Sedona or flagstaff
 

After a week visiting the national parks in southern utah, we would like to spend three days in Arizona before heading back to Vegas. Where would you stay with two teenage boys? I've heard that Sedona has become very touristy. Any other favorite spots?

If your trip is in March, the boys could go to baseball spring training games and events in the Phoenix area.

The red rock landscape of Sedona is incredibly beautiful, but I don't like the town much. Very, very upscale touristy. We stay in Flagstaff and do a day trip to Sedona for hiking and outdoorsy stuff. Your boys might enjoy a visit to Slide Rock State (?) Park if you'll be there during warm waether months.

We've based ourselves both in Flag and Sedona on different trips, and I preferred Sedona for the hiking and surrounding scenery. Aside from dining, there is no need to get caught up in anything in town, which, despite the growing # of tourists, is still a very small town. We did some incredibly beautiful hikes...5 different ones in 4 days this past Thanksgiving week in Sedona. On one of those hikes, we passed no more than 6 others in 6 hours. Your boys would undoubtedly enjoy a Pink Jeep tour as well. We have not done them, but have hiked one of their routes, so if for some reason the jeep doesn't appeal, you can see some of the same things on foot that you can via jeep.

If you aren't interested in hiking, although the surrounding scenery is more beautiful in Sedona, you may prefer Flagstaff. Although we also hiked that area, you are within easy drives of Walnut Canyon, Wupatki, and Sunset Crater Nat'l Monuments--more than enough to keep you busy for 3 days. If you do decide on Flag, I'd at least take a drive down to Sedona one day--it'd be a shame to get that close but never see the REd Rock area. It is just incredibly beautiful.

We ended up in Flag at relatives house after spending three days in Vegas, followed by a day in Zion, day in Bryce, day at S. Rim, day driving to Flag. By the time we got to Flag, all my 14-year-old wanted to do was get on the computer and instant message his friends back home. But he did enjoy the college atmosphere of Flagstaff, the book stores, little shops, funky restaurants, just walking around. He passed on a day-trip to Sedona, and honestly I think it was a good idea that he did. I don't think he would have been impressed at all, although I wished my husband and I could have spent a little more time there.