Mesa Flights:
Flights to Mesa
Although a city in its own right (and the third largest in Arizona), Mesa is actually a suburb of Phoenix having been swallowed up by the ever expanding Phoenix metropolitan area. Settled by the Mormons in the late 1800’s, Mesa was incorporated as a city in 1878.
Two airports have flights to Mesa, the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport (airport code: AZA), and the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (airport code: PHX). The Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport is only small and handles a fraction of the flights that the main Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport does, and hence this is the best bet for international flights to Mesa. Flights from South Africa will all require at least one stop. United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic Airways, BMI, and South African Airways all provide one stop flights to Mesa from South Africa. A variety of flight routes are taken, depending on the airline; Delta Air Lines, for example, flies via Orlando, and United Airlines via Frankfurt.
Book a Flight To Mesa:
To Book a flight type in where you are leaving from, where you want to go to. Edit the date range and number of passengers and just click on the submit tab.
The Tourist Attractions in Mesa:
Though Mesa may not be as popular a tourist destination as Phoenix, the city can more than adequately stand on its own in terms of the number of tourist attractions it offers.
Mesa Arizona Temple
One of the city’s top attractions is the beautiful Mormon temple, a site that is particularly stunning at night when lit up. Built in the 1920’s the temple was closed in the mid 1970’s for a major refurbishment and re-dedicated upon opening. There is a visitor’s centre here with information and exhibits plus visitors are allowed to walk around the grounds of the temple, but not go inside.
Mesa Arts Center
Situated in downtown Mesa this complex is the largest arts complex in the state of Arizona. The post modern architecture of the building is striking, and inside you’ll find an assortment of things to see and do. There are five different art galleries here, and four performance venues, so there’s often something going on.
Mesa Museums
Several museums in Mesa will appeal to different tastes. The Mesa Historical Museum focuses on, as the name suggests, the history of Mesa and has changing exhibits and artefacts. The museum is actually housed within a couple of historical buildings, one of which was the Lehi School.
For a museum that focuses more on the cultural history of Mesa and the Southwestern United States, there’s the Arizona Museum of Natural History. Over 58,000 items are within the collection here.
The fairly unique Arizona Museum for Youth is an art museum aimed at children up to 12 years old and is nationally renowned, whilst the Commemorative Air Force Museum preserves planes that were used during World War 2.
Recreation in Mesa
Mesa also has a great deal of outdoor recreation on offer and a number of specific tourist attractions such as the Desert Belle Paddleboat Cruise on Saguaro Lake. A visit to Park of the Canals reveals evidence of ancient canal ways that were built by the Hohokam Indians and date back to 700BC. The park also has a lovely desert botanical garden with many of the cacti that Arizona is well known for.
When Should You Visit?:
Arizona is well known for its high temperatures, and Mesa is no exception. The climate is quite arid here with little rainfall throughout the year and very high summer temperatures. July’s average high is 42C (107F), making this possibly a little too hot for some visitors. The winter is a great time to visit as temperatures are lower but still very pleasant. January is the coolest month when the average high is 19C (67F).