Fun stuff at their cages. Originally went here for my girls to have fun in the arcade... luckily…read morehad my gear with me ( in town for the Aloha Festival from CA ). I LOVED HOW NONE OF MY WOOD BATS BROKE It took me a few rounds to get my timing down. Those foam balls fly and give a satisfying "Crack" off my wood bats when properly barrelled. Ended the day with 10 rounds in the 80mph cage and cant wait till im in town again to make a follow-up cage appearance. Fun staff good food and a great time had by all the kiddos ( 8yo& 2yo girls... and a 46yo man-child who visits several local cages, multiple times a week as my, "Therapy Sesh."

I have been to Taroko a couple times now and I'm hooked!…read more Prices are incredibly reasonable for all the games that Taroko offers! They have what seems like countless batting cages of all speeds for both baseball and softball. And they offer two mini bowling alleys with a handful of multi-player shooting games, air hockey, and some baseball throwing games! Want to see how hard you can punch? They have that game there too. Want to dance? Then go play Dance Dance Revolution! Want to play some multi-player basketball shooting games? They've got you covered! I could spend hours at Taroko! They also offer food and drinks, so maybe next time I will get some chicken wings to power me up for a few hours of game playing! So much fun at so little cost - go to Taroko... now!! *****FIVE STARS*****

My best friend and I visited Desert Botanical Garden after a lovely dinner in the area. She…read morementioned that she had tickets left over from a visit earlier in the day that granted admittance later in the evening/after dark. I had never been to Desert Botanical Garden despite living in the area for nearly five years, so I was quick to agree to tag along! We visited on an evening that was also dog night, so in addition to seeing the beautiful botanicals, we got to see lots of happy pups. Though my dog was not with us, I appreciated how they had lots of doggy bags, water bowls, and water stations at the ready for the dog owners. The exhibit was beautiful, seeing the lights intertwined with the plants and the cacti. This was truly breathtaking. I will definitely add Desert Botanical Garden to my list of places to take friends and family who visit me out west.

Beautiful area to stroll in nature and see desert plants and animals, with a similar experience to…read moreBoyce Thompson Arboretum but less sprawling. The spring is also a great opportunity to see cactus flowering; the nice thing is experiencing the space in different seasons. They frequently have special exhibits and events. This month, it was focused on desert photography and there were several screens put up throughout the garden including a video screening indoors. They also have the garden at night if you want to explore under the cover of darkness and the garden is lit up. On certain weekends they also have dog days where pets can come with owners. In the butterfly area they happened to be releasing butterflies so we got to open envelopes and let them go; kids especially enjoyed this. There are plenty of lizards, bees, hummingbirds and other birds, and for the first time saw a snake slithering around. In the summer, they open early and it's better to go early because it can get very warm when the sun is full force. There are many places to walk, sit on benches and enjoy nature. There are also water bottle filling stations and bathrooms throughout. There's a store with gifts and garden items and a restaurant as well. If you're a member, you also get a small discount at the store. The restaurant isn't cheap, entrees are about $30-35 and they have tacos, salads and appetizers. Near the airport and Papago park, visit the gardens for a peaceful outing.

Very fun and interactive art pieces! Make sure to pull up the descriptions on your phone for an…read moreeven better experience. Some fun pieces, some unique, and some inspirational artwork as well.

Bestie was in town and she had this genius idea to visit Wonderspaces Arizona. She's been to the…read moreSan Diego one twice and loved it, so I was excited to see what it's all about. This place is beyond cool! There are different rooms to experience, and each one is truly unique. I think I speak for us both when I say the one with the string lights was the most entertaining visually. The light show lasted about 15 minutes total from beginning to end. When you first walk in through the mall entrance, you'll end up at the bar area. Alex was so nice and very engaging. She answered our questions and whatever you order at the bar, you can bring it with you so don't feel confined to the bar area as you finish your drink! I got the School Rules (mocktail) and bestie got the Mango Colada. They were so good, I finished mine pretty quickly! One of the other exhibits that I enJOYed was the coin flipping one. Whoever thought of all this is amazing to say the least! The face display made out of different sized balls on strings was so cool to see, especially when you walked up to it and to the side of it. We don't have membership, but the older gentleman sitting near the bar informed us that if you pay the $99 fee, you can come as many times as you like and you'll get 20% off any merchandise. He was really informative and we appreciated that he wasn't trying to push it on us. I believe you can also bring a guest for a discounted fee. Some of the exhibits were not as entertaining as others, and I do wish there was more to see, but they do switch it up every couple of months so that would definitely be worth the membership. Don't forget to get your selfies in front of the huge mirror near the bar! I highly recommend coming here if you have out of town guests, or if you've just never been. The bonus is that it's located inside the Fashion Square Mall in Scottsdale (same floor as the food court under the escalators), so you can have something to eat or walk around before or after Wonderspaces! It would be a cute date idea, too. I just may buy into the membership because the best part about it is that it does NOT automatically renew. So, if you don't like it, you won't have to worry about your account being charged. Good idea! Check out Wonderspaces Arizona and have so much fun!

Overall, fun complex with some good experiences/activities. However, it's highly overpriced and…read moreneeds more food and dining options. Restrooms were also a bit limited. It looks like they are adding more in the future, so hopefully it improves. Definitely a lot of potential.

Came here this afternoon to kill some time and it's a very clean complex with plenty of ample…read moreparking. Super clean. Plenty of restrooms. Something for everyone. We did the UFO Experience as we've already been to the aquarium. We wanted to eat lunch at Maria's, but they were closed (despite us being there during business hours). I'm fearful the aquarium is doing its best to keep the entire boardwalk afloat. Not sure how sustainable that is as there weren't many people here today. Hoping they can get some additional viable businesses in here...

Natalie and Jace were amazing hosts and kept the hints vague but helpful while the food from the…read morekitchen was great I met Jake and Devin who were very nice and made our food quick!

AMAZINNNNNGGGG!!!!!! This is a multi-room place you can go and bring your friends for fun…read moreactivities. The rooms range from activities that have strength, brain teasers, teamwork, and more. It's such a great bonding opportunity and allows you to have fun with whoever you bring with phones down. Parking is NO issue at all at this location. They have so many spots available given the strip outlet location it's in. I do recommend not wearing any thick or heavy clothes and bringing as little items as possible, because you will be moving A LOT and sweating will be your enemy. They have a bar and restaurant as well, but we didn't get a chance to go. Definitely will be back, and next time need to go for 4 hours! I think we did 2 hours and it didn't feel like enough time.

I have been to a few of these Asian Night Markets since the Asian Chamber of Commerce started…read morehosting them here in Arizona. For me, I enjoy the chance to engage with culture, eat a variety of foods, and support our local Asian community. These events typically take place in the parking lot of the AZ International Marketplace in Mesa. Several food and retail vendors fill up the parking lot with all sorts of yummy food and cool merchandise. There is also a stage with live entertainment. I recently attended the Kamayan Festival version of the night market which was part of the celebration for Filipino American History Month. I had a VIP pass to the Sapporo beer garden and enjoyed the perks that came with it. As much as I enjoy being a part of these festivals, the lines are usually insanely long. I come to these to try new things, but find myself getting discouraged by the long waits. I have learned the best time to come to Asian Night Markets is when they first open if you want to try a variety of food.

I attended the January 2022 edition of this annual event, occurring at Lunar New Year. Centered on…read morethe Asian Pacific American community, this event celebrates cultural diversity, cuisine, art, and music. Organized by the Asian Chamber of Commerce, I know that in the past this required admission but this year's was free. I would not be surprised if it becomes an admission-only event in the future as it was packed from the entry time of 5:30. Given that the city of Mesa has decided to invest considerable resources to brand the area as an Asian enclave, I suspect it will get bigger and more impressive each year. While there are a ton of food trucks here, my advice would be not to show up hungry. Nearly every stall had long lines (save the poor coffee vendor). I would like to say that lines moved quickly, but most did not. I think it is better to have eaten a little something first and then show up and have a snack or two or come later in the evening when the live music really gets going. But if you plan to make this your sole dinner stop it will be frustrating. One perk of a big festival like this is that many smaller caterers/restaurants/food trucks that you haven't heard of will show up. There was plenty that was new to me and gave me a bucket list of places to try. I got some bao buns from Hot Bamboo which has a brick-and-mortar location in Chandler as well as a food truck that often pops up at festivals across town. They make Instagrammable character buns. It's a bit cheesy but the price was good and they were flavorful and satisfying. They were temporarily out of some fillings and the employees were profusely apologetic. It did inspire me to want to one day visit their actual restaurant. The vibe was great and the 2022 edition was a nice blend of people from all walks of life eager to celebrate our post-pandemic world (yeah, Year of the Tiger!). Besides food trucks, there were a few vendors selling gifts and other items but nothing popped out as too special. You can find the schedule on their website. Besides the night market, they also organize some daytime activities at parks that focus less on food and more on culture.

I got to be part of a video taping tonight and what a treat! Mystique is always so and creative!…read more Another outstanding performance tonight! If you haven't been here yet, change that!

Our first time here. The magician was incredible. You literally are sitting right there. I couldn't…read morefigure out not one trick. I surprised my husband for his bday. He loved it.

I usually don't ever make reviews but this has made me so mad at the service here. I was with my…read morefriends and I had to use the restroom and I asked the cashier and he was on his phone and told me there was no bathrooms. I then asked him where the nearest bathroom was and he looked at me and just shrugged at me. Well come to find out my friend also needed to go and he went to the back and saw the public bathroom. Really pissed off how this was handled and I had to walk 2 blocks to find a shop when all along there was a bathroom right there.

I had a higher expectation of video games at a place marked as an arcade. Well, they do have a…read morecouple of stand up games at the front. In the back, on this particular evening, was a gaming competition between a number of probably very good gamers. An announcer calling out the next player and a display of brackets for the competitors. They also have a selection of gaming consoles and a very large selection of game cartridges and CD/DVDs.

This is a must do in Scottsdale. Period. Art is an…read moreexperience. A memory. This will be a core memory for you right here. You will expand your mind and think about how art parameters are often too narrow. Parking was easy. Old town shopping is across the street. There are a plethora of outdoor sculptures to explore. This is a day for the whole family. Be sure to say hi to the nicest docent ever! George loves to tell you about the work and is the most lovely soul. So far this was my favorite day in AZ yet.

SMoCA, Scottsdale's Museum of Contemporary Art was a refreshing find in Old Town Scottsdale. The…read morevenue is intimate but that is where it shines. We enjoyed three main exhibitions which were all well curated, interactive and amazingly well presented. Squidsoup - Infinite : a darkened space filled with lighted spheres dancing to instrumental music commissioned by SMoCA. An immersive experience evoking thought and mood. Casey Curran - Tidal Sky : immersive and interactive sculptures framed and freestanding, each incorporating delicate movement, beauty and decay. James Perkins - Burying Painting : literally, this artist buried his artwork in locations such as beaches and the desert, exposing them to the collaborative forces of nature to evoke beauty and emotion. --- Bonus for us was a weekend Merchantile Market gathering of vendors for the afternoon in the nearby Civic Center Plaza offering live music, food trucks, handcrafted beverages, and vintage finds and handmade goods perfect for gifting. Street parking was easy and free nearby. Well worth a visit in Old Town!

Super fun arcade located inside the Yucca Tap Room! There's three entire rooms of mainly pinball…read moremachines, but some other arcade games too. There's a little tiki bar and I got the vacation in valhalla drink. They also have a few NA beverages and the prices are good. There's two machines to get tokens from if you have cash (or you can get cash back when you order drinks). My friends and I had a great time trying out the various pinball machines! Only negative is that some of the pinball machines ate my tokens. The arcade also has events like a weekly pinball tournament.

We were excited to check this place out, especially to play their selection of obscure Japanese…read moregames -- such a unique find for pinball and arcade fans! We called ahead to ask about food options before coming in. The phone greeting was pretty simple but they were happy to confirm that we could bring food in to the adjacent bar. If you're passionate about discovering hard-to-find machines, including a commercial Pop-A-Shot, and diving into something in addition to the pinball scene, this place definitely is a memorable stop.