| | Overview (Source: Frommers) |
150 miles N of Phoenix; 32 miles E of Williams; 80 miles S of Grand Canyon Village With its wide variety of accommodations and restaurants, the great outdoors at the edge of town, three national monuments nearby, one of the state's finest museums, and a university that supports a lively cultural community, Flagstaff makes an ideal base for exploring much of northern Arizona. The San Francisco Peaks, just north of the city, are the site of the Arizona Snowbowl ski area, one of the state's main winter playgrounds. In summer, miles of trails through these same mountains attract hikers and mountain bikers, and it's even possible to ride the chairlift for a panoramic vista that stretches 70 miles north to the Grand Canyon. Of the area's national monuments, two preserve ancient Indian ruins and one an otherworldly landscape of volcanic cinder cones. It was as a railroad town that Flagstaff made its fortunes, and after several years of renovations, the historic downtown offers a glimpse of the days when the city's fortunes rode the rails. The railroad still runs right through the middle of Flagstaff, much to the dismay of many visitors, who find that most of the city's inexpensive motels (and even some of the more expensive places) are too close to the busy tracks to allow them to get a good night's sleep. Back to Top Maps Flagstaff
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| History (Source: WCities) | Top | The first settlers in Flagstaff, drawn to the cool pine forests around 15,000 to 20,000 years ago, shared the land with bison, antelope and camel, supporting their people by hunting and foraging, until they settled into an agricultural way of life, surviving on a diet of beans, squash and corn. From those early settlers, the Sinagua evolved, a tribe that moved into the area of present-day Flagstaff and south to Oak Creek Canyon around the year 1,000 CE. Their name is derived from the Spanish for "no water," a reference to the leaky, porous limestone cliffs where the tribe built dwellings that were noted by the first Spanish explorers. The Sinagua constructed an elaborate system of irrigation and adobe pueblos in the nooks and niches of protective cliffs such as Walnut Canyon , but by the time the Spaniards came to the region in the 16th Century, the Sinagua had already abandoned their homes for reasons that are still unclear. Historians debate whether they were driven away by drought, disease or hostile Athabascan tribes invading from the north. Hundreds of ruins like those at Wupatki National Monument have been found to prove the tribe existed, but nothing remains to confirm why they left. European settlers did not move into the area until the 1870s, soon after the Apaches had been driven to southeastern Arizona. A few colonizers arrived in 1876 and established a settlement called Agassiz near San Francisco Peaks but, lacking the knowledge and technology of the
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| How To Get There (Source: WCities) | Top | Getting There Air Flagstaff-Pulliam Regional Airport ( FLG ) +1 928 556 1234 FLG is located three miles south of the city and services the following airlines: US Airways ( +1 800 428 4322/ http://www.usairways.com ) From the Airport Transportation options to and from the airport are limited. From the airport, taxi providers and rental cars are the best means of transportation. Taxi: A Friendly Cab ( +1 928 774 4444 ) Alternative Taxi ( +1 928 213 1111 ) A-1 Quick Cab & Tours ( +1 928 214 8294 ) Arizona Taxi & Tours ( +1 928 779 1111 ) Car Rental: Avis ( +1 800 831 2847/ http://www.avis.com ) Enterprise ( 1+ 800 736 8227/ http://www.enterprise.com/car_rental/home ) Budget ( +1 800 527 0700/ http://www.budget.com ) Hertz ( +1 800 654 3131/ http://www.hertz.com ) Train Amtrak ( +1 800 872 7245/ http://www.amtrak.com ) offers services to Flagstaff. Bus Flagstaff is serviced by Greyhound ( +1 800 231 2222/ http://www.greyhound.com ) which provides transportation to destinations throughout America. Car Flagstaff is easily accessible from I-17, I-40 and US Highways 66, 89, 180, and 487. Getting Around Bus Mountain Lion Transit ( +1 928 779 6624 ) provides a bus service around the city six days a week and Northern Arizona University provides service on their MCT ( +1 928 523 5052 ) shuttles five days a week. One of the most effective w
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| What To Do (Source: WCities) | Top | With its large student and artist population, Flagstaff is able to offer visitors a varied cultural scene, combining small-town charm with a selection of urban excitement that includes classical symphony concerts, Native American dances and rodeos. While most of the tourist crowds come to town looking for natural beauty, there is no dearth of cultural attractions to keep them entertained while figuring out the best way to see the Grand Canyon. During recent years, the City Council and the Chamber of Commerce have stepped up efforts to put the town on the map as the cultural center of Northern Arizona. If they succeed, Flagstaff may well become to Arizona what Santa Fe is to New Mexico. Festivals Year-round arts and music festivals, both indoors and outdoors, have rapidly become the mainstay of cultural life in town. As one of Arizona's few true wintering spots, Flagstaff puts on a good show in the snow for the Flagstaff Winterfest in February, provided, of course, that snowfall becomes more abundant than it has been in recent years; but even without snow and sled dog races, the concerts and cultural events of the festival are always fun to attend. Throughout the year, Northern Arizona University (NAU) , the center of scientific and artistic activity in Flagstaff, hosts many special events, concerts, exhibits and theatrical performances featuring national talent in a variety of media. Summer brings the Celebration of Native American Art, an event that ho
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