With contributions from Samantha Gemini Stevens
The city of Flagstaff, a jaunt of only 250 miles from Las Vegas with less than a four-hour drive time, is often overlooked as a destination for visitors looking for a break from the Vegas summer heat or a chance to frolic in the beautiful snow-covered playground during winter.
The historic mountain town (6,909 feet elevation) grew from its origins as a railroad stop, to a byway on Route 66, to a college town home to Northern Arizona University, to a city with ample breweries and a healthy craft beer culture.
There are many reasons to make the trek, and exploring the breweries is an added bonus if you’re a beer fan.
Beer, Beer and More Beer
Dark Sky Brewing
Two locations
Dark Sky’s name celebrates Flagstaff’s designation as the first International Dark Sky City limiting outdoor light pollution. The brewery prides itself on crafting a beer selection that is as unique as every star, meteor, and comet seen from its backyard. It appears they are doing precisely that, as since opening in 2014, more than 750 distinct recipes have been brewed in an assortment of beer styles almost as varied as the heavenly objects.
Recent unique beer creations include Wide Awake, a Golden Coffee Stout made with local coffee and vanilla; Snow Fever, a Black Porter fermented in a wood foeder; Ghost of Perdition, a Smoked Black Lager; and In the Weeds, a lemongrass and ginger Witbier.
After a recent expansion, three unique environments exist between the two locations:
- The original is the Beaver Street Taproom and Pizzicletta. Pizzicletta is a connected but separate business serving a health-conscious, wood-fired pizza menu. 117 N Beaver St
- The Atmosphere Kitchen & Taproom is connected to a large outdoor dog-friendly beer garden patio with rentable spaces for private events. The Atmosphere Kitchen serves a chef-curated elevated pub menu utilizing house-made sauces, including Fried Tofu with coconut polenta, Steak & Frites 10 oz Ribeye Steak slow roasted with Bearnaise sauce, and Korean Fried Chicken Sammie. 103 W Birch Ave
Grand Canyon Brewing
1800 S. Milton Rd.
Located near the NAU campus, the veteran-owned brewpub has a large patio, shuffleboard and foosball games, rustic wood stump bar seats, and a live music stage, which draws college crowds and families.
Twenty-three taps pour the brewery’s core beers, including American Pilsner, Horseshoe Bend Pale Ale, Prickly Pear Wheat Ale, Hop Canyon IPA, and Sunset Amber Ale, made at the production brewery/distillery in nearby Williams. They also serve some experimental brews made on the Flagstaff brewpub’s small 5-barrel system, like 1872 Marzen with orange, coriander, and chamomile.
A scratch kitchen delivers pub favorites like Bavarian pretzel with beer cheese, cheese curds, BBQ ribs, burgers, and a beef tenderloin steak sandwich.
Lumberyard Brewing
5 S. San Francisco St.
The museum is named in homage to an old lumberyard building built in the early 1900s, one of the last standing buildings of the city’s lumber era. The formerly abandoned building was rehabbed, but the original red brick walls and some of the wood are still in place.
All-the-time beers pouring include Railhead Red, a moderately hopped amber ale; Humphrey’s Hefe, a German-style wheat beer that is slightly sour with a flavor and aroma suggestive of cloves and bananas; and Pumphouse Porter, a dark ale with black and chocolate malt and a touch of roasted barley bringing a rich and malty bite.
There’s also a restaurant, with a menu specializing in wings, salads, more than a dozen burgers, and four varieties of macaroni and cheese.
Mother Road Brewing
7 S. Mikes Pike St.
John Steinbeck dubbed Route 66 the Mother Road in his classic novel The Grapes of Wrath, and this Mother Road location is situated right on the original 1926 portion of the historic road it was named for. Enjoy the noticeable car and road-themed décor with hubcaps, maps, and license plates.
The very popular Tower Station IPA is the highest-selling IPA in Arizona and is brewed by an independently owned brewery. Beers worth waiting for are the yearly release of Community Harvest Fresh IPA, named for the fact that it is brewed with locally grown hops donated by members of the community, and Anniversary Ale, the most recent of which was a 13% dark ale with blackberries blended with a 22% aged Imperial Porter.
A 100% scratch, 0% waste kitchen named Sidecar Grill serves comfort foods using the brewery’s beers in cooking, marinades, and braising liquids. Highlights include Double 6 Braised Carrots with cilantro sauce and several entrees like Tacos, po boy, and Southwest Salad, which come with a choice of achiote chicken, pulled pork, smoked brisket, blackened fish, or coal-roasted squash as the topping.
Wanderlust Brewing
1519 N. Main St
Located slightly off the beaten path in a small business park on the east side of Flagstaff, a mile and a half from downtown, Wanderlust has distinguished itself for using a unique native yeast strain derived from the air to ferment its beers.
The best seller is the 928 Local (named for Flagstaff’s area code), an 8% wild-fermented Farmhouse Ale made with local honey and yeast cultured from local apple skins. Another local’s favorite is the Pan American Stout, which has Mexican vanilla and locally roasted coffee. If you like drinking with your dog or child, the open patio will be an ideal place to do so, as both are welcome.
Want even more beer? Click to check out the Flagstaff Brewery Trail with a digital passport and guide.
Nearby Excursions
Lowell Observatory
1400 Mars Hill Rd.
Open for more than 125 years, the observatory provides opportunities to gaze at the stars through telescopes in the clear dark sky from an open-air deck, marvel at historic telescopes (including the one used to discover Pluto in 1930), and explore exhibits at the newly opened, interactive Marley Foundation Astronomy Discovery Center.
Arizona Snowbowl
9300 N. Snow Bowl Rd.
Skiing opportunities are just minutes away on the western slope of Mount Humphreys in the majestic San Francisco Peaks. The slopes are open from mid-November through late April, with 777 skiable acres, 55 trails, and eight lifts. The Scenic Gondola ride offers expansive views of the surrounding mountains, a cinder cone volcanic field, the red rocks of Sedona, and a glimpse of the Grand Canyon.
More outdoor adventures include:
- Flagstaff is a gateway to the Coconino National Forest and the San Francisco Peaks, offering hiking, biking, and rock climbing opportunities.
- Walnut Canyon National Monument: Discover ancient cliff dwellings and explore hiking trails.
- Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument: Explore the youngest volcano on the Colorado Plateau and learn about its history.
- Wupatki National Monument: Visit this historic site with ruins of ancestral Puebloan structures.
- Lava River Cave: Explore a unique lava tube cave.
- Flagstaff Extreme Adventure Course: Experience an adrenaline rush with zip-lining and other outdoor adventures.
- The Arboretum at Flagstaff: Explore a 200-acre botanical garden with 2,500 species of high-elevation plants.
- Grand Canyon: Flagstaff is a great base for exploring the Grand Canyon, with options for tours and day trips.
- Picture Canyon: A short hike near town with a small waterfall and petroglyphs.
Where to Stay
Hotel Monte Vista (historic)
100 N San Francisco St
“Towering above the corners of Aspen and San Francisco Streets, The Hotel Monte Vista stands just off historic Route 66 as a true touchstone for all of Flagstaff and her citizens. With the mountains and nearby canyon countries, The Hotel Monte Vista is your place to relax while you explore all of the natural wonders Northern Arizona has to offer. The Hotel Monte Vista remains the centerpiece for Historic Downtown Flagstaff. Staying here can give you a true glimpse into the spirited lifestyle of the Great American West.” (website)
Weatherford Hotel (historic)
23 N Leroux St.
“[Serving guests since 1897,] the Weatherford is more than a historic hotel – it’s an entertainment complex nestled in the vibrant heart of Flagstaff’s historic downtown district. In addition to seventeen boutique hotel rooms, we feature a restaurant, three pubs/bars with food, catering services, live entertainment and several venues for events.” (website)
Note: guests are warned that because of the nature of the complex, it is a busy space accompanied by expected noise.
High Country Motor Lodge
1000 West Route 66
“Inspired by the vast beauty of northern Arizona — its rugged mountains, deep forests, and well-worn highways — the High Country Motor Lodge is much more than a roadside motel. It is an ode to the wilderness. A contemplative retreat set against a clear night sky. An on-the-beaten-path hotel with an off-the-beaten-path approach to 1960s roadside culture.
“Relax and reconnect on our communal lawn, sip craft beer from The General Store, go out into the woods, or self-center at the first Nordic Spa Experience in all of Arizona.” (website)
Country Inn and Suites by Radisson
224 S. Mikes Pike St.
Located in the heart of downtown, this is an ideal base for exploring the breweries, as it is just steps from six of the city’s eight breweries. Rates are reasonable, rooms are modern, there’s a fitness center, and your stay includes a hot breakfast.
