 miles from Las Vegas

Back on the highway, just south of Hoover Dam and still within Lake Mead National Recreation Area, the next stop to make is listed on Google Maps as Scenic View Rest Area (see my Google map for more details). It’s one of the only places along Highway 93 where you get this kind of view of the Colorado River.

The turnoff is located on the northbound side of the highway so heading towards Sedona, you’ll have to make a U-turn to access it. There’s a south bound overlook too but I think the northbound is better. At the right time of day — morning up until about 2 pm — you’ll have some pretty awesome views of the river and Willow Beach in the park.

Boulder City

28 miles from Las Vegas

Boulder City isn’t just a convenient stop before the dam — it’s worth knowing a little about before you get there. Built in the early 1930s to house the thousands of workers who built Hoover Dam, it’s one of the most intact New Deal era towns in the country and the only city in Nevada that still prohibits gambling. That alone makes it feel completely different from everything else in the state.

I spent two months here this winter and it never got old. The downtown is walkable, the history is everywhere and the food scene is genuinely good. Start with breakfast or lunch at the Coffee Cup — a local institution — or grab a burger at The Dillinger. The Boulder City Hoover Dam Museum is one of my all time favorite small museums and gives you real context before you ever get to the dam itself.

If you’re coming through Lake Mead or staying on I-11 straight to the dam, Boulder City is a slight detour via Highway 93 — but you might catch Big Horn Sheep in the park in town and the Lake Mead National Recreation Area visitor center is one of the best I’ve seen in the whole park system. Worth the extra few minutes just for that.

Kingman, Arizona

107 miles from Las Vegas

Kingman sits along historic Route 66 and was once one of its most important stops — and should be on your Las Vegas to Sedona road trip. Founded in 1882 and named after Lewis Kingman, a civil engineer for the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad who helped establish the town as a main transportation hub in the southwest.

Its history comes alive in a walkable downtown featuring shops, restaurants and murals celebrating the town’s past. There’s a Route 66 Museum showcasing the highway and the significance of the “Mother Road”. No road trip to Kingman is complete without a photo at the official Route 66 sign.

For those who want something beyond Route 66, Kingman offers a few other activities like the Mohave Museum of History and Arts and train enthusiasts will also want to stop at the Kingman Railroad Museum, housed in the historic 1907 Santa Fe Depot on Route 66. Call ahead though — it’s volunteer run and hours can vary.

Before getting on I-40, don’t leave town without grabbing a bite at Floyd & Co Real Pit BBQ, Grand Canyon Brewing + Distillery or Mr. D’z Route 66 Diner, a Kingman institution known for homemade root beer and milkshakes.

Seligman, Arizona

180 miles from Las Vegas

Seligman is yet another unique Route 66 town along this Las Vegas to Sedona route. Located about 10 minutes from I-40, you’ll need to exit and drive a couple of miles into town but it’s worth it. In those few minutes, you’ll feel like you’ve gone back in time seventy years.

Full of kitschy gift shops, vintage eateries and drive-in type places, Seligman is a throwback to yesteryear and is bluntly, kind of a junkpile, but true Route 66 aficionados — and those that enjoy old cars and Americana — will want to include this one-of-a-kind stop.

Southerner Says: Check hours before you go unless you don’t mind just riding through. I stopped again recently and everything was closed. Seligman runs on its own schedule I think.

Williams, Arizona

220 miles from Las Vegas

Williams is different from the other Route 66 towns on this route — less kitsch, more wild west frontier town. It’s also the closest base to Grand Canyon National Park at just fifty-five miles from the south entrance, which makes it a natural overnight stop if you’re extending the trip. You can even ditch the car and let someone else take you into the park on the Grand Canyon Railway.

If you missed the diner in Kingman there’s one here too. Don’t skip Bearizona — a drive-through wildlife park that surprised me more than I expected. And the World Famous Sultana Bar has been open since 1912, which makes it older than Route 66 itself. The history alone is worth poking your head in. There’s also a mountain coaster in town if you’re feeling adventurous.

Flagstaff, Arizona

253 miles from Las Vegas

Surrounded by the largest contiguous ponderosa pine forest in North America, Flagstaff is one of those places where you could easily spend a month and still find things to do.

Sitting at 7,000 feet in the middle of the Coconino and Kaibab National Forests, it’s not what most people picture when they think of Arizona. You’ll smell pines, feel cooler temps and wonder why you didn’t plan more time here. Both Grand Canyon Village and the Desert View entrance are less than two hours away making it an ideal base for exploring more of northern Arizona.

Flagstaff is really a destination on its own but if you’re just passing through, get outside. Don’t miss a chance to see the San Francisco Peaks — Humphrey’s Peak is the highest mountain in Arizona — and weather permitting the scenic loop is worth it. In town, Flagstaff has a great cafe and coffee culture and Little America Hotel has a cult following and is famous for their holiday lights.

Oak Creek Vista

263 miles from Las Vegas

Just 17 minutes south of Flagstaff, you’ll come to one of the prettiest views of this entire drive. Oak Creek Vista is your first glimpse of Oak Creek Canyon, a 12 mile long gorge carved from time and shifting tectonic plates. If you haven’t already, this is where you’ll fall in love with the Coconino National Forest.

Within the canyon is Oak Creek — a perennial stream flowing south, carving its way through red sandstone and ponderosa pine forest before reaching Sedona. It’s one of the few year round water sources in the area which makes it a magnet for wildlife, swimmers and anyone who needs a break from the desert heat.

The Forest Service manages an overlook with a small visitor center here. Paved and unpaved walking trails crisscross through the trees and at the right time of the year, wildflowers that line the paths. This stop is the ideal place to stretch your legs or have a picnic at one of the many tables in the meadow.

Besides the canyon views, there’s a Native American Artisan Market with handmade arts and crafts — turquoise jewelry, ornaments, pottery and sculptures. Weather permitting, the market is open every day from 8 am to 5 pm in the summer and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. during the winter months. Go for the views and leave with a souvenir.

Halfway Picnic Area

271 miles from Las Vegas

The closer you get to the end of the road trip the more the landscape changes — from green forest to the red sandstone cliffs that Sedona is so famous for. You’ll find more Forest Service waysides and short hiking trails right off the highway.

One of my favorite stops on the way from Las Vegas to Sedona is Halfway Picnic Area. This parking area offers tables to enjoy a creekside lunch or snack while listening to the sounds of Oak Creek. There are even a couple of places where you can access the water.

Slide Rock State Park

272 miles from Las Vegas

Oak Creek continues south alongside Highway 89A almost the entire way to Sedona. It twists and turns, forming a variety of swimming holes and places to cool off in the summer heat. Slide Rock State Park is one of the most popular spots to access the water.

What once was a privately owned apple orchard is now public land managed by the Forest Service — with sandstone bluffs and cool pools of water. You can even still visit the orchard. Don’t miss the visitor center highlighting the park’s history and other activities.

Southerner Says: the park closes at 6 pm in summer so if this is something you want to do on your Las Vegas to Sedona road trip, you’ll need to get there early. The park is quite popular so it tends to fill up fast and get busy on weekends and holidays.

Sedona, Arizona

279 miles from Las Vegas

Sedona is one of those places that seems like something from another world. The red rocks, the light, the sheer scale of it — you’ll understand immediately why people keep coming back. It doesn’t feel or look real.

Most people come for the hiking and you genuinely could spend weeks or months without running out of trails. But Sedona has another side that’s harder to explain — a spiritual energy that draws people from all over the world. The vortexes are real whether you believe in that sort of thing or not and the town has built an entire identity around wellness, healing and slowing down. I think that’s why it doesn’t feel real.

Tour companies in town offer vortex tours, wine tastings and even helicopter tours over the red rocks so it’s really easy to take it easy, no hiking boots necessary.

Other Vegas to Sedona Route Options

This route works just as well in reverse — from Sedona to Las Vegas — if you’re starting your trip in Arizona. You can also drive it as a loop by taking the main route one way and the alternate route through Prescott, Jerome, Clarkdale and Cottonwood the other way. It’s a natural circle that lets you see two completely different sides of Arizona without backtracking.

If you choose the alternate route from Las Vegas, drive I-40 to exit 71, Ash Fork, AZ. Head south toward Prescott on Highway 93. This route adds about an hour to the trip but trades the interstate for some of the these historically interesting towns in Arizona:

Prescott is one of Arizona’s most underrated small cities — Victorian architecture, a lively courthouse plaza and enough history to justify an overnight. I stayed here overnight and it’s worth more than a quick stop just for the historic saloons on Whiskey Row.

Jerome sits dramatically on the side of Mingus Mountain — a former copper mining town turned artists colony clinging to a steep hillside. Parking is a nightmare so factor that in or plan to do a slow drive through.

Just below Jerome is Clarkdale — home to the Verde Canyon Railroad, a scenic train excursion through a remote canyon you can’t reach any other way, and Tuzigoot National Monument, ancient Sinagua ruins overlooking the Verde Valley. Check the train schedule before you go — it doesn’t run every day.

Next is Old Cottonwood’s Main Street full of shops, restaurants and wineries with an Old West feel. I like it more than Jerome. This is your best bet for a touristy meal before the final stretch into Sedona through the Verde Valley.

The map below shows all the routes and stops in layers. To customize it, click the slider in the top left corner to toggle layers with different routes on and off — helpful if you want to focus on just the stops you care about. You can also save it to your own Google account by clicking the faint star at the end of the title. Download any offline maps before you go because cell service might be sketchy.

Best Time to Visit Sedona

In my opinion, there’s not a bad time to visit Sedona. I’ve been in September, December and January and enjoyed them all. Spring (March–May) and fall (October–November) are the most popular.

Summer is decent because Sedona sits at 4,400 feet so it’s more bearable than Phoenix but midday temperatures still climb. The advantage is fewer people and the monsoon season in July and August brings dramatic afternoon storms.

Winter is supposed to be the secret quiet season in Sedona but — I went right after New Year’s and there were so many people I didn’t stay very long. That said, Sedona in December and January can be quieter and more affordable than spring and fall, and occasionally dusted with snow on the red rocks which is something to see.

If you go in winter, aim for mid-January through February when the holiday crowd has cleared out. Just be aware that Highway 89A through Oak Creek Canyon can get icy so check road conditions before you drive.

Where to Stay in Sedona

Sedona is divided into several distinct areas and location matters here. The town is small but traffic and parking are genuinely painful, so staying close to where you want to spend most of your time makes a real difference.

Uptown Sedona

Uptown Sedona — the most touristy area — is full of restaurants and shopping and is home to the Sedona Heritage Museum and the Sedona Arts Center. If you want to park the car and walk this is the neighborhood. For a high end stay in this area, the Amara Resort & Spa is super popular but my pick is the Arroyo Roble Resort with a high-end western desert feel. For something more affordable check out the adorable Historic Star Motel.

West Sedona

West Sedona, west of Uptown, offers more of a local feel with a commercial area with plenty of hiking trails nearby. This is convenient for the Verde Canyon train or visiting Jerome from Sedona this is where I would stay. Sky Ranch Lodge is one of the top resorts in Sedona and just a stone’s throw from Airport Mesa — one of the most popular overlooks. Sedona Springs Resorts is another good option and a little further from town.

Village of Oak Creek

South of town, lies the Village of Oak Creek. Stay here if you want to be away from all the hubbub and save a bit of money. I really enjoyed the Element Sedona. In fact, the Element brand is one of my favorites in the Marriott lineup — with spacious rooms and kitchenettes. And even though it’s a chain they hit the local vibe hard. This particular property has a really nice pool and fire pits. The Hilton Sedona Resort at Bell Rock is really nice. For a non-resort in this area, the smaller Desert Quail Inn might be your jam.

FAQ

How long is the drive from Las Vegas to Sedona?

Driving straight through, Las Vegas to Sedona is approximately 279 miles and takes about four and a half hours without stopping. With stops along the way plan for a full day.

Is Las Vegas to Sedona a good road trip?

One of the best. The landscape changes dramatically from the Mojave Desert through the ponderosa pine forests around Flagstaff and down into the red rocks of Sedona. It’s one of my favorite drives in the southwest.

What is the best time of year to drive from Las Vegas to Sedona?

Spring and fall are the most popular for good reason — comfortable temperatures and the best light on the red rocks. Summer is hot but doable. Winter can mean icy roads on Highway 89A through Oak Creek Canyon so check road conditions before you go.

Do I need a car for the Las Vegas to Sedona road trip?

Yes — there’s no practical way to do this route without a car. Sedona has no major public transportation and many of the stops along the way require a vehicle. DiscoverCars.com makes it convenient to compare rental options if you’re flying into Las Vegas.

Las Vegas to Sedona Tips

• I love guidebooks and the Moon Phoenix, Scottsdale & Sedona Guide provides expert advice from a local with tips and tricks about visiting Sedona.
• A Sedona area map is helpful to have on hand as well. This one includes details about the nearby national forests and hiking trails.
• Even on a domestic road trip, travel insurance is worth it. Medical emergencies away from home can mean out-of-network costs that add up fast. Compare policies at TravelInsurance.com or Insuremytrip.com before you go. (I usually check both)

The Road Doesn’t End in Sedona

This route has more to offer than any one day can hold — and that’s exactly the point. Consider this your menu, not your itinerary. Pick one stop or pick a few, save the rest for next time and don’t stress what you miss. There will be a next time.

Before you go, grab my free road trip packing checklist so you don’t forget anything important. And if you want to keep planning, these will help:

• How to Plan a Road Trip: A Step by Step Guide
• 17 Road Trip Mistakes You Don’t Want to Make
• How to Road Trip Responsibly
• Best Songs for a Road Trip Worth Turning Up

As a travel advisor I offer travel planning assistance or will plan your entire trip — road trips included. Use this form or simply email me to get in touch.

See you on the road!

---