Dining & food
1912 Lounge at Crowne Plaza Phoenix-Chandler Golf Resort
1 N. San Marcos Place, Chandler
Settle into 1912 Lounge at the Crowne Plaza for craft cocktails and elevated snacking in a resort setting designed for unwinding.
Area & food guide
Mesa & the East Valley
Arizona, United States
Mesa anchors the East Valley alongside Tempe, Gilbert and Chandler — a fast-growing quadrant where Sonoran Desert trailheads and Salt River adventures sit minutes from college-town energy, spring-training ballparks and revived downtown dining rows.
- Usery Mountain and Lower Salt River adventures
- Cactus League spring training
- Revived downtowns in Mesa, Gilbert and Chandler
- Tempe Town Lake and ASU energy
Dining & food
Dining & food
Four Peaks Brewing Company
Tempe
Arizona's flagship craft brewery flows from a century-old Tempe creamery, where the Kilt Lifter Scottish ale tastes even better against walls steeped in malt-scented history.
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Dining & food
It’s All Greek to Me Tempe Marketplace
2000 E Rio Salado Pkwy, Tempe
It's All Greek to Me brings the Aegean to Tempe Marketplace with towering gyros and a modern spin on timeless Mediterranean flavors.
Dining & food
Joe's Real BBQ
Gilbert
Joe's Real BBQ has been smoking pecan wood in a 1929 grocery building since 1998—the founding anchor of Gilbert's Heritage District.
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Dining & food
Lucille's Smokehouse Bar-B-Que Tempe Marketplace
2000 E Rio Salado Pkwy, Tempe
Lucille's brings authentic Southern barbecue to Tempe Marketplace with low-and-slow smoking and award-winning meat that falls clean from the bone.
Dining & food
Organ Stop Pizza
Mesa
Organ Stop Pizza pairs wood-fired pies with the thunderous magic of the world's largest Wurlitzer organ, rising nightly from the stage since the 1970s.
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Dining & food
República Empanada
Mesa
República Empanada offers a family-run tour of Latin America in hand-pie form, with dozens of regional styles filling a cheerful downtown Mesa room.
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Dining & food
The Keg Steakhouse & Bar Tempe Marketplace
2000 E Rio Salado Pkwy, Tempe
The Keg Steakhouse & Bar at Tempe Marketplace delivers quality beef and convivial surroundings perfect for marking occasions with friends and family.
Dining & food
Worth Takeaway
Mesa
Worth Takeaway is the sandwich counter that sparked downtown Mesa's dining renaissance—their fried chicken sandwich is legendary, built on local sourcing and care.
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Outdoors & parks
Outdoors & parks
Cliff Creek Outfitters
925 W. 23rd Street, Tempe
Half- and full-day guided rafting, kayaking, stand-up paddling, hiking, and biking adventures in Tempe—explore the desert and waterways on your own terms.
Outdoors & parks
Hawes Trail System
Mesa
Twenty-plus miles of purpose-built singletrack above the Salt River—the East Valley's premier mountain-biking destination with flowy trails and Sonoran views.
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Outdoors & parks
Koli Equestrian Center
6940 W. Broken Ear Rd., Chandler
Native American Western-style horseback rides, wagon journeys, and cowboy games in Chandler—experience authentic desert horsemanship on group or private adventures.
Outdoors & parks
Lower Salt River
Mesa
Float past saguaro-covered hills and wild horses—tubing and kayaking on the Lower Salt River is an East Valley summer tradition.
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Outdoors & parks
Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch
Gilbert
Nearly 300 bird species thrive around Gilbert's reclaimed-water ponds—dawn walks on the floating boardwalk feel worlds away from suburbia.
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Outdoors & parks
Saguaro Lake Ranch Activities
Tonto National Forest 13020 North Bush Highway, Mesa
Horseback-riding stables and ranch activities on the banks of the Lower Salt River near Mesa—saddle up for a Sonoran desert experience.
Outdoors & parks
Tempe Town Lake
Tempe
A two-mile urban lake where rowers train at sunrise and festival crowds gather at dusk—framed by downtown Tempe's skyline and ASU campus.
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Outdoors & parks
Usery Mountain Regional Park
Mesa
The East Valley's favorite after-work hike—climb the Wind Cave Trail to a shaded alcove where the entire basin spreads out below.
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Outdoors & parks
Veterans Oasis Park
Chandler
Chandler's quiet wetland-and-desert hybrid—a fishing lake, hummingbird habitat, and easy loop trails perfect for golden-hour strolls.
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Arts & culture
Arts & culture
Arizona Museum of Natural History
Mesa
Home to Dinosaur Mountain, a three-story indoor marvel complete with a dramatic flash-flood waterfall, this Downtown Mesa museum captivates families with immersive Southwest archaeology exhibits.
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Arts & culture
Gilbert Heritage District
Gilbert
Clustered around Gilbert's iconic 1920s water tower, this revitalized downtown district now pulses with acclaimed restaurants and lively patios—a essential stop for East Valley dining.
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Arts & culture
i.d.e.a. Museum
Mesa
This downtown Mesa children's museum celebrates art and imagination through rotating hands-on exhibits where young visitors design, build, and create their way to discovery.
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Arts & culture
Mesa Arts Center
Mesa
Arizona's grandest arts campus anchors downtown Mesa with four theaters, five galleries, and fourteen working studios housed beneath a striking glass pavilion on Main Street.
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Events & festivals
Events & festivals
Cactus League Spring Training — Sloan Park
Mesa
Every March, Cubs fans trade Wrigley for Sloan Park—Arizona's largest spring-training stadium—where sunshine, lawn seats, and Cactus League baseball define an East Valley ritual.
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Events & festivals
Mesa Music Festival
Mesa
One November weekend, downtown Mesa transforms into a free, multi-stage celebration where hundreds of emerging artists perform across the historic core—a discovery festival for music lovers.
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Neighborhood living guides in this area
Frequently asked questions
What is there to do in Mesa & the East Valley?
Mesa anchors the East Valley alongside Tempe, Gilbert and Chandler — a fast-growing quadrant where Sonoran Desert trailheads and Salt River adventures sit minutes from college-town energy, spring-training ballparks and revived downtown dining rows. Highlights include Cliff Creek Outfitters, Hawes Trail System, Koli Equestrian Center, Lower Salt River.
Where should I eat in Mesa & the East Valley?
Well-known places to eat in Mesa & the East Valley include 1912 Lounge at Crowne Plaza Phoenix-Chandler Golf Resort, Four Peaks Brewing Company, It’s All Greek to Me Tempe Marketplace, Joe's Real BBQ — each entry in the guide links to its official source.
What are the best outdoor spots in Mesa & the East Valley?
Popular outdoor spots around Mesa & the East Valley include Cliff Creek Outfitters, Hawes Trail System, Koli Equestrian Center, Lower Salt River.
Which neighborhoods does the Mesa & the East Valley guide cover?
The Mesa & the East Valley guide covers our neighborhood living guides for Tempe, Gilbert, Chandler.