Flagstaff has something to offer all throughout the year… hiking in spring, cooler temperatures in summer, beautiful colors in fall, and skiing in the winter. All just two hours North of Phoenix! It’s a great destination for a quick day trip or a weekend, and could be combined with a visit to the Grand Canyon, to Sedona or a ride on the Verde Canyon Railroad. This two-day itinerary was based on a fall weekend trip coming from Phoenix. You could do most of this in just one jam-packed day, or even stay two nights and stretch it in to three days. Keep in mind that Flagstaff is at just under 7,000 ft of elevation, so don’t plan anything too strenuous without spending a day or two acclimating first, drink lots of water, and don’t forget the sunscreen!
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Here is a sample itinerary for a summer or fall trip to Flagstaff, Arizona:
DAY 1: WALNUT CANYON, PIZZA, AND THE LOWELL OBSERVATORY:
Start your day early enough so that you arrive at Walnut Canyon by early afternoon. Grab a quick lunch on the road. From the North side of Phoenix, it’s just about two hours to Walnut Canyon. It’s a beautiful place to take in the views (a combination of evergreens, cacti, and stone pueblos). There’s a one-mile loop that takes you on a tour of the canyon, where you’ll see 25 of these ancient dwellings carved in the side of the cliffs. You probably won’t need more than about an hour there.
After visiting Walnut Canyon, head about 15 minutes West to Flagstaff. I recommend staying at the High Country Motor Lodge, which is within walking distance of downtown and Northern Arizona University. It has a really cool vibe that is Up-North Lodge meets Mid-Century Modern. There’s a great common area off the lobby for relaxing with a drink or snack from their General Store, a beautiful bar, a large indoor game area (plus a lawn outside for lawn games), and several fire pits outside for staying cozy in the evenings. For an extra charge, they also have an Arctic Spa where you can cycle through a sauna, a cold plunge, and then relaxation (similar to the Scandinave Spa experience we had in Whistler, which I loved)…I need to make time for this on my next trip! It was also fun to watch the teenagers try to figure out how to play a cassette tape in this tape player in the room…haha!
After check-in, have a drink in the bar, or head downtown (about a 20-minute walk) to try one of the many local breweries in downtown Flagstaff. I’d recommend Dark Sky Brewing. They have indoor and outdoor spaces, live music, and a wide variety of local beers and cocktails. They have food too, but we just stopped for Happy Hour on our visit.
From there, walk about 5 minutes down the road to Pizzicletta for dinner. It’s a tiny space, but also has outdoor seating. They have delicious focaccia, salads, and Neapolitan pizza (my favorite!)…and Chocolate Sea Salt gelato for dessert! As usual, I was so excited to eat the pizza, I forgot to take a picture…
After dark, make your way up to the Lowell Observatory, where Pluto was discovered in 1930. It’s open until 10PM on weekends (be sure to check the website for current hours), which is best for star gazing. They offer constellation tours, viewing through several telescopes on their deck (on our visit we saw Saturn, a star cluster, and a nebula), as well as exhibits on the history of the first telescopes. I wasn’t able to take pictures due to their dark-sky rules, but the star gazing was absolutely amazing…so many stars, and you could even see the Milky Way in plain view! Definitely worth a visit on a clear night. Plan on spending 1-2 hours here.
After the observatory, if you’re not too tired from the day, enjoy all that the hotel has to offer…snuggle up around a fire pit, enjoy the hot tub on a cool night, or cozy up with a board game and hot cocoa in the game area. You’ll sleep well after all that fresh air!
DAY 2: ALPINE HIKE, BEER TASTING, AND CAMPUS TOUR:
On Day 2, we slept in and grabbed Starbucks for breakfast before checking out. We were just doing a one-night trip this time. Be sure to check the weather report (it can change quickly), dress in layers, and be sure to pack lots of water. We headed up North toward Snowbowl Ski Resort (about 30 minutes from downtown Flagstaff), which is a really scenic drive up through the pines, until you get to the Aspen Trail Loop trailhead, which is at 9,300 ft of elevation. This is also the trailhead for Humphrey’s Peak, if you’re up for a challenge (over 3,000 ft and 10 miles round-trip)!
For a more moderate hike, Aspen Trail Loop has very little elevation gain (just about 300 ft), and is just 2.7 miles…it’s good for all ages and abilities, as long as you can handle the elevation. You will get winded much quicker on this hike than you’d expect. It’s a mix of hiking through the aspen trees (absolutely gorgeous shades of yellow during October in peak color season), combined with several varieties of pines, grasses, and vast mountain views. We were about a week too early for peak fall colors, but still a really beautiful fall hike!
After the hike, you’ll be ready for some lunch! Head back down to downtown Flagstaff. One of the really popular spots in town is Lumberyard Brewing Company, so we had to give it a try! Again, many local Arizona beers to try (do a tasting if you can’t decide!), and a wide variety of food. They also have a nice patio area that is really enjoyable on a gorgeous day. Of course, I forgot to take pictures of the food again…good thing I’m not a food blogger!
Before heading back to Phoenix, I’d recommend walking around downtown to do a little shopping or grab some ice cream for dessert. Alternatively, park near 1899 Bar & Grill on the NAU campus and take a walk through the grounds. On a beautiful fall day, it’s a great way to enjoy the fall colors…there are trees everywhere in shades of yellow, green, and red.