Mesa Travel Guide

East of Phoenix in Arizona, Mesa is Arizona’s third largest city. Close to the Tonto National Forest and with three lakes and two rivers in the city there are excellent water activities on offer plus the city has a big arts and culinary scene.

Things to Do in Mesa

Start with a visit to some of Mesa’s great museums, like the Arizona Museum of Natural History and the Mesa Historical Museum. After that check out Mesa's huge arts center with various live dance, music, and drama performances. It's not just any old art center either, it's Arizona’s largest and it is architecturally impressive. It also houses four theaters, five art galleries, and 14 art studios and an artist cooperative gallery.

Mesa is also known as a great culinary destination with farms and agritourism providing seasonal goods and has its own foodie trail. The trail, together with local towns Queen Creek and Gilbert, combines seasonal produce and farm to table cuisine. Ten agritourism attractions make up the Fresh Foodie Trail.

On the lakes and rivers in Mesa outdoor enthusiasts can water ski, canoe, boat, and paddle board.

Best Time to Visit Mesa

It's best to visit this desert area between November and April, avoiding the boiling hot summers.