Even if you're not staying in Mesa, this museum is worth a trip, especially if your kids are into dinosaurs (and aren't they all?). In addition to the multi-level Dinosaur Mountain, there are loads of life-size casts of the giant beasts plus a touchable apatosaurus thighbone. Be warned: we saw one small child shrieking in abject terror at it all. Other exhibits highlight Arizona's colorful past, from a prehistoric Hohokam village to an eight-cell territorial jail.
