I'm so glad Tempe Blooms returned for another year. The people behind it have created such a…read moreunique, fun event to bring locals and tourists to downtown Tempe and blend them with beautiful floral art, music, and local businesses. There are a couple of parking garages/lots in DT that give you a discounted rate during the event- we paid $10 for the 201 Ash garage, off the light rail. How it works - you meander around DT and look at, experience all the beautiful floral artworks. Downtown Tempe has a couple of stations with staff peppered about DT that provide a map of where things are located. You can go about at your own pace or route. Be aware that people can be a little vicious with trying to get "the shot" #ForTheGram. There are a couple of specific areas with small businesses posted up. We were hoping to make a bouquet at the fresh flower market but by the time we arrived - the line was super long and looked like flowers were picked over. So if that's your priority, go early. We were there no more than 2 hours and had a great afternoon taking in all the sights and sounds (there's live music peppered around too) of Downtown Tempe.

This was a nice event and the weather was perfect! It was a…read morelittle too spread out, but I understand that they want to showcase different businesses. The vendors were well chosen and had some really cool stuff. We did not go to the food area, but nothing beats food trucks!

I came here during a work trip--my first time visiting Arizona. I was looking for something to do…read moreon my last day, and several people recommended checking this place out. I arrived just before sunset, and it was absolutely beautiful. The gardens were well-maintained, peaceful, and offered some amazing views as the sun went down. I really enjoyed taking my time walking through the different areas and soaking in the scenery. The grounds were very clean, and the pathways were easy to navigate, making for a relaxing and enjoyable experience. If you're visiting the area and looking for a scenic way to spend a few hours, I would definitely recommend stopping by.

Always a lovely spot!…read more The desert really does bloom! Well-attended and great walking trails.

We love the i.d.e.a. Museum and have been going for years. It's been really fun watching how the…read moreexperience changes as my kids get older. They've aged out of the soft play areas, but now they can spend hours at the stop motion video station and exploring the newer exhibits. The recycling area is also one of their favorites. It's such a quaint little space and incredibly affordable for what you get. I also love seeing downtown Mesa continue to grow, and the museum feels like a big part of that energy. From a parent perspective, it's really easy to visit. There's ample parking, it's very stroller and diaper bag friendly, and it's a perfect place for a playdate. You can actually have conversations while the kids explore and move between activities. The mural in the courtyard is gorgeous and the puppets are always a hit with my kids. It's one of those places we keep coming back to.

Amazing place for toddlers and school aged children to learn about science in a fun way, explore…read moretheir imagination and interact with others. There are soft blocks for building or balancing on, a play kitchen, play vet, barn, magnet wall, Lego station, gear powered musical windmill, lots of art stations to create, a backlight wall, even and outdoor area.

I've been coming to the Mesa Arts Center for years! For graduation ceremonies of the university i…read morework at. The staff are friendly and helpful. The sound engineers are very knowledgeable. There are two green rooms we use - both have the space to accommodate approximately 40 faculty members who make up the stage party. I sing the national anthem for the graduation ceremony and let me simply say how amazing their sound system is. There used to be no sound delay. The sound is crisp. And I think the sound system makes me sound even better than I really am!! lol The lobby area is spacious and great for after-ceremony gatherings. It truly is a great place! I also have contemplated taking some of the arts classes they offer. I haven't found time in my busy schedule but I do know they offer a variety if classes. I look forward to when I can take a class!!

My mom and I came here for the first for the Shen Yu. Great event we go every year but this year we…read moredecided to try the mesa location. We chose the sitting on the higher levels which we liked but don't chose the edge of the row cause then you can't see the side of the stage. Choose more in the middle. I was not happy with the bathroom stall I used. It seems when so many other people slam their doors my door became unlocked and opened on me while using the restroom. The bathroom was very clean!! The other annoying part was there was only one person working the concession stand. So we couldn't get anything. Cause our intermission ended by the time we got to the front of the line.

Great experience! Our guide Bob was so informative and fun…read more You can't ask for better scenery!

Wrangler Bill was great. He educated me about the people, culture, history, flora and fauna in the…read morearea. It was beautiful. My horse was super chill and easy to ride. I had a great time!

I commissioned Gina Ribaudo to paint a public mural on the exterior of my residential block wall…read more Gina stayed focused and obviously put her heart into this memorial. I had looked into other local artists, but her work impressed me the most. I made an excellent choice.

Gina replied promptly and at that time we arranged a time for her to come by and look at the wall…read moreand talk about what I wanted. She showed up when she said she would and completed the mural in a few days. She worked with me the whole time making sure I liked the colors, the position of the mural and added a few extra surprises. The mural turned out beautiful, stunning. Lots of neighbors have complemented on how beautiful and unique it is. I wished I could upload a photo

We visited the museum on a weekday morning. We enjoyed the displays of rocks from various parts of…read morethe earth, the Arizona-Mexican artifacts, and of course the dinosaurs, especially the aquatic dinosaurs. This museum has an active dinosaur fossil dig - you can watch and even talk to the paleontologist working on it! There's lots to see and enjoy here, including real elements from a jail that held prisoners from the 1830s to the 1970s!! The gift shop is reasonably priced and you can even purchase a "memory bag" filled with pencil, notebook eraser, etc, for only $2.50 each.

Paid $14 and only stayed about 40 minutes. There were multiple groups of school children that were…read morerunning around, screaming, jumping and bumping into everything. I expect that behavior to be tolerated at a children's museum, not a public museum where a basic level of respect and decorum is expected for EVERYONE inside. Wish I could say I enjoyed it but the hundreds of screaming children ruined any experience I could have had and left with a migraine. **Would appreciate museums to have specific days for "field trips" or hours for school days. Unfortunately many museum experiences are ruined due to the behavior of unruly children, and I'm still the one paying full price.

Ok, let's pretend this wasn't the only place in Tucson to buy collectible vinyl toys, wonderful art…read morebooks, beautiful local art, and some really cool clothing (mainly tees)... Let's also pretend that the staff wasn't extremely friendly, extensively knowledgable on their product and obviously very into the collecting side themselves (I.E. They get excited when I say I want to open my blind box toys in the store to see what I got, and get excited when I get cool stuff, and that's cool to me). Shall we also pretend that it isn't really easy to find, oh, and pretend the store didn't have a really cool, industrial/urban art studio feel to it.... Ok, we all caught up in fantasy land? Well, that all aside, um... Let's see, the parking isn't that great. Seriously one of my favorite spots in Tucson, even if just to pop in for a second and say hi and see if they have any new swag. Keep up the great work lulubell's!!

There are "The Seven Wonders of the World" and then there are "The Seven Wonders of Tucson" and…read moreLulubell Toy Bodega my friends, is one of those seven wonders. Lulubell Toy Bodega is a bewitching, quaint shop seated on a tiny main road running parallel to downtown. It's closer to a more industrial area so unless you know it's there or you're observant while driving, you can easily pass it without knowing it exists. Here's some help: http://vimeo.com/11603704 They're known for their premium (and difficult to find) toys....And when I say premium, I mean prices ranging from practically nothing to the $200 and upward area. I'm not a collectible toy connoisseur but I don't think it's entirely unreasonable pricing considering the people who collect these toys are probably willing to drop that kind of cash. Personally, I'm a fan of their Blind Box toys, the Munny dolls and of course, the plush Domo dolls. Oh, but that's not all.... Lulubell Toy Bodega is a mecca for local artists. They frequently host shows where artists can display their art on their beautiful white walls. This not only enables artists to show their work to a public audience in a more professional manner but it also brings the community together. In other words, it gets those downtown kids out of the bars and into something more meaningful. The owners are so immersed in their customers that I don't actually know who they are; they blend in with everyone else at the shop! (I'll meet you someday Amy & Luke!) Lulubell Toy Bodega is, without a doubt, one of the best businesses in all of Tucson. It would be extreme to say a visit here is worthy of being on a bucket list, but then again, I'm an extreme type of girl. ;) Happy toy shopping!

This is OPEN! Just went to visit Arcosanti with a friend that came to town and what a cool…read moreexperience. You have to schedule a tour, self guided are not allowed. The tour guide Joseph was so kind and full of energy. The video you watch when you get there is a very heart felt explanation of the passion to continue this community. They own 800 acres and the property is built on 20 acres, it was built between 1971-1975 for the main spaces that are shared. 45 people live there but could range to 80. They show how the products and structure are made. I had no clue about silk casts and loved the hands on understanding and history. They have concerts, events, gatherings. Etc at the amphitheater. Check out the website. The cafe is closed. You can stay as a hotel guest overnight. They offer apprenticeship also.

I'm not sure why the Yelp page states Arcosanti is closed. We were just there and is open and…read moreoperating. Clearly what the original architect had in mind many years ago never came to fruition as it really hasn't changed in years. Is appears to be a small artist community but we didn't see anything going on at the moment so couldn't tell if it id still active or they make everything south in Scottsdale at Cosanti. There is a gift shop where you can watch a brief video on the history and learn about their wind chime creations. Personally I've received many of the wind chimes over the last 20 years for housewarmings or Christmas gifts. Each is unique. The greeter in the gift shop was friendly and stated there is a tour available as well. We didn't have time for the tour but purchased a couple of small gifts. He suggested visiting the Scottsdale location as well which is called Cosanti. I had no idea it was located in Scott's well. Will check it out.

Fun place and the 3d effects work really well. Employees were all really friendly as well.read more

Fun time to get out of the heat. 3d glasses were cool for short time but I could t keep on the…read morewhole time. Thanks Matt for the help on our first visit.