People from California who have relocated to the East Valley area of Arizona refer to this area as…read morethe "OC of Arizona." Yes, you heard that right, frustrated Californians referring to Gilbert as Orange County. I can see some resemblance with wide streets and shopping areas, however the OC is not all that it is hyped up to be (Believe me, I am a CA millennial who has done their time in the OC - by the beach and inland!). Neither is Gilbert! Upon your first visit to Gilbert, you might think it is a nice area with all the shops, cute and manicured streets, and restaurants. But once you've been here for any amount of time, you will quickly realize that shopping and restaurants is all that's here! Lots of millennial types going to restaurants and bars. It's nothing but socializing with friends here and eating at overpriced and overhyped restaurants. Young parents letting their kids run wild in public areas is the norm. I am a shopper and even I get bored with the shopping here. I only come to Gilbert when I am passing through the area - there is nothing special here.

I love this building firstly. the architecture has a great welcoming feel to it, from the outside…read moreall the way in. the staff to greet you always have smiles when you walk up. Not a large place, which is great. People remember you and treat you like you've been there forever. Its great. I've had to come here for some pre-bids and bid openings. I hope I have to come back to this laid back, calming place. Take the time to look at their dedications to fallen officers, firefighters etc. I think its beautifully made. They have a time capsule to open in 2067. I cant wait to be there!! hahahahaha

The town of Queen Creek has grown exponentially since I visit visited about 20ish years ago. For…read moreexample, Ironwood used to be two single lanes in both directions and there was no target or plethora of businesses in the Rittenhouse area. Honestly, it amazes me how much this town has developed! Some great growth, and others haphazardly planned causing some infrastructure issues. My city has actually taken some of what occurred here in consideration for our very own growth. Periodically, I visit Queen Creek as they have a few businesses that aren't in Apache Junction/East Mesa. Such as, Torchy's Tacos and Portillo's. I've even ventured here for some great Yelp events. Overall, I think it is a great town to visit and if you have a desired business, take the drive!

5/28/25 Today we visited for shopping…read more Shopping 5/5 At the Queen Creek Market Place. My wife shopped Nordstrom Rack and Ulta. Nice Market with lots of popular stores and restaurants. Also close to one of our favorites San Tan Flat! Traffic 2/5 Is always challenging due to area growing pains. I'm sure it will payoff in the long run.

Anytime I have friends or family visiting from our of town this is a must…read more They do a fun show, mine tour, mystery shack, zip line, jeep tours, horseback rides, railway, cemetary, restaurant, museum, tattoo parlor, shops and a church. Pay for the Trio Pass!! The scenery is breathtaking any where you look!! Staff in every place is super nice and willing to give you the history of this place. Visit the Lost Dutchman Museum which is just down the road from here, also.

I am really into experiences and areas with history and Goldfield Ghost Town has both of those…read morechecked off! They have more than few shops to get into too. I definitely recommend looking at the museum. On the account of rain, we had to leave in a hurry and couldn't enjoy walking around more. I'm really impressed with the firetruck there. Our current modern ones are so large in comparison to what it used to be. There's an opportunity to take a train around the mine for a historical tour and even visit the mine itself which we didn't get to do.

What a lovely Western Town which transports one back to a different time…read more We visited Tourist Information which is housed in an 1800's adobe building with the most exquisite furniture. Our Tour Guide (I believe his name is Mr. Stoll or Stall - forgive the spelling mistake) was pleasantly engaging, highly informative and an absolute pleasure to be around! We really lucked out. The history of the Town is fascinating and a true Southwestern experience. Hope I've captured it in the pictures.

I don't know much about the Town of Florence, but as an out-of-towner, I do know that it's…read morein-between the 2 major cities of Phoenix and Tucson. It's a secluded area that is definitely up and coming. New homes are popping up everywhere, and Florence has a bunch being built right now by numerous home builders. There isn't much out this way that I know of except a few restaurants, some gas stations and car washes. I hear the prisons in the area once used to be in full swing, but now they are supposedly closing down. Not 100% sure on that, but I'd imagine if they are doing it, they'll be building new homes on that land. There's so much flat land out here, it's really peaceful compared to the busier surrounding cities. You'll need to hit up the Queen Creek area which is a half hour north. That's a bustling area with shops and restaurants, and Costco with a gas station. I think it'll take a few years before this town gets to that level. They don't even have a Target or Walmart here! The closest Walmart I know of is in Coolidge about15-20 minutes away. I guess I'll see what the future has in store for Florence. Right now, it's a quiet area that many young families and professionals are settling into. You might want to check it out if you're interested in buying a home. There's so many popping up, and the newer neighborhoods look really nice!

I can't say anyone ever actually recommends a courthouse. It's that place you try to avoid if…read morepossible. I made it to almost 40 years old without getting a ticket until last month, and lemme tell you, it was a strange experience. That's not to say I probably shouldn't have been ticketed once or twice, but still... I feel it was an impressive feat. I arrived to the courthouse in Downtown Chandler an hour early on a warm, sunny day (whoever says it's fall lied to you; the high today was 100° F) in a spacious parking lot with covers, trees, and well kept municipal buildings. Inside, you go through security not unlike the airport, and check in. I've never been to court, and I don't know if security was amused or felt sorry for me (my ticket told me my court appearance was at 3:00 pm/15:00, but you still have to get a ticket at the kiosk), but the man came to my rescue and helped me choose the right option. I noticed immediately I was VERY overdressed in my Sunday best: a blue dress with white polka dots, little white platform pumps, makeup, earrings, and necklace. Everyone else wore jeans, making me question my decision to dress up (I thought that's what you were supposed to do). The lobby was very clean though. Also, you don't know how hard it is to covertly sneak a picture and hope no one will chastise you for taking pictures. I don't recommend trying it in the actual courtrooms though. I'm not that bold. Waiting wasn't too different from the MVD except the process moves WAY faster, and the customer service representatives at the window are super friendly. I presented my kiosk slip, my ticket, my registration, and a dated receipt of the registration. In return, I filled out a form with my name, case number, what I wanted from the judge, and the reason I felt the motion should be granted. Went to the courtroom upstairs and waited my turn. It was kind of warm, but I don't know if that's because the temperature was high, I was nervous, or that I've had hot flashes since I was 28 years old. All three could be a possibility. My conversation with the judge consisted of two questions and lasted less than thirty seconds. Then a decision was made, and I was on my merry way. So was it a good experience? Ehhhh, going gave me horrible anxiety. BUT the staff did make an uncomfortable situation better for me, so thank you to the City of Chandler for your hospitality! P.S. the moral of the story is to not get a ticket if you don't want to go to traffic court.

Literally called and asked for timeframes to see the Judge, was provided inaccurate information…read morecausing me to take unnecessary time off of work and completely waste my time. What a disappointment. Had to wait about 30 mins just to talk to someone. Why does everyone move so slow? Get it together!!