DISCOVER City Limitless® FIRST AUTISM CERTIFIED CITY in the U.S
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2020 DISCOVER city limitless® FIRST AUTISM CERTIFIED CITY IN THE U.S. NEW FINDS ON THE FRESH FOODIE TRAIL® BUCKLE UP FOR ADVENTURE LODGING, GOLF, EVENTS, DINING, MAPS AND MORE MESA • QUEEN CREEK • APACHE TRAIL • TONTO NATIONAL FOREST 2020 Visitors Guide | | II A LETTER FROM OUR MAYOR MESA BY THE WELCOME TO MESA NUMBERS 511,344 Population (Estimated, 2019) 3rd Largest City in Arizona 35th Largest City in the U.S. 325+ Sunny Days per Year (on average) 40+ As the Mayor of this great city, I am business community have undergone Golf Courses honored to welcome you to Mesa, training to recognize those on the (200+ in Greater Arizona! From a rising arts and spectrum and be able to provide an Phoenix) innovation district in Downtown Mesa excellent experience for all. to the most beautiful desert in the West, Mesa has not just something Changes are taking place in our for everyone, it has everything. For downtown district. Several Main 55 Parks example, the third largest city in Street buildings have new facades, Arizona is home to the Mesa Marathon restoring their historic brick fronts where you can qualify for the Boston with modern touches. This year, you Marathon and then wind down at one will also see new structures taking of our fine hotels or celebrate at one shape with housing and retail projects 900+ of our local restaurants or breweries. in various stages of development. Restaurants The new decade rings in an exciting Mesa also shares an undeniably era for Mesa as Arizona State authentic Arizona experience out on University breaks ground on ASU@ 5,579 our trails and parks where you can MesaCityCenter, the innovative home Hotel Rooms mountain bike, hike or horseback of their film school and augmented in Mesa ride. Keep your eyes open for javelina, reality programs. cardinals and chuckwalla along with No matter how long your stay is gorgeous vistas of majestic cactus- 8 Miles studded forest and be sure to explore in Mesa, we hope that you take from Phoenix Sky the legendary Superstition Mountains. advantage of our 325+ days of Harbor Int’l Airport sunshine to see a Spring Training game, Adults and children alike will marvel golf at one of our 40+ courses, or enjoy at the new dinosaur Suskityrannus dinner al fresco before a show at the hazelae on display at the Arizona award-winning Mesa Arts Center. 2 Museum of Natural History. The Major Airports ® dinosaur was discovered by Mesa’s This is Mesa City Limitless . including Phoenix- own Sterling Nesbitt! Families will also Mesa Gateway Airport enjoy the i.d.e.a. Museum and Mesa’s one-of-a-kind parks that feature a Ninja course, climbing tower, zip lines, 26 Miles splash pads and more. Visitors should of light rail access take note that Mesa is the country’s from Mesa hotels and first Autism Certified City. This means The Honorable John Giles Downtown Mesa that many folks in our hospitality Mayor, City of Mesa Under Permit of the USDA industry, city government and Tonto National Forest 2020 Visitors Guide | City Limitless® | 01 a look inside 01 • WELCOME TO MESA 22 • ACTIVE FAMILY 40 • directory 04 • 20 Things to Do in Mesa in 2020 23 • Welcome to the First-Ever 40 • Arts & Culture Autism Certified City 41 • Certified Autism Centers 07 • ADVENTURE EXPLORER 24 • Why Mesa is Great For Every Family 41 • Sports 08 • Buckle Up For Adventure 26 • Geocaching: Hide & Seek 43 • Cactus League Spring Training Fun For All Ages 11 • Kid-Approved Stops 44 • Outdoor Adventures on the Apache Trail 28 • features 47 • Entertainment 12 • Pick Your Peak: Hiking in Mesa 28 • Freshly Brewed: Explore Mesa’s 48 • Lodging Expanding Beer and Coffee Scenes 13 • culture seeker 51 • Real Estate 30 • A Thriving Desert Oasis: 52 • Active Living & RV Parks 15 • Let Us Entertain You! Tonto National Forest Service ® 56 • Golf 16 • 72 Hours in City Limitless 31 • Swing Away in City Limitless® 57 • Shopping/Services 61 • Sweet Treats From Mesa’s 19 • Fresh Foodie Popular Asian District 57 • Dining 20 • Chef For the Day on 63 • Venues & Group Services Mesa’s Fresh Foodie Trail® event calendar 32 • 63 • The Grand Canyon 21 • Tacos For Days 39 • Seasonal Events, Food Trucks 64 • Trip Planning & Farmers Markets 65 • Arizona Visitor Information 66 • City of Mesa Map 68 • Arizona State Map Visit Mesa Contributing Writers COVER SPREAD: Lower Salt River by Jake Pineda 120 N Center St Katherine Eckstein PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS: Andy Dilling, Julie Foskett, Slaven Gujic, Mesa 85201 Michelle Jacoby Ivan Martinez, Sarah Robinson. Additional photography supplied by Johanna Lovett Visit Mesa partners including Arizona Office of Tourism, City of Mesa, President & CEO Jen Mallia CrowdRiff User-Generated images and other selected photographers. Marc J. Garcia Angela Muñiz Executive Editor The Mesa Life Official Visitors Guide is published annually by Visit Mesa. Graphic Design Every effort has been made to make this guide as accurate as possible. Michelle Streeter HAPI Visit Mesa and its affiliates will assume no responsibility for errors, changes, incorrect dates, or omissions. Dates listed are subject to change. Contributing Editors Outside Sales All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited. Ginger St. Pierre Hennen Publishing 35,000 – 1/2020 & Marketing Group 2020 Visitors Guide | City Limitless® | 03 ven-sto e se ry th Re n vo o lu y t a io n w a a t d e G h o s l f u l l a f n t d e S G u • n h s 2 1 s p a l l a s p h s arms and W f F g n ep o g u a hn la s t c m d e S p r i n t n a P a g l a f s l r • go k e h c h uni a wit corn th ta e o c p to o s t k e a t c e i w J a P s k r e • u ’s 5 o y U 1 n y f l i s s m i vis Presl t m l e i y E t r e C a h h e a t ap S t d f e a _ l • f n a n o 1 p i t e 1 e t S n s u v h • sc e p a u e q r m s l nic e ’ pic – tu t e g bi h i in n t v t g t a d i a lo o o ‘f p r w n t a n o y M l n t P i o h • m z e o a i • f r u A S 8 n a 1 g n l t hu Hu t a or m a r p i t i y R a n h D y c i u o v m M k j in p e n t u p y r s E ! g i o e • k b n c u m 4 e e D _ 1 e h o t t a w • k n n d o t otorc r M yc o at les t o w g i o f in n S n n M le n a • ru i M o r n 0 a o e 1 h t s yn o a re a • m ’ s s r e S t Mediev u a a o c t l m ur T u o im y c n l e p ’s s t w t n D e u e o in e G t r n e u n • e w W Q do r a • e 7 l a 1 k h n t d n i T o ebrate av e l ia u e c tio @VISITMESA / #VISITMESA n d r n i n n a h D i a e s 9 t • m 1 im o r ie t y 3 e k 1 n n o i a o t t c • j k 2020 Visitors Guide | City Limitless® | 05 c C a o z ghty Wu Mi rlit b m a st ze r m e ge a p c r t e i a e l t O p s r m s ’ g S d r l a o r • e n g o r a in 0 g w S a • t t 2 o i e n v p h e o t P z A r i i a z r i r z e a a F H e o s r • c a e b 6 r M cows 1 i dle at fa u d Ar ca s u e c iz a • o u d n m n a z a z s at Mes s G i uin a G t o r ra a a p m n t p a d o k e g Y o o h C o t o u h g s t things Hto dolt n i a 20 a t u g r w or n a • e l y i P a c l n a r P a k • r u 3 in mesa in o 0 T 2020 • he Supe 9 t 1 in rsti ay tio a n W g y M k o o il u y M n t t a e a o i g h n ® with us and we’ll be sure to follow along for the ride.