Uptown Sedona Shopping & Strip
Uptown Sedona is the half-mile stretch of AZ-89A immediately north of the "Y" intersection — the busiest, most concentrated, and most touristy block in town, in the affectionate sense. It is where every jeep tour departs, where the souvenir shopping happens, where most of the marquee restaurants live, and where you will probably end up at least one evening of your trip.
What it is
"Uptown" refers to the original commercial district of Sedona, developed in the 1940s and 1950s as the highway widened and tourism took over from ranching. The half-mile of AZ-89A between the Y intersection and Jordan Road is now a wall-to-wall mix of southwestern art galleries, turquoise and silver jewellery shops, Native American crafts (some authentic, some not — ask), souvenir stores, fudge and ice cream parlours, jeep-tour and helicopter-tour booking offices, and the densest concentration of restaurants in Sedona.
Why visit
Honestly, because every trip to Sedona ends up here at least once — and once you accept that, it is genuinely fun. The energy in the evening is good, the views of the red rocks over the rooftops are striking, and the strip is short enough to walk end-to-end in twenty minutes. The shopping ranges from genuinely good (Garland\'s Navajo Rugs, Hozho Fine Arts) to genuinely tourist (the airport-style turquoise outlets); the trick is to wander into the smaller spaces, where the gallery owners are often the artists themselves and will talk you through the work.
Practical tips
Parking is the single biggest pain. The on-street spots fill by 10am on weekends; the city-run lot at the south end of the strip (off Forest Road) is the best fallback. Avoid driving Uptown between 4pm and 6pm — the AZ-89A through-traffic creates 20-minute gridlock. Walk instead from a lot off Jordan Road. Restaurant picks for a first visit: Elote Cafe (modern Mexican, no reservations Thu-Sat — go early), The Cowboy Club (steaks and rattlesnake sausage, theatrical western interior), or Wildflower Bread Company for a fast lunch.
Stay nearby
Most of our properties are a 5–15 minute drive from Uptown — browse Sedona Haven Rentals rentals for a base that puts you a short drive from the strip without paying Uptown\'s higher nightly rates. For an official directory of Uptown businesses, see Visit Sedona.
