Mesa Temple Gardens featured in “The Ultimate Mesa AZ Bucket List”
This article was contributed by a local member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The views expressed may not represent the views and positions of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. For the Church's official site, visit churchofjesuschrist.org.
The Mesa Arizona Temple Gardens were featured online recently in “The Ultimate Mesa AZ Bucket List.”
The post stated: “The Mesa Temple has been a landmark in Mesa for nearly 100 years. Opened in 1927, the temple has quickly become a beloved centerpiece of the community and an outdoor gathering place for all residents. “The 20-acre lot is filled with beautiful gardens and reflecting pools, making it a perfect place to take photos, stroll with family and friends, or enjoy a moment of quiet reflection in a very peaceful setting,” shares Jill Adair of the Mesa Temple Events Committee.”
Strolling the gardens at the Mesa Temple was listed as No. 6 of things to do in Mesa on the Bucket List, just behind learning something new at the Arizona Museum of Natural History and before getting acquainted with the Mesa art scene.
Bucket List activities also included taking a walk through Downtown Mesa, supporting local businesses and eating establishments, enjoying Saguaro Lake and Boyce Thompson Arboretum, treasure hunting at the Mesa Market Place Swap Meet and exploring the outdoors at Usery Mountain Regional Park.
The list was compiled and promoted by Redfin, a national real estate platform.
“With its adrenaline-pumping outdoor adventures and treasure trove of local shops and festivities, Mesa has to rank as one of the best hidden gems in Arizona,” wrote Jeremy Steckler, adding this bucket list helps readers uncover “all that this city has to offer.”
The Mesa Temple grounds host a couple of public events throughout the year, including the beloved tradition of the Easter musical presentation, “Jesus the Christ,” on the north lawn, which draws nearly 100,000 visitors annually during the two weeks before Easter, and breathtaking Christmas lights displayed during the holidays, which are turned on from the day after Thanksgiving though New Year’s Eve. Also during the holidays, the nearby Visitors’ Center hosts the International Nativity Exhibit of nativity displays handcrafted from around the world.
Any day of the year, visitors can stroll through the gardens on the 20-acre temple lot where there are more than 100,000 plants and 30,000 flowers of about 100 different varieties. The gardens are intended to be a peaceful place for resting, pondering, and quiet reflection.
The elegant reflection pools on the temple grounds offer scenic views and have become known as popular photoshoot locations because they offer an ideal place for capturing the beautiful landscape of the Mesa Temple gardens and glimmering waters. It is common to see wedding pictures taken around the pools.
The historic Mesa Temple (opened in 1927) and surrounding grounds are considered by many to be one of the most scenic spots in Arizona and one of the best places to watch the sunset. It is a great place for selfies, group photos, family portraits, and special events. Visitors are welcome to take pictures and video while on the grounds.
While the temple itself is not open to the public — is used for worship throughout the week by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — the Visitors’ Center welcomes all to learn more about the purpose of temples throughout the world and the religion’s central focus on Jesus Christ.
The Mesa Temple Visitors’ Center, at 455 E. Main St. at the northwest corner of the temple grounds, is open every day of the year from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. A variety of events happen here year-round, including Sunday Evening Recitals, Heritage Series presentations that feature history of the area and the great diversity of people who live here, family history classes, children and youth activities and much more! Everything here is free and open to the public.
Inside the Visitors’ Center there is an amazing 3D replica of the Mesa Arizona Temple located on the main floor. Upstairs is a FamilySearch Center where helpful volunteers help connect visitors to their ancestors. Early indigenous people and early pioneers and builders of Mesa are honored with interesting historical displays. There is an interactive children’s play area to learn more about all the temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and children can watch a Biblical puppet show.
The Mesa Temple Visitors’ Center is the No. 1 of 127 things to do in Mesa on TripAdvisor and is the winner of their Traveler’s Choice Award.
For more information, visit the Visitors’ Center page or the Events page, or call 480-964-7164.
