East Valley Highlights

A part of metropolitan Phoenix, the East Valley, which includes Gilbert, Chandler, Scottsdale, Mesa, Tempe and more, is full of attractions for families and people of all ages to enjoy. To learn more about Phoenix’s East Valley, check out Visit Arizona, Explore Chandler, and Visit Mesa. 

Entertainment & Sports

The East Valley is a vibrant and growing area with so much to do and explore: both downtown Mesa and downtown Chandler are walkable, unique, and festive locations where you can enjoy numerous public art installations, boutique shopping, and numerous locally owned coffee houses, breweries, restaurants, and shops.

The East Valley also enjoys easy access to top Broadway Series shows, contemporary art, music, comedy, and more through renowned venues like Gammage Auditorium (Tempe), Mesa Arts Center (Mesa), and Hale Centre Theatre (Gilbert). Spring brings the Cactus League Spring Training, which welcomes 15 of major league baseball’s teams to town including the Chicago Cubs at Sloan Park (Mesa), the Athletics at Hohokam Stadium (Mesa) and the Los Angeles Angels at Tempe Diablo Stadium (Tempe). Thanks to the dry climate and year-round sunshine, Arizona is one of the best states in the country for golf.

Access to Adventure

The Phoenix Metroplex is only a short distance to major outdoor attractions, including:

  • Hiking on Superstition Mountain s (Mesa, AZ), McDowell Mountain Range, Camelback Mountain, Piestewa Peak, South Mountain (Phoenix, AZ)
  • 30 minutes from the Salt River for tubing, stand up paddle boarding, or kayaking
  • 1 hour to Lake Pleasant Regional Park (Morristown, AZ)
  • 2.5 hours to Snowbowl Ski Resort (Flagstaff, AZ)
  • 3 hours to Tombstone (Tombstone, AZ)
  • 4 hours to Puerto Peñasco, also known as Rocky Point (Sonora, Mexico)
  • 5.5 hours to San Diego, CA

Housing & Cost of Living

Ranked the fifth most livable city in Arizona, Mesa has an estimated population of 504K and is the 38th largest city in the United States.
Chandler, AZ was recently named the 18th most livable city in the nation thanks to its excellent schools, world-class golf courses, more than 60 parks and affordable housing.

Schools

The local public-school districts are excellent, including Mesa, Chandler, and Gilbert Public School Districts. Mesa Public School District boast an impressive A- rating and is the largest school district in the state of Arizona. With a 16:1 student-teacher ratio, Montessori, International Baccalaureate, dual-language immersion, honors and Advanced Placement, Mesa Public Schools fosters a culture of excellence in education and is dedicated to their students’ success.