With the NASA Artemis program reigniting excitement about returning humans to the moon, America has once again become fascinated with space travel. What many travelers don’t realize is that part of that story runs straight through Northern Arizona. These space travel attractions can be part of your Grand Canyon wedding travel plans.
While Houston and Kennedy Space Center in Florida get a lot of the bragging rights, Flagstaff and the surrounding area helped get boots on the lunar ground. The landscapes here, beyond the Grand Canyon, are about as close to the moon as you’ll find on Earth.
Top 4 Space Travel Attractions in Northern Arizona
From volcanic terrain near Flagstaff to meteor impact sites and world-famous observatories, this region quietly became one of the most important places in America’s space exploration history.
In fact, all of the 24 men who walked on the moon first walked through the landscape around Flagstaff as part of their training. If you’re looking for an out-of-this-world adventure during your Grand Canyon wedding trip, or want to share this with your wedding guests, we’ve rounded up the top five sites every space travel fan needs to see.
USGS Astrogeology Science Center
Long before astronauts stepped onto the Moon, scientists in Flagstaff were helping map it. The USGS Astrogeology Science Center became a key hub for Apollo-era astronaut training, planetary mapping, and space exploration research.
Today, visitors can explore the same facility where lunar and Mars mission science still happens, making it one of Northern Arizona’s most underrated stops for space fans. This isn’t your traditional walk-in space travel attraction, but reservations are easy to make by emailing the center, and better yet, it’s free!
Things to see include:
- The famous Grover lunar rover that trained the astronauts on Earth
- Explore Moon and Mars maps used in real mission planning
- Walk the topographic floor map of Mars and Arizona’s unique landscapes
- Learn how scientists map planets without ever setting foot on them
- Dive into exhibits about asteroids, impact craters, and robotic exploration
Out-of-This-World Fact: One of the founders of the USGS Astrogeology Science Center, planetary scientist Eugene Shoemaker, became the first person to have their ashes placed on the Moon after NASA carried them aboard the Lunar Prospector mission in 1999.
Lowell Observatory
Perched above Flagstaff, Lowell Observatory helped shape modern astronomy long before the Space Race began. Founded in 1894, the observatory is famous for the discovery of Pluto and for decades of planetary research that later supported NASA-era exploration.
Today, Lowell Observatory remains one of the best space attractions in Northern Arizona thanks to its mix of historic telescopes, hands-on exhibits, live science programming, and some of the clearest dark sky viewing in the country.
Visitors can look through telescopes, explore interactive space exhibits, learn about planets and galaxies, and experience the same high-elevation skies that made Flagstaff a global astronomy hub in the first place.
General admission tickets start at $35 for adults, $20 for kids 6-17 years old, and $30 for those 55+. However, check the menu for a list of add-on experiences.
Weddings at Lowell Observatory
Lowell Observatory offers more than a tourist attraction; it’s also a wedding venue. Contact Grand Canyon Wedding Packages to learn more about having a wedding, elopement, or special event at Lowell Observatory.
Cinder Lakes Apollo Training Area
Just off Forest Service Road 776 in Flagstaff, one small step takes a giant leap into Apollo astronaut training.
The Cinder Lake Crater Field was created in 1967 when the United States Geological Survey and NASA used explosives to transform volcanic terrain into a simulated lunar surface. After new Moon images revealed a heavily cratered landscape, Apollo astronauts needed a realistic place to practice navigation, geology, and sample collection before heading into space.
Today, the site still looks surprisingly lunar, with hundreds of artificial craters scattered across black volcanic cinders south of Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument. It remains one of the most fascinating hidden space history sites in Northern Arizona.
Want to ride as the astronauts did? A modern-day experience could include the nearby Cinder Hills Off-Highway Vehicle Area.
Meteor Crater
About 40 minutes east of Flagstaff in Winslow, Meteor Crater looks like something pulled straight from a sci-fi movie set.
The crater formed roughly 50,000 years ago when a meteor slammed into Earth at speeds estimated at around 26,000 miles per hour. It stretches nearly a mile wide and more than 550 feet deep. It remains one of the best-preserved meteor impact sites on the planet.
The site also became part of America’s space story. During the Apollo era, NASA astronauts visited Meteor Crater for geology and impact training while preparing for lunar missions. Scientists used the crater to better understand what astronauts might encounter on the Moon. The Apollo 11 Space Training Capsule is on display, and admission to the Discovery Center and Space Museum is included with admission.
WHILE YOU’RE HERE: Winslow is part of the Route 66 “Mother Road.” Stop by to get a photo “Standing on a Corner in Winslow Arizona” and drive the musical highway that plays the song.
Astrotourism in Northern Arizona: Space Travel Attractions and Pristine Night Skies
While those space travel attractions keep you busy during the daytime, don’t give up at night. As the first International Dark Sky City and several Dark Sky Parks in the region, stargazing simply must be part of the itinerary.
When you’re ready to start planning a Grand Canyon elopement, wedding, or special event, we can help. As locals, we know the services, vendors, rules, and tools to make your adventure out of this world.