Flagstaff and Williams, Arizona

Written by Becky

As a last minute gig, Josh got to play music at a marriage retreat for Young Life Staff in Arizona. We flew into Phoenix, relied on our GPS and drove North exploring the higher parts of Arizona. From sticky hot skin to cool calming air in a matter of hours.

We were desperately hungry as we drove into Flagstaff and of course I couldn’t compromise to stop at a chain in the name of starvation but I had to find a fun local spot for us to eat. Getting frustrated and desperate I found a burrito place on yelp from my phone and used its GPS to navigate the city. Unfortunately, it was dark and our GPS lead us in circles. We found ourselves in a dark alley, but hope arrived as we saw the dim lights of a little cafe, the Greek Islands, and we gave up our burrito quest quickly for the possibility of Greek food.

Greek Islands was more than we could have hoped for in a local spot for dinner. $3 glasses of wine, perfectly cooked lamb, and plenty of creamy tzatziki sauce. Sometimes getting lost is the best way to find something great.

During the week of the conference we stayed near Williams, AZ, which is a tiny gateway town to the Grand Canyon. There you can ride a train to the Grand Canyon, which might make a trip to the the large hole a bit more interesting in my opinion, considering my infatuation with trains. In Williams you can also find drive in diners, local burger joints, and small town coffee roasters.

Josh played one evening at The American Flyer coffee shop on the main drag in Williams. After the concert, the proud owner, highly caffeinated from of roasting beans all day, explained to us the entire process of roasting. We took home some freshly roasted beans and lots of new knowledge on coffee.

Being a cool weather and mountain fan, I enjoyed the Northern parts of Arizona that we explored, an area I highly recommend visiting. Though it is nice to have a GPS while traveling, sometimes the old way of just happening upon a restaurant is the way to make the best memories. Check out my friend Phil’s blog here, where he writes about traveling the old school way with maps and intuition.

American Flyer Coffee in Williams on Urbanspoon American Flyer Coffee Co. on Urbanspoon

Greek Islands in Flagstaff on Urbanspoon Greek Islands on Urbanspoon

Comments (5)

  1. williams sounds like such a cool place. i'd love to ride that train. i'm visiting the grand canyon soon and this might be an option!

    thanks!

  2. I spent nearly 14 years in Flagstaff and I often pine for the days that I lived there. Great Bars, Great Coffee and Great Local Food! High cost of living…..

  3. It's wonderful to discover a local surprise. No doubt that I would have loved the Greek food restaurant too.
    Thanks for sharing.

  4. You were looking for Black Bean in Flag, huh? Its in a cool, but dark, alleyway that I'm sure your GPS couldn't navigate too 🙁 Bummer!

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