Flagstaff Must-Do List: 24 hours in Flagstaff, AZ

You’ve only got 24 hours in Flagstaff, AZ and that means that you have no time to waste. Print out this quick list and read it during free breakfast at your Flagstaff hotel.

 

1.)    Early birds will enjoy the drive to Walnut Canyon National Monument for a jog or walk among the Ponderosa pines on Park Road that leads to the visitor center. The remote park feels centuries away, yet is only 7.5 miles east of Flagstaff. There you find what some local anthropologists call “the best little museum” on the region’s ancestral Puebloan culture. For the small amount of time that you invest in the museum and 14-minute video, you get a good overview of the prehistoric account of the people of the area. Overlook Walnut Canyon or take the Island Trail down to the ruins below. Operating hours change seasonally, so click here for opening times. http://www.nps.gov/waca/planyourvisit/hours.htm

2.)    Riordan Mansion State Historic Park is a preserve of frontier life right inside Flagstaff’s city limits. Guided tours are given on the top of the hour of the Arizona architectural treasure filled with original artifacts, handcrafted furniture, and personal mementos of the Riordan families. The impressive Arts-and-Crafts-style home contains an exceptional collection of Craftsman furnishings with appointments by Edison, Stickley, Ellis, and Steinway. Open 10:30 am – 5:00 pm on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays.

3.)    A late lunch at Beaver Street Brewery in the seasonal outdoor beer garden is only one block south of Flagstaff’s historic train station. Sample hand-crafted local brews and local’s favorite foods. http://www.beaverstreetbrewery.com/

4.)    Stroll north along Beaver Street across the railroad tracks and through historic downtown Flagstaff to shop for Native American jewelry, southwestern art or cowboy hats. Grab a caramel apple at Brookside Chocolate Company, sit in Heritage Square and mingle with the locals. Don’t miss Gene’s Western Wear, Old Town Shops and Winter Sun Trading Company.

5.)    Dinner at one of Flagstaff’s newest hot spots: the Tinderbox Kitchen. The T-Box was featured on the cover of Arizona Highways magazine as a “Top 25 Restaurants in Arizona” and locals are enthusiastic about Chef Scott’s American Comfort Food Redefined menu.

6.)    Head out to the Museum Club, Flagstaff’s country western dance club for some “boot scootin’.” Located on Old Route 66, the two-story log roadhouse is on the National Register of Historic Places and was named among "top 10 roadhouses" by Car & Driver Magazine.

7.)    Call the front desk of your Flagstaff hotel, and ask for a late wake up call. Good night, Flagstaff, AZ!