Chandler, Crowne, things to do, restaurants, shopping

We are going to be at the Crowne Plaza San marcos next week. Any suggestions for affordable small restaurants, not chains, shopping areas, do we need a car, touristy sites and teen fun stuff! Is this a safe area. Thanks for your help!

Chandler, Crowne, things to do, restaurants, shopping

Right in front of your hotel there is a small shopping center with several choices for dining. I really like El Zocalo Mexican Grill. Also, across the street is Serrano%26#39;s for Mexican. It%26#39;s alright, some visits have been better than others. Both are locally owned. There are some other restaurants in that same shopping center - local, not chains - but I%26#39;ve never eaten at them. I hear they%26#39;re good.

Chandler itself is a pretty safe town. Your hotel is nice and the surrounding plaza is nice. The neighborhoods that border the hotel are transitional, but I don%26#39;t think you should feel unsafe.

You will need a car, there is some bus transit in Chandler, but not all areas. I don%26#39;t have teens, but I%26#39;ll try a few suggestions. The pool at San Marcos is nice, should be heated, and we are in the high 70s this week, so maybe your teens would like to go swimming. The Chandler Fashion Center is just about four miles west of you. It%26#39;s a nice mall with theaters. There is an Apple Store there. If they like music, there are a couple of stores that sell used/new CDs that I like - Zia Records and Bookman%26#39;s.

There is a new open-air mall that is about seven miles east of you. With the beautiful weather, that might be a fun one to walk around.

My not-quite-teen kids still like the zoo, and there is a really nice botanical garden next to the zoo. Fun to walk around, and it gives you a good feel for the Arizona desert.

I%26#39;ll keep thinking of some other ideas. Of course, golf right there at your resort.

Chandler, Crowne, things to do, restaurants, shopping

I wasn%26#39;t very clear I don%26#39;t think - Zia Records and Bookman%26#39;s aren%26#39;t at the mall, but both are not far from your hotel.

There is the Arizona Mills mall in Tempe. Not a real bad drive. It is an outlet mall with theaters, an IMAX theater and GameWorks - restaurant/arcade.

Thank you! What age group is the Science Centre for...Any comments on the Dessert Botanical Gardens. Is the Steinmart nearby! Taliesin...I heard about Takamarsu-all you can eat sushi- and Cyclo...Any comments. Thank you sooo much. First time in AZ. Really looking forward to it. Its -30 here today. What kinds of clothes should we bring.

I think the Science Center tries to appeal to all ages. There are permanent exhibits that are geared to the little ones - my kids have gone on a couple of field trips there. They have a Titantic exhibit and a Dinosaur exhibit right now that might appeal to teens. I think they are an additional cost to the regular admission. Here is the url: http://www.azscience.org/index.php

I really like the Desert Botanical Garden. I posted some of my pictures I took there in the review section. The garden is right next to the Phoenix Zoo and Papago Park. There are a lot of hiking trails through Papago Park around hills made of big, red rock. You can really appreciate the Arizona landscape there and there are really good views of the valley.

There is a Steinmart in a shopping center called Las Tiendas Village. Las Tiendas is located one mile west and three miles south of your hotel. I think it%26#39;s really easy to get around Chandler. Of course, right now, there are a lot of road repairs going on. There is a freeway loop system that makes it quite easy to get around the valley. Just stay out of rush hour.

I have never been to Taliesin, but it%26#39;s on my to-do list. If you make it there, let me know how you like it.

The seven day forecast show we%26#39;ll get down in the 60%26#39;s Thursday and Friday, but back into the 70%26#39;s by the weekend. The mornings are quite cool - 40%26#39;s, so I suggest bringing layers. You%26#39;ll want long sleeves in the morning, short sleeves in the afternoon and jackets back on when the sun goes down.

Arizona is casual, esp. in the summer when it%26#39;s 115. You%26#39;ll see lots of jeans, capris and shorts here. At the white tablecloth restaurants, my husband won%26#39;t wear a coat, but maybe a collared shirt. Dress comfortably, you%26#39;ll be alright.

I%26#39;m a desert dweller that never developed a taste for seafood. I%26#39;ll ask around for a sushi recommendation.

You are really sweet! Thanks for all the 411! we are really getting excited to go! Temp sounds better than the frigid -30C we have here today!

Glad to help. I hope you have a great trip!

As far as restaurants, I can second El Zocolo for Mexican, they have a great patio for outside dining as well. In the same area is 98 South, a wine bar with really good food but a little pricey for dinner (I try to go at lunch). Cyclo is great! But be warned, it is a very small dining room and it is BYOB... So be prepared for a possible wait and be sure to bring your own wine or beer if you want any with your meal.