A Small Town 4th of July in Flagstaff: Arizona’s Mountain City

Mike and I lived in beautiful Flagstaff from 2015-2017 and loved the small town ambiance, gorgeous mountain scenery, and seasonal events. There is almost always something going on here on any given weekend. We love the local downtown which is lined with all sorts of local restaurants and shops. From here, you can easily walk over to Wheeler Park which is a popular base for annual events such as the Art in the Park festival. This year, we relocated to Phoenix mainly to be close to both the Utah and California national parks.

We have been taking a lot of daytrips and roadtrips to Northern Arizona to enjoy the cooler temps, small town ambiance, and local vibe. To be honest, everytime we visit, I wish we would have moved back here instead!

We figured America’s 250th anniversary was a great time to celebrate with a trip. There is a large lineup of festive 4th events, plus the usual mountain hiking trails and local restaurants, so a lot more to do than Phoenix. Plus, it was way too hot to consider doing anything outside besides swimming (which gets old after a while).

Flagstaff offers an entire lineup of holiday festivities including: a one mile race and parade downtown, a free show by the Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra at the Pepsi Amphitheater, a 3 day Art in the Park festival, and a drone show. It has been rated one of the best towns to celebrate the holiday. If you are coming from Phoenix it should be a real treat. Not only will the temps be drastically cooler, but there is a lot more going on and it’s so much easier to get around.

We booked a night at the historic Monte Vista property which I have always wanted to stay at. I am really into the paranormal and Ghost Adventures and this property is supposed to be really haunted. We saw no ghosts but it was cool to stay in the room Humphrey Bogart stayed in! Plus, this hotel is walkable to everything downtown and convenience is what I look for after dealing with the Phoenix suburban congestion.

Flag’s 4th Lineup

• Downtown Mile: The Master’s race starts at 6:30am (others start at 6:55am). $50 race fee. Cash awards for top 3 finishers & best costume. Congrats to 2026’s first place finisher with an amazing time of 4:08!
• Fourth of July parade: 9am-11pm. Free to attend. Starts at Beaver and Elm Street and then turns on San Francisco and Aspen Street.
• A Flag Fourth: Free show by the Symphony Orchestra at the Ft. Tuthill Amphitheater from 3-5pm for all to enjoy (Doors open at 2).
• Drone show: A drone show replaces the fireworks due to wildfire concerns. Show at dusk at Foxglenn Park.
• Art in the Park: Multi day art festival featuring the works of over 80 artists. Held July 3rd-5th at Wheeler Park. Free admission. 9am-6pm on Friday and Saturday (4pm on Sunday).

Our lineup of 4th fun

We left Phoenix around 6am to beat the traffic. It was a really smooth ride and we arrived in less than 2 hours. The way home was another story but it was nice to enjoy a stress-free experience before a full day of events. It was so nice to arrive with temps in mid 60’s as we are used to it being too hot to do anything by 8am.

Unfortunately, due to the recent Pocket wildlife, Oak Creek Canyon was closed. We usually take this more scenic route and enjoy breakfast at Indian Gardens, our favorite cafe and coffeeshop in the state. Basically our itinerary consisted of: coffee at Late for the Train, watching the parade, lunch at the historic Weatherford hotel, watching the Symphony show, drinks at the Monte Vista, dinner at Beaver Street Brewery, and then hiking the Veit Springs trail and attending the Art in the Park festival the next day. I’ll go over each of our activities in detail.

A quick stop at the city’s best roaster

We parked in one of our usual spots along Birch Ave and walked to the downtown. We wanted to grab a cup of coffee at our favorite local roaster, Late for the Train. They moved into a new bigger location a few years ago and I love the new outdoor patio. It’s so spacious and there are lovely trees everywhere.

The Downtown Miler was just ending as we arrived so there were people everywhere including the biggest line I’ve ever seen in this or any other coffeeshop. We waited for over a half hour but it was worth it. This is the best place to get coffee in this town. I felt the same 10 years ago and will keep supporting them.

Their Americano is so smooth and flavorful and we also love their dark roast (especially the Happy Camper). Usually we opt for their vegetarian breakfast burritos, but we decided to go with a pastry. We ordered a blueberry muffin and a spinach/feta cheese danish. Both were delicious but we really come here for the top notch coffee. They also offer all sorts of specialty mochas if that’s your thing.

We relaxed and took our time sipping our drink on the beautiful patio. We appreciated them still giving us real mugs as opposed to paper cups (many businesses don’t when they are super busy!).

A patriotic parade with a local touch

We missed the first portion of the parade as we were too busy enjoying our coffee. It lasted about an hour and a half so we still saw a good hour. The parade begins at Elm and Beaver Street. We found a great spot right next to the historic Weatherford hotel.

This parade was exactly the same as I remembered in 10 years – the announcer even sounded the same! They were giving out all sorts of freebies so the kids seemed to be enjoying it.

Overall, there was lots of local pride, festive floats, classic cars, and a lot of energy in the air. Lots of people in the crowd sporting their red, white, and blue – overall, a lot of fun with a lot of community spirit in the air. It was hard to take a lot of pics as it was so crowded!

Lunch at the Weatherford

Since we were right in the vicinity, we decided to enjoy lunch at Charly’s, a casual American & Southwestern style restaurant inside the historic Weatherford property. We dined here a few times the last time we lived here and always enjoyed the food and historic ambiance. This hotel opened in 1987, making it he city’s oldest hotel. I would also love to stay here one of these days – it is just as haunted as the Monte Vista (just watch the Ghost Adventures Fear in Flagstaff episode!).

I ordered the vegetarian Navajo taco and Mike ordered the Durango tacos. We had a bit of time before the symphony show so we enjoyed a cup of coffee. I’ve heard that this cafe serves the best Irish coffee anywhere but we stuck with a regular cup of joe. Service was not the best to be honest, but the food was great.

Afterward we browsed around the visitor center and a few local shops (there are some interesting choices in the Old Town Shops complex). A lot of the businesses had festive window art which added to the holiday ambiance.

A Flag Fourth Symphony show: A beautiful afternoon in the pines

We arrived right at 2pm when the doors opened to make sure we got a seat in the shade. While the temps are much cooler here, the sun can still be quite intense at high altitude (7000 ft). I recommend bringing with a few snacks and some water since you will be here for several hours. There are some food trucks on site too.

The Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra has been putting on this free show every 4th and it is amazing. I still have great memories of the shows back in 2015, 2016, and 2017. This year’s performance consisted of a mix of patriotic and classical music. You will learn more about their upcoming performances and have the opportunity to donate if you wish to do so. They put a lot of effort into making this a great free event for everyone in the community and visitors. The best show I saw took place in 2015. They had some singing performances too and I can still not get their lively rendition of “Get your Kicks on Route 66” out of my head to this day!

On a side note, Ft. Tuthill is a gorgeous park for year-round recreation. We love biking and hiking here and used to snowshoe here all the time after big winter storms. I am hoping the city gets a bit more snow than last year so we can head up here to snowshoe in the gorgeous ponderosa pines again.

On a side note, there was an air quality alert in effect due to the current Pocket fire in Oak Creek Canyon. The skies were a bit smokey. The event organizers did have some masks on hand and emergency equipment for anyone experiencing breathing difficulties.

A night in one of America’s most haunted hotels

I have always wanted to book a night at the Monte Vista being a big fan of ghost stories. Unfortunately, we lived in the area so there was no point spending the money. We decided now that we are living in Phoenix we can finally stay here!

The hotel check in is 4 so we checked in after the free concert. I was hoping to get Michael J. Fox’s room (216) but received Room 409 (Humphrey’s Bogarts). I am just glad that they did not put us in Room 305 where multiple guests (including celebrities) have seen the same ghostly visions of a women in a rocking chair.

I’ve seen a lot of complaints about this hotel – that it is old and outdated and has a lot of problems. I actually loved the historic charm and decor and convenient access to downtown attractions. There is also a wonderful coffeeshop and bar on-site (the Rendezvous).

I would rather trade in a bit of modern amenities for the charm and uniqueness of staying in a non-chain hotel property. One thing that bothered me though is that the window AC did not work at all. We were miserably hot all night even after trying to open the windows. Otherwise, it was a great stay.

So, the real question is – did we see any ghosts? No, we survived the night. We did not see the women in the rocking chair or the Phantom Bellboy that supposedly lurks around Room 210. Check the site for more ghostly stories over the years.

A quick drink at Rendezvous

We always loved this coffeebar and wine bar while living here and it is pretty much the same today. They updated the lounge area a bit with some colorful lighting but the vibe is still historic and it is great for people watching. Drinks are quite pricey but really you are paying for the ambiance. They offer a number of specialty cocktails, dessert cocktails, and specialty coffees. It was super packed for the holiday weekend and a lot of fun. We heard people up throughout the entire night (unfortunately) from our hotel room. It was so busy they were even out of the Papago Orange blossom local beer I wanted to try (maybe next time!).

Dinner at Beaver Street Brewery

We wanted to dine somewhere different on this trip so we walked over to beaver Street Brewery which we haven’t been to in forever. They are known for their wood-fired pizzas and craft beer selection. We ordered a few apps and pizza. The Elote dip was especially good and we also enjoyed the Mediterranean platter. The Five Cheese pizza we tried was decent but nothing to write home about.

The drone show

We attempted to drive over to the drone show but it was very poorly organized. There was no parking anywhere, insane crowds all driving around trying to find a spot, and no one knew where to stand to watch the display. This was the first year it was hosted at Fox Glen Park and there were just too many crowds. I will not be back next year for sure. Note: For drone shows, you can only see the display from the exact location unfortunately.

Day 2: Another drink at Late for the Train

We wanted to enjoy coffee in the pretty lobby area at Rendezvous but they were opening later than usual so we headed over to Late for the Train again. There was zero line this time which was nice. We opted to sit inside as the place was empty and it was a bit too cool outside (it felt a bit crazy as we haven’t even been able to use our patio once in Phoenix!). We enjoyed the local artwork and a blueberry and cherry danish. I love this shop – it’s one of my favorites anywhere! It’s so colorful and eclectic.

A gorgeous hike through pines & aspens at Lamar Haines Wildlife Area

There was no air quality alert this morning, so we headed up Snowbowl road (a 7 mile route to the ski resort lined with pines and aspens) to hike the Veit Springs trail (we found out it has been renamed Lamar Haines), one of our favorite easy trails in the area. This hike is just under 2 miles and super peaceful. No big mountain views, but you get to enjoy a lovely walk through ponderosa pines and aspen trees. Note: This trail is located about 4-5 miles up Snowbowl Road (you will see a small pull out that is typically not overcrowded).

Art in the Park

This is one of my favorite festivals of the year. It’s located in Wheeler Park, a beautiful green space with a lot of shady trees. There are so many wonderful local vendors here. You will find everything from local artwork, to ceramics, to jewelry. There’s also a beer tent, live music, and food trucks. We found this cute cactus decoration made from recycled books from a company called Created with a Re-Purpose. Although a lot of the stuff is quite pricey, you can find some really unique decor pieces that no one else will have!

Lunch at Brandy’s

Brandy’s is a long running family diner that has been in business since 1976. We dined here on occasion while living here years ago. It was never my favorite breakfast spot in town, but it was convenient to our hotel and predictably decent. For breakfast, I like their Hash brown medley and Swedish oat pancakes.

They opened a new cafe downtown in the former La Bellavia space back in 2019 long after we were gone. We walked over and enjoyed a low-key lunch (I ordered a Veggie sandwich and Mike the Turkey Melt). The sandwiches were decent (although the fries a bit soggy) and not as overly priced as some establishments in town.

Next door, you will find Macy’s a long running local favorite. I never had a good experience here (the coffee is always too burnt tasting for me) but everyone else seems to love it. I might have to try it out again one of these days – who knows how much has changed in ten years? On the other hand, their lunch menu is great with a lot of vegetarian friendly options.

Bookman’s: A treasure trove of old media

I love this Arizona born exchange shop called Bookman’s. You can trade in old DVDs, blu rays, CDs, and books for store credit. They carry a huge selection and I’ve found so many of my favorite 80’s-early 2000’s movies here over the years.

There is also a cozy little coffeeshop on-site serving beans from Firecreek, one of the better roasters in the city (they have a location downtown on Rt. 66). If you like books, movies, and/or coffee, definitely stop by!

We have 2 of these stores in Phoenix but the vibe just isn’t as local and welcoming, plus the coffeeshop on-site is a big bonus at the Flagstaff store.

Overall: a great holiday weekend roadtrip!

It was another great weekend in the pines and I can’t wait for my next trip. More likely than not we will be back soon with the Sonoran desert lineup of triple digit heat unlikely to end anytime soon. Next on my list: Buffalo Park, the Gondola ride at Snowbowl, Dinner at Karma sushi, and coffee at White Dove.

Why you should plan a daytrip from Phoenix

Most importantly, the temps are much cooler. Phoenix reached a high of 101 this Fourth, while Flagstaff temps didn’t hover above the low 80’s. When we arrived in the morning, the temps were still in the 60’s (I even needed a light sweater). It was so nice watching the parade without worrying about overheating. We heard the parade announcers making various comments about how hot is was while we just laughed enjoying the 20+ degree heat break! I loved kicking back at the concert for hours on end with zero cares about the weather. You realize how much you miss normal things like this when you are living in the desert!

Despite the complaints about traffic and congestion, this is nothing like Phoenix. It’s so easy to get around and everything is located within an easy short drive. You can park in one place and enjoy so many different shops, restaurants, and activities. We parked once and enjoyed the parade, art festival, coffee, and lunch. We could never do something like this in Phoenix. This is what I love most about this city – the convenience, the lack of traffic, and the ease of getting from one place to another. The only thing we drove to was Ft. Tuthill for the concert and it was totally worth it.

The local dining options are awesome. While we have found some good restaurants in Phoenix, most of these are regional chains like Oregano’s and Wildflower. I enjoy dining at local establishments. Flagstaff has a great independent coffee and dining scene for such a small town. Salsa Brava is amazing long running Mexican restaurant along historic Rt. 66. Delhi Palace is the best Indian food I’ve tried anywhere. There are also some great local breweries including my favorite, Beaver street. You can look at my full guide for more details.

There are so many beautiful mountain hikes here. Unlike Phoenix where it is too dangerous to hike this time of year, the high altitude trails at Snowbowl are just perfect this time of year. My favorites include Aspen Nature Loop and Veit Springs. If you want to stick closer to town, Buffalo Park is just minutes outside of downtown and features breathtaking views of the state’s highest mountain range, the San Francisco Peaks.

Things to know:

Expect the traffic to be backed up along I-17. Unfortunately, we left on Sunday at the same time as everyone else and were stuck in traffic for an extra hour and a half. On the way here, we left super early and enjoyed a smooth traffic free ride. I recommend leaving early to get here and staying late to avoid the returning weekend traffic.

The city now charges for downtown parking which makes finding free parking more of a hassle. We usually find parking around the side streets or houses near Wheeler Park. If you are willing to walk a bit, this is the way to go.

I will be writing a post soon detailing the many changes I’ve noticed over the past 10 years!