Phoenix to Sedona; Sedona to Grand Canyon

[ljl99]

My wife and I are planning to spend a few days in Sedona in late May; we've never been there before. We're planning to rent a car from Phoenix sunday morning and spend much of the day driving to Sedona. Any recommendations for places to go and see on the way?
Also, we're planning to spend one day at the Grand Canyon. We've seen sites for guided tours from Sedona to the GC, but we're wondering whether it makes sense to drive ourselves instead. If you only had one day there what would you do?
Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.
thanks!

[AZBuck]

Welcome aboard the RoadTrip America forum.

You can make the drive from Phoenix to Sedona in just about two hours, so with the better part of a day to spend on the trip, you can wander off and see some things other than I-17. One possibility is to head on up AZ-69 to Prescott and then follow AZ-89A through the unique mining town of Jerome, and Tuzigoot National Monument between Clarkdale and Cottonwood before ending the day in Sedona.

From Sedona, it's a relatively easy day trip to the Grand Canyon. So if you can, I'd think you'd want to drive up yourself. With only a day, you won't be able to do much more than drive along the south rim road and take in all the view points, but the Canyon is such a personal and overwhelming experience that the worst thing that could happen to you is to be enjoying the view, getting your mind wrapped around what you're seeing, and just starting to come to grips with it when you're called back to board the tour bus so that it can keep its schedule.
Oh!, and be sure to drive up AZ-89A through Oak Creek Canyon from Sedona to Flag on your way to the Canyon, it's a trip itself.

AZBuck

[RoadTripper Brad]

I hear there's a great resturant in the town of Cornville, on County Road 30, near Cottonwood. It is called The Manzanita Inn

[ljl99]

Thanks for the suggestions.

[W. Larrison]

Montezuma's Castle (Indian Cliff dwelling, not far off the main highway between Phoenix and Flagstaff) is always very nice....

Last time (last year) I came through I went the opposite route -- Grand Canyon, out the east route, through Wupaki, and then down through Flagstaff to Sedona, and then to Phoenix area, and west towards SoCal.

I was disappointed with Sedona -- very touristy now, with tour buses everywhere.

Other things you might do if you have the time and inclination is go East from Flagstaff to the Painted Desert and Petrified Forest. Meteor Crater is along the way (but massively overpriced as a tourist trap).