Phoenix to Williams AZ drive: Distance, time & best stops
The best road trip stops on the Phoenix to Williams AZ drive are Camp Verde, Sedona and Flagstaff. The distance from Phoenix to Williams AZ by car is 175 miles, with a 2h40m driving time.
Planning a Phoenix to Williams AZ road trip itinerary
The Phoenix to Williams AZ drive takes you from the capital of Arizona to one of the Grand Canyon’s gateway towns.
A stay in Phoenix is at its best when you explore the surrounding Sonoran Desert. That might be in a hot air balloon flight, on an ATV tour or on a guided sunset hiking adventure. You can also do day tours along the Apache Trail.
For other Phoenix experiences, try a downtown food tour, a street art tour or a spooky nighttime ghost walk.
Attractions that you might wish to buy advance include cell phone-friendly tickets for include Phoenix Zoo, the Sea Life aquarium or a drunk Shakespeare performance.
For Phoenix accommodation options with a bit of character, try the art-splashed Foundre or the resort-like Raintree at Phoenix South Mountain Preserve.
Williams AZ is one of the main gateways to the Grand Canyon National Park. The Grand Canyon Railway leaves from here.
Otherwise, this is a Route 66 town with a decent selection of road trip kitsch. The main highlight is the Bearizona Wildlife Park, where you can view North American animals such as bison, black bears and Arctic wolves from your vehicle on a drive-through route.
Good Williams accommodation options include the Lodge on Route 66 and the La Quinta.
Phoenix to Williams AZ distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Phoenix to Williams AZ is 175 miles. That makes for a driving time of around two hours and 40 minutes. The quickest route changes depending on travel conditions, but most go via the I-17 and I-40.
The best road trip stops on the Phoenix to Williams AZ drive are Camp Verde, Sedona and Flagstaff.
Best stops between Phoenix and Williams AZ: Camp Verde, Arizona
Camp Verde is an all-action kind of place. Great Camp Verde activities include tackling the Verde River in an inflatable kayak, horseback-riding through the mountains and off-road Jeep tours.
Top attractions include the Out of Africa Wildlife Park – where you can also take on a zipline course – and the Verde Valley Archaeology Center. The latter looks at the life of the Native Sinagua people.
Great Camp Verde accommodation options include the Cliff Castle Casino Hotel and the Fort Verde Suites.
Phoenix to Williams AZ road trip attractions: Sedona, Arizona
Desert town Sedona sits in an inspirational setting amid red rock buttes, canyons and forest. It’s no wonder so many artists choose to live there.
The surrounding desert trails and state parks are magnificent for hiking and biking. You can also explore on a scenic helicopter flight, outback Jeep tour, guided ATV adventure or e-biking at Cathedral Rock.
Other Sedona experiences include Verde Valley wine tours, Jeep tours of the mystical Sedona vortexes, glassblowing workshops and nighttime stargazing sessions.
For great Sedona accommodation that makes the most of the views, try the Sky Ranch Lodge or Amara Resort.
- For more suggestions, see the guide to the Phoenix to Sedona drive.
Phoenix to Williams AZ drive: Flagstaff, Arizona
Flagstaff AZ is largely known as a gateway to the Grand Canyon. You can take a Grand Canyon day tour from here, but you can also do a day trip to Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend.
Other Flagstaff experiences include haunted pub crawls, e-bike tours and an adventure course of wobbly bridges, ropes and ziplines. Stargazing enthusiasts can also take a tour of the Lowell Observatory and the Walnut Canyon National Monument is just to the east of the city. The latter is home to several ancient cliff dwellings.
Good Flagstaff accommodation options include the utterly charming Little America, and the great value Elev8.
- For more suggestions, see the guide to the Flagstaff to Williams drive.
More Phoenix road trips
Albuquerque to Phoenix | Phoenix to Colorado Springs | Dallas to Phoenix | Denver to Phoenix | El Paso to Phoenix | Phoenix to Flagstaff | Phoenix to Grand Canyon (South Rim) | Houston to Phoenix | Phoenix to Kingman | Las Cruces to Phoenix | Phoenix to Prescott | Omaha to Phoenix | Phoenix to San Antonio | Phoenix to Santa Fe | Phoenix to Sedona | Phoenix to Tombstone | Phoenix to Tucson | Winslow to Phoenix | Phoenix to Yuma.
More Williams AZ road trips
Flagstaff AZ to Williams AZ | Williams AZ to Grand Canyon (South Rim) | Williams AZ to Sedona AZ.