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Take a Trip Through History at these Gilbert Area Museums

A day at the museum is a day immersed in history. Artifacts, photos, guided tours, and fossils that remind us of everything that came before our time or got us to where we are today. It’s quite fascinating, really, and that is why we wanted to highlight some of the best museums in Gilbert and the surrounding area! Gilbert Historical Museum | 10 S Gilbert Rd, Gilbert, AZ 85296 Whether you have lived in Gilbert your entire life or are new to the area, it’s always a fun trip to the Gilbert Historical Museum ! Living in the United States, at a young age we are taught about our nation’s history, and visiting the Gilbert Historical Museum is the equivalent of taking a magnifying glass to our little piece of Arizona history and spending the day learning about it. Filled to the brim with artifacts and exhibits rich with Gilbert history, the museum itself is located in the original Gilbert Elementary School, which dates back to 1913. This community attraction is a part of history itself and makes for a fun day of learning and exploring. Arizona Railway Museum | 330 E Ryan Rd, Chandler, AZ 85286 Founded in the early 1980s, the Arizona Railway Museum displays artifacts, mementos, railway equipment and an abundance of history pertaining to Arizona railways past and present. Boasting over 30,000 of two and three-dimensional railroad artifacts , the ARM is a knowledge bank of the earliest modes of transportation. And on February 29, 2020, the museum hosts Arizona Railway Day , where community members can visit the museum for even more unique adventure and experiences relating to rail travel and “life aboard the train.” You can even blow the horn and shout, “all aboard!” Admission is free, so be sure to check it out. Arizona Museum of National History | 53 N Macdonald, Mesa, AZ 85201 The only natural history museum in the area, the Arizona Museum of Natural History was founded in 1977 and has had over 1 million visitors in the last 20 years. Over 60,000 objects, 10,000 photos, and even a three-story mountain sit inside the museum for visitors to admire and enjoy. A few of the permanent exhibitions include the Dinosaur Hall and Mountain , where sounds of prehistoric roars and marvelous fossils fill the room, along with the Southwest Cultures exhibitions , Mesoamerica and South America exhibitions and general Arizona history exhibitions . There’s so much to do and so much to see that one day doesn’t even feel like enough time, so when you decide to plan a trip, we would suggest you plan the entire day around it (and trust us, it’s worth it!). A plethora of history surrounds us here in the great town of Gilbert, and what better way to appreciate our home than to learn about all that made it what it is today. So spend a day getting lost in these Gilbert area museums, and share your experiences with us on Facebook and Instagram ! While you’re at it, keep following the blog here for more Gilbert community favorites.

A Spin on The Classics: Best Gilbert Area Record Stores

Music feeds the soul, and that’s why we can’t ever get enough of it. In our cars, on our smartphones, while we workout, while shopping… it’s everywhere! One song can take you back in time to a special place. One chorus can make an entire arena full of thousands of people sing along in harmony. We love music and even though times have changed and we can access our favorite songs on pretty much any device, there is something special about listening to a favorite track spin on the record. Whether you’re a collector, a music junkie, or just someone who loves listening to good music from a record, here are some of our favorite record stores in the Gilbert area! Grace Records | 2200 E Williams Field Rd #112, Gilbert, AZ 85296 Less than 10 minutes from your home at Acero Cooley Station, Grace Records is a music lover’s dream come true. Not only do they offer a massive selection of vinyl, but they offer this selection at as low as $3! That’s less than the price of one vanilla latte at Starbucks. Along with oldies and unique finds, Grace Record’s also carries the harder to find records and new records too (because yes, new artists do still make records!). And if you’re someone who loves the idea of spending hours in a record store and finding your favorite jams, but you lack an actual record player, have no fear, Grace Records has turntables and speakers to get your tunes on track. Zia Records | 1302 S Gilbert Rd, Mesa, AZ 85204 For how advanced we are as a society in our abilities to listen to music pretty much anywhere at any time, it is impressive to note how popular record stores still are. Zia Record Exchange has been around since the 1980s, yet continues to bring a fresh, modern perspective to the record loving community. Hosting events and contests , publishing yearly “staff picks” of favorite albums, throwing record release parties, and even offering record selections tailored to specific horoscopes (see image for “Capricorn Picks”) are just a few ways that Zia Records stands out from the rest. And while you're there, you are bound to get lost in the selection they offer given that they carry much more than just albums. Zia Records also carries DVDs/Blu-Ray, books, and even fun little accessories. It’s a reimagined record buying experience at Zia Records, and that’s one of the many reasons we love it. Asylum Records | 2976 N Alma School Rd #2, Chandler, AZ 85224 Asylum Records is the small town record shop you know and love. It has a punk-rock feel but packs a punch of variety when it comes to all that they have in stock. And although Asylum Records is on the smaller side in terms of space, it makes up for it in character, customer service, and unique finds. The walls of the store are covered from floor to ceiling with Funko figurines, framed photographs, collector albums and records, autographed memorabilia and so much more. Similar to its small-but-mighty mentality, Asylum Records recently had a visit from Margaret Kerry, aka, Tinker Bell. Like other modern retailers, this little record store keeps up with the times by hosting special events, pop-ups, and boasting a flavorful selection of merchandise. So the next time you're looking to pick up a new record or just want to experience what it's all about, give these Gilbert area record stores a try! Let us know what you find on Facebook and Instagram , and keep following the blog here for more local favorites.

Fresh Pressed Juice Bars in Gilbert

There’s nothing quite as refreshing as a cold, fresh-pressed juice on a hot Arizona day. Not only does it taste delicious, but fresh juice has plenty of health benefits too! Depending on what you order, enjoying just one cup is like taking all of your vitamins, minerals, sweet greens and enzymes in a few delicious sips! All of the nutrition from your favorite fruits and vegetables, blended together to make a tasty treat, goes right into your bloodstream to make you feel rejuvenated from the inside out! Fresh juice is an easy and delicious way to add a healthy dose of nutrition to any diet. Here are our favorite juice bars in the Gilbert area for you to consider the next time you’re looking for that healthy boost! Clean Juice | 2224 E Williams Field Rd #106, Gilbert, AZ 85295 Maybe you’ve heard of all the benefits of juicing, and thought to yourself “Well, I’ll just buy a juicer and lots of fruits and vegetables!” While that’s not a terrible idea, when you live as close to Clean Juice as you do here at Acero Cooley Station, you may as well just let them do the hard work for you. With a menu that boasts eight different juice blends fused with all organic ingredients, every order tastes as fresh as it can possibly get. Cleverly named, their juices hold just as much purpose as they do flavor! You can choose from “the wake up one” for an added boost in the morning, “the protection one” for added immunity during cold/flu season or even “the daily” for when you just want your daily dose of fruits and veggies. Delicieux Coffee & Juice Bar | 3131 S Market St #104, Gilbert, AZ 85295 Offering everything from fresh juice to gourmet teas, acai bowls, seasonal shakes and of course, coffee, Delicieux Coffee and Juice Bar is your one-stop-shop for nutritious (and delicious!) treats. And the fresh, made to order juices like the “Kale Explosion” or the “Belly Dancer” will have you re-thinking what a typical juice might include. For example, the ingredients in the Belly Dancer has everything from aloe vera and pineapple, to parsley and lemon. A menu full of unique ingredients that perfectly complement each other and have added nutritional benefits is like hitting the grand slam of juices, and that’s what you’ll find at the Delicieux Juice Bar. GrabbaGreen | 75 E Rivulon Blvd, Gilbert, AZ 85295 Another Gilbert favorite, Grabba Green , has an impressive menu with lots of variety! Perfect for those mornings where you need more than just a fresh-pressed juice , Grabba Green has things like breakfast bowls and wraps too! But just because they offer a lot doesn’t mean that what they offer is of any lesser quality. When you’re looking for an ice-cold juice that tastes like summer, give the “gingerly” a try! Made with ginger, pear, watermelon, and lime, it’s one of those juices that will not only quench your thirst but also have you wanting more once you’ve finished it! Or maybe for those Mondays where you need a little morning detox, you might want to give the "cleanse" a taste! Here in Gilbert Arizona, we are lucky to have a good amount of healthy juice bars to choose from. These are a few of our favorites, but we might have missed yours! Maybe you're a fan of Nekter Juice Bar or Tropical Smoothie Cafe, so go ahead and share your go-to Gilbert area juice bars with us on Facebook and Instagram ! And keep following the blog here for more community favorites that you won’t want to miss out on.

Best Gilbert Area Bars to Watch Sports

Picture this: your favorite team is playing its ultimate rival tonight at 6 p.m. You’ve got friends coming over to watch the action at your Acero Cooley Station apartment. You’ve got appetizers and game day snacks ready, with a case of beer staying chilled in the fridge. Everyone arrives, grabs a snack, and sits back on the couch as you turn on the TV…. And the screen stays black. Your TV is broken! The game is starting! What now? Well have no fear, there are plenty of great sports bars in Gilbert that are perfect for watching the game and grabbing a bite to eat. In fact, here’s three that are so close, and so great, you might not even bother getting a new TV. Zipps Sports Grill | 211 E Warner Rd #103, Gilbert, AZ 85296 Zipps Sports Grill is a local Gilbert favorite. Boasting a menu with basically everything you could imagine (pizza, burgers, wings, sandwiches, you name it!), pool tables and other entertainment, there’s something for everyone. In addition to offering happy hour Monday through Friday, Zipps also has nightly specials, like a $2 slice of pizza on Wednesdays or $5 premium pints on Fridays! And since the game is really what you’re there for, and the food and drinks are just an added bonus, you can rest assured knowing that Zipps has multiple, large screen, high definition TVs (both inside and outside on the patio) for your viewing pleasure. Watching the game at Zipps feels almost as comfortable as watching it at home! Blue 32 Grill | 1524 E Williams Field Rd, Gilbert, AZ 85295 Locally owned and operated, Blue 32 Sports Grill not only has local craft beer, delicious fresh ground burgers, house-made sauces, steaks, and fresh seafood, but it also has between 28-40 TVs at the Gilbert location! Everywhere you look, you are practically guaranteed to see the important details of the game. And you know what that means? No more “Wait, what happened?” because when you watch the game at Blue 32, there are screens all around you! As an added bonus, dining at Blue 32 means you have more than your traditional bar food (you know the ones- chicken wings, onion rings, etc.), with menu options like baby back ribs and pesto chicken pasta. T C’s Pub & Grub | 7205 S Power Rd, Queen Creek, AZ 85142 Known for more than just a sports bar to watch the game, TC’s Pub and Grub also has live music and events, weekend breakfast starting at 7 a.m., and daily specials like all-day happy hour on Mondays! With a fun atmosphere and being able to cheer your team to victory alongside other charismatic sports fans, TC’s is always a great choice for watching the game. Even better? This neighborhood bar and grill is less than 10 minutes from your Acero Cooley Station apartment! Although we hope that your TV never goes out, especially on the evening of a big game while your friends are over, now you at least know where you can watch the game in that unlikely event! Or, really whenever you want to have great food, cold beers, happy hour specials and a sports-centric atmosphere for game day! Check these sports bars out and let us know about your experience on Facebook and Instagram , and keep following the blog here for more Gilbert favorites.

Best Places to Shop ‘til You Drop in Gilbert

The holidays are notorious for shopping, and when you live in Gilbert, you’re surrounded by amazing malls and shopping centers that make it easy to find the perfect something for everyone on your list. Whether you are looking for the trendiest fashions or just hoping to pick up a candle and home decorations, there are lots of big-name stores and small-town boutiques where you can find it. Here are some of our favorite shops in Gilbert where we go to shop ‘til we drop! Gilbert Town Square | 1040 S Gilbert Rd, Gilbert, AZ 85296 While there are many reasons to love spending the day at Gilbert Town Square , one reason it’s our favorite is all that there is to do! Sure, there’s shopping , but there’s also an impressive variety of restaurants and entertainment too. Just one trip and your day could include a visit to the salon, pizza for lunch, then a movie afterward to wrap up the day! Anyone in the area would agree that Gilbert Town Square is a perfect blend of shopping, food, and entertainment all in one place. Gilbert Gateway Town Center | 5110 S Power Rd, Mesa, AZ 85212 Gilbert Gateway Town Center , on the other hand, is our go-to spot for some serious shopping. With big-name stores like Target, Marshalls, World Market, Ross, and even Walmart, you can come here when you are on the hunt for literally anything. Holiday shopping? A breeze! When you live just minutes away from a shopping center that has everything you could imagine and more, shopping is instantly made easy. Birthday present? Where do you even start! Home decorations or furnishings? Gilbert Gateway has it all. And when you work up an appetite from all of your shopping, there’s plenty of restaurants near the town center too. Chandler Fashion Center | 3111 W Chandler Blvd, Chandler, AZ 85226 So maybe you’ve got a fashion-ista on your list this year. Have no fear, the Chandler Fashion Center has your back. While it may not be roughly 5 minutes away from Acero Cooley Station like Gilbert Gateway or Gilbert Town Square are, the Chandler Fashion Center makes up for it with a massive selection of stores and brand name apparel, accessories, shoes and more. All of the big names you know and love are under one roof at Chandler, and that’s why we love it so much. Photo Credit: @soft_surroundings Santan Village & Marketplace | 2218 E Williams Field Rd Suite 235, Gilbert, AZ 85295 Santan Village makes the list as it’s yet another shopping hot spot where you find yourself immersed in a huge range of shopping options . You can grab some tech gear at Best Buy, some hand soap from Bath & Bodyworks, then head to GNC to pick up some vitamins and supplements and you’re good to go! Having Santan Village as a neighbor means you’re just minutes away from easily checking of everything on your shopping list. Although you might be thinking the holiday shopping season is over, it really has just begun. Sales will begin to pop up in shopping malls everywhere, and now you know where to look for them! Let us know what you find at these shops in Gilbert on Facebook and Instagram , and keep following the blog here for more local favorites!

Boozy Bliss: Happy Hour in Gilbert, AZ

The most glorious time of day is unfortunately also the shortest. Yes, we're talking about happy hour! And, since you can't be in two places at once, it's crucial to choose carefully because nothing is worse than the disappointment that accompanies a mediocre decision. Imagine showing up to your local bar at the optimal time of 4pm, heart full of hope, eyes beaming, only to find out your Coors light is lukewarm and also $6. Lucky for you, we've put together a quick list of Gilbert's best happy hours, helping you safely avoid a pseudo-drink-special travesty. Bario Brewing Co. | 5803 S Sossaman Rd, Mesa, AZ 85212 Okay, so this one's a little strange because it's a brewery located in the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport. That said, you don't have to be taking a flight to enjoy their bar and grill. Started in 1991 by native Arizonans, Dennis and Tauna Arnold, Barrio Brewing Co. offers a vast selection of craft beers, seasonal specials, and great eats. Their happy hour runs from Monday-Friday from 3-7 pm, offering $1 off pints and 50% off appetizers. Get the wings, don't hesitate. This might not be the best date night spot (unless your date really likes plane-watching), but it is a solid option for decent grub with tons of beer on tap. Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant | 2218 E Williams Field Road #101, Gilbert AZ 85295 This 25-year-old brew house knows what its doing when it comes to making delicious craft beers. Their method involves a combination of self-proclaimed German precision and American craft beer. Every Gordon Biersch location has its own on-site brewery supervised by resident brewmasters. Don't try ordering a bud light here. Their refined menu offers a range of complex beer on tap, from porters to ambers to pilsners, they've got quality brews in for all tastebuds. Enjoy discounted beer and wine Monday-Friday from 4-7pm! They've also got a fantastic food menu with light snacks and large main dishes. Get a taste of Germany at this stellar happy hour spot. Divided Vine Beer & Wine Bar | 861 N Higley Rd #116, Gilbert AZ 85234 This Gilbert happy hour is one of our favorites. Experience the best of both worlds at their beer and wine happy hour every day from 2pm-7pm! Enjoy $2 off 16oz pints, $2 off cans and bottles of beer, $2 off glasses of wine, and $6 off wine by the bottle. Divided Vine Wine Bar was conceived to bring people together over wine and beer. Take a peek at their full food and drink menus. Check out this charming wine cafe and explore their weekly-rotated wine by the glass and beer selection. Now that you're well-informed, leave work early, call some friends (or go solo), and head over to one of these awesome happy hour spots in Gilbert!