Where to Eat Around Tempe, Arizona

Arizona Historical Museum — Arizona Heritage Center at Papago Park

My list of Tempe restaurant recommendations is shrinking.

Even before COVID, some favorites from our old neighborhood had already been pushed out by rising real estate prices and new construction.

Phoenix views — View from South Mountain in Phoenix

However, there are still some longstanding gems that are worth a visit when you’re in town. And, since I’ve recently had some Tempe-bound friends looking for suggestions, I thought I’d share a list of the places I tend to point them to. Some of these are technically in Phoenix, Scottsdale, etc., but they are all Tempe-adjacent.

Most restaurants I’ve listed here have ample free parking – which is true of the majority of metro Phoenix.

However, when you’re near ASU/Downtown Tempe, things change. Spaces become scarce, and enforcement officers are quick with the citations. (Remember the rabbit in Zootopia?)

It’s probably the area in the entire state of Arizona where you’re most likely to end up with a parking ticket. So I’ve noted restaurants with trickier parking, as well as including some additional Tempe parking and transit tips at the end of the article.

tempe town lake and park — Tempe Town Lake

Tempe-Area Eats

Tempe Beach Park entrance — Nearby: Tempe Beach Park at Tempe Town Lake

The Chuckbox

Charmingly rough around the edges university student haunt that serves a simple menu of exceptional burgers, chicken, and sides. It’s a strictly cash-only operation that does not accept debit or credit cards.

They take your order and then flame grill it right in front of you. If you want anything besides cheese on your burger, you add it yourself at the condiment bar.

It’s a formula that has worked since my mom and her siblings hung out there when they were in college. In fact, The Chuckbox is celebrating its 50th anniversary this month! I grew up eating there, especially when one of my uncles was in town. As divey as the place may seem now, they’ve actually cleaned it up since I was a kid!

We especially like The Big One (their signature burger) with cheese and a side of fried mushrooms, zucchini, or onion rings.

Open daily for lunch and dinner

Seating indoors + on the patio (on wood crates and stumps)

Located at 202 E. University Dr., Tempe

East of Mill Avenue
Light rail: Veterans Way/College Ave
Streetcar: Ninth St./Mill Ave
Parking: A few designated spaces, but you may need to look elsewhere when it’s busy.

Nearby:

Mill Avenue – college town shopping and bars
Gammage Auditorium – Frank Lloyd Wright designed theater on ASU Campus
ASU Art Museum – contemporary art museum in the Nelson Fine Arts Center
Tempe Town Lake, particularly Tempe Beach Park

Cornish Pasty Co.

Maker of hearty, savory pies from Cornwall, England called pasties (pronounced kind of like “past-ease”) in an upscale pub atmosphere that feels a world away from its strip mall location. Cornish Pasty’s wide variety of fillings include some with traditional ingredients, some of their own invention, and a lot of vegetarian and vegan options.

Open daily for lunch and dinner

Seating indoors + patio

Located at 960 W. University Dr., Tempe

University + Hardy Dr.
Also locations in Mesa, Scottsdale, Phoenix, and a few outside the Valley

Nearby:

Tempe Center for the Arts (TCA) – Theaters, gallery, event space, and a large grassy area where we saw Ballet Under the Stars.
Tempe Town Lake

DeFalco’s calzone and marinara dipping sauce to-go

DeFalcos Italian Deli + Grocery

Pizzeria, deli counter, and market stocked with Italian staples like pasta, gelato, wine, cheeses, spreads, and olive oil. It was recommended to us by our good friends Michelle and Carlos, who used to live in the neighborhood.

We especially like the Centurion pizza or a calzone with Italian sausage and roasted red peppers.

Open daily for lunch and dinner

Seating indoors + patio

Located at 2334 N. Scottsdale Rd., Scottsdale

North of McDowell

Nearby:

Old Town Scottsdale – home of the Chocolate Tour of Scottsdale (under new ownership)
Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art
Papago Park, particularly Desert Botanical Gardens, Hole-in-the-Rock + Arizona Heritage Center
Scottsdale’s Civic Center Park (closed for construction until 2023)
Eldorado Park, where several local business owners collaborated on the Summer of the Waffle event.

Del Yaqui

If you’re looking for really good Mexican food near Tempe, I’d send you to this Sonora-style taqueria.

It’s located in El Mercado de Guadalupe along with about a dozen other businesses, which open onto a large central courtyard. (That’s also where you’ll find its seafood-focused sister restaurant, the recently-renovated San Diego Bay.) El Mercado is probably the main shopping center in the town of Guadalupe, and the colorful murals on the outer walls make it easy to spot.

Guadalupe was founded as a refuge for Pascua Yaqui Indians fleeing Mexico after the revolution in the early 1900s. You’ll know you’ve crossed from Tempe into the one-square-mile town when the street names change to Spanish.

Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner

Seating mostly indoor but there are also a few tables on the well-shaded patio

Located at 9201 S. Avenida del Yaqui, Guadalupe

Inside El Mercado de Guadalupe on the southeast corner of Guadalupe Road and Avenida del Yaqui (which is Priest Drive in Tempe)

Nearby:

Thanks-a-Latte Coffee + Snacks – Opened earlier this year in El Mercado de Guadalupe. I stopped in with my dad, who gave their mango-pineapple smoothie rave reviews!
Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church – beautiful mission-style building that hosts religious ceremonies and cultural festivals
Mercado Mexico – shop selling pottery and other Mexican imported decor
South Mountain – hiking at Pima Canyon Trailhead (if it’s too hot to hike, you can drive Summit Road from the Main Entrance)

brunch at the farm south mountain phoenix — Morning Glory Cafe breakfast

The Farm at South Mountain

Urban farm and open space oasis. There is a lot of grass, a shop with locally-made products and unique gift items (Botanica), wedding/event venues, and a restaurant for each meal of the day!

Since this is a largely outdoor experience, parts of it close down in the summer to avoid the heat. Double check the hours before you go during the hottest time of the year, May through September.

All 3 of the restaurants feature organic produce grown right there on The Farm!

Morning Glory: breakfast/brunch at cafe tables with shade umbrellas
Farm Kitchen: picnic-style lunch under pecan trees
Quiessence: intimate dinners with a multi-course tasting menu (reservations recommended)

We especially like Farm Kitchen’s pecan chicken salad sandwiches, coffee, iced tea, and individually-sized desserts.

Seating all outside

Located at 6106 S. 32nd St., Phoenix

South of Southern on the west side of 32nd Street
Parking: mostly in the lot across the street, a few spots near the entrance to The Farm

Nearby:

South Mountain – hiking at Mormon Trailhead (if it’s too hot to hike, you can drive Summit Road from the Main Entrance)
Maya’s Farm, which used to be part of this Farm but has moved to its own space just down the street

Gammage Auditorium exterior — Nearby: Gammage Auditorium

Haji-Baba

Restaurant serving up Middle Eastern favorites plus a market selling baklava, bulk spices, pita bread, kalamata olives, fresh cheeses, henna hair dye, olive oil soap, plus a variety of imported snacks, sweets, and other goodies.

We especially like the chicken shawarma plate! The plate now comes with a small side salad, but you can substitute tabooli (which I recommend). Their garlic sauce is also downright addictive.

Open daily for lunch and dinner (Mon to Sat: 11am–8pm, Sunday: 11am–5pm)

Seating indoors + a couple tables outside

Located at 1513 E. Apache Blvd., Tempe

West of McClintock Dr.
Make sure you go to the restaurant – not their wholesale store down the street!
Light rail + streetcar: Dorsey Ln./Apache

Nearby:

Gammage Auditorium – Frank Lloyd Wright designed theater on ASU Campus
Tempe History Museum + Tempe Public Library

Honey Bear’s BBQ

Family-owned Tennessee-style barbecue joint. Honey Bear’s meats are slow cooked until they’re so tender that (they claim) you could eat them even without teeth!

Open daily for lunch and dinner

Seating indoors

Located at 5012 E. Van Buren St., Phoenix

Between 48th St. and the 202 Red Mountain freeway

Nearby:

Papago Park, particularly the Phoenix Zoo, Lo Piano Bosque Habitat and other hiking trails
Tovrea Castle at Carraro Heights
Sky Harbor Airport

A few more quick picks…

Some Tempe restaurants I haven’t been to as much or as recently or that I’d just recommend for something specific, but I still feel are worth mentioning:

Cafe Lalibela (849 W. University Dr., Tempe) – Ethiopian restaurant with lots of fans! I thoroughly enjoyed eating there and hope to make it back there soon.

Dilly’s Deli (3330 S. Price Rd., Tempe) – Premium sandwiches and soup. Their cream of chicken noodle soup in a bread bowl is top-notch comfort food.

D’lite Healthy on the Go (125 E. Southern Ave. Suite 101, Tempe) – Nutritious food with a drive-through. The menu includes items like quinoa bowls and vegan protein shakes, as well as classic breakfast burritos and good coffee.

Four Peaks Brewing Co. (1340 E. 8th Street, #104, Tempe) – Original location of a neighborhood brewpub gone national. Besides their well-loved ales and IPAs (i.e. Kilt Lifter, 8th Street, Hop Knot…), they also offer a delicious menu of beer-battered food, as well as salads, burgers, and pizza made with beer bread crust. Free street parking.

Mekong Sandwiches (66 S. Dobson Rd., Mesa) bakes the French bread for their Banh Mi right there in their kitchen. I also enjoy their iced Vietnamese coffee. It’s located in Mekong Plaza, along with an international supermarket, gift shops, a bakery, and eateries featuring a variety of Asian cuisines.

Postino (615 S. College Ave., Tempe) – Wine bar with panini, bruschetta boards, and a tapas-like menu of “snacky things.” Originally opened in an old Phoenix post office, the Tempe location is the Postino Annex at ASU. Parking: Fulton Center Garage ($4/hour) or meters north of 6th Street.

Transit

Valley Metro runs the transit system throughout the Phoenix area. It includes buses, light rail, neighborhood shuttles (small free busses that run on localized routes), and Tempe’s new streetcar – which is free to ride until May 2023!

Light Rail

The Valley Metro light rail goes through Phoenix, Tempe, and Mesa. It’s especially convenient for getting to/from Sky Harbor Airport, Phoenix Convention Center, and ASU.

I made a video explaining how to ride it, if you haven’t before. Since then, the line has expanded in both directions, but the Tempe stops remain the same. And all day fare is still $4!

Park-and-Rides

If you decide to drive to your stop and then hop onto transit, you can park in one of a dozen Valley Metro Park-and-Ride lots located across the greater Phoenix area.

Parking is free all day for transit riders.
There’s no overnight parking. You risk getting towed if your car is still in the lot between 1-4am.

Parking Tips for Downtown Tempe

I don’t feel I can send you off to Tempe without a heads up on parking in the ASU/Downtown area. The main thing is to make sure you’re parking where you’re clearly allowed to. If it’s ambiguous or you don’t see any signs, you could still end up getting ticketed or even towed (it’s happened).

Here are some options.

Parking meters

Use coins or a credit card to pay at the meter or ParkMobile to pay and add time remotely.
$1.50-2 per hour. Free after 10pm, all day on Sundays, and on holidays.
2-3 hour max time limit.
Vehicles displaying a disability placard can park free at meters. (Time limits still apply.)

Public parking garages and lots

Check Downtown Tempe’s online map for locations and rates.
There’s typically not a discount for vehicles with disability placards in garages.
During events like ASU football games, lots may charge higher, flat rates for parking.

chuckbox — Outside of the old-timey cowboy themed Chuckbox

Customer Parking

If you’re lucky, the place where you’re going will have some free parking spots for its customers (“Chuckbox only” parking, for example).
Technically, you’re not supposed to remain parked in these customer spaces and leave the property. I’m not sure how strictly this is enforced, but you might want to park elsewhere before wandering off.

Don’t forget Park-and-Rides! (Details under “Transit,” above.) It’s easy to park in one of these lots, and let the light rail take you the rest of the way to your destination.

no parking — No parking signs in a neighborhood near South Mountain.

October 1, 2021May 23, 2023

Museum Day Picks 2021

Smithsonian magazine has an annual tradition of celebrating Museum Day, and many museums across the U.S. join in by offering free admission that day.

Smithsonian visitor center — Visitor center for Smithsonian museums in D.C.

I had planned to tell you – before Museum Day – about a few participating museums I’ve visited in the past. But life is weird right now and I’ve pretty much lost all sense of time, so September 18 came and went before I realized I hadn’t posted this yet. I’m still going to tell you about those museums, though. There’s one in Indiana, one in Washington, and five in Arizona. While I posted a similar list ahead of Museum Day a couple years ago, a lot of those museums weren’t participating this year. So, on to the new list!

2 Museums I’ve Visited While Traveling

Lenape specialist Mike Pace demonstrates traditional crafts to young museum-goers. — Mike Pace, interpreter and specialist on Lenape life and culture. Photo via Conner Prairie.

Conner Prairie in Fishers, Indiana

This is a living history museum that I loved visiting as a kid! I remember candle-dipping demonstrations and sitting in on a lesson in an old-timey one-room schoolhouse. They’ve added a lot of things since the last time I was there (many years ago), like make-and-take craft activities, a balloon ride, and the Lenape Indian Camp, which explores what life was like for members of the Lenape (a.k.a. Delaware) tribe in 1816 Indiana.

Regular admission $20/adults, $15/youth (ages 2-12). $2 off when you purchase tickets online.
Closed Mondays.
Storytelling series: Thursday – Sunday evenings, September 16 – October 2. Hear about Indiana’s early history from expert storytellers, including former assistant chief of the Lenape tribe Mike Pace, who helped create the Lenape Indian Camp experience. Separate admission required for the event series: $10/adult, $6/youth.
Prairie Pursuits: various dates. Workshops on traditional skills for teens and adults. Upcoming class topics include blacksmithing, woodworking, cooking, and pottery.

Guitars at Museum of Pop Culture (EMP) in Seattle — Detail of “If VI Was IX: Roots and Branches” guitar sculpture, Museum of Pop Culture, Seattle.

Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) in Seattle, Washington

The museum formerly known as the Experience Music Project (EMP) has an atrium devoted to constantly-playing music videos (“Sky Church”), a towering guitar sculpture (“If VI Was IX: Roots and Branches”), and galleries for Seattle legends like Jimi Hendrix and Nirvana, as well as exhibitions on sci-fi, video games, and fantasy genre archetypes. Housed within a striking building designed by Frank O. Gehry, MoPOP is located at Seattle Center, near the Space Needle.

Admission prices vary, depending on factors like when you’re going and how far in advance you purchase tickets.
Closed Wednesdays.

Duck pond in Papago Park — Papago Park, Phoenix

5 Arizona Museums

Arizona historical museum - desert cities exhibit — Arizona Heritage Center’s Desert Cities exhibit

Arizona Heritage Center at Papago Park in Tempe

An eclectic history of life in Arizona. On display are objects as varied as vintage vehicles, rock and mineral samples, maps, and re-creations of notable Arizonans’ homes and offices. There’s a new temporary exhibition (“Still Marching: From Suffrage to #MeToo”) on how Arizona women have worked to drive social change over the past century.

Regular admission $15/adults, $7/youth (ages 7-13).
Closed Sundays and Mondays.

The permanent collection is grouped into themed rooms, like…

The People: Not only will you learn about the diverse groups that populated the Old West, but you can also read testimonies of people who saw the Phoenix Lights in 1997 and either did or didn’t believe they were UFOs.
WWII: Takes you inside a military barracks, Japanese internment camp, and a POW camp. Dark corners that should not be forgotten.
Desert Cities: Probably the most nostalgia-inducing area for those of us who grew up in Arizona, It focuses on the cultural changes in the Phoenix metro area during its post-WWII boom and includes an exhibit on local children’s t.v. show Wallace and Lladmo and an iconic statue from Bob’s Big Boy restaurant chain.

Vintage military plane — Via CAF Airbase Arizona Museum.

CAF Airbase Arizona Flying Museum in East Mesa

30,000 square feet of exhibition space devoted to the history of combat aircraft, plus a working maintenance hangar and active aircraft ramp. Located at Falcon Field Airport in Mesa, this is my pick for enthusiasts of old military planes and memorabilia. In other words, if you’re my grandpa, this is the museum for you!

Regular admission $15/adults, $5/kids (ages 5-12).
Closed Sundays, Mondays, and Tuesdays.

Lehi AZ canal — Canal near the Mesa Historical Museum.

Mesa Historical Museum in Lehi (North Mesa)

The Mesa Historical Museum is housed in what was originally a school, built in 1913 in the very oldest part of the City of Mesa as we now know it. There is a replica of the one-room adobe schoolhouse that came before it, antique farm equipment and other artifacts from the area, and a couple rotating exhibits.

Regular admission $7/adults, $5/youth (ages 6-17).
Closed Sundays, Mondays, and major holidays.

Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA) in Old Town Scottsdale

SMoCA is an art and event space with a permanent collection and exhibitions in the areas of contemporary art, architecture, and design. It’s part of Scottsdale Civic Center, along with Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, City Hall, Civic Center Library, and a bunch of restaurants and bars centered around a 21-acre park.

Closed Mondays, Tuesdays, and major holidays.
Regular admission is $10/adults, free for anyone 18 and younger.
Pay-What-You-Wish admission on Thursdays and the second Saturday of each month.
Timed-entry reservations are now required for all admissions – even free tickets.

Tempe History Museum Concert — Spooky Kool Band concert at Tempe History Museum.

Tempe History Museum at Rural and Southern in Tempe

Always free (not just on Museum Day)!
Worth checking out if you’re in the neighborhood or going to a concert or lecture there.
They are gradually re-starting performances, including some outside in the Museum courtyard.
Closed Sundays and Mondays.
See their collections online.

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March 25, 2020May 23, 2023

Quilt, Craft, and Sewing Festival: Part 2

While the Quilt, Craft, and Sewing Festival has great fabric and pattern vendors (some of which we featured in Part 1 of this post), that’s not all that’s there.

Quilt shop clock — Quilt shop cuckoo clock from Cheryl Ann’s Design Walls booth

You can find booths for guilds and organizations devoted to keeping handmade traditions alive. There also are lots of vendors selling tools, embellishments, and materials that go along with quilting and other types of crafting. It’s impressive how many of them have invented, made, or designed the products they’re selling!

Quilt, Craft, and Sewing Festival: Patterns + Fabric

Tools

Pauline’s Quilters World – Pauline Rogers invented the Sasher, a small plastic tool, shaped to make it quicker to fold and press strips of fabric. She also created the Quilt As You Go technique and wrote The Quilt As You Go Handbook (QAYG).

Based in Queensland, Australia.
I learned about the worldwide efforts to craft for recovering Australian wildlife from her Facebook page.
FB: PaulinesQuiltersWorld
IG: paulinesquiltersworld
Tw: quiltersworld
YouTube: Pauline Rogers

Crafting for Australia

Tailor Made Tables, LLC – Sewing machine repair and sewing extension tables custom-made to fit your machine by Dean the Table Guy.

Made in San Tan Valley, AZ.

Thread Cutterz – Invention featured on Shark Tank to easily cut thread or fishing line. You can wear it on a ring, or it can mount flat to the side of your sewing machine.

Lakeside Scissors Sales – Specializing in hard to find small tools, they have bins and bins of scissors, pliers, magnifying glasses, and other gadgets.

Cheryl Ann’s Design Walls – These are portable, freestanding fabric surfaces for laying out quilt squares. Instructors can use them for demonstrations. They’re also helpful at quilter get-togethers where design wall space is limited – like quilting classes, retreats, and guild meetings.

Now a part of Off The Wall Quilt.
Free patterns + project of the month tutorials.
YouTube: Julie Luoma / AnglePlay + Off the Wall Quilt

Embellishments + Accessories

Uniquely Crafts, LLC – Family-owned business specializing in 5D Diamond Art Kits, a craft project where you create a picture using a special tool and a type of beads (“diamonds”) with a flat, sticky back. It’s kind of like paint-by-number with rhinestones.

We met both Stan and Amy Regal at their booth.
Amy designs their kits.
They offer a selection of 5D diamond kits for kids.
FB: UniquelyCraftsLLC
IG: uniquely_crafts

Custom Keepsakes – Heirloom sewing and machine embroidery in the style of vintage handiwork. They had lots of adorable little dresses on display to showcase their Heirloom Collection.

Fountain Square Signs

African Everything / Maendeleo Imports – I met Rashawnda Ogwel, who was standing in for her mother-in-law, the entrepreneur and importer known as “Basket Mary.” They continue to offer gorgeous handcrafted products from across Africa, like Ghanaian baskets and batik wall hangings from Tanzania.

Booth at Downtown Phoenix Farmers Market (Saturdays, 8am – 1pm).
Online shop.
IG: @africanbaskets

Phoenix from the Convention Center

Wooly Felted Wonders – A reusable alternative to dryer sheets or fabric softener, Wooly Felted Wonders are dryer balls made from 100% New Zealand wool and ethically handcrafted in Nepal. The company also sells other felted wool accessories, like bags, hot pads, and cat caves.

FB: woolyfeltedwonders
IG: woolyfeltedwonders

Chenille-It – This bias tape comes in a rainbow of colors and provides a shortcut for getting the frayed-edge look of of chenille in quilting and sewing projects.

Sew Many Creations specializes in natural cork fabric, which is a renewable material that’s sturdy enough to use as a leather alternative for bags and wallets, yet thin enough to stitch with a regular sewing machine. They sell different colors and sizes of cork fabric, as well as patterns and hardware kits for bags. Owner Jessica VanDenburgh has also designed fabric lines for Windham fabrics and leads workshops and weekend bag-making retreats.

Square in a Square – A series of quilting-centric novels by Jodi Barrows, who is also the creator of the Square in a Square quilting technique.

Free patterns.

Karen and Chuck Nolke were back with their ever-changing array of unique handcrafted earrings and scarf rings!

Etsy: karennolke
IG: karennolke

2018 Quilt, Craft + Sewing Festival

Guilds

These organizations are devoted to a particular type of craft. They are usually open to anyone interested in it, regardless of skill level. While they may have annual dues or membership fees, you can almost always attend a meeting or two for free to see if you’d like to get more involved.

Embroiderers’ Guild of America (EGA), whose raison d’être is “because a world without needle art would be pointless” was represented by local chapter EGA Desert Threaders.

The Desert Threaders meet the 4th Wednesday of the month at 9:30am in Phoenix.
Free patterns.
FB: EGAUSA
IG: ega_usa
Tw: egausa
YouTube: egausa

Modern Embroidery

Phoenix Area Quilters Association (PAQA) – Organization with quilt programs, speakers, quilt challenges, blocks of the month, quilts for charity, prizes, and these adorable little cactus pincushions!

Meets on first Thursday of each month in Phoenix.
FB: PhoenixAQA

Lacey Ladies of Arizona – Gathering of women who craft with or make lace. They host an annual Lace Day celebration in the Phoenix area in November.

Chapter of the International Organization of Lace, Inc. (IOLI).
Hosting the 2020 IOLI National Convention in Mesa in July.

Arizona Desert Weavers and Spinners Guild (ADWSG) – Friendly fiber arts group that sponsors informational activities and demonstrates weaving and spinning skills at schools, craft fairs, and other community events.

Phoenix meetings on the first Saturday of month (October through May).
FB group: ADWSG

Craft Camp

We were guests of the Quilt, Craft & Sewing Festival.

December 12, 2019May 23, 2023

Mesa’s Merry Main Street

Mesa’s annual holiday celebration, Merry Main Street, includes concerts, an arts and craft market, food trucks, visits from Santa, and – most surprisingly in an Arizona desert city – an outdoor ice skating rink.

O Christmas Market

While there are Merry Main Street activities throughout the downtown, the centerpiece of the celebration is the 40-foot-tall Christmas tree and market that takes over Macdonald on the north side of Main Street.

What you’ll find here…

Mesa’s official Christmas tree – this is where you can see Santa Friday and Saturday evenings.
Mesa Christmas Market – 30 local vendors selling handcrafted items, food and gifts in booths set up around the Christmas tree.
Concert stage with free performances on Friday and Saturday evenings.
“sELFie” Station photo backdrops. (Turns out, you can’t spell selfie without an “elf.”)
Extended store hours — Some downtown shops stay open late, so you can browse antique furniture or comic books while you’re in the neighborhood.

There are additional, ticketed holiday concerts and performances of The Nutcracker Ballet nearby at the Mesa Arts Center.

When Phoenix Freezes Over

Most of the time, you’ll only find an ice rink in Arizona inside a large, air-conditioned building. So, the temporary Winter Wonderland Ice Rink installed for the holidays in Mesa City Plaza is a downright novelty. It’s really fun to watch people skating around there, even if some of them are wearing shorts.

Speaking of Arizonans’ winter apparel (or lack thereof), Winter Wonderland just assumes you don’t own ice skates (and you probably don’t), so they automatically include skate rental in the ticket price.

Free Rides

You can ride the mile stretch of the Light Rail between Country Club and Mesa Drive free on December weekends from 5-10pm.

This weekend (December 13-14), there will also be special decorated “Polar Express” light rail trains with Santa, elves, cookies, and singing on board. Pajama-wearing is encouraged. No tickets are required.

Pioneer Park

The weekly Mesa Feastival Forest in Pioneer Park turns into Jack Frost’s Food Truck Forest on Friday and Saturday nights during the holidays. Check their Facebook page for updates on the food truck lineup.

Also in Pioneer Park…

The Mesa Farmers Market and Flea will continue to be held in the park on Saturday mornings – with a few extra festive touches like additional vendors and photos with Santa from 9-11am.
Kiddos can ride the trackless Main Street Express Train there for free during food truck or farmers’ market hours.

mesa mini train — Merry Main Street’s little train (at its old City Plaza location).

In past years, you could sometimes hear the choir singing outside the LDS Temple across the street. This year, however, the annual Christmas Lights display and concerts have been suspended due to major renovations of the buildings and grounds, which are scheduled to be completed in 2020.

The Space Between

Like a microcosm of the City of Mesa itself, Merry Main Street is a bit sprawling (although it’s gotten less spread out than in previous years).

Activities are just close enough together that you’re not sure you want to wait for even a free light rail ride, but far enough apart that you have time to regret it as you traverse the vast, vacant expanses of sidewalk between things.

How to Merry Main Street

The the best approach might be to enjoy different parts of Merry Main Street throughout the season, instead of thinking of it as all one event. Stop by the food truck forest before heading over to a performance at the MAC. Have an ice skating night. Do some holiday shopping and take some photos in front of the tree (or in the selfie stations or with Santa).

Why not go multiple times? There’s no admission cost, parking is free, and each time the weather will probably be so nice you could wear shorts to go ice skating.

May 14, 2019May 23, 2023

Light Rail Phoenix: A Beginner’s Guide

[Updated 5/14/19.]

People have asked me how to take the Valley Metro light rail in the Phoenix area, so I made a video guide.

However, if you prefer tips in written form, read on!

1. Find where to go.

There’s just one line with 2 directions, Eastbound and Westbound. You can ride anywhere on the line all day for $4.

Westbound train route:

begins in Mesa (Gilbert Rd./Main St., as of 5/18/19)
ASU Tempe campus
Sky Harbor Airport
Downtown Phoenix (Phoenix Convention Center, Talking Stick Resort Arena, Chase Field)
Central Ave. (turns north)
Roosevelt Row/arts district
ends at 19th Ave. and Dunlap (near Metrocenter)

Eastbound trains start at 19th Avenue and Dunlap, retracing basically the same route, heading south and then east and ending at Gilbert Road and Main Street (as of 5/18/19).

Schedule

To find where to get on and off the train and get schedule information, download a Transit Book, check the Valley Metro website, get the Ridekick app, or try Google Maps. If you don’t want to bother with the schedule, you can just show up. Trains run about every 10-20 minutes until around midnight or 1am.

Park-and-Ride

If there’s not a stop near you, you can drive to one of the 11 Park-and-Ride lots, where there’s free parking for people riding the light rail or bus. You just find a spot, lock your car, and head to the station platform.

2. Get your ticket.

You can easily get a pass from a fare vending machine at your stop before you leave.

Follow the prompts on screen to select an all-day pass and activate it immediately. Then pay with cash, credit or debit.

Your pass and receipt print from two different places. Make sure to pick them both up!

On the Station Platform

While you’re waiting, check the signs to make sure in the right spot for the train going in your direction.

Stations have…

fare vending machines
scrolling LED signs that say when to expect the next train
seating
some shade
route maps (simplified to highlight the stops – not to scale)
drinking fountains
artwork inspired by the local area

Stations don’t have…

restrooms
food or anything for purchase (except rail passes)

You can bring your own food and beverage in sealed or spill proof containers.

3. Get on board.

Trains stop at every station. You don’t have to flag them down. If one looks like it’s not stopping, Don’t panic! It’s probably just pulling up farther.

When the train pulls up to the station, it will come to a complete stop, the doors automatically open, and you can step into any car. Find a seat or or a place to stand and hold on to the railing. If you are standing, try to move back away from the doors, so people can easily get on and off.

There’s usually not anyone checking tickets as you get on. It’s kind of on the honor system. Occasionally, though, transit officers in black and white uniforms will come through and check tickets after the train is in motion. Not having one can get you fined up to $500.

Watch and listen for your stop. You can find a route map above some of the doors. And before each stop, a recording will say “approaching station” then the station name and whether you’ll exit the train on the left or right side. The information is also on scrolling LED signs in the middle of the ceiling of each car. Once you arrive, wait for the train to stop and doors to open, and you’re there!

– More light rail info –

Fare details. Day (round trip) pass: $4 / Week: $20 / Month: $64
Make sure you are waiting for the train going the direction you want to go. Most of the platforms are in the middle of the street and trains going both directions share them. However, around downtown Phoenix the line splits. So if you’re at the Phoenix Convention Center for example, the station for westbound trains is at Washington and eastbound trains stop a block south of there at Jefferson.
If you’re only going one way (to the airport, for example), you can purchase a 1-ride ticket. Once you purchase it, take your ticket and receipt. You have a two-hour window after purchasing to make your trip in one direction.
You may notice that there’s a “buy online” option on the Valley Metro website. This is NOT for last-minute purchases! Since electronic tickets are not accepted, you can order tickets online, and then they’ll be shipped to you via snail mail.
Pets are allowed only in enclosed carriers or cages that fit on your lap. Of course, this doesn’t apply to service animals – they just need to be out of walkways.
RailRide: Talking Stick Resort Arena event tickets now include a free ride to the event!