Mesa, Arizona

Mesa, the third-largest city in Arizona, is located only 15 miles east of the capital, Phoenix. Location and size combine to mean that Mesa has something for everyone.

Do you have an interest in the arts? The Mesa Arts Center, or MAC, is a resource center for residents interested in the visual and performing arts. Beyond classes and workshops, the MAC sponsors a varied schedule of plays concerts and special events. Want to mix your new thespian skills with a flavor of the days of yore? Then in the spring, head out to the Arizona Renaissance Festival & Artisan Marketplace. One of the largest of its kind in the country, the festival involves almost 2,000 costumed characters in a recreated European country marketplace.

Not an actor or a knight? What about a cowpoke? Step back in time frontier-style at places like Goldfield Ghost Town, an authentic Western village hailing back to the 1890s. Sign up for an underground mine tour or sit back and have yourself a hootin' good time in the family saloon.

If nature is your thing, check out the Desert Botanical Garden, one of the world's greatest collections of desert fauna, set in a spectacular 50-acre (20-hectare) property. Or wander the trails of the Boyce Thompson Arboretum, which was founded in the 1920s, and is the oldest in the southwest. Another great way to relax after work is to take a trip on the Desert Belle Paddleboat as it sails past towering canyon walls and exotic desert wildlife along the edge of Saguaro Lake.

There's so much to see in this busy and dynamic city. The multitude of sports leagues gives you a chance to cheer on your favorite team or get involved and make some friends. No matter what your fancy, there's something for you in this wonderful, multifaceted community. There's no better place to fit in than Mesa.

For more information, see Phoenix.

See our 26 Jobs in Mesa, Arizona