Palm Shadows

Glendale, Arizona

Mesa

Located in Maricopa County, Mesa is the third-largest city in Arizona. Urban amenities combine with outdoor activities to provide visitors with the best of both worlds, including golf resorts, rugged recreation areas, and a wealth of museums and attractions. The climate in Mesa is extremely comfortable, with winter temperatures ranging from highs in the upper 60s to lows in the upper 30s. Summer average temperatures range from lows in the mid 70s to highs just over 100 degrees.

Mesa was founded in January 1878 by Mormon pioneers and its population is still roughly one-tenth Mormon. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints operates one of its oldest temples in Mesa (the Mesa Arizona Temple, home to an elaborate Easter pageant every spring), and the city is something of a hub for the Mormon community in the Tucson-Phoenix-Mesa Metropolitan Area.

Mesa enjoys the best in a variety of amenities including gorgeous parks, a variety of sports facilities that cater to athletes of all ages and abilities, highly rated golf courses for every skill level, a diversity of special events and community festivals, and Mesa's ever-popular Chicago Cubs Spring Training baseball at HoHoKam Park Cactus League.

The Superstition Mountains, Apache Trail, Salt and Verde Rivers, Usery Pass, and area lakes are extremely popular for those who enjoy the outdoors. In fact, the Apache Trail is one of the most popular day trips from the Phoenix-Mesa metro area. The trail features miles of spectacular desert wilderness and scenic beauty.

Ghostly, volcanic Superstition cliffs rise 2,000 feet, hiding the Lost Dutchman Mine, one of the most storied mines of the West. The Superstiton Mountain Lost Dutchman Museum displays the artifacts, history and folklore of the Superstition Mountains and surrounding region.

The arts in Mesa are also full of vibrant energy.The annual Mesa Storytelling Festival held each October is The Valley's largest storytelling event. National, regional, and youth talent gather to share a wide array of stories: folk tales, tall tales, myths, humor, great legends from America and tales from all over the globe. The festival includes food, music, stories, and one-of-a-kind fun. The city is also home to great works of public art as well as top-notch museums and galleries. A local favorite is a sculptural seating area at the local library made of mosaic tiles featuring a live orange tree. It includes tiles created in 2000 by adults and children that attended Mesa's Simply Citrus! Festival.

Museums include the Arizona Museum for Youth, Commemorative Air Force Arizona Wing Aircraft Museum, Mesa Historical Society and Museum, Mesa Southwest Museum (home to Dinosaur Mountain), and the historical Sirrine House.