Landing at Mesa Gateway Airport puts you in a prime position to start exploring the East Valley right away. Grab a local beer, hit a desert trail, tee off beneath Arizona skies or even catch a wave before venturing farther afield. From Mesa and Gilbert to Queen Creek, Chandler and the Superstition Mountains, these stops serve up food, outdoor adventure, resort fun and plenty of unexpected ways to experience the Sonoran Desert.
1. Barrio Brewing Co.
Start your East Valley trip with a local pour at Barrio Brewing Co., located in Mesa’s Gateway District near Mesa Gateway Airport. The Tucson-born brewery serves its own lineup of craft beers alongside a scratch kitchen menu of burgers, tacos, wings, sandwiches and pub favorites. Try a flight to sample several styles, including Barrio Blonde, Raspberry Ale and rotating seasonal options. With its airport-adjacent location, it works especially well for an easy first meal after landing or a final stop before heading home.
2. Gila River Resorts & Casinos – Wild Horse Pass
Turn your arrival into a resort getaway at Gila River Resorts & Casinos – Wild Horse Pass in Chandler. The AAA Four Diamond property has 446 rooms and suites, restaurants, casino gaming, a BetMGM Sportsbook and resort pools. Prime Steakhouse sits on the 11th floor with desert and Estrella Mountain views. Wild Horse Pass also neighbors Whirlwind Golf Club, Aji Spa, Koli Equestrian Center and Phoenix Premium Outlets, making it an easy base for dining, relaxation and entertainment.
3. Whirlwind Golf Club at Wild Horse Pass
Trade the runway for the fairway at Whirlwind Golf Club at Wild Horse Pass. The club’s two 18-hole courses, Cattail and Devil’s Claw, unfold across the Gila River Indian Community with native grasses, desert vegetation and open views of the surrounding landscape. Whirlwind also hosts the LPGA’s Ford Championship each spring. After a round, stop at Sivlik Grill for breakfast, lunch or a post-golf bite. With 36 holes in one destination, golfers can easily make this more than a one-round stop.
4. Hawes Trail System
For an introduction to the Sonoran Desert, head to the Hawes Trail System in northeast Mesa. The roughly 55-mile network welcomes mountain bikers, hikers and runners, with terrain ranging from approachable desert routes to more technical stretches. The nonprofit Hawes Trail Alliance works with Tonto National Forest to maintain and expand the system. Check current trail maps, stay on marked routes and bring plenty of water, especially during warmer months.
5. Topo
Look for the giant concrete gopher, and you’ve found Topo, a tiny roadside-style food stand in Downtown Gilbert. Inspired by Southwestern design and classic American road trips, Topo keeps its menu focused on burritos, elote and soft serve. Burritos come with chicken, pork or brisket, while the signature dessert is prickly pear soft serve, available on its own, twisted with vanilla or dipped in chocolate, lime or orange. It’s quirky, quick and easy to pair with a walk around Gilbert’s lively downtown district.
6. Apache Trail Tours
Let someone else handle the winding roads with Apache Trail Tours. Based at Goldfield Ghost Town in Apache Junction, the company offers rugged 4×4 desert outings and scenic drives along historic State Route 88. Guides share stories about the Superstition Mountains, Goldfield’s mining history, native plants and desert wildlife. Longer tours can pass Canyon Lake and Tortilla Flat, with stops at Fish Creek Overlook when conditions allow.
7. Lower Salt River
Cool off without leaving the desert at the Lower Salt River, a recreation corridor in Tonto National Forest northeast of Mesa. Depending on the season and water conditions, visitors come here to kayak, paddleboard, tube, fish, picnic and simply enjoy the contrast of cool water against rugged Sonoran Desert scenery. The river is also known for wildlife, including bald eagles and the famous Salt River horses, which are sometimes spotted along the banks. Most developed recreation sites require a Tonto pass, so check current access and conditions before heading out.
8. Revel Surf
Surfing may not be the first activity that comes to mind in the Arizona desert, which is exactly why Revel Surf stands out. Located at Cannon Beach in southeast Mesa, the park features a traveling-wave lagoon and a stationary river wave for beginners and experienced surfers. Beach passes also include access to the sand beach, volleyball, diving lagoon and skate park, while Revel Bar and Grill overlooks the action.
9. Queen Creek Olive Mill
Taste a different side of the desert at Queen Creek Olive Mill, Arizona’s only working olive farm and mill. Its Olive Oil 101 tour covers harvesting, milling, bottling and proper tasting before visitors browse a marketplace stocked with extra virgin olive oils, flavored oils, balsamic vinegars, tapenades and other edible souvenirs. Stay for a meal featuring pizzas, sandwiches, salads, desserts and other dishes made with locally produced olive oil.
10. Schnepf Farms
Spend a few hours experiencing Arizona agriculture at Schnepf Farms, a longtime family farm in Queen Creek. On regular farm days, visitors can grab breakfast or lunch, browse the bakery and country store, visit the petting zoo, ride the train, tackle the ropes course and check what’s available in the U-Pick garden. Trivia nights on The Patio are a blast. Or, extend your stay with glamping in a vintage trailer at The Cozy Peach.
