Shred Nations

With so much natural beauty surrounding it, a visit to the Arizona Museum of Natural History is a sure bet for a highly educational and entertaining time. Considered one of the best museums in the state, this facility offers lots of dramatically designed and well-presented exhibits. Perhaps the most famous of these is “Dinosaur Mountain” which features several attention-getting devices to tell its prehistoric story. A constantly flowing 50-foot-high indoor waterfall is just another of this museum's many highlights.

Stratum Lasertag is one of Mesa's most popular attractions for family fun. Not only is it one of the country's best examples of state-of-the-art interactive entertainment, it has the distinction of being the largest laser tag arena anywhere. This incredible 18,000-square-foot facility benefits not only from its expansive size but also from the fact that it was created by the designers at Universal Studios. A giant labyrinth with 90 towers, 15 different levels, and heights of up to 20 feet are just a few of the venue's dazzling features that kids of every age will enjoy.

In a world where the importance of going green seems to get more and more important every day, learn about what you can do to help out when you visit Vertuccio Farms in Mesa. Established in 1979, this unique farm is home to fall festivals, corn mazes, a spring break camp and Easter egg hunts. Also, field trips and tours are available, but must be booked in advance. Some of the many highlights of the tour include a visit to the Pizza Farm, a straw maze, farm animals and lots more.

There's classic rock and then there are classics that rock. The performances staged by the Mesa Symphony of the Southwest most definitely fall into the latter category. Formerly known as the Mesa Symphony Orchestra, this group of highly skilled musicians have been impressing audiences with live music entertainment since they first debuted back in 1956. The symphony undertakes a full schedule of performances throughout the year that not only spotlight the work of classical composers like Bach and Mozart, but they also present various concerts designed to appeal to some of the area's younger music lovers. Under the direction of maestro Cal Stewart Kellogg, that tradition is set to continue for many years to come.