"0° ^ Special Advertising Section 



SMesa 



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Discover the heart of the Valley, 



just minutes from Phoenix. 

 Your first choice for convenience 

 and value. 



VISITMESA.COM 



^SvMESA 



VJtSto^. ARIZONA 



CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU 



Above left: biking on a 

 desert trail; above: Canyon 

 Lake overlook; left: a visit 

 to the Arizona Museum of 

 Natural History 



MESA, LOCATED IN THE CENTER OF THE STATE, MAKES 

 a great hub for day trips to explore Arizona's sweeping desert vistas, 

 red rock monoliths, clear mountain lakes and Whitewater river rapids. 

 You can begin your journey in Mesa with a visit to the Arizona Museum of 

 Natural History, which tells the history of the region from the creation of 

 the earth to the present. 



East of Mesa are the Superstition Mountains, the iconic backdrop of the 

 city, and Tonto National Forest, which spans almost 3 million acres of rugged 

 and beautiful Sonoran desert and mountains. You can take hiking and horse 

 trails into ghostly Superstitions, which rise some 2,000 feet into the desert 

 sky. You can also explore the scenic trails and paths of Arizona's rugged back 

 country by taking off-road Jeep or Hummer desert tours. 



Put on your explorer's or scientist's hat, and discover little known secrets 

 about indigenous flora and fauna and how they thrive in the arid climate of 

 this delicate desert eco-system. Early birds can catch a sunrise flight over the 

 Sonoran desert via a hot-air balloon and capture a birdseye view of this 

 timeless region. 



Go a little further in your explorations to Park of the Canals, where you'll 

 find evidence of Arizona's earliest canals, dug by hand by Hohokam Indians 

 who lived in central Arizona until A.D. 1450. Discovered in 1878 by Mormon 

 pioneers, the ruins at Park of the Canals are the only place accessible to the 

 public where the size and scope of the canals can truly be appreciated. The 

 park is also home to the Brinton Botanical Garden, with its variety of cacti 

 and indigenous plants. 



For more information go to VisitMesa.com. 



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