FLAGSTAFF, AZ (AZFamily)— Flagstaff is home to hundreds of local restaurants and bars, sits in the largest ponderosa pine forest in the world, and is a gateway to several national parks and monuments.
Many people may not think of Flagstaff as a traditional vacation destination despite all its offers. U.S. News and World Report recently ranked the city as one of the top 25 most underrated travel destinations in the U.S.
About 5 million people visit Flagstaff every year. Chloe Power is one of them, and she came all the way from Australia to see friends.
“Definitely underrated,” she said. “Honestly, when I think of Arizona, I think of like the Grand Canyon and Phoenix. I didn’t even know much about Flagstaff.”
She said she’s enjoyed the dark skies, the forests, and access to the Grand Canyon, but it’s been different from what she expected.
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“It’s very different to Australia,” Power said. “I’m used to the coast and beaches, so this is the perfect mix of like desert meets mountains. And the pine trees, like I was so surprised.”
U.S. News called it underrated because many people might just pass through on their way to places like the Grand Canyon or Sedona. Local residents Tayele Kringen and Cole North moved to Flagstaff a year ago from the valley. They said whether it’s underrated depends on who you ask.
“I feel like if you live in Arizona, you know about it but I think outside of Arizona, a lot of people don’t know about it,” Kringen said. “So whenever I have friends that live out of the state and I say we have mountains and a ski resort, they’re like ‘no you don’t. It’s all cactuses in Arizona.’”
Ryan Randazzo with Discover Flagstaff said the alpine city is more than just a place to fill up on gas. “I don’t think we’re underrated,” he said. “We think there’s plenty of things that make Flagstaff a destination in and of itself.”
So, whether you’re visiting Lowell Observatory or hitting the hiking trails, Randazzo said Flagstaff is the perfect place for summer, underrated or not
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“We see lots of folks come up here and really appreciate our city,” he said.
Discover Flagstaff has more information on local eats and attractions. You can visit their website here.
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