Today we’re sharing our favorite budget summer weekend itinerary for Flagstaff with kids, and our two kid-friendly lodging recommendations for Flagstaff (and discounts for both).
We recently tested out this itinerary for a weekend up north and were surprised with how affordable Flagstaff really can be when utilizing hotel amenities to their fullest advantage and tapping into some of the programming offered across the city.
Keep reading for a pre-planned itinerary that keeps the fun high, temps cool and exploration abundant for a summer trip that doesn’t break the bank.
If you’re looking to squeeze in everything in northern Arizona into a one-night overnight stay, here’s a turnaround itinerary to get in the Grand Canyon, Sedona, Bearizona and more all with just one hotel night.
XO,
East Valley Moms
Best Family-Friendly Hotels in Flagstaff
We recently stayed at High Country Motor Lodge and loved it for a full family experience. It’s got on-property entertainment for families (great pool, a game room and nightly programming in the summer from dusk movie nights to star parties).
High Country Motor Lodge is centrally located in Flagstaff, making drives around town quick for families. The hotel has a large grassy area next to the patio that’s great for kids to burn energy while parents can still enjoy the patio and bar vibes. We have stayed here in summer and winter and it’s great in all seasons–espeically with all the fire pits–it adds a cozy feel we love. Get 20% off bookings with code EVMOMS at High Country Motor Lodge.
If you’re looking for a cabin rental in Flagstaff, Village Camp Flagstaff is our favorite. This property offers mini cabins and RV sites, offering a resort cabin feel with programming, a pool, clubhouse, forest playground and amenities that keep us all entertained without leaving the property.
Here’s a full review of our summer stays at Village Camp Flagstaff. Get 15% off stays at Village Camp Flagstaff with code EVM15.
Day 1: Downtown Flagstaff, Heritage Square & the Arboretum
We left on a Sunday morning and timed it to arrive to downtown Flagstaff for a picnic lunch in Heritage Square where there was a free concert in the square event happening. Located in the heart of downtown Flagstaff, this area offers nearly daily activities that are free–from play dates to movie nights to concerts. Depending on the day of the week, there’s probably something happening here! Check the downtown Flagstaff’s event calendar for the most up to date free programming happening here.
Next, we drove about 15 minutes to the Flagstaff Arboretum.
Spread across 200 acres, it’s not just a botanical haven with over 750 native plant species—it’s also a magical playground for kids. Along the winding woodland trails, little ones can explore charming forest playhouses built right into the landscape. Be sure to check their events listings as well, sometimes they have picnic concerts in the pines that are magical.
Admission is ticketed ($14/adult, $8/kid), but if you plan ahead, you can get two free tickets through the Maricopa County Library’s culture pass.
Simply head to your library and “checkout” two free admission tickets using your library card. This saved us $28. (The other Flagstaff tickets you can snag through this library program is for Lowell Observatory!)
After this, we checked into our hotel and spent the evening enjoying the property’s amenities before bedtime.
Day 2: Walnut Canyon & Tynkertopia
Load up after a quick breakfast and head to Walnut Canyon, a national parks monument that offers stroller friendly and kid friendly paths to experience ancient indigenous people’s cave dwellings.
Walnut Canyon has a National Parks visitors center where kids can earn their jr. ranger badge, see ancient artifacts found from the ancient dwellings and there’s two trails to experience the site. One trail is stroller friendly, the other has a significant amount of stairs, but it is kid friendly and the payoff of getting to go inside some of the cave dwellings is really neat for adults and kids alike.
Now onto the budget hack for Walnut Canyon: We got in FREE (typically $25/car admission) with our America The Beautiful National Parks annual pass (more about the pass here).
Essentially it’s an annual pass that gives complimentary access to all national parks across the country. If you don’t have one, you can also see if there’s a free national parks day happening during your travel.
We spent half a day here doing both trails, the visitors center has ample ramadas and picnic tables for a picnic lunch.
Next, we stopped by an incredible free play space for families: Tynkertopia, Flagstaff’s STEAM community center for kids. My six year old happily played here for hours, the center is stocked with a kids workshop, imaginative play area, LEGO build center, kids 3D printers and more
Tynkertopia is completely FREE, but if you can they ask for a $3-5 donation/child to help support continued free access.
When we arrived back at our hotel, we ate a simple dinner I’d thrown in the crockpot at the beginning of the day. This is one of my favorite ways to stay on budget during travel without spending time “cooking” during vacation. After that, both Flagstaff properties we recommend offer outdoor movie nights on property–time your evening to take advantage of this for a free, easy way to end the day.
Day 3: Sunset Crater National Monument
After checkout, head to see Arizona’s volcano, Sunset Crater National Monument, about 20 minutes from the hotel. (another free admission hack with the America the Beautiful pass).
I suggest this attraction on a departure day because we didn’t spend as long here as at Walnut Canyon, but it was definitely worth stopping at. Get our full blog post about visiting HERE.
Families can walk on volcano ash and learn about how every American astronaut has trained for space exploration here in Flagstaff! This also gave us the ‘ah-ha’ of why our hotel was 1960s space themed.
There’s nice picnic areas at this national park as well for a picnic before heading back down the road.
Free Things to Do in Flagstaff With Kids
Here’s more free summer options to weave into your Flagstaff summer trip, depending on days of the week you’ll be up north.
Kids Squared is offered two days a week throughout June and July to provide fun, engaging activities from community partners including Lowell Observatory, Game & Fish, Flagstaff Little Music Makers, Wee Scotty Sews and MORE!
Date: Tuesdays, June – July 2026
Time: 10 – 11 a.m.
Location: Heritage Square, Downtown Flagstaff
Concerts in the Park a FREE family-friendly evening on Wednesday nights, the local performers rotate through local Flagstaff parks for a fun, festive picnic under the pines with live music. Details here.
Dates: Sunday afternoons, summer 2026
Time: Dusk
Location: Heritage Square, Downtown Flagstaff
Roots and Wings Flagstaff: A free forest playgroup meetup offered on Thursdays in July 2026. This was a welcoming group and we had an amazing time meeting local families and enjoying an instructor-led mud kitchen play setup at Aspen Corner.
Fit4Mom Flagstaff: Get a free first class when traveling! This is a fun way to meet local moms and get other recommendations on local events during your visit, and get a fun stroller workout in as well.
