Visiting Mesa, Arizona- Lodging at the Doubletree Hotel, Dining, Activties- June 2021

June 7, 2021June 10, 2021 todd elliot

I recently had the pleasure to visit Mesa, Arizona that also included Queen Creek and Gilbert. I stayed at the beautiful Doubletree Hotel in Mesa. The staff was warm, helpful and welcoming. They provided cookies and water at the reception while explaining all the safety protocol for covid. The gym and pool were open to use and the atmosphere was peaceful. Loved the room as the bed was super comfortable and there was plenty of space. More at www.hilton.com/en/hotels/meswhdt-doubletree-phoenix-mesa/

I had a nice tasty meal at Dierks Bentley’s in Gilbert the first night. Casual but very good food sports bar with live music certain nights and country dancing to dj music other nights so check their calendar. They had a nice variety of appetziers (hummus with pita as well as the bavarian pretzel were a nice start. Burgers, salads and nice entrée selections. I went for the salmon dinner which was prepared very well. www.dierkswhiskeyrow.com/gilbert-az/

My first day I checked out Tonto state park for a hike with great mountain scenery. Tip is to go early as it can get hot. From there, check out the Ghost Town a few minutes away with a variety of attractions and activities. They have a mine tour, train ride, zip lining, reptile zoo to name a few places before having dinner at the Mammoth saloon for one of their popular streaks.

They have live music sometimes as well. This is a great way to spend half a day all in one location. Reconstructed 1890s town including gold-mine tours, Old West gunfights, a history museum & more.

Address: 4650 N Mammoth Mine Rd, Apache Junction, AZ 85119

More at http://goldfieldghosttown.com/

Day 2 started with breakfast at the hotel and then an approx 35 min drive to Saguro Guest Ranch for a very fun kayak adventure on the river. You go out as a group but then are on your own with tiny rapids as you make your way to the finish. Takes between 90 min- 2 hrs depending how fast you go. You can coast at times while you pass people in tubes and you may come across wild horses, sea otters, fish or other wildlife. Super fun and you make it as easy or harder for a workout as you want to. https://www.saguarolakeranch.com/

From there, I drive about 35 minutes to Queen Creek Olive Mill for a wonderful afternoon. Started with pinch with an assortment of foods and many with some type of olive oil as part of it. Take the educational tour which is between 20-30 minutes as you will learn a lot and get some tastings in the press room and after in their gift/tasting shop. Don’t miss their great gelato and tips given to me that I suggest are pouring some dark chocolate or vanilla bean olive oil or one of their balsamic vinegars on top for unique and great flavors.

What a great day of activities, education and olive oil products including a spa line. You will want to buy and even ship some back home. I met with marketing manager and part owner John who was very informative, hospitable and welcoming. Just a fantastic place to visit, eat, shop and learn about Olive Oil and Vinegars. More at https://www.queencreekolivemill.com/

My last stop was Agritopia. A farm that has been renovated to include restaurants, shops and even a public garden. Choose from any of their places for a bite to eat or drink. All locally sourced and produced. Overall, it was very interesting, diverse and worth the visit.

My Recommendation is to come in the spring or fall as the summer gets too hot. The state is very conservative and it was rare to see any places that really required masks.

There is an array of places to visit, hear live music, go dancing, eat or check out entertainment including pro sports- The Diamondbacks baseball at Chase field or the Phoenix Suns at their nearby arena downtown. Additional facts below

Agritopia:

In 1960, Jim Johnston and his wife purchased the farmland from the Reber family (the land that is now Agritopia) and raised their three boys on the property.
In the late 1990’s when the Town of Gilbert saw rapid growth in suburban development, the Johnstons sought out a plan to preserve their land (with the help of their eldest son, Joe Johnston’s engineering degree). Collaborating with a land planner, landscape architects, the Town of Gilbert, and community developers, Joe Johnston initiated the evolution of the family’s vision for their farmland: a simpler but fuller life, set in a present-day village that honors the farming traditions of the past.
Agritopia is home to everyone, at every stage of life. Within the area there is, a Christian School, a private preK-12 grade school, a community comprised with around 452 homes, a senior living center and the (upcoming) Epicenter
All the produce grown on the farm is grown under the USDA organic protocol
Their family homestead – a ranch-style, slump block home – has been converted into a 60’s era mid-century modern diner, Joe’s Farm Grill.
Restaurants on site including Joe’s Farm Grill and Uprooted Kitchen use veggies sourced from The Farm at Agritopia in their dishes.
The Coffee Shop was once the Family’s tractor shed.
The Community Garden is 48 individual 20×20 plots and 6 half plots – each plot is leased out yearly.
The Farm store is a self-service store that includes freshly harvested produce and goods from other local vendors.

Barnone

The 12,000-square-foot cylindrical metal barn was built from a melted-down World War II aircraft. It was first built in the 1950s to store grain and farming equipment – later to re-open as a craftsman marketplace by Joe Johnston.
Barnone is a community for skilled craftsmen to make and sell their handcrafted goods. There, visitors will find makers, ranging from woodworkers to experimental winemakers, restaurateurs and more.
The businesses within Barnone include: Uprooted Kitchen (plant based eatery), Fire & Brimstone (wood-fired cookery), 12 West Brewing (nano-brewery), Garage East (winery and experimentation in fermentation). In Addition, the Barnone also has two machine shops, a salon, woodworking, letterpress, and the Farm Store that sells the produce from the farm.

Queen Creek Olive Mill

The Queen Creek Olive Mill is a family owned company that grows and presses olives for the production of high quality extra virgin olive oil
After leaving Detroit with their four kids, Perry and Brenda Rea moved to Arizona and decided to plant 1,000 olive trees on 100 acres in the outskirts of the town of Queen Creek. By forming strategic relationships with farmers in Yuma and California, they ensured sustainable farming practices from planting techniques to pressing methods and producing real, extra virgin olive oil.
Queen Creek Olive Mill is Arizona’s only working olive farm and mill.
Queen Creek Olive Mill currently has over 7,000 trees (16 varieties).
In 2017, Queen Creek Olive Mill won gold with their Balanced Extra Virgin Olive Oil at the New York International Olive Oil Competition.
Guests can shop the mill’s products, take the Olive Oil 101 Educational Tour and dine in the The Tuscany-inspired olive grove.
The shop includes olive oils, vinegars, olives, sauces, tapenades, pantry items and body products from the Olivespa – an all-natural skin care product line started by Brenda Rea.
The menu consists of Italian inspired dishes made from local and garden-sourced ingredients that feature fresh gourmet sandwiches, soups, salads, pizzas, gelato and more.

Saguaro Lake Guest Ranch:

Saguaro Lake Guest Ranch was created out of the work camp built in 1927 to facilitate the construction of Stewart Mountain Dam between 1928 and 1930.
After the completion of the dam, Phil and Marie Lewis purchased the work camp from Salt River Project, and negotiated a concessionaire permit from the U.S. Forest Service and Department of Interior to provide services to the public.
The ranch started out commercially as a fishing lodge, but soon became a popular guest ranch by offering an Arizona ‘destination vacation’ for tourists from across the country.
Saguaro Lake Guest Ranch provides lodging and dining, kayaking, horseback riding, and serves as a wedding venue.
The 20 guest cabins are decorated in a western style. All have their own bathrooms, and each is heated and air conditioned.
The main ranch house has a wide porch and a full view of the Bulldog cliffs. In its early days, the lodge functioned as the mess hall, ice house, and commissary for the construction crew.
The lower stretch of the Salt River, below Saguaro Lake, runs right alongside the property.
The lower Salt River area is ideal for fishing, bird-watching, observing wildlife and watercraft activities including kayaking, paddle boarding and tubing.
The Salt River/Fox Trail Trip is a popular self-guided kayaking experience that explores five miles of the lower Salt River. During the approximately two hour scenic float, guests will notice views of the Bulldog Cliffs, wildlife appearances (commonly from the Salt River Horses), and Red Mountain.

The Apache Trail:

Located in the Tonto National Forest – the fifth largest national forest in the United States
Named after the Apache Indians who once used the route
65 mile round trip scenic drive on Highway 88 that takes you through the Superstition Mountains northeast of Phoenix, and passes through Canyon lake, Apache Lake and Theodore Roosevelt Lake
Along the Apache Trail – on the east side of Apache Junction is Lost Dutchman State Park. Lost Dutchman is named after a legendary gold mine, supposedly started by a local family in 1840, and then developed by a Dutch immigrant (Jacob Waltz), who left no records of its location. One of the best scenic hikes within Lost Dutchman State Park is Flatiron via The Siphon Draw Trail – a 5.5 mile trail in the Superstition Mountains.
Stops along the trail include The Superstition Mountain Museum, Goldfield Ghost Town, Tortilla Flat and the Dolly Steamboat tour (along Canyon Lake).

The Superstition Mountain Museum

The Apacheland barn figured prominently in dozens of western films and TV western episodes shot at this location – the building was spared in both fires at the Apacheland Movie Ranch. The ground level has displays of a number of vehicles representing the old west including wagons, buggies, stage coaches, etc.
Another iconic building located in front of Apachland, is The Elvis Memorial Chapel. The movie prop was built for the 1969 Elvis Presley western Charro!, which was the only movie Elvis made in which he did not sing, but played a strictly dramatic role.
The infamous Jacob Waltz “Lost Dutchman” Exhibit can be found within the Superstition Mountain Museum

Goldfield Ghost Town

The first gold-strike was made in 1892, and it took just a little under a year before the town came to life. During that time, Goldfield boasted 3 saloons, a boarding house, general store, blacksmith shop, brewery, meat market and a schoolhouse.
The town was abandoned twice by its residents, after the mine veins faulted.
Tourist attractions include; The Superstition Zipline, Superstition Narrow Gauge Railroad train tours, Goldfield Mine Tours, Goldfield’s Historic Museum, Gold Panning and Gem Sluicing at Prospector’s Palace, Lu Lu’s Bordello at Goldfield, Superstition’s O.K. Corral Stables, The Mystery Shack, Eagle Eye Shooting Gallery and more
Within Goldfield Ghosttown is The Mammoth Steakhouse & Saloon, a western onsite dining spot filled with authentic decor of vintage old west artifacts. The Old West Stagecoach in the Saloon is an authentic remnant from the historic town of Tombstone, Arizona.