# Queen Creek

Queen Creek is a town in far southeast of the East Valley the Greater Phoenix Metropolitan area.

## Understand

Queen Creek is a town in the Greater Phoenix Metropolitan area, primarily in Maricopa County with the town limits extending into Pinal County. Queen Creek is a growing town, from 26,000 (2010 census) to 59,519 (2020 census).

## Get in

Queen Creek is in the far southeast of the East Valley of the Phoenix Metropolitan area. It is located south of Mesa, south and east of Gilbert, east of Chandler Heights, and northwest of San Tan Valley.

### By car

The only highway route in Queen Creek is Arizona State Route 24 (AZ 24), a connector highway to the Loop 202 (L-202) to the north; nearby is Arizona State Route 87 (AZ 87) to the west.
Major arterial streets include Ellsworth Rd, Hunt Hwy and Rittenhouse Rd.

### By plane

* Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport is the closest airport.
* Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is the closest major airport.

## See

* 33.2503-111.63531 Queen Creek Library. The newest branch of the Maricopa County Library District that opened November 2008. (updated Aug 2020)
* 33.2209-111.58332 Queen Creek Olive Mill. A family-owned company that grows and presses olives for the production of high-quality extra virgin. It was featured on the Food Network show The Best Thing I Ever Ate. (updated Aug 2020)
* 33.2612-111.6343 San Tan Historical Society Museum (Rittenhouse Elementary School). Built from 1924-1925 in the Spanish Colonial Revival style, it opened for classes in 1926 and closed in 1982; added to Arizona Register of Historical Places in 1990 and to National Register of Historic Places in 1998. (updated Aug 2020)

## Do

* American Heritage Festival. Since 2003, the largest annual educational living history event in Arizona and the Southwestern US. (updated Aug 2020)
* 33.2639-111.60771 Barney Family Sports Complex. A privately-owned and -operated indoor sports facility. (updated Aug 2020)
* Horseshoe Park & Equestrian Centre. A large, publicly-owned and -operated equestrian facility that hosts regional events. (updated Aug 2020)
* Queen Creek Performing Arts Center, 22149 E Ocotillo Rd (inside the Queen Creek High School), ☏ +1 480-987-7469. There are many upcoming good shows there, and the food, shows, and seating are all quite good. It is small but very well-kept. (updated Aug 2020)
* 33.2252-111.59112 Schnepf Farms. A family operated farm that holds frequent festivals. (updated Aug 2020)

## Buy

* 33.2554-111.64061 Queen Creek Marketplace, 21398 S Ellsworth Loop, ☏ +1 602-866-0900. This shopping mall includes grooming services, casual dining, and large theaters. There is a large selection of restaurants, and the theater has all the latest movies. In the theater, you are also allowed to pick your seats. The marketplace also has a large selection of popular clothing establishments. (updated Aug 2020)

## Eat

* Sushi Creek, 21805 S Ellsworth Rd #103, ☏ +1 480-677-4333. This sushi restaurant serves takeout and dine-ins but not delivery. It is smallish, but has good food and very nice service. This restaurant is also quite beautiful. (updated Aug 2020)
* MOD Pizza, 21295 S Ellsworth Loop #101 (near the Queen Creek Marketplace), ☏ +1 602-483-5075. Pizzeria. Dine-in, takeout, and delivery. The atmosphere is very nice. The waiters are courteous and arrive on time. The food portions are filling, and the food itself is amazingly delicious. (updated Aug 2020)
* Golden Harvest, 21805 S Ellsworth Rd #112 (near the Queen Creek Marketplace), ☏ +1 480-987-8588. Long-standing Chinese restaurant. Takeout-only. Filling, delicious food with good portions and good service. (updated Aug 2020)

## Sleep

* 33.2549-111.63531 Hampton Inn Queen Creek, 20768 E Maya Rd (just south of Rittenhouse Rd and Ellsworth Rd), toll-free: +1 877-461-1402. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. Free breakfast, free parking, free Wi-Fi; outdoor pool, fitness center; pet-friendly rooms. (updated Aug 2022)

## Go next

* Within in the Greater Phoenix area:
** Head to downtown Phoenix – catch a show or a ballgame, or see the Phoenix Zoo or the Desert Botanical Garden.
** Head to Scottsdale for the day.
* North of the Metro Phoenix area — on Interstate 17 North:
** Visit the Grand Canyon – a four hours drive to the South Rim, north near Flagstaff.
** Elsewhere north: Prescott, Sedona and Route 66.
* South — on Interstate 10 East:
** See South Central Arizona, with an hour-and-a-half drive to Tucson.
** Elsewhere south: Picacho Peak State Park, Saguaro National Park, Santa Catalina Mountains.
* West — on Interstate 10 West (via Loop 202 West):
** Head towards the Palm Springs area in the California Desert, or continue onwards to Southern California for Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Hollywood.