The 13 best public squares in Flagstaff

We stopped here on our recent trip to Flagstaff. We are very happy that we did, even though the sky did not cooperate during our visit. They have a few very nice telescopes that they let the public view through. The history of the facility is just as impressive. I had no idea this facility is where the dwarf planet Pluto was discovered. There are a lot of nice displays and exhibits to interact with. The staff were all great. The shows in the auditorium were fun and informative. We definitely recommend stopping in and checking the place out.

What a wonderful place to visit for the whole family! Toddler play room, interactive room for all ages, demos and talks. Looks like these guys thought of it all. Very beautiful campus to walk around. Definitely go see different telescopes they have and take a look at the sun and the sun spots during the day. Make sure to come back at night because this place is happening! You will see a variety of celestial object in the sky through telescopes and with a naked eye. Make sure to ask questions. Everybody who works here is super friendly and will gladly engage in a conversation about all space matters ❤️

I cannot say enough good things about this place. It was absolutely amazing. I live in Colorado and I have no problem making the 8 Hour Dr. back exclusively to visit this place. The staff is wonderful, the amenities are very nice and clean, it’s incredibly family, friendly, and well designed, and the night viewing is fantastic. One of my favoriteplaces I’ve ever gone to.

My first visit was a fantastic experience! The live constellation show, while an additional cost, felt like a worthwhile investment for a complete nighttime experience. There are plenty of exhibits to explore, making it easy to spend a lot of time on the grounds. The auditorium show was a definite highlight, with the immersive elements truly enhancing the sense of scale. For those planning a visit, I'd highly recommend checking the moon phase beforehand, especially if you're interested in the rooftop observation. When the moon was nearly full, it made spotting constellations more challenging, as they were often positioned behind us, away from the observation area. It was also difficult to see the guide's laser pointer due to the bright light. Planning around the moon's cycle could help you get the most out of this particular part of the program."

WOW. That's all ai have to say about the updates and new visitor center. I took my family today and had a wonderful experience. The exhibits are educational, but so much more! They are interactive with sensory based learning, and everyone left with new knowledge. I have always recommended Lowell and now I can be even more enthusiasts about it. Bravo.

We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to the Lowell Observatory! The exhibits, engaging activities, and telescopes were absolutely fascinating. The staff was knowledgeable and made the experience even more enjoyable. We didn’t have enough time to explore everything, but we’re definitely looking forward to returning on a dark night to get the full stargazing experience!

This place is amazing. Astronomy lovers and sci-fi fans will really love this place! The presentation and star gazing was awesome and I even saw a couple shooting stars. The exhibits are cool and the kids area was incredible. The staff were nice and very knowledgeable. I even looked at some distant planets with some massive telescopes!

The rangers and volunteers here are so kind and sweet. Loved this park so much. Love that its less crowded too. Ive been to a few with native dwellings. I plan to see all of them. This one is in the top 3. Beautiful views.

The history here is incredible, what a great place to visit. You need to know that it is not a quick in and out if you want to hike the whole trail, and there are a billion, or maybe 10 billion stairs. 😄 But it really is a good hike, read up on it a bit before you go so you can see the significance of this awesome place. The visitors center has restrooms, information, and a small gift shop. There is the Rim trail also which is shorter and flat, in case the stairs are an issue. Plenty of parking too, I highly recommend.

Wulnut Canyon was a surprise for me and I would recommend to visit this place. Amazing walk and tour through the Canyon. There's a parking place on the front and you pay the National Park entrance fee what is valid for next 7 days if you visit again or other things in National Park. It's not valid for the Grand Canyon, you pay for that separately.

A Hidden Gem on the Road: Walnut Canyon National Monument During a road trip, we discovered Walnut Canyon National Monument by surprise, and it turned out to be a truly beautiful and unexpected place. It's a slice of nature that hides from the highway, revealing a spectacular landscape with ancient ruins. A Place to Explore and Enjoy: The park is very well-organized and maintained. The facilities are clean, including the restrooms, and the staff is very friendly. Although it was a quick visit for us, we realized it's a place where you can stay as long as you like. There's a picnic area with breathtaking views of the canyon, perfect for relaxing and enjoying the peaceful surroundings. The site has a visitor center, a souvenir shop, and, most notably, trails that lead down into the canyon. These paths allow visitors to get a closer look at the ruins, which are like "houses" built into the canyon walls by past civilizations. Although we didn't have time to do these hikes, they looked safe and well-marked. A Worthwhile Destination: In summary, Walnut Canyon National Monument is a tranquil and beautiful place that is definitely worth visiting. It's a perfect addition to a road trip and a gem we hope to explore with more time in the future.

Absolutely beautiful place! The scenery is breathtaking and the trails are very well maintained. A special thank you to Ranger Lucy — she was so kind, caring, and incredibly patient with us, even though we arrived about 20 minutes before closing time. She took the time to explain everything clearly and made us feel so welcome. Her dedication truly made our visit extra special. Highly recommend visiting this gem!

Amazing views and opportunities to.go into the ruins. Easy trail along the rim and a more difficult assending/descending trail that goes around the Island. Picnic areas nice Restrooms and Visitor center. Use your National Parks Pass

Walnut Canyon National Monument is absolutely stunning. It does not require a long hike and you can take in so much of the canyon with just a short walk. The staff here was so friendly and helpful. The views were stunning and very much worth stopping by.

For anyone that loves house tours & history- definitely put this on your list! Highlight of our trip for me. I did the guided tour, self-guided tour & Jr Ranger packet & learned different things from each one. Such cool history in a calm and beautiful place. Note to facilitators- please add better AC in the visitors center!

Very unique Arts & Crafts style mansion built with two separate living areas joined by common space. Our guide on 9/9/2025 (I forgot his name, sorry) was a wealth of knowledge regarding the mansion and family. A must see if you enjoy historical homes.

What a complete and lovely surprise this destination was. We have been to the area several times to visit the Grand Canyon and were looking for a different attraction to visit with the kids, 11 & 17. Got to the mansion about noon were planning just doing the $5 walk visit, but found out we could not visit inside the house without doing the tour at 1pm. We decided pay $18 / $12 fee (adult /child) and were were happy we did. The outside walk around is beautiful, the guided information is interesting and pertinent. I definitely recommend taking the time to walk around, read the provided tour and look at the external grounds of the building. There are also plenty of benches and areas to eat, so don't hesitate to bring your lunch. But, the great part is the inside tour itself. Our tour guide was a history student from NAU and she provided a great amount of information, ancedotes about the Riordan family, and the history of the buildings and the grounds. The inside of the home was well maintained and a great look back on history of the time. This was a truly great experience and both of my kids walked away happy that we did this excursion. We were all really impressed with the quality and information that came from that tour. As a side note, while people might say the prices could be lower, as a state park entity, I see this investment going back to the community and the continued preservation of historic sites such as this. Not only did we have a very enjoyable and memorable afternoon, it would have cost us almost as much to go to a movie. However, the lasting effects of this outing go much farther then a singular movie ever would have.

A Fascinating Stop on Our Girls’ Weekend – Loved the History! We visited the Riordan Mansion during a girls’ weekend getaway to Flagstaff, and it ended up being one of the highlights of our trip. The home itself is beautiful and so well preserved, but what really made it special was the deep history connected to the Riordan family and Flagstaff itself. The tour was full of interesting stories – from the family’s role in the logging industry to how they helped bring electricity to Arizona. It was eye-opening to learn how many major parts of Flagstaff’s development are tied back to this one family. If you enjoy history, vintage architecture, or just want to learn more about Arizona’s roots, this is such a worthwhile stop. The mansion is beautifully maintained, and the staff was friendly, welcoming, and very knowledgeable. Whether you're with friends, family, or exploring solo, I highly recommend visiting. It’s a quiet, enriching experience that gives you a new appreciation for Northern Arizona’s past.

We liked it! Tour guide was educational and we learned a lot about the Riordan family and their arts and crafts home. It was much cooler inside and the mansion had many rooms to walk through. I believe he said 95% of the things there were artifacts. Glad we visited during our short stay in Flagstaff!

My Son and I was just going to pay the entrance fee, but decided on the tour and it was well worth it. Our tour guide was full of information, describing details about the home and the Riordan family, including Flagstaff history and community. The people at the giftshop and visitor's center were friendly and welcoming. We highly recommend visiting this Mansion and taking the tour guide. We plan to come again with more family and friends.

We went to Riordan Mansion for the Spooky Stories Tour. It encouraged me to want to check it out in the daytime because even at night, this estate sparkles. The architecture, the old and new wallpaper, the custom furniture and the amount of space in this mansion was all gorgeous. As for the Halloween tours, the tour guide did such a good job of sharing scary stories she knows that will make you laugh at times and also make your skin crawl. Throughout the tour, spooky occurrences would occur, which was fun. This was the perfect way to spend an October night after dinner/walk it off and get educated on the history and entertained by the stories. Also, RIP, Maureen. *Kisses index & middle fingers together and points to the sky* #IYKYK Thank you to the Riordan Mansion Caretakers for such a wonderful experience.

11yr son and 53yr dad challenged. It was really challenging. My son gives up after half point. Still took over 2 hours. Very enjoyable place! There was no waiting line to buy tickets. But they make group to start. I think 1 group per hour. Because we need a guide for safety. That's why we wait 45 minutes to start.

To me this was a laid back, but fun adventure. It has some progressively difficult challenges as you proceed. The staff was great and I had a pleasant experience with everyone I interacted with.

Fun experience and would do it again! We did the adventure course which also included several zip lines.super friendly staff helped answer all our questions.

This place is a great time for all skill levels! Our group of three teens and two adults, had a blast running through the course, which takes you through increasing levels of difficulty. I had an equally enjoyable time spectating from the safety and comfort of the ground. You can follow your adventurer along the entire course. Also, your adventurer can go as far as they feel comfortable. If they need to tap out and be helped down, there is only encouragement and reassurance. No judgement, which was great to see. The Guides and staff are fantastic! Front desk check in was easy and we were met with smiles and banter. Adrian got us geared up and was uber-personable, a knowledgeable and high energy motivator. Abby had the most chill demeanor, when one of our girls was a little “over” the black level difficulty, she had exactly the right mix of supportive and measured! Great value! Awesome Adventure!

Such a fun experience in the woods! The course has different levels which get more challenging as you go but definitely worth your money. It is very secure if you follow the rules properly. Staff was lovely and helpful. We arrived 30mn late and they waited for us. We were just sad to leave!

Not for the faint of heart or those with a fear of heights. Don’t let how fun this looks trick you into thinking this isn’t a workout of body, mind, and emotions. Though I had didn’t make it all the way through my partner made it through 4/5 of the courses and the couple grouped with us did all 5. He and they had so much fun! Like an adult jungle gym. The staff was absolutely amazing and the equipment is well maintained. You are safe at all moments of the course. This truly is an adventure course. I suggest anyone to check it out. The value is great, the employees are great, and you can really take it at your pace and have as much or as little fun as you want. Highly recommend reserving your spot on your next trip to flagstaff!! They also have a zip line course which I can’t wait to come back and try out.

I was there 10 years ago on my 60th birthday. I got a shirt, and I got a 16 ounce glass that I still use. And I’ve got memories that will last as long as I do. I was able to complete the course except for the last two obstacles. I heard they changed them right after that. I just think it’s a wonderful wonderful place to go. I just wanted to say that b I’m 70 now and still think about doing it. If I get ever get back in that part of the country, I’m doing it!!! Thank you !!!

WARNING TO ALL PROSPECTIVE NURSING STUDENTS: BEWARE OF NAU’S COLLEGE OF NURSING After two years of grueling preparation—acing every prerequisite, maintaining a 4.0 GPA, scoring a 96% on the HESI A2, and working closely with advisors every semester—I was officially admitted into Northern Arizona University’s Traditional BSN program for Fall 2025. I signed my acceptance contract on April 28, 2025, after years of sacrifice, hard work, and careful life planning as a working adult. Then came May 22, 2025. In a hastily arranged Zoom meeting, Suzanne McWilliams, Director of NAU’s College of Nursing, delivered a stunning betrayal. Without warning, she announced sweeping changes to the very program I was admitted into—changes that completely altered the structure, rigor, and requirements of the degree I had committed to. The Traditional BSN has been scrapped for our cohort. Instead, we are now being forced into an Accelerated BSN format—one that compresses semesters, demands additional online coursework, and even adds an entirely new prerequisite… all after our admissions were finalized and contracts were signed. Let me be clear: This is a classic bait-and-switch. These changes were not disclosed during admissions. There was no transparency, no consideration for students who have planned their careers, finances, and lives around the program as it was presented. When I asked McWilliams why we weren’t informed earlier, her response? That the website had been updated in the last few weeks—implying we should’ve discovered this life-altering information on our own by constantly refreshing a webpage. This isn’t just poor communication. It’s academic negligence. It’s institutional betrayal. And it’s an insult to every student who trusted NAU with their future. NAU’s College of Nursing has proven itself untrustworthy, unorganized, and indifferent to the lives it disrupts. It prioritizes administrative convenience and cost-cutting over student wellbeing. President José Luis Cruz Rivera collects his rising million-dollar salary while students are left to suffer under a crumbling, unstable program. To anyone considering NAU for nursing: Run the other way. There are better programs—programs that respect their students, honor their commitments, and don’t rewrite your future with a single Zoom call. Shame on Suzanne McWilliams. Shame on NAU. We deserve better.

Very beautiful campus! The landscaping is beautiful. The mountain view, breathtaking. There is so much variety in food choices on campus as well as numerous places to walk or bike to off campus.

I am a 2021 Psych grad and had the very best experience I could have hoped for. The professors were amazing, and my academic counselor was exceptional. I am now 11 weeks away from graduating from an MSN program in another state, and I can see the difference between the universities. NAU prepared me for graduate school, and I hope to have the opportunity to teach one of their nursing classes.

Beautiful campus, but we were there for Bands Of America and did not seem like there was one worker around except for concession. Facilities ended up getting over run, running out of toilet paper and paper towels in the restrooms and cleanliness was not kept up in restrooms or around concessions. Trash cans had piles next to them with trash over flowing. It was a great even aside from this.

No help trying to get enrolled, very little communication. Everyone is always on vacation, not available, doesn’t return calls. Got accepted and attempted to use GI Bill and hasn’t gone anywhere. Thanks for wasting my time.

Gorgeous campus. Parking is a little challenging. Bring comfortable walking shoes. You walk everywhere and there's no flat ground.

Great campus, great town, the friendliest people. Loved the layout of the campus and fresh air. Everyone was so helpful and the study programs were hard to beat. Alot going on at the campus. Great school experience.

Buffalo Park is a wonderful, clean park. It’s slightly more than 2 miles around. It’s great for walking, running or cycling. I feel like it’s one of Flagstaff’s gems! You can’t beat the scenery with the mountains in the background and evergreens along the path. People are friendly, parking is easy!

Sunset at Buffalo Park in Flagstaff is a peaceful and beautiful experience. The wide-open meadow and views of the San Francisco Peaks create a stunning backdrop as the sky lights up in warm colors. It’s an easy, relaxing spot to catch a perfect sunset.

A beautiful place to walk, run, bike, and hike. There are many paths to choose from through grassy fields or tree shaded ways. You can go for as long as you want. Or, you can stay in the parking lot and admire the Buffalo statue.

Fantastic place to walk in the clean Flagstaff air. Walk the park loop on 90 minutes (I am 77) or take the Arizona trail, within the park) to hike for several hours. Gorgeous views, lots of parking & clean onsite restrooms.

This is the perfect place to get outside and enjoy the beautiful view in Flagstaff. You can enjoy an early morning walk to catch the sunrise, a nice afternoon picnic while reading a book or stargazing during the night. I have stopped at this park every time I'm in town no matter what the season or weather is and I have never been disappointed. Add this place to your list while you are in town.

Beautiful scenic Park with plenty of very flat very family friendly hiking. I hear it's a great place for a sunset or a sunrise and is extremely dog friendly as well.

Beautiful Park! Dog friendly and all. Nice walk, and exercise (pull ups). Was blessed to see a beautiful sunset 🙏🏼❤️✝️

Visited this park during a recent Flea Market event in town. Seemed to be busy with plenty of dog owners and guests attending the market. Tons of shady trees and grassy lawn space to enjoy the cooler weather.

The grass is nice and green here as there's a huge sprawling lawn. Lots of homeless were enjoying this park while sprawled out sleeping and relaxing. They could use some picnic tables and more seating. There are no fenced dog areas. My Dogs did enjoy the well watered thick lawn but we didn't stay long. Their parking cop was out giving tickets to vehicles on the side street. Make sure you only park during the times they specify on their signs, with a permit when required and are close enough to the curb. Looks like their Parking Cop is a good money maker for the city.

We stopped by on a weekday when visiting Prescott. Was dismayed that they required payment for parking but we just dropped by for our fur baby to use the grass and ate our lunch there as well. No issues and no homeless from what we observed. Was a very clean park and had nice grass.

Had a wonderful time at Art in the Park. I even won a wonder piece of art work. I will never forget the wonderful time that my husband and I had on our 39th anniversary in Wheeler Park

This is a small park located in downtown Flagstaff. It has a small river/creek running thru it. Very comfortable and laid back. There are not many places to sit, so bring a lawn chair.

I was driving by and saw they were hosting the Hullabaloo! I had to stop by! It was really fun! There was live music, local vendors, facepainting, bouncy houses for the kids, all kinds of foods, drinks, and a few of the breweries had booths, they had some of the local kids singing, and it was very family friendly. I got some awesome stickers, pins, and a t-shirt out of it. 🥰😇😁 it is really awesome seeing a community come together like that.

Nice small park. It is located right next to the library. Perfect spot for a picnic. There are a lot of mature trees to find some shade under. Free parking on the road and it is close to downtown shopping.

Amazing park, so big and beautiful. Enjoyed every single piece of it, so family friendly and all kinds of fun things at the playgrounds (several of them). Great for walking, sitting, running, playing, or just watching the view around and breathing the fresh breeze coming from the mountains.

Several different age appropriate play gyms, zip lines, skate park, dog park, and newly developing more sporting areas. Lots of fun things to do with the kids. Bathrooms needed cleaning and a few homeless nearby .Kids wouldn't use the 🚻 restroom too dirty

We came back to visit as we had such a great time last time playing here. We are from out of town. WOW this park has gone to trash. Literally trash everywhere, graffiti marked on the benches, sidewalks, and walls. There’s a dog park but tons of dogs off leash in the areas where kids are. Bathrooms are the worst! They smell like urine and feces, the doors are broken and no soap. If this is a city park who’s managing it?

Big Ramada for community events, pickleball area, restrooms, and a playground for kids. The weather is always awesome. A good place to visit with your family.

Bushmaster Park has become my son's favorite park to play at in Flagstaff. It is a perfect place for birthday parties and family outings. My son is also learning how to skateboard. So he enjoys the skate part of the park, as well. I also see they are introducing extra courts for pickleball enthusiasts. So, I can only imagine the growth of the community that this amazing park might see within its future!

First time going to Bushmaster and the park is very nice. Thick green grass, nice playground with lots more to offer. It would get a 5 star if the grills were not locked closed, maybe its for fire prevention but not really sure. Also, the restroom smell reminded me of a pretty full outhouse that needed lots of attention. Even with the restrooms, I would still go back.

Great rest stop on our way to Mississippi. Short way from freeway. Neighborhood park. Lists of grass and shade. Fenced dog park. Have restrooms, but did not use. Ample parking. Tables for picnics. Courts full of people playing picket ball. People playing volleyball

A Great Stay here in Flagstaff. Very charming I will stay again. I like places off the main hotel spots. This one choose your style from cabins A frames etc.

Nice family outing. Enjoyed taking my little girl out on some carnival rides. Love seeing a smile on her face. We enjoyed hanging out.

We had a really good stay. We were in a water and sewer hook up site. You have these two amenities, but you sacrifice the space. Thankfully there was no one on one side of us 3 of our 4 days. There are several dry sites with much better space and views. We book one of those for our next stay. There are port a potty's only here. They were pretty clean and had hand sanitizer. It was very quiet on Sunday and Monday nights. Friday and Saturday was much busier. There are generators running since there is no electricity at any sites. Quiet hours are 9 pm - 8 am. So many trails. Great hiking and biking trails. The park is very well maintained. We are shocked we have never been before, but we will be booking for the future. Last weekend is Columbus Day weekend, then they open again in May. There was excellent Verizon coverage. No Wifi, unless you bring your own. FLG X Adventure Course and Zip lines are right next door. We love that place as well. Some sites are a bit hard to figure out, so the camp hosts have to help out. They were helpful and there if you needed them. Check out is 1100.

Was a Beautiful experience for my son who is Autistic, the guide was very patient with him, he could finished the 3 times course. Beautiful park, beautiful weather, great experience.

I thought I’d stop in since I hadn’t been here in many many years and I was really impressed. The Bike park is amazing. Everything from kindergarten through a full college education of crazy bumps and launch ramps for awesome stunts to be performed here. It’s really nice to to see what has been accomplished here. Rules were pretty simple and the way they should be. Be careful and use it your own risk.

Played a round of Frisbee golf; duffer I am. Walked next door to Pepsi pavilion amphitheater. Nice venue. An American was to appear, Country music, but didn't have the 65 dollars. They book solid entertainment during thesummer mos.

Fun bike park with challenging skinny features and skills area. Jump and drop lines are awesome!

Kids had a great time sledding here. There was plenty of space and spots to play and sled. It got pretty busy but we still had plenty of space of our own. Only bad thing was the parking however we got here early enough it wasn't an issue but around 10:30 it would have been difficult to find parking.

Great park to take the kids to in Flagstaff, and let the dog chase a ball. Right of the FUTS. Makes it the perfect place for some fun in the cool pines of Flagstaff.

In a beautiful neighborhood. Street parking available. No parking lot available. Large field. Trail available for walking and running. A mini park for entertainment for the kids. Mine loves the swings.

Lovely park. My family and I had an amazing time here. Very peaceful and plenty of things to keep the kiddos happy and entertained. Absolutely loved our time there!

It is a nice field and ok play equipment. There are swings but toddlers are likely to be in danger regarding the other equipment. Toddlers will need parents to bring items to assist their play and strong supervision.

The only downside to this park is that I rarely see any other children or families here. We live in Ponderosa trails and my son and I visit the park once or twice a week in the mornings when it's still cool out. We enjoy hiking in the rocky area behind the playground and swinging on the mother child swing.

Nice trails with great views.My dog loves the wilderness and so do I

Cool place to learn about space in a casual environment before heading outside to see the telescopes. Gift shop was also stocked full of Pluto and astronomy themed gifts.

This place is great for parents and kids alike. Our 7 and 9 year old had a blast in the playroom and exploring the observation decks and telescopes. We did not get a chance to come back in the evening, but admission is good all day so you can come in the afternoon to play then come back for telescope viewing at night. Friendly and knowledgeable staff, interactive exhibits, and just overall a really nice place to visit.

Opening in 2024, the Kemper and Ethel Marley Foundation Astronomy Discovery Center at Lowell. Observatory will be a place of curiosity and discovery for visitors from around the world. The ADC will be a destination for travelers from around the country and around the world to discover the wonders of the universe from atop Mars Hill in Flagstaff.

Super cool place for kids. I visited during membership preopen.

This place is amazing. What an enjoyable time checking out all the stuff they have. The people that work there are very smart and knowledgeable. I enjoyed it all and I didn’t actually even want to go here in the first place.

Super Helpful Folks! Surprisingly Patient and Calm. Mars and all Our Blessed Potential. Jupiter and Blessed Freedom Rings. Love, Cassini (SATURN). SAFE.