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Hands down, the worst place I have ever lived. As someone who works from home, the lack of quality employment isn't even an issue for me, however, there are many more issues I have with this horrible area. Here are a few!
Frankly, the area is rundown with many more negatives than positives including
-the rudest people I have ever come across
I've been here for over two years, this has not been my experience. However, most people that I do come across are not from here.
-extremely small, crowded & rundown businesses and services and all the employees always seem uninterested in anything besides collecting your money. I never see an owner around at any small businesses, just a bunch of college students who seem bored
This town has a variety of businesses. Are you talking about Sportman's Warehouse, Tractor Supply, Kohls, Peace Surplus, Sam's, Super Walmart, Target, the Farmers Market, World Market, Home Depot, etc etc etc? As for bored college students...... they're working at a job that they hate, and they're still teenagers. What do you expect?
-too many college students everywhere - they do not seem to have their own area, which makes everything even more crowded.
You must be in their area. If you live on the East side of town, there's no University or college there. You will also notice a lack of University/College students.
-too many road strop travelers and cheap 1 and 2 star motels lining every single street
I agree with the comment about the motels. I enjoy the travelers in the summertime though. We lived at the Sonesta for nearly two months when we first moved here. We met people from all over the world.
-absolutely no small town charm or neighborhood type feel - feels like a quick stop for the Grand Canyon or somewhere to sleep after a road trip. We still feel like we are stuck on a highway waiting to check out of our motel and continue on with the drive.
Besides the Flagstaff Hullabaloo, Pride in the Pines, the 4th of July parade, Movies in the Square, Pickin in the Pines, the Greek festival, Celtic festival, etc etc etc, I agree with you. Wait, nevermind. This town may not be "charming", but it can be really fun.
- a dirty, rundown downtown area, mostly just cheap bar style restaurants and really no shops or attractions
I agree that there are some areas that can be cleaned up.
-a lack of seasonal/holiday events
See list above.
-too isolated. Anything good that is nearby like the Grand Canyon, Petrified National Forest, Montezuma castle, extra is not worthy of more than a one time visit
You have to love the outdoors to live here. Also, you have Phoenix, Vegas, Southern Utah, and even the Ocean within a mornings drive.
-too sunny all year. It gets boring to have the same weather every single day. Barely any snow or rain.
Seriously!?
-Crowds everywhere - more so than Boston and Tampa based on my personal experience. Hideously overcrowded for doing anything, whether it be eating at a restaurant, going to a gym, or ice skating. Everything is packed anytime of the day. As someone who works from home and frequently leaves at various hotels, I can say that traffic and businesses are crowded all the time. No this does not mean they are good, it means that the space is too small to accommodate the massive crowds.
More crowded than Boston? Again, seriously!?
-lack of recreation and trails even though it claims to be an outdoor paradise. Most of the trails are crappy or over a half hour drive away outside of the city in crowded, hot Sedona. The trails in Sedona all look the same and honestly get old after a while. As my husband and I are huge fitness people, we have checked out dozens and dozens of trails in both Sedona and Flagstaff. We have never been so bored with the variety.
You can hike trails in the aspens up at Humphreys, in the PondeBullBoxer31 in town, through blueberry patches in Oak Creek, and in the red rock in Sedona. You can't access this much diversity anywhere else.
-Not much in the way of culture anywhere nearby - lack of museums (unless you are interested in Native American culture which I am not), attractions, any sort of fun entertainment. Hiking/outdoor activities are great, however, very tiring and repetitive if you have nothing else to balance out all that high altitude wear on your body.
You live next to several major reservations, surely you can find some interest in their culture. I mean, Ms. Navajo Nation slaughters a sheep as part of the pageant. ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?
-Too many cheap pub style restaurants, not enough Italian, fine dining etc.
Depends on your definition of fine dining
-Hard to find parking - most restaurants in very small, cramped spaces downtown or in small Strip malls.
I agree parking is rough. Sometimes I have to walk two blocks to get to a restaurant.
-Extremely high priced rent for what you get. Renting a small 3 bedroom a few miles outside of the city for over $1500.
Completely agree.
-Way too many chains. Who needs an Olive Garden, Red Lobster, Kohls, etc. etc? Prefer small towns that keep it local and would much rather drive an hour or more to get to these type of places. Feels more like a suburb that a small town.
None of these are downtown. We have great Indian, Thai, Greek, and Vietnamese restaurants as well.
-Chains stores like Walmart and Target are always massively crowded like on Black Friday and out of stock of everything. They also have no super versions of anything, so you might as well order online instead.
Every chain store is massively crowded on Black Friday
-Too many smokers everywhere
I don't notice many more than we had in Utah
-Lots of drunks, especially downtown
Downtown, where the bars are at, there are drunk people.
-Homeless and hitchikers a daily sight.
I agree with this. If I was homeless, I would come here too.
Just a few things off the top of my head. Flagstaff truly offers a poor quality of life, and my husband and I will be moving out as soon as we get the chance (hopefully soon).
I lived in Flagstaff as a single woman beginning back in the early 90s. It became my favorite place in the country. Back then, when I went on hikes, there was never anyone around - I was blissfully alone in some of the most beautiful places on earth. I moved their with no job and had no problem finding many - I actually had choices! I attended NAU and it was fantastic. I ended up buying my little cabin in Mountain Aire for 39,900 and selling it for 89,900 when I had to leave for grad school. I met many very interesting and very bright people and my neighbors actually looked out for me. Never had to lock my doors. I was heartbroken when I had to leave. There was a unique spirituality in the mountains and forests that was very healing. I traveled all over Arizona enjoying all the different life zones and the fantastic beauty of each. Now, I am a mother and I have always thought of returning to AZ, but Flagstaff seems to be a different place. Outrageously expensive and from what I gather from these posts, it has lost it's charm and intrigue. So sad. BTW, when people used to call it "poverty with a view", I would always counter with "equal opportunity views". A place where everyone had a view and didn't have to pay tons of $$$$ for it. How lovely.
Thanks Greenehaven! I have great memories of Lake Powell! But a focus on relocating back to AZ is largely about the public school systems for my daughter. Have a job possibility in Tucson. Good schools in Oro Valley, C. Foothills, and Vail. Have thought about Prescott too, but no job offers there yet. Say hello to the lake for me!
Now, I am a mother and I have always thought of returning to AZ, but Flagstaff seems to be a different place. Outrageously expensive and from what I gather from these posts, it has lost it's charm and intrigue. So sad. BTW, when people used to call it "poverty with a view", I would always counter with "equal opportunity views". A place where everyone had a view and didn't have to pay tons of $$$$ for it. How lovely.
It's all in the eye of the beholder (or the criticizer for that matter). I always look forward to my summer getaways, and one of my getaway spots in Arizona is the Flagstaff area ... particularly north of town, or around Lake Mary. Believe me, Flagstaff still has lots of charm compared to the hot, congested hell hole that Phoenix is this time of year! Flagstaff can seem overrun with vacationers during the summer months, especially summer holidays like Independence Day. Many of those vacationers are either overheated Phoenicians, or tourists on their way to the Grand Canyon.
As far as being "outrageously expensive", that may not be such a bad thing. If Flagstaff was inexpensive, chances are there would be a high amount of growth, which would include suburban styled cookie cutter development all over the place. I'm sure this is something people of Flagstaff don't exactly want to happen. It's a small city with small growth, and I think that's how most people like it. Cheap prices also tend to bring in a cheaper class of people. Do you really want that?! Besides, for established residents, increased housing prices are a benefit in the way that they can sell or rent out their properties for a substantial profit.
I ended up buying my little cabin in Mountain Aire for 39,900 and selling it for 89,900
but Flagstaff seems to be a different place. Outrageously expensive and from what I gather from these posts, it has lost it's charm and intrigue. So sad. BTW, when people used to call it "poverty with a view", I would always counter with "equal opportunity views". A place where everyone had a view and didn't have to pay tons of $$$$ for it. How lovely.
125% profit in a few years?....and you lament how expensive Flag has become?
Flagstaff has always been expensive....not just "now"
I do not live in the college area. I live in Kachina Village which is mostly retirees and second home owners. However, I do go into town multiple times a day and have to deal with the college students at all of the businesses. It doesn't matter where you live, it matters the type of people you come in contact with on a daily basis. I am not going to waste my money at restaurants with sub par service or else I might as well cook myself at home (which I mostly do, however, I would prefer good service when I treat myself to a meal away from home).
I would never consider Flagstaff a morning's drive from the beach! When I lived in Palm Harbor, FL, I was within a half hour-hour drive to over 15 beaches. This is being a morning's drive from the beach! San Diego is 7 hours away, and this is not counting gas, bathroom, and restaurant stops. Driving 7 hours means you need a hotel for the night, preferably 2 to feel like you get to relax for a bit after all that hideous driving through the hot boring desert of California.
You also have to consider the costs involved. For most people, it isn't feasible to spend $300+ on a San Diego vacation every weekend. Whereas, someone living in Florida can pack a picnic lunch, drive a half hour to the beach, and spend nothing more than gas fees. I have heard numerous people around here brag about Flagstaff being a morning's drive from the beach. The only thing Flagstaff is a morning's drive away from is hiking trails in Sedona. While it is closed to Grand Canyon, this is not something you want to hassle with every weekend. Basically, being anywhere near the beach should never be considered a selling point for Flagstaff. I have done the drive to San Diego and Los Angeles: both are hideously long and consist of boring, unending desert scenery.
I do like the outdoors, hence why I moved here. I fell for the false advertising and hope others do not as well. Unfortunately, there are not enough entertainment options, events, and fun activities to balance out the exercise. Phoenix is too hot for my taste most of the year and Vegas has become an uber expensive vacation destination. Utah is great although I have already visited Zion and Bryce.
There are no great holiday events like there was in Tampa and Boston. The Boston and Providence areas, as well as all the small towns around the metro areas, have events every weekend and they have the added bonus of never get as packed as Flagstaff because there are more spread out over a wider region. I miss the fun Haunted Forest, artistic Jack O'Lantern events, holiday zoo lights, and the 100+ additional events I attended all season long. Flagstaff's 4th of July events were a major disappointment. This was the 2nd year in a row we couldn't even go to the fireworks due to the massive traffic (leaving over an hour in advance). The parade is a bunch of screaming advertisements to get tourist into the businesses. The movies on the square could be fun, although they should hold it in the park at Fort Tuthill as it is uncomfortable sitting on cement. Also there were a bunch of drunks behind us ruining the Sandlot (same thing happened at a showing of Beethoven).
I have done about every trail in Flagstaff and Sedona including all the Snowbowl hikes (expect Humphrey's Peak which I am doing in late August before my move). Getting bored with the Sedona hikes as they get repetitive. The high altitude combined with the dry desert air really tires you out after a while. After hiking all weekend for a year on end, I am pretty plastered.
I said that the stores are crowded as if it is Black Friday everyday. Anytime I go to Kohls I wait in a wrap around line "like" it is Black Friday. This has never happened to me elsewhere. Also the Walmart shelves are always empty and the Sprouts is about as crowded as a New England Stop N Shop before a winter snowstorm.
I am a strict non-smoker and cannot tell you how many times I have had to move inside from a restaurant due to the smokers. I would like to sit outside too! Also I can't even walk three feet downtown without someone blowing nasty smoke in my face.
The restaurants downtown area all dreadfully overpriced with horrible service. The Indian place downtown is horrible, the one in the Walmart strip mall (Delhi Palace) is the good one. All the Thai places are really rundown with sub par food. Mix and the breweries are okay although overpriced for what you get. Cheap bar food that is overpriced for willing tourists.
If I was homeless, I would never come somewhere like Flagstaff where I have almost zero chance of making it due to the high rent. Even if I do eventually get a job - is it going to pay enough for the high rent? My husband and I make over 100,000 a year and still do not have a ton of extra spending money. How does someone live off a retail job here?
I'm OK with Flagstaff overall, except for the high cost of living here and the occasional adverse winter driving conditions. . I work at a National Guard Munitions depot outside of town, and it's a great place to work (I'm a career munitions specialist).
Movingsoon81, did you scope out the local area before you moved here? I'm kind of tied to Flagstaff because of my job, but it sounds like you may have had other options (which is nice).
No I didn't have the opportunity to check out the area before moving, unfortunately. I had only been to Phoenix and Show Low, both areas which I liked ok. I basically did several months of research online. For my next move, I will definitely be going somewhere I have already visited or planning a long trip to inspect the area. And it is not as easy to move as some people like to think, especially when you just spent 8000 on a move just a year ago. Hard to save up with the outrageous prices!
125% profit in a few years?....and you lament how expensive Flag has become?
Flagstaff has always been expensive....not just "now"
supply and demand is all it's about
I don't know where you got the "few years" part...LOL. I was there for much longer than a few years. Also, try finding a house in Mountainaire, Kachina Village, or Munds Park for $89,900 now, let alone $39,900. I don't want to argue with you but Flag wasn't that expensive a couple of decades ago. SMH.
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WELCOME Dreamweaver's girl
