Looking for a romantic getaway just in time for Valentine’s Day?
Paradise awaits in Flagstaff, one of Arizona’s most enchanting escapes for couples.
Though often best-known as home to Northern Arizona University and for having the world’s largest contiguous Ponderosa pine forest, Flagstaff is overflowing with accommodations, attractions, and aphrodisiacs with amor in mind.
Accommodations
Two of the best places for lovers to lay their heads: High Country Motor Lodge and Newman Park.
Part bespoke boutique hotel, part mixology bar and part curated artisan market, High Country Motor Lodge opened in 2022 and features 123 stunning rooms – including a handful of stand-alone cottages. Adding to the ambiance is the massive hot tub at the center of the hotel as well as the outdoor firepits that lead to both an espresso bar with artisanal local products as well as a dimly lit, outrageously outfitted mixology bar complete with craft cocktails and seductive small bites. The property is also home to Arizona’s first-ever Nordic spa. The experience, which alternates hot and cold therapies, can boost the immune system, improve circulation, and alleviate stress so that one might be completely present in the moment.
If seeking more seclusion, Newman Park just opened with upwardly mobile adventurers in mind. Think ultra-high-end renovated vintage Airstream trailers and A-frame cabins surrounded by native landscaping. All guests who stay at Newman have access to the property’s winter wonderland communal areas, a library, curated culinary offerings and several specialty outdoor activities, even in the winter.
Attractions
Speaking of the winter, February marks the best time to visit the area to indulge in all things snow play. Arizona Snowbowl is just 15 miles north of Downtown Flagstaff and features 55 trails, 2,300 lift-served vertical feet and over 3,000 hike-to vertical feet on 777 acres with eight lifts, four terrain parks and three mountain lodges from which to choose.
While Snowbowl is for downhill skiing and snowboarding couples, just north of it is Arizona Nordic Village, which features epic snowshoeing and cross-country ski options. And then there is Flagstaff Snow Park at the southern tip of Flagstaff, offering ample space to build a snowman or get into a playful snowball fight. Snow Park is also home to Flagstaff’s largest family of tubing runs, which will bring out the kid in anyone.
And while it has no snow, there is something special about taking someone special to Lowell Observatory to gaze at the stars together.
Aphrodisiacs
Then finally, there is the food. In recent years, Flagstaff has become a mecca of culinary creativity thanks to an influx of forward-thinking chefs and wine experts who have moved into the area. Atria, for example, opened in the heart of Downtown Flagstaff in 2021 and has already earned a James Beard nomination as being among the top eateries in the Southwest. To ramp up the romance, splurge on executive chef Rochelle Daniel’s impressive tasting menu with wine and cocktail pairings. Expect the unexpected with every course from flavor profiles to plating to garnishment. Similarly, a spot for those looking to impress and also in the heart of Downtown is the newly opened Teatro Italian Food & Wine. Overdelivering on their lofty promises of bringing authentic northern Italian recipes, handmade pastas, caviar service and a steak menu that would make even a New York restaurant jealous, Teatro is taking the entire state by storm. A host of fellow fine dining options joins Atria and Teatro as well, notably Tinderbox Kitchen, Brix Restaurant, Shift Kitchen, and Josephine’s.
Nightcap? Flagstaff has couples covered there as well.
Consider Oeno Wine Lounge, also Downtown, which allows guests to explore local, regional, and exotic beers and wines in an intimate environment. There is also FLG Terroir. This wine bar and bistro, which is hidden by design on the second floor of a historic building, excels at indulgent desserts and old-world wines. Grand Canyon Brewing Company is another must as it offers a slate of local craft beers as well as a full line-up of distilled Arizona spirits for samples, and any trip should include at least one visit to Flagstaff Chocolate Company or Sweet Shoppe Candy Store to sample sweets with the sweeties.
For more inspiration, visit DiscoverFlagstaff.com.
Though often best-known as home to Northern Arizona University and for having the world’s largest contiguous Ponderosa pine forest, Flagstaff is overflowing with accommodations, attractions, and aphrodisiacs with amor in mind.
