Desert Beauty and Urban Sophistication in Phoenix and Mesa

Museums

Whether it's stunning works of art, exhibitions highlighting the rich culture of the state, or venues for vibrant educational opportunities, Arizona's museum selection is among the best. Located in Phoenix, the Heard Museum of Native Cultures and Art showcases Native American art and cultures which educates people about the heritage and traditions of the Native population.  The largest art museum in southwestern America, the Phoenix Art Museum, hosts a plenitude of cultural events and festivals featuring live performances, educational programmes, and art films as well.

Let your imagination take flight by learning about vintage aircraft at the Commemorative Air Force Airbase Arizona. Visitors can get an up-close look at, and inside, vintage warplanes and helicopters from World War I onward. Inside the museum's maintenance hangar, mechanics recondition the working aircraft and at certain times of the year, guests can book flight experiences inside one of seven historic planes, including a B-17 and B-25 bomber.

Spark your child's creativity with a visit to the i.d.e.a Museum, An interactive art museum for children that supports early learning, nurtures creative thinking and engages families to spend quality time together. Hear the roar of the dinosaurs at the Arizona Museum of Natural History and explore the pit houses and other structures of the Hohokam civilisation, filled with artefacts from those ancient time.

Parks and Preserves

Phoenix has more land designated for parks and preserves than any other major city in the nation. Discover the tranquil vibrancy of desert plants nestled amid the red rocks of the Papago Buttes at Desert Botanical Garden where you will also find thousands of species of cactus, trees and flowers from around the world. Visit South Mountain Park / Preserve, the largest municipally operated park in the country, and a fantastic place for hiking, biking, scenic drives and beautiful vistas.

Within close proximity to Mesa are two other amazing parks for exploration: Boyce Thompson Arboretum and Lost Dutchman State Park. Each season brings exciting events and activities, from family programmes to specialty walks.

Family fun

There's no shortage of family fun in Mesa where child-friendly activities abound. There are three lakes and two rivers within 30 minutes of Mesa that allow for desert boating, fishing, rafting, kayaking, water skiing, wake boarding, jet skiing and stand up paddle boarding. Or, partake in the ever-popular activity of “tubing”, a leisurely float along the cool waters of the Salt River via inner-tube!

Ge in touch with nature at Phoenix Zoo Featuring more than 3,000 animals, including Sumatran tigers, Bornean orangutans, Masai giraffes, Komodo dragons, Southern white rhinos, American alligators and many more – the Zoo is like no other place in the Valley!

Spark your child's creativity with a visit to the i.d.e.a Museum, An interactive art museum for children that supports early learning, nurtures creative thinking and engages families to spend quality time together.

Head outdoors

Northeast Mesa is the gateway to several outdoor adventures. Enjoy more than 3,000 acres of multi use trails at Usery Mountain Regional Park. Hikers can also escape to myriad trails winding through Tonto National Forest. There's also kayaking, tubing and fishing along the Salt River, a true Arizona experience. Keep an eye out for wild horses that congregate along the riverbank. 

A few miles up the Bush Highway lies Saguaro Lake, part of Tonto National Forest, where visitors can bring or rent kayaks and paddle boards, or board a double-decker cruise boat for an 80-minute tour with live music, wine or craft beers.

Dining

Don't miss culinary stops on the award-winning Fresh Foodie Trail®, regarded as one of Arizona’s best foodie road trips. You'll find farms, ranches and mills that practice traditional farming methods together with some of the local restaurants whose menus proudly feature their crops. Highlights include peaches at Schnepf Farm, virgin olive oil at Queen Creek and heritage grain at Sossaman Farm as well as copious amounts of organic fruit and vegetables.

In downtown Mesa, sample the cider at Cider Corps, where as many as 15 different hard ciders pay tribute to military veterans with names like Mango Foxtrot and Semper Vera, or grab an expertly crafted sandwich at the iconic Worth Takeaway.

Phoenix offers a wide range of culinary genres including Mexican, Italian, Asian and good 'ole Southern.  Combining these flavours with the wealth of local produce makes for some interesting and delicious dishes.

Arts & Culture

Down Main Street, the gorgeous Mesa Arts Center campus includes four theatres, five art galleries and 14 art studios, in which visitors can watch, admire, buy and even create their own works of fine and practical art. At the nearby Mesa Amphitheatre's tiered lawn, visitors can enjoy music events in Mesa, including rock, hip-hop, jazz and other concerts from national touring acts year-round.

Downtown Phoenix boasts dozens of theatres and performing arts centres, including the Phoenix Theatre Company, the Herberger Theater Center, Ballet Arizona and the Phoenix Symphony.  These venues feature a variety of performances, such as Broadway shows, plays, opera, ballet and much more.

Native History



Spend the day exploring the Superstition Wilderness Area by following the Apache Trail. As you travel along the trail stop and marvel at the towering Superstition Mountain, learn about the area's history at the Lost Dutchman Mine and Museum, take a ride on the Dolly Steamboat on Canyon Lake, and enjoy Mesa's extensive outdoor activities.

Sport

Phoenix and its neighbouring communities are home to nearly 200 golf courses in a variety of styles, and Greater Phoenix is known as one of the top destinations for golf. You can get just about any kind of golf experience imaginable, from lush Sonoran Desert scenery to the classic green grass and wide fairways located in resorts, remote landscapes, and city-owned courses. Pete Dye, Tom Weiskopf, Robert Trent Jones, Jr., Arthur Hills and Jack Nicklaus are just a few of the names who designed the courses. Add to that, 320 days of sunshine and some very nice 19th holes makes the perfect round.



For more than 70 years, baseball fans have converged upon Mesa each spring to catch a glimpse of their favourite players and scout the newest rookies during Major League Baseball Spring Training. The Chicago Cubs, who play at Sloan Park, and the Oakland A's, at Hohokam Stadium, host more than 200 Cactus League practice games during the month-long season.

Twice a year, NASCAR fans race to Phoenix to see their favourite drivers take to the track and compete for glory.

The three-day Championship Weekend, November 3-5, 2023, ends the season with a series of races, concerts and pre-race activities as drivers vie for the crown in the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and the ARCA Menards Series West.