The Hive is a mainstay on Beaver Street. It is where locals come for the loud music and strong drinks. The venue functions as a gallery as well. Every night there is a different band on stage and if you want to buy some art while you enjoy the sound, all proceeds support local talent. The music varies from punk and pop to rockabilly and thrash metal as well as everything in-between.
A heartwarming amalgam of nature and culture, the antiquated Flagstaff Historic Downtown is the soul of Arizona. The inextricable traces of Flagstaff's rich railroad heritage still remain intact at this historic quarter. Having aged seamlessly through centuries, it stands strong as a brimming destination of quirky boutiques, quaint coffee shops and a smattering of historical treasures today. Some of the many historic sites include the 1888 Babbitt Brothers Trading Company building, the 1889 Santa Fe Depot, the Spanish Colonial Hotel Monte Vista and the 1920's Weatherford Hotel. A couple of local spots in and around include Flagstaff Brewing Company and Beaver Street Brewery.
This family-owned business isn't your typical portrait gallery, instead of family photos, Shane Knight shoots landscapes. From the Vermillion Cliffs of Northern Arizona to the farms of Eastern Kentucky, the regions as well as the objects are varied and distinctive. Many of the photos can be printed with cibachrome or silver gelatin. These beautiful landscape pictures will make a great conversation-starting addition to any room.
Flagstaff's Artist's Gallery is owned and operated by local artisans and for more than a decade this shop has been delighting the cultural community from its scenic location on San Francisco Street. The Gallery specializes in one-of-a-kind pieces including pottery, glass, photography, paintings, jewelry and much more. Quality is the catchword that keeps this vibrant gallery alive; while here, collectors can often meet the makers of these fine crafts in person.
The Northern Arizona University Art Museum is a bright and spacious art space on the northwest corner of the Northern Arizona University campus features paintings, sculpture, prints and ceramics by local, regional and national artists. Supplemented by guest artist lectures, workshops and demonstrations year-round, the collection includes works by Diego Rivera as well as turn-of-the-century furniture.
This award-winning facility is ground zero for arts exhibits, performing arts and community events in the Flagstaff area. The Coconino Center for the Arts & Art Barn complex includes a 200-plus-seat theater, an exhibition hall, a 4,000-square-foot gallery, and a shop selling works by the area's premier artists. There is also year-round entertainment that features local, regional, national, and international talent. The center is also available for social gatherings and business meetings.
The Museum of Northern Arizona is the premier facility for the study and exploration of native people and natural sciences which feature exhibits on the evolving cultures and climate of the area. Ever-changing exhibits cover anthropology, biology, geology and archaeology, as well as a variety of fine arts media. Throughout the year, Native American artists are showcased, and in the spring, an annual exhibition of Zuni, Hopi and Navajo artworks and crafts draw big crowds.
About 700,000 years ago, the Lava River Cave came into existence after a volcanic reaction took place. This lava tube is located within the premises of the Coconino National Forest and was discovered in 1915 by local lumbermen. The cave is open to public visitation and attracts several nature lovers throughout the year.
Inhabiting Flagstaff's northeasternmost frontiers, Wupatki National Monument is a hidden gem of a park that contains some of the oldest architectural gems in the entire North American continent. Studies conducted after examining the site's archeological findings confirm that numerous American Indian races namely Navajo, Hopi, and Zuni inhabited this area all along the southern Colorado flatlands for almost a millennium. This 35,422 acre (14,334 hectares) semi-arid expanse is dotted with an intricate system of incredible prehistoric pueblos that are infused with architectural sensibilities from various tribes, most notably from the Kayenta Anasazi, the Sinagua, and Cohonina. The Wupatki ruins are by far the largest and most noticeable structure in the park, with over 32 separate dwellings under its wing.
This natural wonder of Arizona is located about 40-miles northeast of downtown Flagstaff and it's one of the best kept secrets of the state. Often overlooked or bypassed in lieu of visiting the Grand Canyon, Grand Falls stands higher than famous Niagara, and at a height of 185-feet, it drops muddy monsoonal waters into the Little Colorado River below. When you visit, don't forget to bring your camera because the falls are extremely photogenic.
In the heart of the Arizona High Desert, the remains of a 50,000-year old meteor impact, which crashed with a force greater than 20-million tons of TNT under detonation, await exploration. The hole is 550 feet (167 meters) deep and nearly 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) in circumference, and its terrain is so similar to the moon that NASA used it as a training site for Apollo Astronauts. The Meteor Crater Visitor Center features exhibits and multimedia presentations and there is a gift shop on-site. It's located approximately 37 miles (59 kilometers) east of Flagstaff on Interstate-40 and it serves as a somber reminder of how cosmological events can affect life on the planet.