Mesa is a city just east of Phoenix, in Arizona. Mesa Grande Cultural Park is home to a giant, centuries-old ceremonial mound, and artifacts of the ancient Hohokam people. The Arizona Museum of Natural History exhibits dinosaur skeletons and archaeological finds. The nearby i.d.e.a. Museum offers hands-on artistic and scientific exhibits for kids. Mesa Arts Center presents theater, musicals and contemporary art.
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"A small city just east of Phoenix, Mesa has a welcoming, small-town feel and a strong sense of community. The downtown is home to an array of restaurants, independent shops, lively weekend street markets, and colorful murals. But for anyone interested in the farm half of farm-to-table dining, the real draw of Mesa is the agricultural stops along the Fresh Foodie Trail, such as Queen Creek Olive Mill, Superstition Dairy Farm, The Orange Patch, and Schnepf Farms (known for its amazing peaches). You can spend an entire day hopping from farm to farm, sampling produce, and getting an intimate look at how Phoenix gets all of those delicious ingredients for its restaurants. Mesa also makes for a great base for exploring the Superstition Wilderness." - MATADOR_NETWORK
"You won’t have to go far outside of Phoenix to make this day trip; the small city of Mesa is just 25 minutes east of downtown. But a day in Mesa is a must for anyone interested in agriculture and farm-to-table dining. Follow along the Fresh Foodie Trail, a coalition of family farms and agritourism attractions. Visit the Queen Creek Olive Mill to see how olive oil gets made and sample a variety of flavor infusions. Taste juicy citrus slices and tour the groves at The Orange Patch. Dig into some Arizona barbecue at Jalapeño Bucks, where the locals’ favorite order is the peanut butter, jelly, and brisket sandwich. Depending on your interests, you could add a dairy farm, flour mill, winery, and more into your itinerary. End the day at Agritopia, an urban agriculture community in the nearby town of Gilbert, where you can browse the creations of local craftsmen at Barnone, choose between eateries like Fire and Brimstone and Joe’s Farm Grill, and grab a drink at Garage-East wine bar or 12 West Brewing.Make a full weekend out of it by going glamping at The Cozy Peach, a collection of refurbished vintage Airstream trailers within Schnepf Farms. Order breakfast directly to your trailer in the morning, then spend the day biking around sprawling grounds, picking produce and flowers in the U-Pick garden, visiting adorable farm animals, and buying a big slice of buttery peach pie at the on-site bakery and country store. If you don’t mind crowds, plan your stay around one of Schnepf Farms’ seasonal events, like the Pumpkin and Chili Party in the fall and the Peach Blossom Celebration in the spring." - MATADOR_NETWORK
