Compared to the desert-urban enclave of Phoenix and resort-filled Sedona, Flagstaff often gets written off as a pit stop – a place to pause on a long road trip to the Grand Canyon. But it shouldn't be dismissed so swiftly. This city of 69,000, in the shadows of the San Francisco Peaks and hemmed in by ponderosa pine forests, exudes a laid-back, outdoorsy charm. Locals, who bike, ski, hike – and enjoy a craft beer or two – infuse the city with life, and neighboring Northern Arizona University's college students lend the city some youthful energy, too.
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