I have a tradition where whenever I have the day off of work for a holiday, I like to go on a mini-adventure. Which is what I ended up doing on Christmas Eve. While a lot of places are closed, Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza was open. I arrived around 4 p.m. and parked without any problems in their large, complimentary parking lot. The Memorial Plaza is right across from the Senate and the House of Representatives downtown. This Memorial Plaza is really a combo of a lot of memorials. Some are bigger than others. You'll find memorials dedicated to the Korean War, Vietnam War, WWII, MLK, Native Americans, firefighters, canines, Armenians, Jews, the Bill of Rights, various prominent figures in Arizona, and much, much more. I walked from memorial to memorial, taking it all in. Snapping photos and reading what was listed at each memorial. One of my favorite memorials was the USS Arizona memorial. The USS Arizona was the battleship that was sunk at Pearl Harbor, starting WWII. The mast from the USS Arizona is part of the memorial here. You can see the USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii which I did the other year. It was nice to see another memorial dedicated to the same cause. If you're reading everything like I did, it'll take you about an hour or an hour and a half to get through the memorial. The plaza is a great way to take in history and show appreciation for those who have passed defending our freedom (or who have made a significant impact in Arizona's history). read more

Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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Nov, 2025. Phoenix, AZ. Wesley Bolin Plaza, dedicated to former Arizona Governor Wesley Bolin, has over 30 monuments, memorials, and markers commemorating events and people significant to Arizona and United States history. It's an outdoor self-guided tour, and is adjacent to the Arizona Capitol Museum. I've posted a map of the grounds on Yelp, and note that an audio tour of the plaza is available. We enjoyed paying our respects as we walked through most of the plaza. We missed one corner where homeless persons were congregated. Parking is plentiful and free. We also recommend that you visit the Arizona Capitol Museum (separately reviewed on Yelp). read more

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I saw this park from inside the Arizona building, across from the Capitol. I was there early afternoon on a Monday to renew my teaching certificate, so I walked across the street to explore the many statues. I'm a Desert Storm and Iraq war veteran and I respect all veterans. Every conflict is represented. Despite my veteran status, the one memorial I really appreciated is the one to firefighters. A name is added to the memorial whenever a firefighter dies in the line of duty anywhere in Arizona. The most recent addition was from a man in Scottsdale. The park is kept clean and there are plenty of benches to relax on. I walked the entire park. Native trees add shade. My dog especially enjoyed the K9 Memorial of a German shepherd. From his vantage point he probably thought it was a real dog and barked at it a few times. read more

As the daughter of a Veteran, I truly appreciated this site on so many levels. We owe our Veterans so much. I appreciated every second of my visit there. read more

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I stumbled across this literally. It was nice to see and learn about the different memorials that were located in one place. It was peaceful and quiet for the most part. read more

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Located on the west side of Downtown Phoenix, the Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza serves as the Legislative Governmental Mall in front of the Arizona State Capitol building. Established in 1978, it is home to many memorials representing wars, veterans, events, and people with a connection to Arizona. I really enjoyed learning the history of each one. Famed events that everyone is familiar with, but also Arizona figures that may not be as well known. Each memorial was built and dedicated by a different organization, and each one is unique and beautiful. One of my favorites was the 9/11 memorial that was in the shape of a sundial, and as the sun pours through the cut-out words, it projects them below as a timeline of events. I was intrigued to learn and read everything about AZ judge/senator/governor/supreme court Justice Ernest "Mac" Mcfarland. The firefighter memorial was sobering to see the names of those killed on duty (including the 19 Granite Mountain Hotshots) listed by year, sadly, with plenty of space to add on. The largest memorial is dedicated to the USS Arizona ship. The memorial itself is a cool shape representing the size of the ship and a replica of the anchor. These are just a few! I was captivated walking through the park. You could spend hours here if you read every plaque. I highly recommend visiting and then exploring the Capitol museum next door. read more

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Must visit here!!!! Sincerely grateful for your service and sacrifice. Thank you for putting your life on hold to serve our country FREEDOM IS NOT FREE read more

Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

All of the groups - war veterans and heroes honored in this "plaza" deserve better. It is too bad this park is such a hodgepodge of design. Frankly the place is kind of ugly with all of the different memorials crammed together and all types of designs and motifs. It made my head spin looking at all of these clashing memorials. Some of the areas are showing wear and tear. I thought the memorial for the USS Arizona was the best part. We were here early on a Saturday morning and the place was empty. After a bit of driving around the one way streets we found the free adjacent parking lot. So that was good. It is just too bad because this plaza could be much better. read more

Wesley Bolin Plaza is the most comprehensive memorial park we've been to across the United States. The monuments are truly works of art that honor those that have served our great country in every capacity. The Arizona Memorial is an honor to see and stand beneath. We've never seen memorials for many of the other events in history so being able to read about those events was enlightening. The park is very well maintained and beautiful. It's a peaceful place to visit for the day, delve into history and honor those that have served. If you're a history buff, plan to stay awhile, there are numerous memorials spread throughout the park. read more

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Hi there and welcome to my 800th review on Yelp. I'd like to thank my Mom for having me, Dad for a fine upbringing, friends over the years, great teachers etc...and YELP staff for running such a great site. I vote Yelp best review site in the Galaxy and give you 10 stars. Since this is my 800th review on the 4th of July weekend, I deem it appropriate to review this outstanding Memorial Park that commemorates our amazing US history, culture and Freedoms enshrined in our Bill of Rights. My favorite sight at this park is the stone monuments inscribed with our most important unalienable Freedoms granted by the Creator and protected by these Amendments written by our Founding Fathers. It makes me think that thousands of years ago people erected stone and gold idols that they worshipped with futility. In the US, instead of worshipping idols, we protect our G-d given rights with these laws and literally the lives of Americans that fought and died to protect this great nation; so we all have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Never take that for granted and let's all have a safe and fun 4th of July celebrating our Independence in 1776! "And this be our motto: 'In G-d is our trust.' And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!" -From the US National Anthem by Francis Scott Key read more

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Great place to see some recognition for our troops. Park and check things out as there is a lot to see.

Essential this Memorial is a a giant amalgamation of every Memorial you can think of. From all the different wars, to the different types of people who can serve one's nation, to a place the celebrated specifically the bill of rights... it's all here in one park. It especially celebrates and memorializes Arizona's special sacrifices to the American Republic. You may not agree with the inclusion of every memorial in this park, I certainly didn't with one...but if you are a student of history you should visit. Certainly an interesting park to visit, and beautiful. read more

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Amazing place! It has all the memorials located in this park. It's is beautifully maintained and set up. I truly enjoyed exploring this area. The dedications are impressive. I recommend to stop by here. read more

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Located on the Government Mall in front of the State Capitol, the Wesley Bolin Memorial Park enjoys a collection of memorials to various historical times, places and people in US and Arizona history. It's a big grassy and concrete space with a noisy bubbling fountain, a small amount of shade and a handful of homeless people. The war memorials seem to take up the most space and where I briefly thought that the concrete was broken, is actually a map of VIetnam. The standing carved stones with the Bill of RIghts (the first ten Amendments to the US Constitution) was impressive too. Hooray for the First Amendment. Hooray for the Second Amendment. And so forth. There is some parking but I imagine that there isn't enough on weekdays with all the government workers here. read more

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Happened to drive by this lovely place so we stopped to check it out. It's absolutely worth the visit. The memorials are well thought out and the entire place is beautiful. A great place to take time to reflect and be inspired. read more

If you love history as much as me this is a place you'd enjoy. I'm a sucker for old buildings and such so knowing this is so close to my old job I had to take a trip to see for myself. I know a lot of people gate driving downtown with traffic, one way streets and fear of parking issues, but if you go mid day traffic is non existent, location is easy to access and there is a huge parking . As a family of Navy Vets I could walk this park every day. A lot of amazing statues representing the war, the Ten Commandments, Vietnam info. Beautiful park and tons of people just walking and exercising. As a proud American it's important to me to remember those who have sacrificed their life to protect our freedoms and who fight every day to protect us. read more

Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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Stumbled upon this Memorial Park while in Downtown Phoenix and found it to be a perfect way to spend the rest of our trip to Arizona. Fairly large park of Korea, WWII, Vietnam, Fallen Officers and September 11th tributes in forms of sculptures and monuments. All of which are greatly information, but do a good job of providing history on those who fought in the war with great honor and providing remembrance of those who have fallen for freedom. Great to stroll through, run around on the grass or sit in the shade kind of park. Parking is also free. read more

Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza - Freedom is not free - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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Our first time visiting the Memorial Plaza and we were so impressed! The latest monument which was dedicated the weekend we were in Arizona was for the Submarine Vets. Some 16,000 submariners served in war, of whom 375 officers and 3131 enlisted men died. This monument stands out with its beautiful colors of sculpted waves. The artist Nate Decker did an OUTSTANDING job on this. Good Job Arizona for recognizing all who served. God Bless all who served! God Bless America! read more

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Beautiful downtown Phoenix setting to visit. A peaceful area that pays tribute to fallen officers and vets. Statues and memorials that represent Pioneer Women. All displayed in a large community green area around Jefferson & 17th. This area is known for runners and a beautiful walk way for fitness. I frequently visit to view the scenery and get a good work out in. read more

It's beautiful memorial however the amount of homeless people bumming around is quite odd but I don't recommend coming here alone or at night as this area can be sketchy at times. read more

All I can say is Wow! It had been many many years since I have been down here. I remember coming down here to watch fireworks as a kid and none of these things were here at that time. During our tour of the Capitol Museum my staff and I walked along the Plaza of Wesley Bolin to look at all of the fabulous memorials they have now. I had no idea that these were all here! My favorites were the 911 Memorial, the Firefighters Memorial, and the USS Arizona. there is even a memorial for K-9s killed in the line of duty as well as many other groups and individuals that have given their life in exchange for our freedoms. Definitely a place for reflection and I was deeply humbled during our visit. read more

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Beautiful place to visit and explore. I went here twice to look at the memorials. Also, lots of Pokémon.

The Memorial is located in a scenic and serene spot in downtown Phoenix, and there are statues, plaques, and monuments dedicated to historic and modern day war heroes, firefighters, City of Phoenix dignitaries, religious leaders, victims of crime, the USS Arizona and more. The Navajo Code Talkers statue, The Enduring Freedom monument and the Bill of Rights monuments are standouts that must be seen by all who visit. The Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza is directly across the street from the AZ State Capitol, so if you visit the memorial, you might as well head across the street to check out the Capitol buildings. The plaza is a beautiful memorial, and a humbling experience. read more

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This is the best place to participate in a run and I've done so many times! It's really nice to see the beautiful Arizona government architecture surrounding you in the park while you get ready to run for a cause. I've done the P.F. Chang's Rock N' Roll Half Marathon, Susan G Komen (when it used to be here) and also the March for Babies. Each event is well organized and the plaza makes for a great starting and ending point. Even if they don't have a run going on, I still suggest stopping by and walking around to take in some Downtown Phoenix beauty! read more

We had a great time at the plaza. The history is amazing and the memorials are absolutely stunning to see the architecture of them. Anyone in Arizona should stop and see it is well worth it! read more

Located around the state capitol, this park serves as a memorial for fallen officers and vets. Multiple statues and memorials, as well as a large community green area around Jefferson & 17th. The park also serves as a local running course for many events such as the Run to Remember, the Phoenix 10K and the start of the PF Chang marathon/half marathon. The course is fast and flat and makes for a good running experience through the streets to Phoenix. The above mentioned green space allows tired runners a nice spot to relax and refresh. read more

Amazing Tribute My Nephew and I went to the Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza to visit the memorial. We've read many positive reviews about Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza and thought it was time to go and see for ourselves . Hard to believe, after all these years of Iiving in Arizona I had never visited Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza, until recently. If you haven't had an opportunity to explore the memorial you need to plan a visit. The memorial is a amazing tribute to Arizona service personnel who've lost their lives fighting for our country in various wars. The plaza is surrounded by grass and is very clean. The park is a great place to stop, get out, relax, and learn a few things. The exhibit is all outdoors and streches about one city block, making it is an easy level walk for just about anyone and the exhibit is free. Among the histotic monuments is the U.S.S. Arizona anchor and mast, and various mouments such as the Navajo Code Talkers of Word War II, an educational monument to the Bill of Rights, Vietnam War memorial, 9-11 memorial, a Law Enforcement Canine Memorial, and many more historical figures. The old state capitol is across the street, with it's copper dome. How much time youll spend at Wesley Bolin Memorial is up to you, it will depend on how much you wish to see. read more

Because sharing info keeps your journey safer and more productive, but you can keep up to date for endless reasons.My own reasoning is to leave it better than I found it, and keep regarding that mind set. read more

Not exactly sure where the "Plaza" in the name comes from, but OK. Kind of a run down memorial park with monuments dedicated to the Civil War, Korean War, Vietnam War, etc. etc. Homeless seem to use the area as a meeting place. Many things are in poor repair. A lot of trash, broken lights, wiring exposed etc. (see pics) read more

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A great place to wonder an afternoon away. Numerous monuments for WWII, Vietnam, Korea, Fallen Peace Officer, even Sept 11 monument. Large grass park easy for kids to run. Parking is free and easy to access. read more

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If you want to see some classy & reverent memorials - visit this park. It is near the State Capitol and there is plenty of parking. Bring a camera. read more

Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza - The U.S. Navy WW II Memorial. - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Iconic beautiful Memorial Park in Phoenix a place that inspires you and makes you fall in love with our amazing history and the heroes that have fallen for our liberty, freedom and way of life. read more

When Uncommon Valor, was a Common Virtue during times when duty called, Many chose to accept the calling when it came. Many of those didn't have to think twice. This nation owes a great dept to those not only these heroes honored here, but all service men and women who to this day we owe more than just our freedom, but the way we live today. The younger generations need to know where us as Americans came from and what we overcame together as a whole to respect all Vets from all branches and eras because all had a hand in shaping this wonderful free country we take for granted and to know that even tho were free, its those who honorably and proudly put on that uniform day in and day out who pay for our freedom with their sacrifices and that is why im proud to be a citizen of this great nation. Veterans and their families go thru so much during times of conflict and those who can relate know all too well the sacrifice and faith, if you may, that goes with the obligation of duty and honor. This beautiful, serene park is an outstanding example of an expression of gratitude to all those past & present who've paid the ultimate sacrifice and is a must see to truly a experience what I attempted to describe here :) read more

Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza - WWII USMC WWII Navajo Code Talkers Memorial Monument which pays tribute to these Truly True All-American Unsung Heroes - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Lovely park filled with history. I was exploring downtown and enjoyed taking it in along with the beautiful capitol grounds. Only thing that would make it better is a water fountain! read more

I was pleasantly surprised with this memorial park. It has several monuments and statues all spread out which you can take a nice little stroll around. It's also surrounded by the Senate and House of Representatives buildings as well as the courthouse and the State Capitol Museum. read more

Great place to visit while downtown Phoenix. We were there during the Pearl Harbor Memorial ceremony Dec. 8, 2012. Very nice, respectful ceremony. A lot of vets and current service men were present. Many statues and memorials to visit while there. A "must see", especially if you live in the Valley! read more