Visited Taroko Sports last night with my husband and two kids (5 and 7). We came across their Yelp…read morepage and knew we had to pay a visit during our mini vacay in Scottsdale / Mesa. Our son is a baseball fanatic and we knew he would have a blast here. As a pitcher, he LOVED the pitching cage. The cage measures your pitch speed and also scores based on your accuracy. What a fun concept. In addition, there are a good amount of batting cages. Each cage is equipped with different sized bats and a helmet. You may also bring your own gear as well. There are softball and baseball cages and speeds of 50 - 80 MPH. We all had a fun time practicing our swings with the virtual pitcher. * Note: Batting cage for left handed hitters is cage 9. There are basketball games in the back along with bowling lanes and arcade games in the facility. Our 5 year old loved the driving games. We couldn't believe the great deal that they have. For $64.99, you can get 90 minutes of unlimited free play for 4 people with a pizza and choice of drink. Yes, UNLIMITED. It was a perfect choice for our family of four. The customer service was top notch and very informative / detailed. Huge thanks and props to Talon for all of his help and ensuring that we enjoyed our time at Taroko!! He was so great and so patient for answering our many questions. Taroko will definitely be a regular stop for us when we are in AZ. It is a perfect spot for tons of family fun for all ages. We cannot wait to come back!!

Fun stuff at their cages. Originally went here for my girls to have fun in the arcade... luckily…read morehad my gear with me ( in town for the Aloha Festival from CA ). I LOVED HOW NONE OF MY WOOD BATS BROKE It took me a few rounds to get my timing down. Those foam balls fly and give a satisfying "Crack" off my wood bats when properly barrelled. Ended the day with 10 rounds in the 80mph cage and cant wait till im in town again to make a follow-up cage appearance. Fun staff good food and a great time had by all the kiddos ( 8yo& 2yo girls... and a 46yo man-child who visits several local cages, multiple times a week as my, "Therapy Sesh."

We came to check out the After Dark experience in August, and it totally exceeded our expectations!…read more There were beautiful lights hanging from the plants, and the whole place was decorated in such an artistic and magical way. There were also lots of fun interactive activities--stargazing, a scavenger hunt, drawing desert plants with fluorescent markers, a kaleidoscope, and more. Unfortunately, it was still pretty hot when we went around 8 PM, so we didn't get to explore everything before heading home. But we'll definitely be back next time--hopefully when it's a little cooler!

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.

What a surprise -- this place was absolutely amazing! We honestly didn't know exactly what to…read moreexpect, and it ended up being such a fun and memorable experience. Every room and installation was completely different, creative, interactive, and made you stop and look at things in a new way. Liam and I both loved exploring everything and finding our own favorites. Definitely one of those places that is much more impressive in person than you expect from the photos. Such a unique experience -- we will absolutely be back!

A nice unique thing to do in Scottsdale when you want to cool off from the oven-like conditions…read moreoutside but still want to wander around on your feet. Wonderspaces is basically a poor-man's TeamLabs. Large scale immersive and sometimes interactive artpieces arranged in a minimal modernist setting. When I first looked to go here it looked like it was only operating 5 days a week but to my surprise and delight they were open on the Monday that I was in town, so naturally I grabbed myself a ticket for a mental diversion from my workcation otherwise holed up in my hotel. When you check-in, a nice old man explains all the exhibits and points out a few highlights, one of which is a piece where you have to sit still for 20 minutes and let "3 robuts" draw you - cuz when else do you get drawn by a robot? (Well, in the age of AI, is it all that different?) Thankfully it wasn't too crowded when I went otherwise it could get quite backlogged waiting to sit for a digital caricaturist! This was probably the most tedious of the works, so I'll start here, as I had to get the host's attention and he came over and did some set up with the robot arms and the nearby tablet's app. He made small talk with me so as to keep my gaze steady as the robots with their webcams and drawing arms started their work. After a few minutes he left me alone but insisted I stay seated still until all the robots were done. One of the robots worked on me for an extra 8 minutes, so this felt more like a dental appointment than a fun electronic experiment. Another work was very reminiscent of teamlabs with dangling strings of LED lights They made such a big deal of each light having its own IP address, which was an implementation detail that really should not have needed oversharing. The work spoke for itself and the lights synchronized to the music immersively. Another fun one was large dots flipping in such a way that you could tell was capturing your motion and playing it back. And some 3D models spun at high speed with flickering lights to make it look like they were pulsing. Then there was the uninteresting video about a boy growing up awkwardly. Didn't seem to fit the theme of the exhibit. The last large scale piece were large plastic takeout bags almost recalling the nihilism from American Beauty and the futility of consumerism - which I think is the underlying principle that got me to spend money in this museum in the first place. A big crowd pleaser which was a large suspended tapestry was out of commission - you could see it but it was lowered for maintenance, so I missed out on that. Anyway, was it a good diversion? I'm satisfied.

Such a fun place to visit! There are so many restaurants and activities all in one area, plus…read moreparking is easy. Not too fun during the summer though because it's open parking! It's also a great spot to entertain and tire out the kids! Lol There's even a Ferris wheel, but it was way too hot for us to ride. We also found a photo booth near the restrooms ($8), which was a fun little bonus. It's conveniently located near OdySea, Topgolf, and Talking Stick, and it's super easy to get to from the freeway. If you're visiting during the summer, I'd recommend saving the outdoor walking for the cooler months and spending the hotter afternoons indoors at OdySea.

This is a cool, though touristy, entertainment destination in Scottsdale. Lots of positives about…read morethe place. A nice variety of family-friendly activities along with several shops and eateries on site, free parking, and great deals with the purchase of a combo ticket to experience different attractions at a discount. I did the "pick 2" combo for access to Butterfly Wonderland and the UFO Experience, and though the former was far more interesting and enjoyable, I'm glad I was able to check out both during my recent visit. Service was great as I interacted with staff at the arizona boardwalk, and the place wasn't overly crowded on a Sunday, which I appreciated.

AMAZINNNNNGGGG!!!!!! This is a multi-room place you can go and bring your friends for fun…read moreactivities. The rooms range from activities that have strength, brain teasers, teamwork, and more. It's such a great bonding opportunity and allows you to have fun with whoever you bring with phones down. Parking is NO issue at all at this location. They have so many spots available given the strip outlet location it's in. I do recommend not wearing any thick or heavy clothes and bringing as little items as possible, because you will be moving A LOT and sweating will be your enemy. They have a bar and restaurant as well, but we didn't get a chance to go. Definitely will be back, and next time need to go for 4 hours! I think we did 2 hours and it didn't feel like enough time.

We went to Bam Kazam on a Saturday at around 8 PM. There were 4 of us total, 2 have been there…read morebefore, but this was my first time. The premise is similar to an escape room, but there are several themed, interactive rooms that you try to progress through. Each room has a 3 minute time limit and if you pass the first challenge, a door opens to another room. Each themed room has 3 challenges total. We all had a lot of fun working together as a team. The rooms are hard to complete (at least for us lol) and some of the rooms required more physical ability. There are employees there to help you as requested, which helps if you get stuck on what you're supposed to do. The rooms are well put together, theme-wise, which adds to the experience of the challenges. There were a lot of people there, which meant a long waiting time. I feel as though we did more waiting than we did inside the rooms. Although, it didn't help that several rooms broke or weren't functioning correctly throughout the night. There's also a bar in the back where you can grab drinks and food, if you so choose. I would recommend waiting until after the experience since you have a 2 hour time limit. Overall, Bam Kazam is a unique activity to get a group of friends or family together for a night of fun and challenges! I would definitely go back again, but perhaps on a weekday or a time that would be less busy.

I love coming to this area when looking for some authentic Asian bites and treats, they have the…read morewhole area set up to find basically any Asian sweet treat food and goods you need! Service is always friendly and prompt as well! And it's close by down town mesa area.

I have been to a few of these Asian Night Markets since the Asian Chamber of Commerce started…read morehosting them here in Arizona. For me, I enjoy the chance to engage with culture, eat a variety of foods, and support our local Asian community. These events typically take place in the parking lot of the AZ International Marketplace in Mesa. Several food and retail vendors fill up the parking lot with all sorts of yummy food and cool merchandise. There is also a stage with live entertainment. I recently attended the Kamayan Festival version of the night market which was part of the celebration for Filipino American History Month. I had a VIP pass to the Sapporo beer garden and enjoyed the perks that came with it. As much as I enjoy being a part of these festivals, the lines are usually insanely long. I come to these to try new things, but find myself getting discouraged by the long waits. I have learned the best time to come to Asian Night Markets is when they first open if you want to try a variety of food.

What a surprise! I wasn't expecting much from a spot in an office park but WOW. They really went…read moreall out on the decor and created a true experience. When you walk in, you check in at the combo concession stand/host. There's not a lot (ie no cocktail bar or nachos) but what's there is well-curated. We'd just eaten dinner so didn't get anything but there were snacks and drinks for all tastes. The show room is ....well....magical! It's arranged to seat 44 people, with a long table lower at the center, and then a higher seating area around that. It's all very dark velvet, candles (flameless), and vintage magic posters. Definitely sets the mood and the chairs are very comfortable! The host takes you in and shows you your seats. The magicians rotate but we saw John Shryock. He did a close up magic act and explained how he loves doing these but few venues work for it. He was fun -- lots of "dad jokes", pretty astounding magic, and clearly loves what he does. It's really cool to have something like this here-- and in a spot with easy, free parking and lots of dining choices nearby. We ate at Mekong before and went back for dessert after. Speaking of cool, the air con was set to keep us nice and cool. Much appreciated!

Absolutely an excellent evening of magic happens at Mystique in a surprisingly intimate setting…read more They have locations across the country. Now that I've been there, I think we're are fortunate to have one in the valley. The staff is exceptional in making people feel welcome. We saw Dave Cox who is famous across the country. They change their entertainers regularly. I'm sure we will be going back. If you're looking to have an evening that has a flair and not hokey, Mystique is one to consider. Honestly, I wasn't expecting much, so what I found at Mystique was a shock and certainly a favorable one. I could see a show like this in Las Vegas. Just remember, it is an evening of magic. I can't tell you what to expect and would not want to. Easy to get to, plenty of parking. and directly across from the Sycamore stop at the rail line. There is no reason to be late because of not finding parking. Also, they hold your tickets until five minutes before closing the door so be early. It's worth taking the time not to be late. Read what it says when you buy your ticket. Have a mysterious time!

I usually don't ever make reviews but this has made me so mad at the service here. I was with my…read morefriends and I had to use the restroom and I asked the cashier and he was on his phone and told me there was no bathrooms. I then asked him where the nearest bathroom was and he looked at me and just shrugged at me. Well come to find out my friend also needed to go and he went to the back and saw the public bathroom. Really pissed off how this was handled and I had to walk 2 blocks to find a shop when all along there was a bathroom right there.

I had a higher expectation of video games at a place marked as an arcade. Well, they do have a…read morecouple of stand up games at the front. In the back, on this particular evening, was a gaming competition between a number of probably very good gamers. An announcer calling out the next player and a display of brackets for the competitors. They also have a selection of gaming consoles and a very large selection of game cartridges and CD/DVDs.

Looking for an inexpensive way to kill time, we stumbled upon the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary…read moreArt! There is a free parking garage located behind the museum, shared with nearby businesses. Admission is as follows: Non-members: $16 Students, seniors (65+), veterans, active duty-military, and educators: $13. ID required. Not on their website but healthcare workers are also given this $3 discount! Thanks! I showed up in scrubs after work and qualified lol. * Squidsoup * Infinite * Mark + Making Visions '26 Open Spaces: Fiber Arts Addressing the Landscape Knight Rise by James Turrell ... and more! Small but quaint museum with enthralling exhibits. Definitely worth checking out if you're ever in the area and even remotely into art!

This is a small, contemporary art museum. There are 5 galleries, which are well marked and very…read moreinteresting. The museum is very clean and modern. Parking is FREE, in adjacent covered parking structure Bathroom is in Performing Arts Building, which is right next door to museum Admission is $3.00 less ($13) is bought ahead of time Docent George was a real standout- What a nice guy! He was extremely knowledgeable about the exhibits There is a small gift store area as well as a outdoor exhibit All exhibits were contemporary art Overall, this is a fabulous museum to visit. It takes a couple of hours to see everything

Super fun arcade located inside the Yucca Tap Room! There's three entire rooms of mainly pinball…read moremachines, but some other arcade games too. There's a little tiki bar and I got the vacation in valhalla drink. They also have a few NA beverages and the prices are good. There's two machines to get tokens from if you have cash (or you can get cash back when you order drinks). My friends and I had a great time trying out the various pinball machines! Only negative is that some of the pinball machines ate my tokens. The arcade also has events like a weekly pinball tournament.

The Bat lived up to all expectations. 6 hours of pumping…read morecoins and slamming drinks. What a day! Thanks Patrick Swayze for the gear and the tips on the tacos! Can't wait to come back!