Mesa's Best Parks

What a surprise this morning to discover this article from KaBOOM titled, "Why we love Mesa, Arizona".  And yes, that's me there shaking the mayor's hand while the little guy struggles to hold onto that pole and Kathryn expertly handles her junior set of twin girls. 

From the end of June through about the end of August my boys and I have traveled across Mesa scouting out the parks and testing them out.  We have had a great time.  We would leave by 8 or so to get out before it got too hot.  It's been a fun way to start each day and it has actually been a life-changing experience if you can believe that.  Did you know all that Mesa parks has to offer?  I sure didn't. 

If you have younger kids you probably have visited a few parks around here.  But maybe there are more you didn't know about.  If you are looking for a little change of pace from your regular go-to park maybe you'd like to check out these great parks in Mesa: 

Park of the Canals

Cool new playground built by KaBOOM

1710 North Horne
This park has it all: history, fun, and nature.  Take a short trail to see remnants of the early Hohokam canal system dating back to 700 BC.  Have fun at the nice new playground.  Take a tour through the desert botanical garden.  This park has appeal for all ages.

Falcon Hill Park

My boys overlooking the city from the summit of Falcon Hill

7222 East Jensen
The playground is situated at the bottom of Falcon Hill.  You can take an easy hike up the hill for a good view of the city.  Come back down and play at the playground which has something for kids of all ages. 

Quail Run Park

Quail Run Park playground

4155 East Virginia
This is a huge park with lots to offer.  Lots of people come here for the off-leash dog area for one.  Let your dog run free and play with other dogs.  The playground is pretty fun too and fortunately for us that morning there was a bathroom.  (I think my friend spent most of her time at the park in the bathroom with both her kids and mine.)

Monterey Park

Walking trail through green scenery at Monterey Park

7045 East Monterey

This park just felt nice to me.  It was super green and had a good, long walking path (probably about 1/2 mile loop.)  Bring your stroller or bikes to go for a little trip around.  And the playground is nice too.

Red Mountain Park

Overlooking the lake at Red Mountain Park (you can tell the boys are just a bit hot here)

7745 East Brown

You could spend a lot of time at this park with all there is to do.  There are a couple of playgrounds, a lake for fishing or duck-watching, sand volleyball, basketball, ramadas galore, and some trails you can follow.  Park on the west side to do the trails or play on the playgrounds.  This is by far the largest park in Mesa at 1,146 acres!

If you want to experience more of what Mesa parks have to offer I suggest taking a look at this guide or locating a park on this list here.  You can find out which parks are in your area and also what ammenities are at each one.  If you are bringing kids you'll want to make sure the park has a playground, there are just a couple of city parks that don't (Holmes and Golden Hills.)  Also you can be prepared for specific activities if you know a park has a certain ammenity.  A city employee told me they are working on a new guide that will be totally up-to-date and I will keep you informed when it is available.

If you want even more info about some Mesa parks, check out my runners up:  The links will take you to a photo I posted on Kaboom with a little commentary for each park.

Carriage Lane, Kingsborough, Enid, Alta Mesa, Skyline, Augusta Ranch, Beverly, Mountain View, and Gene Autry.

Hope this is useful for someone!

Now that the weather's cooling down--get out there and enjoy Mesa parks!!