The first city in the United States to pass an ordinance that governs outdoor lighting was Flagstaff. This happened in 1958 and is mainly due to Flagstaff being the host for two of the most important astronomical observatories in the country. In 2001 the city was recognized as the world’s first International Dark Sky City.
This ordinance makes the observatories a great visitor’s attraction and something one should not miss when in the area. The observatories are the Lowell Observatory and the United States Naval Observatory Flagstaff Station. They work in partnership with each other and have a fantastic visitor centre.
Flagstaff is situated in northern Arizona and a relatively small city with an estimated population of around 60,000. It is pretty easy to get there and one can travel by car along route 66 or use the Amtrak Southern Chief train. It travels daily between Chicago and Los Angeles and make two daily stops in Flagstaff. Visitors can also travel by plane to the Flagstaff Pulliam Airport. If you get a car rental it will be easy to travel in Flagstaff as the city size isn’t too large. You can choose from named suppliers like Alamo, Hertz, Thrifty, and Budget. Cheap car rental in Flagstaff is just a few seconds away. Search here now!
It is also great for people traveling by bike as its got dedicated bike lanes ensuring the safety and comfort of bike riders. This could make for a nice change from traveling by car.
Flagstaff also boasts with a fantastic bus system that covers most of the city. This bus system is called the Mountain Line and travels on five lines that will take a visitor anywhere it needs to get.