Where to stay · Sedona · United States
Where to stay in Sedona
6 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Don Graham from Redlands, CA, USA - God bless it!, CC BY-SA 2.0
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Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in Uptown Sedona. Souvenir shops, jeep-tour offices and red-rock views along SR 89A. Best alternatives — families: West Sedona; budget: West Sedona.
Key facts
- First visit
- Uptown Sedona
- Families
- West Sedona
- Budget
- West Sedona
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | Uptown Sedona | Souvenir shops, jeep-tour offices and red-rock views along SR 89A |
| Families | West Sedona | Local shops, supermarkets and trailheads along the main road west |
| Couples | Uptown Sedona | Souvenir shops, jeep-tour offices and red-rock views along SR 89A |
| Budget | West Sedona | Local shops, supermarkets and trailheads along the main road west |
| Luxury | Gallery District (SR 179) | Tlaquepaque, art galleries and resorts along the creek |
| Food lovers | Cottonwood | Old Town tasting rooms and lower prices 25 km south-west |
| Shopping | Uptown Sedona | Souvenir shops, jeep-tour offices and red-rock views along SR 89A |
| Quiet stays | Village of Oak Creek | Quieter community at the foot of Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte |
Sedona neighbourhoods in detail
$$$$ · Best for first-timers, couples and shopping
Uptown Sedona
Uptown is the walkable tourist centre on SR 89A, with shops, galleries, restaurants, rooftop bars and the departure points for most jeep tours. Snoopy Rock and the buttes rise directly behind it, and Oak Creek Canyon begins at its northern edge.
- Good
- Walk to restaurants and tours; Views from many hotel rooms; Easy access to Oak Creek Canyon
- Watch out
- Busy and touristy; Traffic and parking pressure at weekends
- Nearby
- Pink Jeep Tours, Sedona Heritage Museum, Oak Creek Canyon, Tlaquepaque
$$$ · Best for families, budget and first-timers
West Sedona
West Sedona stretches along SR 89A towards Cottonwood and holds most of the town's supermarkets, everyday restaurants and mid-priced hotels. Trailheads for Soldier Pass, Boynton Canyon, Devil's Bridge via Dry Creek Road, and Airport Mesa are all close.
- Good
- Lower prices than Uptown; Close to the western trailheads; Groceries and practical services
- Watch out
- Strip-mall character along the highway; Not walkable between sights
- Nearby
- Airport Mesa, Soldier Pass Trail, Devil's Bridge, Boynton Canyon
$$$ · Best for families, quiet stays and couples
Village of Oak Creek
About 11 km south of Uptown on SR 179, the Village of Oak Creek has resorts, golf and rental homes directly below Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte, with the Bell Rock Pathway starting at its edge. It is the first part of Sedona you reach from Phoenix.
- Good
- Calmer than Uptown; Trails from the doorstep; Shortest drive from Phoenix
- Watch out
- Fewer restaurants; SR 179 traffic to reach Uptown at busy times
- Nearby
- Bell Rock, Courthouse Butte, Cathedral Rock
$$$ · Best for couples, quiet stays and families
Oak Creek Canyon
North of Uptown, SR 89A winds through Oak Creek Canyon, where cabins, small lodges and campgrounds sit by the creek between steep red and white cliffs. Slide Rock State Park and the West Fork Trail are here, and Flagstaff is about 45 minutes beyond.
- Good
- Cooler in summer; Creek and forest setting; Autumn colour
- Watch out
- Limited mobile signal; Heavy summer traffic on the canyon road
- Nearby
- Slide Rock State Park, West Fork Trail, Flagstaff
$$$$ · Best for couples, luxury and shopping
Gallery District (SR 179)
Along SR 179 between Uptown and the Village of Oak Creek, the Gallery District has Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village, the Hillside complex of galleries and several resorts and spas set by Oak Creek. It is within a short walk or drive of Uptown.
- Good
- Galleries and good restaurants; Creekside resorts; Central location
- Watch out
- High resort prices; Roundabout traffic at peak times
- Nearby
- Tlaquepaque, Chapel of the Holy Cross, Uptown Sedona
$$ · Best for budget, food lovers and families
Cottonwood
Cottonwood is a separate town in the Verde Valley about 30 minutes from Sedona, with an Old Town of wine-tasting rooms and restaurants and more affordable hotels. It is a convenient base for Jerome, Tuzigoot and the Verde Canyon Railroad.
- Good
- Much lower hotel prices; Wine-tasting rooms; Close to Jerome
- Watch out
- No red-rock views; Daily drive to Sedona trailheads
- Nearby
- Jerome, Verde Canyon Railroad, Tuzigoot National Monument
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Uptown Sedona | $$$$ | Pink Jeep Tours, Sedona Heritage Museum, Oak Creek Canyon, Tlaquepaque |
| West Sedona | $$$ | Airport Mesa, Soldier Pass Trail, Devil's Bridge, Boynton Canyon |
| Village of Oak Creek | $$$ | Bell Rock, Courthouse Butte, Cathedral Rock |
| Oak Creek Canyon | $$$ | Slide Rock State Park, West Fork Trail, Flagstaff |
| Gallery District (SR 179) | $$$$ | Tlaquepaque, Chapel of the Holy Cross, Uptown Sedona |
| Cottonwood | $$ | Jerome, Verde Canyon Railroad, Tuzigoot National Monument |
Getting to your hotel
Most visitors fly into Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX), about 190 km and 2 hours away by car, with scheduled shuttle vans to Sedona. Flagstaff Pulliam Airport (FLG), about 50 km north through Oak Creek Canyon, has a few daily flights. Sedona's own small airport is used mainly for scenic flights.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Sedona for first-time visitors?
Uptown Sedona. Uptown is the walkable tourist centre on SR 89A, with shops, galleries, restaurants, rooftop bars and the departure points for most jeep tours.
+Where should families stay in Sedona?
West Sedona: Lower prices than Uptown.
+Which area of Sedona is best for a budget stay?
West Sedona ($$$): Local shops, supermarkets and trailheads along the main road west.