30 Best Things To Do in Flagstaff Arizona

Welcome to Flagstaff, Arizona! Nestled among ponderosa pine forests and surrounded by stunning mountain views, Flagstaff is a vibrant mountain town with a fascinating history and nonstop outdoor adventure. Table of Contents Show 1 Best Things To Do in Flagstaff, AZ 2 1. Visit Downtown Flagstaff 3 2. Marvel at Walnut Canyon’s Cliff Dwellings 4…

Things To Do in Flagstaff Arizona

Researched and Written by:

Published:

Updated:

Affiliate Disclaimer

As an affiliate, we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases. We get commissions for purchases made through links on this website from various site and other third parties.

Welcome to Flagstaff, Arizona! Nestled among ponderosa pine forests and surrounded by stunning mountain views, Flagstaff is a vibrant mountain town with a fascinating history and nonstop outdoor adventure.

Table of Contents Show

Get ready to explore ancient volcanoes, traverse canyons carved by time, and gaze at the darkest night skies, all while enjoying small-town charm and a friendly local culture.

Here are 30 can’t-miss attractions and activities in Flagstaff to fill your itinerary with awe and wonder. Let’s dive in!

Best Things To Do in Flagstaff, AZ

1. Visit Downtown Flagstaff

Downtown Flagstaff

As the bustling hub of Flagstaff, downtown has a fun, youthful vibe thanks to Northern Arizona University students mixing with locals and visitors.

Spend an afternoon gallery-hopping, boutique browsing, microbrewery tasting, and people watching along the eclectic Historic Route 66.

Stop for coffee and snacks at Late for the Train or Macy’s European Coffeehouse & Bakery before exploring shops like The Old Town Shops for Native American jewelry and Babbitt’s Backcountry for outdoor gear.

The Orpheum Theater opened in 1911 as a grand vaudeville venue. Take a guided tour of this iconic landmark then catch a show or movie screening.

Nearby Hotel Weatherford has welcomed weary travelers since 1900 with Southwestern design and spirited ghost stories.

And if you hear a train whistle, run over to watch the mighty locomotives of BNSF Railway and Amtrak glide through downtown along the BNSF Transcon main line.

2. Marvel at Walnut Canyon’s Cliff Dwellings

Walnut Canyon’s Cliff Dwellings

Gaze down into the magical ancient ruins of Walnut Canyon National Monument. A paved and wheelchair accessible 1-mile Island Trail loops along the canyon’s edge with stellar views of two-story cliff dwelling rooms tucked cozily into limestone overhangs.

The partially restored rooms were cleverly built between 1125 and 1250 AD using local rocks and mud mortar. Signs explain the intriguing feats of construction and resourcefulness as you walk.

Descend 185 feet on the steeper and unpaved 0.7-mile Rim Trail to stand within arm’s reach of a dwelling’s stone walls and wooden beams for a humbling history lesson.

3. Gape at the Craters of Sunset Crater Volcano

 Craters of Sunset Crater Volcano

 

Tours & Things to do hand-picked by our insiders

 

Watch your step! The black and red hardened lava flowing across Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument literally melts shoe soles that overstay their welcome. This sea of lava lies as evidence of the violent volcanic eruption here between 1064 and 1065 AD which lasted more than 200 years.

Drive the scenic loop road through the Bonito Lava Flow trailing to the crater’s base for explosive views including Lenox Crater.

Then lace up your hiking boots and choose from short nature trails like Lenox Crater Trail or longer ones like Lava Flow Trail across the surreal lunar landscape. Ponderosa pines escaping through cracks and yellow wildflowers soften harsh terrain and exemplify life’s determination.

4. Explore Ancient Wupatki Pueblo Ruins

Ancient Wupatki Pueblo Ruins

Discover an impressive complex of nearly 500 ancient stone structures hinting at the ingenuity of the Ancestral Puebloan and Sinagua Indians against this lonely landscape 36 miles north of Flagstaff.

Giant circular shapes with procedural masonry mark sacred ceremonial spaces while rectangular rooms linked by low passageways create family living spaces at Wupatki National Monument.

Lookout points like Nalakihu and Lomaki overlooks survey the settlements centerpiece – the Cracked Pot pueblo built during 100 AD’s largest era of development.

Watch your step while climbing down the steep path into its impressive main courtyard surrounded by two-story rooms and made private by high walls.

Displays at the visitor center piece together titillating details of the native farmers, traders, and craftsmen who inhabited the area until 900 years ago.

5. Stargaze at Lowell Observatory

Stargaze at Lowell Observatory

Grab a map at the visitor center highlighting Flagstaff’s status as the world’s First International Dark Sky City then let your eyes adjust once the sun sets and the real show begins.

Lowell Observatory plays an appropriately pivotal role in Flagstaff’s cosmic history as the site where Pluto was discovered in 1930 by 23-year-old astronomer Clyde Tombaugh.

Peer through the same historic 24-inch Clark Refractor Telescope into brilliant night skies boasting 15,000 visible stars.

Audio tours guide you under the dome housing this telescope and others while movies and exhibits relay the observatory’s prestigious astronomical advancements. Don’t miss special offerings like the multimedia evening “Through Native Eyes” program exploring Northern Arizona’s indigenous star knowledge.

6. See Petroglyphs at Picture Canyon

Petroglyphs at Picture Canyon

Discover why Flagstaff visitors feel like they’re walking through an outdoor history book! Prehistoric etchings carved into Coconino National Forest’s sandstone depict real life events like hunters stalking sheep near homes during the 1100s AD Sinagua era.

Today, Picture Canyon feels profoundly peaceful as noisy modern life pauses so your imagination may ponder the past.

A short trail loops through the canyon, protected as a Rock Art Site. Duck beneath boulders and scan cliff walls for petroglyph panels chronicling ancient daily activities and intricate clan symbols.

Displays near a replica pit house explain the nomadic hunter-gatherer and early agriculturist cultures who once moved with the seasons across this forested landscape over 12,000 years ago.

7. Ski and Ride at Arizona Snowbowl

 Arizona Snowbowl

Crisp mountain air carries anticipation of the next adventure awaits at Arizona Snowbowl – 14 miles outside Flagstaff.

Northern Arizona’s beloved snowy escape has welcomed boarders and skiers since 1938 with 32 ski runs plus terrain parks spilling across 777 acres from 9,300 to 11,500 feet elevation. Sunny days average 250+ annual inches of dry powder.

The area’s longest run is 3.5-mile Hart Prairie from the highest elevation. Ride the new 8-person high-speed lift, catch air in terrain parks like Lower Old Wardance, weave through trees on Intermediate Golden Eagle run.

Warm up slopeside in the1926 log cabin base lodge by roaring fireplaces before sipping local craft beers on its expansive deck overlooking exceptional views of the San Francisco Peaks, part of CO Bar D Ranch.

8. Explore Ancient Native American Culture at the Museum of N. Arizona

Museum of N. Arizona

Immerse in 11,000 years of human history and culture at Northern Arizona with engaging galleries showcasing native peoples’ interconnectedness with the Colorado Plateau landscape.

Thoughtful chronological exhibits move from stone tool workshops demonstrating nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyles through early agricultural villages to the elaborate architecture and ceramics of early civilizations.

Hopi kachina dolls, Navajo textiles, and Zuni jewelry represent continuous native cultures while the Easton Collection holds over 400 intricate Hopi baskets.

Outside, collections come to life! An ethnobotanical garden presents drought-resistant crops of ancestral Puebloans and replicas of Navajo hogans and Apache wickiups nod to enduring traditions. Grab lunch at the contemporary 1896 Restaurant.

9. Zipline Over Lush Forest at Flagstaff Extreme Adventure Course

Zipline Over Lush Forest at Flagstaff Extreme Adventure Course

Trade walking boots for climbing gloves and harness up for cliff-side thrills atop wooded peaks at Flagstaff Extreme Adventure Course!

Soar over ponderosa pines lining the slopes of Mount Elden like an eagle on lines with names like Screaming Squirrel, Flying Forest, and the heart-pumping 1⁄4 mile-long Phoenix Plummet.

Shoot down dual racing zip lines with friends you meet in orientation then swing from ropes course elements between ziplines from beginner to advanced.

Three sessions span 2-3 hours with transportation from downtown hotels, but true thrill-seekers won’t want to leave.

The park also offers an indoor climbing gym, kids ropes courses, bungee trampoline, climbing walls, an archery range, and axe throwing. Grab champagne upon return to toast your survival!

10. Photograph Majestic Grand Canyon from Desert View Watchtower

Grand Canyon from Desert View Watchtower

Many visitors pause road trips between Flagstaff and Grand Canyon’s South Rim 50 miles southeast just to climb the winding 5-story stairway up Mary Colter’s Desert View Watchtower.

Inspired by Ancestral Puebloan towers, Colter used indigenous architectural elements like mortar-less native stonework and ceilings of twisted branches. Hopi artist Fred Kabotie’s murals depicting Hopi origin legends color interior walls.  

Twist up 70 feet taking photos through surprisingly giant windows perfectly framing the impressive gorge beyond. Displays on the Hopi way of life make it equally hard to peel yourself away from the views descending each level!

11. Camp Among Ancient Trees at Grandview Campground

Camp Among Ancient Trees at Grandview Campground

Enjoy breathtaking solitude and first-come first-serve campsites tucked under worldly Ponderosa pines and Douglas firs that have graced Grand Canyon’s stunning North Rim for centuries at this remote spot.

Unplug surrounded only by epic sunrises over the widest and deepest visible stretch of the canyon revealing long views across its main corridor towards Desert View.  

Reverent hiking trails spur from Grandview’s dramatic Abyss overlook like the steep 600 feet decent along colorful Coconino Sandstone to Horseshoe Mesa’s flat inner canyon green oasis.

By day, hike into the canyon’s heart or easy Rim Trail through stands of tall timbers showing off the deep gorge. By night, stargazing takes over thanks to dark twinkling skies in this International Dark Sky Park far from artificial light.

Dirt road access requires high clearance vehicles for the hour drive in so pack water and supplies wisely. But the payoff is priceless for this rare glimpse into the canyon’s expansive spirit and peaceful pondering beside Grand Canyon’s living ancient ones.

12. Soak in Local History at Riordan Mansion State Historic Park

Riordan Mansion State Historic Park

Peek into the lifestyles of Flagstaff lumber barons and brothers Michael and Timothy Riordan, who built this striking log and stone duplex mansion replying Craftsman architecture in 1904.

Tour the historic west wing where Timothy resided marveling at ornate hand-carved Circassian walnut furniture, Tiffany-style lamps, and massive stone fireplaces that today make Riordan one of Arizona’s most eye-catching manor houses.

Costumed tour guides share the affluent Riordan family’s rags-to-riches story as Flagstaff logging tycoons who traveled the world before ultimately donation the house to the state.

Stroll under the breezeway into the east wing where Michael’s wife still resides today to admire Prairie-style architecture with simpler decor.

Wander landscaped grounds in warmer months hydrating from cooler mountain air that attracted asthmatic Timothy here for health benefits.

13. Off-Road on Scenic Winter Backcountry Byway

13. Off-Road on Scenic Winter Backcountry Byway

Peace, pine forests, and blue skies ready for off-highway adventure await traveling north from Flagstaff on this groomed winter route through Coconino National Forest.

Creek cross overs and scenic meadow pull outs dot 50 miles of elevation changes climbing from 7,000 feet into the heavenly country of Mormon Lake and Spencer Canyon making this a snow mobiler paradise thanks to annual heavy snowfall.

Rent a set of stomping sleds from dealers in Flagstaff or explore cross country trails on snowshoes or Nordic skis easily accesses from parking areas.

High clearance vehicles or SUVs also tame the route’s gravel and dirt better than cars, especially in muddy months.

But the technical aspects pay off big for uncrowded vistas overlooking massive San Francisco Peaks, babbling creeks, frosted meadows, thick forests, and abounding wildlife without a telephone pole in sight – just refills for your soul.

14. Sample Southwest Cuisine from Local Restaurants

Southwest Cuisine from Local Restaurants

Taste southwest culture through Flagstaff’s distinctive culinary scene merging native traditions, Mexican influences, cowboy fare, health-conscious flare, and craft beverages.

Start your day with steel-cut Irish porridge oats or green chile pork posole, the hearty stew claimed by New Mexico, ladled generously at Cottage Place.

Enjoy native teas like greenthread and slender wheatgrass native used medicinally for centuries at Tees & Trees then grab award-winning salads and eclectic sandwiches for lunch at lively Karma Sushi Bar Grill.

For dinner, try Italian dishes highlighting local meats and vegetables like bison Bolognese at charming Brix Restaurant & Wine Bar inside a converted historic home.

Then finish exploring Flagstaff flavors with artisanal ice cream at Pizzicletta, house-made whiskey cocktails in the hip speakeasy vibe of Hops on Birch, or flights of locally brewed craft beers at Wanderlust Brewing Company.

15. Attend Local Community Events

Things To Do in Flagstaff : Flagstaff pro rodeo

A perennial college town vibe means Flagstaff locals always find reasons to gather giving visitors plenty of opportunities to experience Northern Arizona culture.

Every July, cowboys saddling up for youth rodeo events, an authentic cattle drive down Route 66, and cowboy poetry gatherings celebrate during Western Heritage Days and Navajo Rodeo.

Summer and early fall also host major Native American fairs and pow wows where tribal dancing, native cuisine, and arts and crafts keep native traditions vital and visible.

Year-round, catch free tune-filled bandstand concerts at Heritage Square or lively Flagstaff Community Market Saturday mornings from June to mid-October spotting the historic Santa Fe Railway station parking lot with 200 local vendors, music, and mountain views.

Or start Friday evenings at monthly First Friday ArtWalks downtown with bites, brews, and galleries staying open late.

16. Admire Architecture at Weatherford Hotel

Architecture at Weatherford Hotel

Climb Flagstaff’s “Stairway to Heaven” gazing at oversized portraits of alluring stars like Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, and Humphrey Bogart leading to the Weatherford Hotel’s lively third floor Zane Grey Ballroom named for the best-selling Western novelist who authored books here in the 1920s.

Flag down a bartender sporting red suspenders for the hotel’ssignature drink The Jackalope made with prickly pear syrup then make your way through the historic halls trying on cowboy hats and playing pool in the billiards room once frequented by glamorous Route 66 road trippers and Hollywood celebrities.

Ask the concierge about their ghost encounters! Overnight hotel guests report otherworldly knocks, footsteps, and light anomalies making this registered National Historic Place that hosted infamous Tombstone, Arizona guest Doc Holliday one of America’s most haunted. If you dare book Room 17! But even skeptics swoon for the Weatherford’s airy glamour and pivotal role in Flagstaff history.

17. Learn Local History at Pioneer Museum

Pioneer Museum

Discover Flagstaff’s story as a railroad boomtown turned Route 66 pitstop at this Smithsonian Museum housing over 10,000 artifacts in a historic 1904 log cabin near the train tracks.

Inside, intricate dioramas animate historic scenes like SHEEP International Convention of 1898 hosted in Flagstaff highlighting Northern Arizona’s wool trade.

Climb aboard the 1853 Baldwin steam engine No.20 and wander through the general store, newspaper office, loggers bunkhouse, schoolhouse, and early 20th-century home interiors highlighting cultural progressions.

Staff curators and docents provide extra tidbits not found in displays capturing 440 years of human activity since Spanish explorer’s earliest accounts in 1583. Grab kids for treasure hunts through the exhibits then let them play frontier games out back before leaving.

18. Taste Small-Town Charm in Historic Downtown

Small-Town Charm in Historic Downtown

Savor Northern Arizona’s small mountain town at relaxed local favorite Macy’s European Coffeehouse & Bakery filling Flagstaff mornings with sweet aromas for over 30 years.

Cozy window nooks, brick walls, and high wooden ceilings encourage lingering over generously sized blueberry pancakes with Arizona-shaped butter pats or hearty sandwiches named for surrounding destinations like the Grand Canyon (piled high with roast beef, onion like the canyon layers) or Sedona (with peppery greens).

Grab lunch a block away at Late for the Train excelling at soups, salads, and sandwiches since 2008 inside a converted 1926 gas station with Route 66 novelty. Then walk further downtown to century-old Hotel Monte

Vista for dinner with Sinatra and friends… or at least their caricatures sketched on walls overlooking the lively Bar Monte Vista where “the ghost of room 220” causes occasional otherworldly incidents currently captured on the bar’s Paranormal Page.

19. See Morning Glory Natural Bridge

Morning Glory Natural Bridge

This mammoth tunnel dripping in lava rock and framed by thick ponderosa pines looks like a movie set for trolls or magical portal into Middle Earth.

But in Coconino National Forest 15 miles outside Flagstaff, it’s just one mind-blowing pitstop along a short nature loop showcasing unique geological formations carved over centuries by underground lava tubes and abrasive erosion.

Look up speechless at Morning Glory’s sweeping sandstone archway spanning 140 feet wide, 100 feet tall, and dropping another 100 feet underground.

Then continue the flat, wheelchair-friendly roundtrip hike totaling under 0.5 miles viewing “little brother bridge”, windows peering into the cavernous tunnel or framing perfect views of mountain peaks beyond the forest.

Signage details the strange bridge’s probable origins when softer rock beneath harder layers collapsed then faster top layers eroded outward shaving the cathedral-like grotto.

20. Ride the World’s Most Patriotic Train: Grand Canyon Railway

Grand Canyon Railway

All aboard America! The magic of train travel meets the grandeur of Grand Canyon aboard this family-friendly passenger train with vintage appeal stretching 65-miles between Williams, Arizona and Grand Canyon Village.

Since 1901, the railway has carried countless wide-eyed travelers to the canyon’s doorstep aboard lovingly restored rail cars with kitschy themes.

Pick from First Class dome seating offering five-star dining, luxury parlor cars with western musicians and cowboy characters, or coaches with economical sightseeing. Seasonal themed event trains ride the rails year-round like The Pumpkin Patch Train or Polar Express.

En route, folksy narration and Wild West performers share canyon legends, ghost stories, and western tales as passing scenery transforms from high desert scrub brush to towering Ponderosa pines and breathtaking canyon-edge views along some of Route 66’s loneliest stretches.

Vintage train memorabilia displayed at the Williams depot captures America’s enduring romance with the iron horse before you even board your awaiting chariot.

21. Rent a Houseboat on Lake Powell

Rent a Houseboat on Lake Powell

Rent a decked out houseboat sleeping 10+ from one of the well-equipped marinas like Wahweap or Bullfrog for a few days up to a week, your floating vacation rental equipped with things like full baths, kitchens, waterslides, and padded sundecks for maximum relaxation under boundless blue skies.

Float lazily taking in fiery sunset colors mirrored on calm waters surrounding floating castles, stopping to splash and play.

Pull up onto sandy coves with legendary names like Padre Bay, Face Canyon, or Anasazi steps protected by towering canyon walls and dotted with native American granaries.

Drop anchor for the night at secluded sites like isolated Forgotten Canyon. Your days become sublime schedules dictated only by your whims and nature’s wonder floated upon leisurely thanks to boats complete with kitchens, electricity, running water and no need for boating skills.

22. Learn Local History at Historic Downtown Walking Tours

Historic Downtown Walking Tour

Especially for history buffs, Flagstaff comes alive through downtown walking tours by local guides intimately versed in tales of its Wild West past.

Most tours start at Visitor’s Center stepping quickly onto Route 66 mentally winding back clocks to its designation as “the Main Street of America” in 1926 just as cars and vacations exploded.

Hear bar stories of its visitors like Clark Gable, John Wayne, Al Capone, and Judy Garland who stayed at the haunted Monte Vista Hotel while making movies at Old Tusayan Ruins.

See Flagstaff’s frontier spirit in Old Town Shops facades whose wooden porches witnessed wagon trains rolling through the vast Arizona territory.

Stand before Rt. 66 Museum’s iconic neon signs once beckoning road trippers. And learn Flagstaff’s deeper stories, like violent conflicts between cowboys and lumberjacks, at historic spots like notorious Gurley Street or Purcell’s Saloon, today a cleverly themed cocktail bar with secret doors for bootleggers named The Annex.

23. Attend the Northern Arizona Woodturning Guild

Northern Arizona Woodturners Guild

Dig into Northern Arizona’s natural resources like ponderosa pines or junipers by getting your hands turning at monthly woodturning workshops by the Northern Arizona Woodturners Guild.

No experience needed to enroll in a three-hour artistry and skill-building session at their studio tucked among woodshops just south of Flagstaff.

Start sanding spin art birch bowls or mesquite goblets with patient guidance from experienced “turners” using everything from gouges to skews and follow up finishing techniques like Ararex, the art of scorching lightning-like lines across a piece with heated multi-wired tools.

Finish class appreciating regional wood varieties’ distinct colors and grains made glossy and smooth to expose their inner beauty.

Then admire advanced turner examples decorating the rustic meeting space while planning your next weekend project: a maple burl bowl or walnut pedestal candlestick holder! 25 workshops each month focus on a specific technique so continue advancing your lathe skills!

24. Sip Craft Beer at Historic Route 66 Local Hotspot

Sip Craft Beer at Historic Route 66 Local Hotspot: Museum club

Make a pit stop for craft brews at a local hot spot whose place in Flagstaff history runs deeper than most watering holes.

Pitchers at The Museum Club deliver thirsty gulps of cold beer, but walls whisper nearly nine decades of cultural stories spanning iconic Route 66’s post-Depression glory days to today’s vibrant Northern Arizona culture keeping its spirit alive.

Grab a seat at the carved oak bar under taxidermy animal trophies from its early days as a moonshine-fueled, cash-only taxidermy shop and hangout for route 66 travelers like John Wayne.

Try one of their classic greasy spoon burgers honored by Food Network then let the night flow into live country and western bands upholding this log cabin roadhouse’s cowboy spirit since 1936, making it Arizona’s oldest roadhouse.

25. Explore Native Cultures at Elden Pueblo Heritage Site

Explore Native Cultures at Elden Pueblo Heritage Site

Walk in the centuries-old footsteps of native Sinagua peoples who once inhabited the base of Mount Elden over 750 years ago.

Well-preserved foundations trace circular ceremonial kivas, family living spaces marked by grid room patterns, and corridors linking neighbors within the 14-acre Elden Pueblo site just minutes from downtown Flagstaff overlooking the volcanic mountain’s lava fields.

Displays explain three primary cultural groups – the early Archaic hunter-gathers, mid-level Pit house farmers, and eventual material Pueblo builders – who utilized the site at various times before mysteriously abandoning it in 1275 AD for reasons still puzzling archaeologists today.

A wheelchair-accessible paved Heritage Site loop trail connects everything so even mobility-limited visitors immerse easily in seven centuries of Native Arizona traditions.

Enjoy it as a peaceful escape to the past with panoramic mountain-framed views before grabbing lunch nearby in Flagstaff celebrating today’s enduring native cultural identity.

26. Tour Historic Route 66 Back Road Attractions

Tour Historic Route 66 Back Road Attractions

Hop in a classic ride from Route 66 Car Rentals to travel deeper into Northern Arizona nostalgia along the winding back roads paralleling the “Mother Road’s” path peppered with echoes of yesteryear road trip culture.

Put the top down 25 miles north in Williams touring the 1890s-era ranch house at Planes of Fame Air Museum or at Bearizona Wildlife Park driving among roaming black bears, wolves, and bison in the comfort of your own vehicle.

Then head 40 miles east towards Winona to walk across the glass bottom bridge over still water reflecting canyon walls 200 feet below at Grand Falls overlook, or snap pics channeling Hollywood at ruins of Old West film sets built in 1930s by cowboy actors including John Wayne and Ronald Reagan.

End the day at Seligman’s quirky Roadkill Café and Motel serving actual roadkill fare beside a historic Route 66 marking post before stepping back to 2007 via the original Route 66 photo mural backdrop.

27. Try Snow Tubing Adventure

Try Snow Tubing Adventure

Northern Arizona earns its snowbird reputation starting here at majestic Snowbowl ski area thanks to annual snowfall topping 260 inches – even on its summer tubing slopes!

Year-round the family-friendly Sunrise Park tubing hill sends riders cruising smoothly down groomed lanes or racing lanes for friendly competitions swirling through banked curves just like Olympic bobsled tracks before gently slowing in runout lanes asgroups cheer below.

Step back onto moving carpet lifts linking sessions riding alone or linking friends together on bigger tubes for double the fun.

Night tubing under glowing lights amps excitement especially on DJ nights bouncing beats until 9pm for an extra party element!

When legs tire, recharge fireside at the Sunrise Grill warming up with hot cocoa, hearty chili, sweet waffle bites or one final adrenaline boost down the hill before calling it a night.

28. Tour Ancient Cliff Dwellings at Walnut Canyon

Tour Ancient Cliff Dwellings at Walnut Canyon

Gaze awestruck like early explorers once did at awe-inspiring cliffside homes carved 700 years ago into limestone walls throughout Walnut Canyon National Monument.

The Island Trail’s paved loop accesses cliff dwelling rooms used by the Sinagua people blending so organically among golden cliffs they appear still inhabited if not for crumbling corners revealing their age and vacancy.

Peer into partially intact dwellings with original wooden ceiling beams shadowing protective alcoves that once stored tools or held grinding stones.

Displays explain daily activities and cultural insights regarding these peaceful farmers who mysteriously abandoned the canyon community around 1250 AD for unclear reasons after surviving the area’s volcano eruption 185 years earlier.

29. Dine at Historic Restaurants & Cafes

Historic Restaurants & Cafes

Indulge in classic comfort cuisine at easygoing Mama Burger established in 1938 continuing Flagstaff’s tradition of welcoming road-weary travelers with juicy burgers, hearty sandwiches, crisp salads, and thick milkshakes served in a cozy diner space.

Then cozy into a fireside booth for dinner at Mountain Oasis Restaurant at majestic Little America Hotel opened in 1952 offering elevated entrees spotlighting southwest ingredients with Four Diamond service and fine wines overlooking Flagstaff’s forested hillsides.

Start next day at Flagstaff institutions the Goldie’s Family Restaurant since 1969 flipping tall stacks of buttermilk pancakes under homey touches like gingham curtains or at MartAnne’s Burrito Palace on Route 66 since 1980 specializing in savory breakfast chiangas – exploring Flagstaff’s enduring culinary hospitality as deeply rooted as its towering pines.

30. Immerse at Museum of Northern Arizona

Museum of Northern Arizona

From stone tool-making to present-day Hopi pottery, the cultural story of Northern Arizona unfolds at this world-class center with Smithsonian affiliations located just north of downtown.

Massive collections turned thoughtful interactive exhibits define early nomadic Paleo-Indian lifestyles, track early farmers domesticating crops like corn, and reveal astonishing Puebloan advances in architecture aligned with astronomical bodies along the Colorado Plateau’s canyons and mountains.

Native American artwork collections shine in mediums like Hopi katsina dolls, Navajo rugs, and Zuni jewelry – one of North America’s best displays showcasing their artistry.

Outside, a life-size traditional village surrounds craft demonstrations around plazas and simulated archaeological digs reveal ancient artifacts buried for hands-on educational excitement to enrich any immersion into the region’s cultural landscape.

2 responses to “30 Best Things To Do in Flagstaff Arizona”

  1. satyam rastogi Avatar
    satyam rastogi

    Thanks for sharing this beautiful post ✍️

  2. Dalmatian Insider Avatar

    I love the more alpine feel and aesthetic of Flagstaff, in contrast to AZ’s more desert-y cities further south (although those are great, too!).

Leave a Reply