CITY LIMITLESS
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From farm-to-table dining, Native American artist shows and immeasurable outdoor recreation, Mesa is a city that knows no bounds — a gateway destination to one of the most dynamic regions in the country. A gateway to discovery, adventure and endless possibilities from A to Z. Welcome to Mesa. City Limitless®.
One of the most popular day trips for anyone visiting Mesa is along the historic Apache Trail through the mysterious Superstition Mountains and into the foothills of the Tonto National Forest – the fifth largest forest in the United States. To this day, the area continues to pay homage to its Western roots which took shape in the late 1800s.
DAY 1 \ Mesa City Limitless®
DAY 1 \ The Apache Trail
DAY 1 \ Farm to Table
DAY 1 \ Desert Exploration
MESA ARTS CENTER CAMPUS TOUR 1 hour
GOLDFIELD GHOST TOWN
QUEEN CREEK OLIVE MILL
NATURE CENTER DESERT TOUR 1 hour
Mesa Arts Center, celebrating its 10th year, is the largest performing arts, visual arts, and arts education facility in the Southwestern United States. The seven-acre campus is an inviting oasis by day and a luminous beacon by night. Serving as a central gathering place for visitors and residents, Mesa Arts Center architecture is inspired by the unique character of the Sonoran Desert – a rich desert, mountain and canyon environment. The Shadow Walk, a shaded outdoor plaza, hosts free concerts throughout the year. Guided tours available.
METRO LIGHT RAIL
1 hour
Visitors can gain easy access to Mesa hotels and the city’s downtown districts via Metro Light Rail. With the addition of the PHX Sky Train, connecting to and from the airport has never been easier. The new extension takes visitors to the doorsteps of three museums, our higher education college campus, and in front of the renowned Mesa Arts Center. The new line starts in front of the Mesa Temple and Pioneer Park.
DOWNTOWN MESA SCULPTURE WALK 1 1⁄2 hours Walking around Downtown Mesa you will find Mesa’s Permanent Sculpture Collection. Around every bend and strewn along Main Street are nearly 40 different pieces that make up the city’s public art collection. It doesn’t matter which direction you are looking – they are everywhere!
I.D.E.A. MUSEUM 2 ⁄2 hours 1
Explore your imagination through design in art, science and technology. Here, your child and the child within you will enjoy an assortment of interactive opportunities that engage the senses and encourage creativity. There are three main exhibit areas and an outdoor atrium to explore. Call ahead for classes.
1 ⁄2 hours 1
In its heyday after the first gold-strike in 1892, Goldfield Ghost Town was a busy bustling little outpost perched atop a small hill between the mighty Superstition Mountains to the east and the Goldfield Mountains to the west. Today, visitors can walk down Main Street, explore the many shops and historic buildings and tour the historic Mammoth Gold Mine.
APACHE TRAIL OFF-ROAD TOUR
2+ hours
Off-road desert tours offer a heart-pumping adventure into the Sonoran Desert! These all-terrain vehicles can hold up to eight guests in one vehicle and offers some of the best photography options as you leave the city limits and head into the Tonto National Forest.
WESTERN FILM STARS AT SUPERSTITION MOUNTAIN MUSEUM
DINNER & A SHOW Seasonal, Oct – May 1 1⁄2 hours Come to the Mining Camp Restaurant for a hearty meal of good ol’ Western food and be entertained by Arizona’s colorful history shared in music and song. Nestled at the base of the beautiful Superstition Mountains, the restaurant’s unique concept follows the theme of the early mining camp cook shanty.
RANGER-GUIDED TOUR OF LOST DUTCHMAN STATE PARK
DAY 2 \ Get Away to the Gateway The Gateway towns of Queen Creek and Gilbert offer an extended playground for Mesa visitors. The entire region is host to abundant shopping, dining and nightlife options.
SOAR ABOVE THE SONORAN DESERT 3 hours Soar with Rainbow Ryders hot-air balloon company high above the charming landscape of Queen Creek and over the top of manicured farm lands including peach and apple orchards, olive trees, and the adjacent San Tan Mountains. This once-in-a-lifetime experience shares a bird’s eye view of Arizona – a photographer’s dream!
QUEEN CREEK HORSESHOE PARK & EQUESTRIAN CENTER Seasonal Events This majestic facility is the host for equestrian events both English and Western, as well as home shows, RV and car shows, concerts and weddings. If your travels find you here in March, save the date for the annual Roots & Boots Rodeo, a three-day weekend of Western fun and entertainment.
CASINO FUN & LOCAL NIGHTLIFE 3+ hour Mesa Riverview features one million plus square feet of great values from more than 60 merchants. Don’t miss late night events at area restaurants and bars. Special events are also held here year-round. Enjoy a great nightlife experience at Wild Horse Pass Gila River Casino. This playful environment features live music, exquisite dining and gambling fun. World-class shows, concerts and special casino events take place throughout the year.
2+ hours Photo Opportunity
Home of the Lost Dutchman Mine, one of the most famous “lost mines” of the West. A variety of hiking trails are here that range in distance and elevation. Open year-round from sunrise to 10 p.m., the U.S. Forest Service protects this popular designated wilderness area.
LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION! SHOW-STOPPING PERFORMANCES 2 hour Check out The Duttons variety show in Mesa. This touring family of national recording artists showcase vocal harmonies and instrumental displays with high-energy dancing and heartwarming comedy. Fun for all ages!
1 hour
Arizona has been the backdrop to hundreds of Hollywood Western movies and television shows. Visitors can tour the original buildings for Apacheland Movie Ranch including the Elvis Presley chapel from the movie El Charro. While visiting, be sure to view the collection of Lost Dutchman Mine maps dating back more than 100 years.
ROAD TRIPPIN' TORTILLA FLAT STAGECOACH STOP
1 hour
Tortilla Flat was an original stagecoach stop settlement during the construction of the Roosevelt Dam. Today, there are six full-time residents and a saloon with saddles for barstools and walls decorated with currency and business cards from around the world. Open for breakfast and lunch.
ARIZONA’S NATURAL WONDERS
Day Trips
Mesa is positioned to be a great hub-and-spoke destination when planning an extended stay throughout Arizona. Specialized tour company, Across Arizona Tours, offers one- and two-day custom van tours and multiple-day tours to Monument Valley, Grand Canyon, Sedona, Tucson and Tombstone.
VILLAGE SQUARE AT DANA PARK 2 hours This 400,000-square-foot fashion-focused lifestyle center is a reflection of some of Mesa's most affluent neighborhoods. Featuring the nation’s most popular high-end retailers and unique boutiques paired with palm-tree lined walkways and spacious patios for dining al fresco.
POWER SHOPPING IN EAST MESA 2 hour Mesa’s premier indoor shopping center, Superstition Springs Center, boasts Macy’s, Dillards, JC Penneys, TJ Maxx, Sears and 150 specialty shops. Don't miss the concert series in the outdoor Plaza Amphitheater with nearby dining at The Cheesecake Factory. Children of all ages will enjoy Kids Club and Arizona's only double-decker carousel.
SAN TAN VILLAGE 2 hours The largest outdoor retail mall with defined retail districts. Retailers include Coach, Fossil, Macy’s and Apple. Outdoor patio dining is abundant with options from BBQ and breweries to steak and sushi.
PHOENIX PREMIUM OUTLETS 2 hours Designer outlet shopping has come to City Limitless. Located off the I-10, this outdoor village-style center features a collection of designer and name brands with daily savings. Stores include Coach, DKNY, Kate Spade, Michael Kors, Nike, Saks Fifth Avenue and more.
In Mesa, our bountiful harvest is one that we proudly share with our visitors. Fresh experiences and a treasured heritage of family farms and long-standing festivals make for lasting memories. Head out on the Agritourism Trail, winding visitors through Mesa and into the towns of Gilbert and Queen Creek connecting a number of culinary-themed attractions.
2 ⁄2 hours 1
Queen Creek Olive Mill is Arizona’s only family-owned and operated working olive mill and farm where olives are grown and pressed for the production of high quality extra virgin olive oil. Visitors can enjoy a full-length tour and tasting. VIP tours include lunch at del Piero – the mill’s Tuscan-inspired eatery paired with wine. When the weather is ideal, guests can dine outside in the lush olive grove.
SCHNEPF FARMS
2 hours
TRUE GARDEN
1 hour
This 5,000-square-foot vertical urban farm is a center of education, sharing knowledge on how to produce healthy and nutritious food using no soil. Visitors to True Garden can learn more about organic growing practices, nutrition, overall health and wellness and enjoy their weekly farmer’s markets featuring living produce. Call ahead for a list of current events and educational seminars. Private tours available for groups of 10 or more.
SOSSAMAN FARMS FEATURING HAYDEN FLOUR MILLS
2 1⁄2 hours
Taste Arizona history at this family-owned flour mill whose focus is on native seeds and growing heirloom wheat with minimal processing. Located in Queen Creek, Sossaman Farms offers a full-sensory culinary experience that starts with a tour of their milling operation and gives visitors options to participate in baking classes and educational seminars. Taste and purchase artisan breads, pasta and more.
GREAT GRAPES
POSTINO WINE CAFÉ
Each week, the wine menu features 36 unique, approachable wines paired with simple, delicious food with local ingredients. The outdoor dining options are plentiful and the scene inside the wine café is vibrant and festive with hand-selected tunes for every generation.
THE WINDMILL WINERY The Windmill Winery offers one of the most unique farm settings near Mesa. Located in historic Florence, you’ll find a picture-perfect rural farm with a giant red barn, recycled-stone pathways and surrounding mountain views. The Wine Tasting Room is open weekly, call for current hours.
DAY 2 \ Flavor-Filled Dining & Culinary Education
ARIZONA MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY
AGRITOPIA
2 hours
Enjoy intricate displays of Native Arizona dwellings and artifacts including jewelry manufacturing, pottery making, and hunting activities. Other galleries feature dinosaurs, Arizona’s cosmic night skies, and geology.
NATIVE AMERICAN DISCOVERY AT MESA GRANDE CULTURAL PARK
1 hour
This ancient Hohokam mound features an interpretive trail. The archaeological staff of the Arizona Museum of Natural History have helped preserve and develop the site, which is estimated to date to A.D 1100-1450. Guided tours and archaeological digs available upon request. Mesa is entrenched in aviation history and continues to serve as one of the leaders in aviation technology and education. At Falcon Field, visitors can enjoy the Commemorative Air Force Museum – Arizona Wing. Here, thrillseekers can take to the skies on a variety of war birds and view aviation exhibits. Pilots take visitors on thrilling aerial adventures on a variety of aircraft including the popular Sentimental Journey – a B-17 Bomber known as WWII’s Flying Fortress.
MESA COMMUNITY COLLEGE ROSE GARDEN
1 hour
Visit one of the largest public rose gardens in the Southwest. The Rose Garden boasts 10,000 rose bushes and is a testing site for All-America Rose Selections and the American Rose Society. This living botanical laboratory offers up an ideal place to relax and seek respite while on vacation.
DAY 3 \ The Wild, Wild West HORSEBACK RIDING AT FORT McDOWELL ADVENTURES
2 hours
Head out on the trail and into the immense Fort McDowell reservation, set on 25,000 acres of spectacular open desert. While you’re high in the saddle, keep your eyes peeled for eagles, roadrunners, coyotes, and wild mustangs.
RAWHIDE WESTERN TOWN
1 1⁄2 hours
This urban farm features a designed patchwork of specialty crops with pathways that allow visitors to easily view the growing produce. The same-day harvest is sold at The Farm Stand, as well as being served at Joe’s Farm Grill and The Coffee Shop. All of the produce grown on the farm is grown under the USDA organic protocol.
CRAFT BEERS & BREWERY TOURS
2 hours
Things are getting ‘hoppy’ in Mesa with new craft breweries getting national praise. Don’t miss the tap room at Desert Eagle where smooth, hand-crafted beers are gaining in popularity with the locals. The newest brewpub on the block, B.R.I. Beer Research Institute, serves up Belgian-style ales and pairs them with a menu focused on local flavors. At Mesa Riverview, the Brass Tap has more than 300 selections with more than 50 beers on tap.
ORGAN STOP PIZZA
CITY FEARLESS Located in the Sonoran Desert, Mesa is surrounded by a rich and vibrant playground for sought-after outdoor recreation. Within minutes from our eclectic collection of hotels, guests can immerse themselves into a legendary landscape – a region full of intrigue and awe that continues to inspire and amaze our visitors every day. From hiking mountain tops to kayaking along calm rivers and canyon-carved lakes, nearly every outdoor pursuit can be experienced here in the Sonoran Desert.
Educational series on the desert flora and fauna are offered daily. Programs feature talks with the Ranger geared for children and adults of all ages. Guided tours can be scheduled through Usery Mountain Regional Park. Nearly 30 miles of trails climb enough in elevation to experience spectacular vistas of the Greater Phoenix skyline. Popular outings include the full-moon hikes held monthly and stargazing events.
HIKING & BIKING TOURS
Enjoy a traditional American family farm and 300-acre peach orchard. Annual events at Schnepf Farms include the Pumpkin & Chili Festival (Oct), Peach Festival (May) and Blossom Festival (Feb). Farm dining includes fresh baked pies and cinnamon rolls, homemade fudge, and a variety of jams and preserves. Seasonal Dinner Down the Orchard and U-Pick events feature the varied seasonal harvest.
DAY 2 \ Arizona History & Native American Heritage
ARIZONA’S AVIATION HISTORY 2 hours
SHOPPERS PARADISE
CITY ENDLESS
1 hour
Organ Stop Pizza’s Mighty Wurlitzer is one of the largest and finest theater organs in the world today. Its nearly 6,000 pipes, numerous percussions, and countless traps are masterfully presented by the Musical Staff who are world-class musicians. The pizza is served hot and fresh and be sure to save room for ice cream!
TAKE YOUR SWING AT 40+ GOLF COURSES
TEE IT UP
More than 40 golf courses are within a half-hour drive of downtown Mesa offering a variety of options from challenging desert golf to traditional links play. One of the most popular courses for visitors is Augusta Ranch Golf Club featuring executive-style play. Here, winter visitors can enjoy unlimited play passes and don't miss the newlyrenovated clubhouse. Additional golf standouts include the Troon-managed Toka Sticks Golf Club located near Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport. In the northern part of the city, take your swing at Longbow Golf Club and the Robert Trent Jones, Jr.-designed Las Sendas Golf Club. With near perfect weather it’s possible to enjoy the sport year-round.
4+ hours
Mesa-based outfitters lead guided pack trips into the Superstition Wilderness, part of the Tonto National Forest. Single and multi-day hike and bike tours include an in-depth education on the Sonoran Desert. The extensive trails and jagged mountain peaks vary in length and height throughout the Superstition Mountain range. Overnight tours available.
DAY 2 \ Adventures Set on Overdrive PINK ADVENTURE TOURS
2 hours
Explore uncharted terrain across the Fort McDowell Yavapai reservation with Pink Adventure Tours. These iconic sightseeing Jeep adventures are a great way to get up close with the Sonoran Desert landscape. Learn about this arid landscape and leave with incredible photos and memories!
HOT AIR BALLOON EXPERIENCE
3 1⁄2 hours
Catch a flight on a hot-air balloon tour across the Sonoran Desert. Hosted by Hot Air Expeditions, these tours offer one of the most tranquil ways to observe Arizona’s stunning landscape. Sunrise and sunset rides are available depending on the season.
STAND UP PADDLE BOARDING
1 1⁄2 hours
The sandy shorelines at both the Lower Salt River and Saguaro Lake offers convenient parking and walk-up access for paddle boarding tours. Mesa outfitter No Snow Stand Up Paddle provides lessons and hourly paddle board rentals and they are located just a few minutes from Saguaro Lake, featuring 22 miles of shoreline.
DAY 3 \ A Desert Oasis Even though Mesa is in the heart of a desert, visitors can take advantage of the city’s proximity to a water recreation paradise. There are three lakes and two rivers in Mesa that allow for desert boating, fishing, rafting, kayaking and water skiing. Or, partake in the ever-popular activity of “tubing”, a leisurely float along the cool waters of the Salt River via inner-tube!
LAKE CRUISE 1 1⁄2 hours Sit back and relax on the popular Desert Belle 90-minute narrated cruise where you'll see towering canyon walls, dramatic desert vistas, and exotic Arizona wildlife. Listen as the captain describes the unique history of Saguaro Lake and the surrounding area. Don't forget your camera and binoculars. Special events and unique programming offered year-round.
VISIT THE GILBERT RIPARIAN PRESERVE
1 1⁄2 hours
Nearly 200 bird species have been identified at this 110-acre wetland wildlife sanctuary for recreation, research and education. Features include 4.5 miles of trails, the Gilbert Rotary Centennial Observatory and ethnobotanical garden. Call ahead for events and schedule of programs and classes offered year round.
KAYAKING THE LOWER SALT RIVER
2 hours
Schedule a guided kayaking tour along the Lower Salt River with your launch point at Saguaro Lake Ranch, or Granite Reef Recreation Area. Both spots offer easy water access. The Salt River can experience Class 3 rapids depending on the time of year.
BIRDING TOURS
2 hours
Birding is a popular sport in Arizona, whose diverse terrain is home to more than 500 species. From hummingbirds and flycatchers to loons, herons and the occasional bald eagle, the treasure hunting in Mesa for birds is endless. The Lower Salt River basin is a popular location to begin your Arizona bird count.
OFFICIAL MAP
PLAY BALL SPRING TRAINING: TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALL GAME Baseball is big business in Mesa as the city is home to two teams and two stadiums, the Chicago Cubs and the Oakland Athletics. Baseball fans love the spring training experience in Mesa with record attendance year after year at Sloan Park. Before and after the game enjoy the all new amenities at Mesa Riverview Park featuring the world’s tallest climbing tower and shaded ramadas perfect for family gatherings. Just across from the stadium is Mesa Riverview’s shopping and entertainment district with dining and nightlife options.
1 1⁄2 hours
Rawhide Western Town is an 1880’s authentic frontier town and Arizona’s largest western-themed attraction. Entertainment includes classic Western gunfights, stunt shows and experiences for visitors. Live music and specialty shopping hours vary by season. Steakhouse opens daily at 5pm. Spanish-style Mission Patio and private cookout sites and indoor function rooms available.
WESTERN ENTERTAINMENT
2 hours, Seasonal
Enjoy gunfights and gold panning, western shops, and hot Dutch oven biscuits at the legendary Rockin R’ Ranch. Featuring an all-you-can-eat BBQ beef or chicken dinner followed by a spectacular Western stage show featuring the world famous Rockin R’ Wranglers.
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