We are planning on a road trip in May thru Arizona and New Mexico. We plan on visiting both Flagstaff and Sedona on our drive thru northern Arizona. We'll be in the area for 3 nights and are wondering whether Sedona or Flagstaff would make a better base given the number of things to see and do in each location. Any suggestions?
Thanks.

Are you planning on hiking, or even just walking the trails? if so, stay in Sedona. I would stay in Sedona anyway. Flag is nice for the Lowell observatory (where Pluto, the nonplanet, was discovered) and a nice art museum, but other than that, not really enough for 3 nights. Sedona has much better scenery and food and shopping. And swimming at slide rock.

I agree - not enough in Flagstaff for a 3 night stay. Sedona has far more to do.

Depends on what you'd like to do. Weather should be good at both locations that time of year and there is hiking in both areas.

Sedona, Sedona, Sedona! I alwasys say Sedoan is like the Grand Canyon turned inside out - the scenery and trails cannot be beat! Get outdoors, walk the town, have great food - you'll be happy you picked Sedona!

Sedona. Flagstaff has a nice little downtown and NAU but Sedona is spectacular.

I wonder if the OP got to do this trip or if the Slide fire in Oak Creek Canyon prevented it. I have a friend who owns a place at Junipine in Oak Creek Canyon and the fire is literally less than a mile away from her place. So sad. During the brains fire in 2006 we had a poster on this board, USNR, who lived in Sedona and gave us daily updates. I wish he was still around here.

That should be the BRINS fire in 2006

Last I heard, it's 25% contained. Very sad in such a beautiful area.

Sedona. Nuff said.

We were in Sedona 2 hours before the fire started last week. We hiked down by Enchantment and as always it was grand. Sad for such a pretty area to be so devasted.