College Visit Guides

Fly-in guide · 1 day, 1 campus

Northern Arizona University in 1 Day: A Fly-In Visit to Flagstaff

A parent-first plan for flying in to see Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff: NAU's official visit sign-ups, where visitors park, three hotels from budget to upscale, drive times from Flagstaff and Phoenix airports, Lowell Observatory for siblings and mountain weather by season, every fact sourced and checked Oct 29, 2026.

Aerial view of the Northern Arizona University campus in Flagstaff at dawn, with a copper-clad modern building, red-brick halls and pine forest, and the snow-capped San Francisco Peaks behind
Northern Arizona University's Flagstaff campus below the San Francisco Peaks (May 2019). Photo: Joshbiggs · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped

Last checked Oct 29, 2026. Every fact comes from the pages listed in Sources at the bottom. Some hotel and tour links are affiliate links (disclosure).

The short version

Trip at a glance

School
Northern Arizona University (Flagstaff, AZ)
Days
1 on campus, plus travel. Arrive the day before a morning visit.
Fly into
Flagstaff Pulliam Airport (FLG), about 11 minutes from the Drury Plaza by car with no traffic. Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX) is about 2 hr 42 min away.
Best base
Drury Plaza Hotel Flagstaff, about a 15-minute walk or 3-minute drive to the San Francisco Parking Garage, next to where most NAU tours begin.
Car or no car
A rental car is the simplest way in from either airport.
Registration
Through NAU's official Eventbrite sign-ups for weekday and Saturday visits.

1. Who this guide is for

This plan is for parents flying in with a high schooler, and maybe younger siblings, to see Northern Arizona University's Flagstaff campus, with time left for Lowell Observatory.

Most NAU tours and events begin at the Student and Academic Services Building, and visitors park next door in the San Francisco Parking Garage.

Why this order

  • Arrive the day before and stay near campus, so visit morning is a short walk or drive.
  • Visit day: NAU's standard weekday Campus Visit is a presentation, a student panel and a walking tour. The Academic Exploration version adds an extra hour with your academic area of interest.
  • Afterward, Lowell Observatory, home of Pluto's discovery, is about 7 minutes from the parking garage by car.
Pick the right visit
  • Weekday Campus Visits run on most Mondays through Fridays through the year. On Mondays and Fridays you can choose "NAU Campus Visit: Academic Exploration" to meet with your academic area of interest.
  • NAU also lists a one-hour Campus Tour on its weekday sign-up page.
  • For reasonable accommodations, contact NAU.Tours@nau.edu. NAU's travel page asks guests needing disability accommodations to call Disability Resources at 928-523-8773 at least three weeks before the event.
Tour availability varies by season.
  • On select Saturdays, NAU offers a Saturday Campus Visit with an admissions overview, student panel, walking tour and lunch. A few times a year, Discover NAU adds academic exploration.
  • NAU also holds a Transfer Visit Day for students transferring with 12 or more units, plus monthly virtual information sessions during the academic year.
  • NAU says Flagstaff has four seasons, including plenty of snow in winter and monsoon thunderstorms in late summer, and ranks among the sunniest cities in the country, so bring sunscreen.

2. The suggested 1-day plan

  • Drive times are no-traffic estimates from OpenStreetMap routing, and walking times use OpenStreetMap foot routing, with addresses geocoded by OpenStreetMap Nominatim. Times to campus are to the San Francisco Parking Garage, using the location in NAU's map link.

Arrival day: fly in and check in near campus

  1. Flagstaff Pulliam Airport (FLG) → Drury Plaza Hotel Flagstaff

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~11 min, 5.3 mi
    Driving and walking
    Rental car or rideshare

  2. Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX) → Drury Plaza Hotel Flagstaff (alternate airport)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~2 hr 42 min, 148.6 mi
    Driving and walking
    Rental car
  • Little America Flagstaff lists a free airport shuttle on Expedia; guests must send arrival details to the hotel before travel.

Visit day: NAU Campus Visit, then Lowell Observatory

  1. Drury Plaza Hotel Flagstaff → San Francisco Parking Garage

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~3 min, 0.8 mi
    Driving and walking
    ~15 min walk, 0.7 mi

  2. Hotel Aspen InnSuites → San Francisco Parking Garage

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~5 min, 1.6 mi
    Driving and walking
    Drive

  3. Little America Flagstaff → San Francisco Parking Garage

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~7 min, 2.4 mi
    Driving and walking
    Drive

  4. San Francisco Parking Garage → Lowell Observatory (1400 W. Mars Hill Rd.)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~7 min, 2.1 mi
    Driving and walking
    Drive
  • Your confirmation tells you where your visit starts; most NAU tours and events begin at the Student and Academic Services Building.
  • Heading home: the garage is about 10 minutes from FLG and about 2 hr 42 min from PHX with no traffic.

3. Campus by campus

Aerial view of the Northern Arizona University campus in Flagstaff at dawn, with a copper-clad modern building, red-brick halls and pine forest, and the snow-capped San Francisco Peaks behind
Northern Arizona University's Flagstaff campus below the San Francisco Peaks (May 2019). Photo: Joshbiggs · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped

Campus

Northern Arizona University (Flagstaff, AZ)

Where visits start
  • Most NAU tours and events begin at the Student and Academic Services Building.
  • A weekday Campus Visit is a presentation, student panel and walking tour; Academic Exploration adds an hour with your area of interest; a Campus Tour is a one-hour tour only.
  • Groups of 10 or more should request a group tour six weeks ahead by calling 928-523-0922 or emailing grouptours@nau.edu, with one chaperone per 10 students.
Visitor parking
  • Visitors park in the San Francisco Parking Garage, next to the Student and Academic Services Building.
  • A permit is required to park on campus year-round. Short-term visitors can pay on exit at the parking garages on Knoles Drive or San Francisco Street; a credit or debit card is needed.
  • Park with your license plate facing the drive aisle; don't back in or pull through.
Getting there
  • The garage is about a 15-minute walk from the Drury Plaza, and a 5- to 7-minute drive from Hotel Aspen InnSuites and Little America, with no traffic.
  • After you park, a campus shuttle system can take you across campus; NAU says the shuttle is free for guests on weekdays.
What to know
  • The NAU photo in this guide shows the Flagstaff campus with the San Francisco Peaks behind it.
  • NAU also offers a virtual tour of the Flagstaff campus.
Contact
NAU campus visits: 928-523-0922 or NAU.Tours@nau.edu. Admissions: 928-523-5511 or admissions@nau.edu. Flagstaff campus: 1100 S. Beaver Street, Flagstaff, AZ 86011.

Last checked Oct 29, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.

Official pages: NAU Saturday Campus Visit (Eventbrite) · NAU: Flagstaff campus tours and events · NAU Admissions: Travel to Flagstaff · NAU: Visitor parking

4. Where to stay: near campus in Flagstaff

Price tiers (Budget, Mid-range, Upscale) follow each hotel's star class on Expedia. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.

Hotel · Our pickMid-range

Drury Plaza Hotel Flagstaff

300 S. Milton Rd., Flagstaff, AZ 86001

Why here

  • About a 15-minute walk or 3-minute drive to the San Francisco Parking Garage, and about 11 minutes by car from FLG.
  • Expedia lists this hotel as a 3.5-star property, so we place it in the Mid-range tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.

Good to know

  • Expedia lists 160 rooms, a 2026 remodel, a free breakfast buffet, a free manager's reception, an indoor pool and free self-parking. Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.

Check rates on Expedia →

Expedia link is an affiliate link

Hotel · AlternateUpscale

Little America Flagstaff

2515 E. Butler Ave., Flagstaff, AZ 86004

Why here

  • Expedia lists this hotel as a 4-star property, so we place it in the Upscale tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
  • It's about 7 minutes by car from the San Francisco Parking Garage with no traffic.

Good to know

  • Expedia lists 247 rooms, a free airport shuttle, free self-parking, a seasonal outdoor pool, a playground, the on-site Little America Restaurant and a minimum check-in age of 21. Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.

Check rates on Expedia →

Expedia link is an affiliate link

Hotel · AlternateBudget

Hotel Aspen InnSuites Flagstaff/Grand Canyon

1008 E. Route 66, Flagstaff, AZ 86001

Why here

  • Expedia lists this hotel as a 2.5-star property, so we place it in the Budget tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
  • It's about 5 minutes by car from the San Francisco Parking Garage with no traffic.

Good to know

  • Expedia lists 110 rooms, free self-parking, a seasonal outdoor pool, fridges and microwaves, and a minimum check-in age of 21. Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.

Check rates on Expedia →

Expedia link is an affiliate link

Stay near campus on Milton Road so you can walk or make a short drive to the San Francisco Parking Garage on visit morning.

5. Meals between tours

Hours change, so check before you go.

Near your hotel

Drury Plaza includes a free breakfast buffet and Little America has its own on-site restaurant, per Expedia. NAU's travel page links Discover Flagstaff for dining options around town.

6. Things for siblings along the route

With siblings

Lowell Observatory

1400 W. Mars Hill Rd., Flagstaff, AZ

About 7 minutes by car from the parking garage. Home of Pluto's discovery, at 7,250 feet on Mars Hill; general admission covers guided tours, 150+ exhibits, historic buildings, theater shows and stargazing, and it's good all day. Closed Tuesdays; check hours before you go, and dress in layers.

Official page →

With siblings

A Lumberjacks game

Flagstaff, AZ

Check the NAU athletics calendar for a home game on your dates.

Official page →

7. Practical tips

Driving and parking

  • Bring a credit or debit card: visitor parking at the garages is paid on exit.
  • Park with your license plate facing the drive aisle, since NAU checks permits by license plate.

Flying in and out

  • Flagstaff Pulliam (FLG) is about 10 minutes from campus. Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX) is about 2 hr 42 min away with no traffic, so leave extra time.

Weather by season (1991–2020 NOAA normals: Flagstaff Pulliam Airport)

  • Spring: April averages about 59°F highs and 28°F lows, with about 0.9 inches of rain and 5 inches of snow.
  • Summer: July averages about 82°F/51°F, with about 2.6 inches of rain; NAU notes monsoon thunderstorms in late summer.
  • Fall: October averages about 64°F/32°F, with about 1.5 inches of rain.
  • Winter: January averages about 43°F/18°F, with about 20.9 inches of snow.

Parent checklist

  • Book an NAU Campus Visit (weekday) or Saturday Campus Visit on NAU's official sign-ups.
  • Request any accommodations early: Disability Resources asks for at least three weeks' notice.
  • Book flights into FLG or PHX and a rental car.
  • Book a hotel near campus.
  • Pack layers and sunscreen for Flagstaff's mountain weather.
  • After the visit, take five minutes to jot down what stood out to your student.

8. Student-athlete recruiting visits

For families whose student hopes to play a college sport. Rules below are the NCAA's; each school's links were checked Oct 26, 2026.

Coaches arrange the recruiting part of a visit, not the admissions office. The tour sign-ups in this guide are for the regular family visit. An official (school-paid) visit is offered by the school, and contact with coaches follows NCAA rules that vary by division, sport and grade level.

Start with your sport's questionnaire, then email the coaches. The NCAA suggests emailing coaches with your achievements, highlight videos and interest in their program, including your name, position, NCAA ID and graduation year.

1 Division I

NCAA basics for parents

  • Unofficial visit: any campus visit you or your family pay for. You can take as many as you like; in Divisions I and II each one has to come after the first permissible date for your sport.
  • Official visit: a visit paid for by the school. Each school can offer your student only one. Before a Division I official visit, your student must be registered with the NCAA Eligibility Center, be on the school's institutional request list, and the school must have their high school transcripts.
  • Division I (Northern Arizona University): on an official visit the school can pay for travel for the student and up to two family members, lodging, up to three meals a day for the student and up to four family members, and up to $60 a person in entertainment, including five home-game tickets. On an unofficial visit there are no free meals, but the school can give up to three home-game tickets. Division I uses recruiting calendars with contact, evaluation, quiet and dead periods; in a dead period, no in-person contact and no visits.
  • Rules change. Confirm with the coach, or check the NCAA's recruiting page and recruiting calendars, before you plan dates.

Planning around the season

  • Check each school's athletics schedule (linked above) before you pick dates, so a coach meeting doesn't land on a road trip or game day for your sport.
  • Our recommendation, not a school rule: ask the coach whether they can line up an admissions session or tour around your meeting. If not, book the regular family tour yourself through the official sign-up links in this guide, and leave time between the two.

Student-athlete sources

All checked Oct 26, 2026.

  1. NCAA, 2026-27 Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete (pp. 3, 21–25)
  2. NCAA.org: NCAA Recruiting
  3. NCAA: Division I and II Recruiting Calendars and Guides
  4. NCAA Directory: Northern Arizona University
  5. Northern Arizona University Athletics (official site)
  6. Northern Arizona University Athletics: Staff Directory
  7. Northern Arizona University Athletics: schedule of events

Trip planner

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Sources

All checked Oct 29, 2026. Tour schedules change constantly, so always confirm on each school's official sign-up page. Photo credits are under each photo and on our About page.

  1. NAU: Flagstaff campus tours and events
  2. NAU Admissions on Eventbrite: Daily Campus Visit (official sign-up)
  3. NAU Admissions on Eventbrite: Saturday Campus Visit (official sign-up)
  4. NAU Admissions: Travel to the Flagstaff campus
  5. NAU University Transit Services: Visitor parking
  6. NAU: Explore NAU's campuses (tours)
  7. Lowell Observatory: Plan your visit
  8. Expedia listing: Drury Plaza Hotel Flagstaff (star class and amenities, checked 2026-10-29) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Flagstaff-Hotels-Drury-Inn-Suites-Flagstaff.h1739318.Hotel-Information)
  9. Expedia listing: Little America Flagstaff (star class and amenities, checked 2026-10-29) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Grand-Canyon-Hotels-Little-America-Flagstaff.h19758.Hotel-Information)
  10. Expedia listing: Hotel Aspen InnSuites Flagstaff/Grand Canyon (star class and amenities, checked 2026-10-29) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Grand-Canyon-Hotels-Hotel-Aspen-InnSuites-FlagstaffGrand-Canyon.h16341.Hotel-Information)
  11. Discover Flagstaff directory: Hotel Aspen Inn Suites Flagstaff (address)
  12. OSRM routing (OpenStreetMap), driving profile
  13. OSRM routing (OpenStreetMap), foot profile
  14. OpenStreetMap Nominatim geocoder
  15. NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 Monthly Normals, Flagstaff Pulliam Airport, AZ (USW00003103)
  16. NAU Lumberjacks Athletics: Calendar