One of the many advantages of staying in hotels in Flagstaff, AZ is the stunning outdoor landscape, but if you are in town in mid-October, take the opportunity to enjoy an indoor event like the Flagstaff Mountain Film Festival.  Founded in 2003, the five-day event showcases filmmakers from all walks of life.

Flagstaff Arizona hotels certainly offer ample television and movie options, but only the Flagstaff Mountain Film Festival provides unique films about topics such as river kayaking, modern Hopi culture, and California condors. You can purchase tickets individually or buy a VIP pass for full access to the festival.

The festival features both award-winning submissions and films created by local students and emerging filmmakers. Some of the student films presented in the festival are results of the Emerging Filmmaker Program, a free program for high school students in the Flagstaff area.

Briefly leave the comfort of your hotel in Flagstaff and go out dinner and a movie.  You can find fabulous restaurants all year long, and if you are fortunate enough to be here during the Flagstaff Mountain Film Festival, go catch a flick in the historic Orpheum Theater.

Visiting hotels in Flagstaff, AZ is always something to look forward to, but if you plan your trip to coincide with the first Friday of any month, you’re in for a great evening at the downtown First Friday Art Walk. Conveniently located near your Flagstaff hotel you will find the city bustling with music, art, and performance from 6pm to 9pm, and all of it is completely free.

Both art galleries and local businesses participate with exhibitions, readings, book signings, and free food and drink. Some downtown Flagstaff, AZ hotels also sponsor the event. The festivities are definitely not just limited to artwork displays; you can grab a glass of wine, meet authors, donate food to charity, or even get a quick massage.

Locals love this monthly event and visitors come from far and wide to participate. Flagstaff, Arizona hotels offer a great home base for you to see what all the excitement is about. Next time you book a Flagstaff hotel, schedule it for a First Friday Art Walk and check it out for yourself. You’ll have a great time, whether you’re an art connoisseur or just looking for a fun time on a Friday night.

Tourists staying in hotels in Flagstaff, AZ, will want to visit Wupatki National Monument for a fascinating cultural experience.  The 100-hundred room Wupatki Pueblo was once the largest in the area and served as a community center for many different cultures.  Today, you can explore this cultural gem in a short day trip from your Flagstaff hotel.

After leaving the comfort of Flagstaff, AZ hotels to visit Wupatki, it is challenging to imagine living in the harsh climate of the Colorado Plateau.  Although agriculture was made possible in the eleventh century, there is limited water in the high desert.  Fortunately, Flagstaff, Arizona hotels provide a reminder of how nice it is to live with today’s modern amenities.  At the park, you can take a self-guided tour through Wupatki Pueblo and explore the Visitor Center see artifacts from the cultures that once called Wupatki home.

After your journey to the high plateau, return to your hotel in Flagstaff for air conditioning, fine dining, and a comfortable night’s sleep.  After seeing what life was like before all these modern amenities, you’ll appreciate all the luxuries we have today.

Northern Arizona is the site of the best-preserved meteorite impact site in the entire world. Meteor Crater is an interesting and educational excursion for tourists staying at hotels in Flagstaff, AZ.  Just a short drive away from your comfortable accommodations, you can see the result of a meteor that hit Earth more than 50,000 years ago.

Start your tour at the Meteor Crater Visitor Center and take in the educational video presented in the widescreen movie theater.  A series of science displays and exhibits highlight other meteor impact sites, artifacts, and the Apollo training center for astronauts.  Finish with a walk along one of the self-guided trails, or take a guided rim tour.

At the time the crater was formed, nobody lived in Northern Arizona.  Now, you can stay at a Flagstaff hotel and enjoy fine dining and other cultural attractions.  Flagstaff, AZ hotels are also close to the Lowell Observatory, another fascinating stop for space buffs.

Hotels in Flagstaff, AZ are excellent places to stay for year-round activities in the area, but stargazers often like to explore Lowell Observatory in spring and summer. The observatory is located outside of the city to provide the best light conditions, so the most convenient accommodations can be found in a Flagstaff hotel.

The center was designed for both doing research and educating the public, so there is plenty for the casual visitor to see and do. You can participate in a tour, watch a multi-media program, or view one of the many permanent exhibits. There is also a solar telescope for viewing the sun for a short time each day.

Flagstaff, AZ hotels are some of the best places to stay if you want to view the night sky. Lowell Observatory telescopes can show celestial bodies like the moon, Jupiter, seasonal constellations, and star clusters. No matter what time of year you visit Flagstaff, Arizona hotels are available for your comfort and convenience. The observatory has both daytime and evening programs, so you can rest in your hotel in Flagstaff between visits if you want to take advantage of everything it has to offer.

Hotels in Flagstaff, AZ are a perfect home base for exploring the landmarks of the original Route 66. Unlike many other sections of the old road throughout the country, it has been well preserved, so a Flagstaff hotel provides convenience and proximity to the historical sites.

Many original Flagstaff, AZ hotels on Route 66 are still standing, along with other historic buildings that are made of native stone. The downtown walking tour highlights eight different sites with descriptions and stories about the old days. Several new Flagstaff, Arizona hotels are conveniently located near the old Route 66, so you can enjoy modern comforts while you take in the historical setting.

The Museum Club is a legendary Route 66 road house that is still in operation, so you can grab a cool drink while you learn about the local history of Flagstaff. Hotel accommodations nearby will make your stay comfortable and convenient.

If you want to drive along the old Route 66, it extends through the Arizona desert both East and West of the city. No matter which way you go, you can return to the comfort of your hotel in Flagstaff after a long day on the old road.

When you travel to the Southwest, make of one the fantastic hotels in Flagstaff AZ your home base. Staying in a Flagstaff hotel keeps you centrally located, so you can conveniently access both local attractions and the regional sites a short drive away. Whether you enjoy museums, the outdoors, or shopping, Flagstaff is the ideal location for exploring northern Arizona.

One of the attractions near Flagstaff, Arizona hotels is The Arboretum at Flagstaff, which highlights Arizona’s native plant and animal life. Enjoy a leisurely walk on the nature trail and a picnic before returning to the comfort and convenience of your hotel. For more adventurous travelers, Flagstaff, AZ hotels are close to the Arizona Snowbowl, where you can ski or take the Scenic Skyride for views of the stunning landscape.

Choosing a hotel in Flagstaff is the best way to make the most of your Arizona vacation. Unique shops line the streets of the Historic District, and world-class restaurants offer an eclectic mix of culinary options. The best way to see the advantages of staying in a Flagstaff hotel is simply to try it!

Ever take a glance out your flagstaff hotel or home window, seeing the midnight sky, and been amazed by its enriched clarity, wondering how it could be so translucent.  Well, beside its natural woodland environment, Flagstaff has made an extreme effort to preserve its dark skies as it is home to one of our countries more prestige observatories: Lowell Observatory. Founded in 1894, Lowell observatory has made an imprint on astronomical science for more than 100 years- being deemed a National Historic Landmark in 1965 by the United States.

Lowell Observatory rests just west of downtown Flagstaff at Mars Hill, where it hosts a 24-inch (0.61m) telescope now used for educational purposes- as oppose to its earlier years of research driven surveillance. Today, public educators along with those intrigued by its history can visit Lowell Observatory during the evening by joining guided tours that explore its unique setting. Guests will be welcome to experience a variety of telescopes and enjoy a wide-screen multimedia presentation of its history. Flagstaff, AZ’s Lowell Observatory creates the perfect chance to undergo a night exploration into a sheer, midnight sky.

Arizonans who live in Phoenix love to beat the summer heat with a trip to the northern part of the state such as Flagstaff. When summer temperatures are in the triple digits, Flagstaff offers a cool oasis with temps that are 10 to 15 degrees cooler. During summer, hotels in Flagstaff, AZ are busy keeping up with all the in and out-of-state tourists. But Flagstaff is also a popular winter destination thanks to lots of snow.

Flagstaff gets an average of 114 inches of snow every year; making it a popular destination for skiers and snowboarders. The area also sees its share of bad storms including the one earlier this year that dumped over 20 inches of snow on the city in one week. That storm was good news for hotels in Flagstaff, AZ.

Arizona Snowbowl is one of the most popular skiing destinations in northern Arizona and is just 14 miles away from Flagstaff. Snowbowl is one of the reasons that Flagstaff, AZ hotels really heat up in the winter as visitors flock to the area to hit the slopes. Snowbowl offers features 32 skiing trails serviced by 4 lifts for skiers and snowboarders of all ability levels. In addition, they offer skiing instruction as well as ski and snowboard rentals.

Summer with the Stars

School is back in session and summer is drawing to a close, but there's still time to catch the "Summer with the Stars" exhibit at the Lowell Observatory. The exhibit has been running since June and will conclude at the end of this month. Guests recommend the Lowell's 24" Alvan Clark refractors, and for those of you who want to come back in the future, by this time next year the observatory will have a new main attraction, the Discovery Channel Telescope a 4.2-meter telescope rising seven stories above the top of a cinder cone forty miles from Flagstaff. Hope you're not afraid of heights.


















Fitness

Bicycle Polo...
If you've never heard of this don't worry, you're not the first. This event takes place every night from 5:30 pm - 7pm at the NAU Sports Field. Students along with locals started the tradition and the participants have grown tremendously over the years. However, the sport is not at all a new phenomenon, in fact it has been around for quite some time now, with groups and teams playing all over the world. If you're interested in seeing or participating in the spectacle all you need to bring is a bicycle and a helmet, the polo sticks are provided.



Art & Culture

As always downtown Flagstaff is full of great art, and this month is no different as the Museum of Northern Arizona will be featuring local Phoenix artist Ed Mell, whose paintings and sculptures have captivated audiences throughout the southwest. Mell often abstracts his images and uses contrasting tones of color to intensify a scene and capture ephemeral moments of nature to portray the majestic panoramas of the desert Southwest. His work has been featured in various publications throughout the country.

There's so much to do and see in Flagstaff but you'll need time to see all these wonderful attractions. Make reservations at any of the fine hotels in Flagstaff to plan your next vacation.