As someone who lived in Flagstaff for two years, I can say from experience that Flagstaff is awesome 365 days a year. This includes days when you're snowed in and you know that you're going to need dig your car out when the weather permits. This also includes days when it's hot out. There is something magical about this little mountain town that makes it a special place year-round. Thank you for your consideration and I hope this helps! Best, Nick Varga nick@eridejournal.com
With three days in flagstaff, you'll be able to cover a lot of the amazing spots in the city. You can go zip lining above pine forests, enjoy the charming downtown, make a day trip to the Grand Canyon, and also visit Lake Powell. Three days will be enough for you to cover all these areas without missing out on anything. Explore the town on day one, whether on foot, segway, or hire a bike. On day two, you can visit the landscapes to the North, including the Colorado River, and then you can finally take a tour of the Grand Canyon on day three. You will definitely enjoy your three days.
Flagstaff is an amazing city that you could easily spend several days exploring. To get the full experience, I would recommend spending at least three days in the city. On the first day, you should take the time to explore the downtown area, with its many shops, restaurants, and galleries. On the second day, you should take a trip to one of Flagstaff's surrounding areas, such as the nearby San Francisco Peaks, Sunset Crater volcano, or the Wupatki National Monument. On the third and final day, you can relax and explore the natural beauty of Flagstaff, such as the hikes at Buffalo Park or the incredible views from the top of Humphreys Peak. All in all, three days are the perfect amount of time to take in the sights, sounds, and flavors of Flagstaff and its surrounding areas.
I'd recommend five days. I'm always an advocate for spending enough time visiting a destination that you get a real feel for its environment. Five days is typically a good amount for one region, because it allows you to take in more than one facet of the town. In Flagstaff, you could easily spend a day seeing the town, one checking out local museums, one heading out to the Grand Canyon, one touring local archaeological sites and one on the trails. Five days should provide enough time for a reasonable visit.
One should estimate spending 5-7 days in Flagstaff, mainly depending on if a trip to the Grand Canyon is on the schedule. The vibrant downtown and vast array of parks and attractions will encompass a good chunk of a full week. Seeing the Grand Canyon is a full day by itself, two to truly explore and understand the beauty of it.