Mesa, Arizona
Mesa, Arizona
Nestled within one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the country, Mesa is Arizona’s third-largest city after Phoenix and Tucson – boasting a population of more than 460,000 residents and 320 days of sunshine annually. Mesa offers something for everyone such as world-class golf, hiking, boating, horseback riding, wilderness jeep tours, guided rafting adventures, hot air balloon rides, fishing, camping and biking, as well as cultural attractions, historical sites and several vibrant shopping, entertainment and dining districts.
Golf in Mesa
Known for its wealth of championship golf courses, the so-called “Valley of the Sun” features more than 40 beautiful and challenging courses for all skill levels. Many of the Mesa golf clubs offer PGA Golf instruction. Popular Mesa golf courses include the Painted Mountain Golf Resort, Fiesta Lakes Golf Club, Riverview Golf Course, Superstition Springs Golf Club, Toka Sticks Golf Club, Viewpoint Golf Resort, Arizona Golf Resort, Dreamland Villa Golf Course, Dobson Ranch Golf Course, Fiesta Lakes Golf Club, Las Sendas Golf Club, Longbow Golf Resort, Royal Palms Golf Course, Augusta Ranch Golf Club, Desert Sands Golf & Country Club and Eagle Mountain Golf Club, among others.
Mesa Attractions
Mesa attractions include the Arizona Museum of Natural History, Arizona Wing Commemorative Air Force Museum, Mesa Historical Museum and the Arizona Museum for Youth, as well as the Rockin’ R Ranch, which features thrilling Wild West shows, gunfights, wagon rides, gold panning and more. Fun for the entire family can be found at Golfland Family Fun Center, which boasts thrilling waterslides, a wave pool, lazy river, miniature golf, go karts, laser tag, bumper boats and video arcade. The Mesa Arts Center offers the best in performing arts and live entertainment, as well as contemporary art exhibits. It is home to such groups as the Arizona Classic Jazz Society, Mesa City Band, Mesa Symphony Orchestra, Metropolitan Youth Symphony, Sonoran Desert Chorale and others. The Chicago Cubs have held Spring Training in Mesa since 1952 and are currently based at HoHoKam Park where they compete in the “Cactus League.”
Day trips from Mesa include Boyce Thompson Arboretum, Arizona Science Center, Goldfield Ghost Town, Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix Zoo, Lost Dutchman State Park and Pueblo Grande Museum & Archaeological Park, among others. In addition, Mesa provides convenient access to several Arizona casinos such as Casino Arizona at Salt River, Fort McDowell Casino, Gila River Casino and Harrah’s Phoenix Ak-Chin Casino. Mesa also lies just 106 miles from Tucson, 161 miles from Flagstaff, 241 miles from the Grand Canyon and 300 miles from Las Vegas.