Flagstaff is northern Arizona’s main city, a university and railroad town set among ponderosa pines at around 7,000 feet beneath the San Francisco Peaks, the highest mountains in the state. It is about 80 miles — an hour and a half — from the South Rim, and the closest city with a wide choice of hotels, restaurants and services.
Its historic downtown sits on old Route 66 and the railway line, with brick buildings, breweries and cafés. Flagstaff was the world’s first International Dark Sky City, and Lowell Observatory, where Pluto was discovered in 1930, is open to visitors.
What to see and do: Flagstaff
Lowell Observatory
Daytime tours and evening stargazing sessions through historic and modern telescopes on Mars Hill, close to downtown.
Downtown and Route 66
Wander the historic centre, with its hotels from the railroad era, independent shops and a lively food and brewery scene.
Volcanoes and ancient pueblos
North of town, Sunset Crater Volcano and Wupatki National Monuments are linked by a scenic loop road; Walnut Canyon National Monument has cliff dwellings east of the city.
Day tours to the canyon
Several guided day tours to the South Rim start in Flagstaff — handy if you arrive by train or plane without a car.
How to get to Flagstaff
- Flagstaff has a small airport with connections via Phoenix, and an Amtrak station on the Southwest Chief line between Chicago and Los Angeles. By road it is about 2 hours from Phoenix and 4 from Las Vegas.
Insider tips
- Flagstaff is cooler than Phoenix or Sedona and gets real snow in winter — chains or winter tyres are sometimes needed.
- It is a good overnight stop between the Grand Canyon and Sedona.
Best tours & tickets for Flagstaff
These top-rated experiences pair well with a visit to Flagstaff:
Guided day tour from US$191 Grand Canyon Classic Sightseeing Tour Departing Flagstaff
A well-rated full-day tour from Flagstaff, about an hour and a half from the South Rim. The guide handles the driving and explains the geology as you work along the rim from viewpoint to viewpoint.
- Full day at the South Rim with a professional guide
- Explanations of how the canyon formed
- Several viewpoints along the rim
Guided day tour from US$191 From Sedona or Flagstaff: Grand Canyon Full-Day Tour
A narrated full-day trip to the South Rim from Sedona or Flagstaff, with a scenic drive through changing landscapes on the way and several stops along the rim.
- Fully narrated tour
- Drive along the South Rim
- History and geology of the canyon
Guided day tour from US$241 Sedona/Flagstaff: Grand Canyon Day Trip and Sunset
This day trip is timed so you are on the rim for sunset, when the colours and shadows are at their best. Highly rated, and a good choice if you want the evening light without having to drive back in the dark yourself.
- Timed to watch sunset over the canyon
- Several viewpoints with changing light
- Dinner stop at your own expense
Guided tour with train ride from US$383 Sedona/Flagstaff: Grand Canyon Tour & First-Class Train Ride
A neat combination: ride the Grand Canyon Railway one way from Williams to the South Rim, then tour the rim viewpoints with a guide before returning by road. You get the train experience without the full round-trip schedule.
- One-way first-class train from Williams to the canyon
- Guided viewpoint stops on the South Rim
- Return by van
