~60 mi
Distance
~1h15
Drive Time
5,200 ft
Elevation
AZ-89A
Route (south)
Why Prescott — What It Is That Sedona Isn't
Sedona is red rocks, vortexes, wellness retreats, and spiritual tourism at premium prices. Prescott is different in almost every way: Victorian brick architecture from the 1880s Arizona Territory, pine forests at 5,200 feet, Whiskey Row saloons that have been serving since before Arizona was a state, and a Courthouse Plaza that looks like it belongs in a Mark Twain novel. The contrast between the two towns — roughly 60 miles apart — is remarkable.
Prescott is also the least expensive major town in the Arizona highlands. Lunch in uptown Sedona typically runs noticeably more per person than a comparable meal at Prescott's downtown restaurants. The town draws retirees, artists, and history enthusiasts rather than wellness seekers — a useful change of pace if you've been in Sedona for several days.
Best reason to go: Prescott is also about 40 minutes from Jerome (AZ-89A northeast), making a Sedona → Jerome → Prescott loop possible in one long day. See the combination itinerary below.
What to Do in Prescott
Whiskey Row
Montezuma Street's "Whiskey Row" has been Arizona's most famous bar street since the 1870s. The current buildings date from 1900 after a fire destroyed the originals — the saloon operators reportedly wheeled the bar out to the plaza and kept serving during the fire, then moved back in when the new buildings were finished. The Palace Saloon (1901) is often cited as the oldest continuously operating restaurant in Arizona. Order a beer and read the history markers on the wall.
Courthouse Plaza
The Yavapai County Courthouse anchors a downtown plaza surrounded by Victorian commercial buildings. The Plaza is walkable from Whiskey Row and hosts regular farmers markets and events. The Sharlot Hall Museum complex (just west of the Plaza, $17 admission) is the best single collection of Arizona territorial history in the state — well curated, good interpretive displays, and includes the original 1864 Governor's Mansion (closed for rehabilitation as of 2026 — check sharlothallmuseum.org before visiting).
Thumb Butte Trail
Thumb Butte is a roughly 1,000-foot granite formation about 3 miles west of downtown. The Thumb Butte Trail (approximately 2.1 miles, 600 ft gain) is accessible from the parking area off Gurley Street and offers panoramic views of the Prescott Valley and the Bradshaw Mountains. Allow about 90 minutes round trip. Unlike Sedona hikes, this one has almost no crowds on weekdays.
Watson Lake
Watson Lake, roughly 4 miles north of downtown, sits in the Granite Dells — a landscape of rounded granite boulders and smooth rock formations unlike anything else in Arizona. The shoreline hike (approximately 2.5 miles, easy) winds through the boulder field with the lake reflecting the formations. Kayak rentals are typically available spring through fall — check with local outfitters for current season and hours. This is the one thing in Prescott with no close equivalent in Sedona.
Must Do
Whiskey Row + Palace Saloon
Courthouse Plaza walk
Sharlot Hall Museum
Also Worth It
Thumb Butte Trail
Watson Lake + Granite Dells
Gurley Street restaurants
Skip If Limited Time
Prescott National Forest drives
(Better off in Sedona for scenic drives)
Prescott Day Trip Itinerary from Sedona
Depart Sedona — AZ-89A South
Head south on AZ-89A through the Verde Valley. The drive descends out of Sedona's red rock canyon and crosses the Verde River. Continue south past Cottonwood — you'll see Jerome perched on Cleopatra Hill to the right (a different day trip).
Arrive Prescott — Thumb Butte First
Hit Thumb Butte Trail before the midday heat. Park on Gurley Street at the Thumb Butte Road trailhead. 90 minutes round trip, 600 ft gain. The panoramic Prescott Valley view from the saddle is the reward.
Sharlot Hall Museum
$17 admission. Allow 90 minutes for the full complex. Fort Misery — a separate, older building on the grounds, not the 1864 Governor's Mansion — is thought to be the oldest surviving log cabin in Arizona; the Governor's Mansion itself is closed for rehabilitation as of 2026, so check sharlothallmuseum.org before visiting. The interpretive displays on the Arizona Territory period (1863–1912) are surprisingly well done.
Lunch on Whiskey Row
The Palace Saloon for history and a burger; Gurley Street Grill for a broader lunch menu. Prices run noticeably lower than comparable Sedona restaurants. Eat outdoors on the Courthouse Plaza side if weather allows.
Watson Lake — Granite Dells
Drive roughly 4 miles north to Watson Lake. The approximately 2.5-mile shoreline hike through the Granite Dells is the most distinctive landscape in the Prescott area — smooth granite formations at water's edge, very different from any Sedona hike. Kayak rentals typically available spring through fall — check with local outfitters.
Return to Sedona
AZ-89A north back through Cottonwood. Back in Sedona by 5:45–6 PM for dinner. The Sedona-to-Prescott day trips works best with a Sedona dinner reservation — the contrast between Prescott's affordable lunch and a Sedona sunset dinner at Mariposa is its own kind of Arizona day.
The Verde Valley Loop — Jerome + Prescott in One Day
Jerome (about 40 min north of Prescott via AZ-89A) and Prescott are natural loop partners. Leave Sedona at 8:30 AM, hit Jerome first (arrive 9:15 AM, 2.5 hours in town including Haunted Hamburger lunch), drive AZ-89A south through Cottonwood to Prescott (arrive 1:30 PM), spend 3 hours (Whiskey Row, Courthouse Plaza, optional Watson Lake), return to Sedona via AZ-89A north by 6:30 PM.
Total drive time: ~3.5 hours across the day. Two completely different Arizona towns — the ghost town with copper mining history and the Victorian cowboy capital. Jerome's dramatic cliff views vs. Prescott's pine forests and granite dells. This loop is the Verde Valley's best single-day circuit from Sedona.
Verde Valley Day Tours on Viator
Guided tours from Sedona often cover Jerome and the Verde Valley in one excursion. Let someone else drive the switchbacks.
Browse Verde Valley Day Tours →Affiliate link — we earn a small commission at no cost to you.
Jerome Main Street Historic Walk
Add the Jerome audio tour to a Prescott day trip combo. 10 GPS stops through the copper-mining ghost town. $3.99.
See Jerome Audio Tours →