Will be spending a day and a half in the Flagstaff area after visiting the Grand Canyon and Sedona. The AAA book list several points of interest in the area including Wupatki National Monument, Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument, Walnut Canyon National Monument,and Lowell Observatory. Any opinions on any of these sights or of anything else of interest in the area? Woul it be worth the time maybe to drive over to the Petrified Forrest/Painted Desert?

Hope someone will answer this as I also am interested.

The Painted Desert/Petrified Forest is interesting, but if you are willing to invest enough time to drive that far, then I would suggest Monument Valley, the mesa country and the Canyon de Chelly cliff dwellings as inspiring and awesomely scenic drives.

Agree with Jim to definitely include Monument Valley and Canyon de Chelly, even if it means excluding others on your list...both these, with the tours, are fabulous. Sorry to say that, as a native Arizonan, I have never been to any of the places you mentioned, except Sunset Crater, so I also have something to learn.

OK, how come there are so many people on this site that have been to the Grand Canyon and Sedona, yet nobody goes to Flagstaff?

Well probably because Flagstaff doesn't have much in it, unless your a college student or a skiier. Went to downtown for dinner and didn't even feel safe, very run down. I haven't done any touristy stuff there, but I would stick w/ Sedona, much nicer.

Joanie, if you have not already done this, use the TEXT SEARCH feature.
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There are many messages you will find an interesting read.
Last April, we stayed in Flagstaff at the Hampton Inn; picked it cuz it's fairly new and off busy I-40. Though nothing terribly special, it we had a nice room, it has an indoor pool, staff was pleasant, and the included breakfast buffet was EXTENSIVE; from fresh fruit to mini muffins. $79 for a Saturday night with AAA discount.
Downside to the Flagstaff area is that it seems every cargo train -- and there are LOTS of them - goes thru town 24/7 - so there's the hooting of trains which is inescapable. I wish I had had earplugs, truly, I did.

A fun place to eat - Black Barts! The waiters and waitresses put on a little show while serving. Piano playing, Singing and dancing. Lots of fun!

Hi Joanie,

If you like indian history/culture (and can climb up and down) you will like Walnut Canyon. It is practically in Flagstaff.

Wupatki is a dud. Sunset Crater is a nice hole in the ground about 60 miles east of Flag - a nice touch for those interested in large holes in the ground.

Lowell Observatory is in Flag and worth seeing.

The Petrified Forest/Painted Desert is nice to pass through if you are going that way; but I would not go that way as a destination.

If you like historical buildings stop and see the Reardon house in Flagstaff. (The Reardon's were early settlers/movers/shakers)

Have fun.

I get to Flagstaff every couple of years, and the one place I always go back to is Wupatki. Given the chance, I never pass up the chance to visit.
Walnut Canyon is interesting, too, but I don't visit every time I'm there.