On the second Friday of the month, Main Street in downtown Mesa fills with live music, more than sixty art and craft booths, and food stalls between Center and Country Club. It is a good introduction to a city that spreads across the eastern Salt River Valley, where a walkable downtown sits a short drive from desert lakes and canal-side parks.
Mesa suits travellers who want a base for spring training baseball, desert outdoor activities and a compact historic downtown, rather than a single headline attraction. Families with young children, baseball fans and anyone interested in the archaeology of the Hohokam will all find something here.
This guide covers the sights and experiences worth your time, plus a plan for a single day if that is all you have.
Top things to do in Mesa
1. Mesa Arizona Temple
This historic building opened in 1927, and its 20-acre lot has gardens and sitting spaces that the public is welcome to walk through. The exterior is illuminated at night, which is when it is at its best.
Combine it with the Mesa Temple Visitors' Center at 455 E. Main St, which has a 3D-scale model of the temple and displays on the city's history. The temple is also the setting for the free Mesa Temple Christmas Lights, which run from the day after Thanksgiving through New Year's Eve, lit nightly from 5 to 10PM.
2. Mesa Historical Museum
Split between two buildings, this museum covers the different phases of Mesa's history. The downtown location holds "Play Ball: the Cactus League Experience," an exhibit on the history of spring training baseball in Arizona.
It is open Tuesday to Saturday, 10AM to 4PM, so plan it as a daytime stop rather than an evening one.
3. Arizona Museum of Natural History
This expanding museum holds cultural and natural history artifacts from the American Southwest, and it is a solid choice for a mixed-age group. It is open Tuesday to Friday 10AM to 5PM, Saturday 11AM to 5PM and Sunday 1 to 5PM.
It sits on North MacDonald Street, close enough to downtown that you can pair it with the Mesa Arts Center in the same outing.
4. Mesa Arts Center
This building on East Main Street in downtown Mesa contains theatres, art galleries and contemporary public art spaces. It is the largest arts center in Arizona, and the design itself is part of the reason to come.
Pair a visit with the 2nd Friday Night Out event, which takes over Main Street between Center and Country Club from 6 to 10PM with live music and craft booths.
5. Mesa Grande Cultural Park
The site preserves a group of Hohokam structures dated from 1100 to 1400 CE, including a great mound, building remains and several ball courts. It is the most direct way to see the region's pre-colonial history in Mesa itself.
Opening is limited to Thursday and Friday 10AM to 4PM, Saturday 11AM to 4PM and Sunday noon to 4PM, so check the day before you build a plan around it.
6. Park of the Canals
This 31-acre park includes evidence of ancient Hohokam canals dating back to 700 B.C. as well as a desert botanical garden with a wide variety of cacti. It is free and open from sunrise to 10PM.
Because it is free and open long hours, it works well as an early morning or late afternoon stop when other sites are closed.
7. Commemorative Air Force Museum
At Falcon Field, this museum is dedicated to preserving World War II aircraft in flying condition. It is home to the restored B-17 bomber "Sentimental Journey," along with a B-25 Mitchell bomber, SNJ, C-45 and a Grumman Guardian.
Hours change with the season: June to September it is open Wednesday to Sunday 9AM to 3PM, and October to May daily 10AM to 4PM.
8. Desert Belle Paddleboat Cruises
These 90-minute cruises run aboard the Desert Belle paddleboat on Saguaro Lake, which is known for towering canyon walls, wildlife and desert and mountain vistas. It is one of the easiest ways to see the desert landscape around Mesa without hiking.
It departs from North Bush Highway, the same road that serves the Saguaro Lake Ranch Trail Rides, so the two can be combined in one trip out of the city.
9. Saguaro Lake Ranch Trail Rides
Guided trail rides run around Saguaro Lake, with desert scenery and mountain vistas. Sunset rides are offered, which is a good reason to book the later slot rather than a midday one.
It shares the North Bush Highway location with the Desert Belle cruises, so pick one for the morning and one for the afternoon.
10. Salt River Tubing and Recreation
Float down the Salt River east of Mesa on an inflatable inner tube, with desert views and wildlife along the way. It is a popular party spot, so expect a lively crowd rather than a quiet float.
Access is from North Bush Highway, making it a third option on the same stretch of road as the lake cruises and trail rides.
11. Tonto National Forest, Mesa District
The Mesa District ranger office on East Ingram Street is where you pick up a map before heading out on the hiking trails. The forest covers desert to mountain terrain.
Stop in for the map first rather than driving out and guessing at trailheads, and treat it as the starting point for a half day rather than a destination in itself.
12. Rose Garden at Mesa Community College
This is the largest rose garden in the Desert Southwest, with 4,600 bushes and more than 450 varieties. It is open daily, 24 hours, and free.
Peak bloom is in April, so time a spring visit around it. It is on the same Southern Avenue campus as the Mesa Community College Arboretum, so see both in one stop.
13. Mesa Community College Arboretum
A 140-acre arboretum on the Mesa Community College campus, with 100 species of trees and more than 80 species of cacti and succulents. Admission is free and it is open to the general public from 6AM to 10PM.
It sits at Southern and Dobson, next to the Rose Garden, so the two make a natural pair for a low-cost morning.
14. i.d.e.a. Museum
This fine arts museum on North Robson Street is designed for children aged 1 to 12. It is the obvious choice if you are travelling with young children and want an indoor stop.
Keep it as a backup for a hot or wet part of the day, and pair it with the nearby Arizona Museum of Natural History if the children still have energy.
15. Cactus League Spring Training
Every spring, Cactus League Spring Training games are played across Phoenix and Tucson, and Mesa is part of that circuit. Hohokam Park at 1235 N Center St hosts the Chicago Cubs, with games running from late February to late March annually.
The same address hosts the Arizona Fall League, where up-and-coming players appear for the Mesa Solar Sox. If you are in town in spring, build your day around a game rather than trying to fit one in around other sights.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at the Mesa Historical Museum when it opens at 10AM, and give the "Play Ball: the Cactus League Experience" exhibit proper time. Walk from there to the Mesa Arts Center on East Main Street to see the galleries and public art spaces.
Afternoon: Head to the Arizona Museum of Natural History, open from 10AM, and spend the early afternoon on the Southwest collections. If you are travelling with young children, swap in the i.d.e.a. Museum instead. Finish the afternoon at the Mesa Grande Cultural Park, which opens at 11AM on Saturday or noon on Sunday, to see the Hohokam mound and ball courts.
Evening: Walk the gardens of the Mesa Arizona Temple as the exterior lights come on, then visit the Mesa Temple Visitors' Center at 455 E. Main St, which is open daily until 9PM. If your visit falls on the second Friday of the month, finish on Main Street between Center and Country Club for 2nd Friday Night Out, running 6 to 10PM with live music and food stalls.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to see the Mesa Arizona Temple gardens?
At night, when the exterior is illuminated. The gardens and sitting spaces on the 20-acre lot are open to the public to walk through, and the Mesa Temple Visitors' Center nearby is open daily from 10AM to 9PM.
What can I do in Mesa for free?
The Mesa Temple Visitors' Center has free admission, as do the Park of the Canals, the Mesa Community College Arboretum and the Rose Garden at Mesa Community College. The Mesa Temple Christmas Lights and the 2nd Friday Night Out event are also free.
Where can I see Hohokam history in Mesa?
The Mesa Grande Cultural Park preserves Hohokam structures dated from 1100 to 1400 CE, including a great mound, building remains and ball courts. The Park of the Canals also includes evidence of ancient Hohokam canals dating back to 700 B.C.
What outdoor activities are available near Mesa?
Desert Belle Paddleboat Cruises and Saguaro Lake Ranch Trail Rides both operate from North Bush Highway around Saguaro Lake, and Salt River Tubing and Recreation offers floats on the Salt River from the same road. For hiking, pick up a map at the Tonto National Forest, Mesa District ranger office before heading out.
Decide which season suits you, whether that is spring training in late February and March, the April rose bloom, or the Christmas lights from the day after Thanksgiving, and start building your Mesa itinerary around it.