The Pros and Cons of Living in Chandler, AZ

As two middle-aged nerds in health research and cybersecurity, my husband and I were drawn to Chandler, Arizona, as an ideal and affordable place to buy our first home, raise a family, and have decent career prospects. We weighed out the pros and cons of several cities, comparing Chandler, AZ to other cities, including Henderson, NV and San Diego, CA. And here we are!

We moved from the Washington D.C. metro area across the country to Chandler in the Summer of 2019 with one preschooler (at the time) and two cats. We’ve since added a Chiweenie rescued from one of the Native American reservations. My in-laws followed suit, moving to the nearby city of Queen Creek, AZ just a few months ago.

Here, I present the good, the bad, and what to expect, broken down into the most common categories that people consider before relocating. With Gilbert just a stone’s throw away, I mention it often. The boundaries between the two often seem pointless.

These living in Chandler AZ pros and cons should help you to decide whether to give the city a try for yourself.

My work and career have focused on aging and caregiving, so I’m always tuned in to how well any place is set up to support senior living and retirement, but I’m also a mom who is looking out for my kid’s well-being and future.

No business mentioned in this article were sponsored

What To Think About When Moving to Chandler Arizona

• The City’s Growth
• The People and Politics
• The Transportation and Traffic
• Crime
• Housing and Senior Living
• The Weather and Environment
• Schools
• Entertainment and Culture
• Food
• Getaways
• Businesses that Made Our Life Easier
• Conclusion

The City’s Growth

Chandler and the neighboring city of Gilbert are both in Maricopa County. The two cities are family-centric, filled with great schools, many churches, and parks and activities for kids and seniors alike. The two cities have become a haven for many retirees and snowbirds.

Chandler had a population of 275,987 in 2020 (U.S. Census). Approximately 11% are 65 years of age or older. Gilbert is estimated to have roughly the same population, at about 273,796. The familiar term for local is the ‘East Valley’ to refer to anything southeast of Phoenix and includes Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Tempe and now Queen Creek.

Chandler and Gilbert are also uber clean. Both cities do an incredible job of removing trash from the streets. The aggressive HOAs do their part to keep homeowners from disrespecting the squeaky-clean living we all enjoy here.

Chandler has seen tremendous growth over the past decades. Even during the two years we’ve been here, new communities, strip malls, and businesses are being erected at a lightning-fast pace. Maricopa County was named the fastest growing County several years in a row, between 2016 and 2018. It’s becoming more ethnically diverse as well.

Over the past few months, Banner Health added another hospital just south of the 202 loop, Amazon added a few more hubs, Intel just expanded and is breaking new ground in September 2021. Northrop Grumman has a presence in Chandler and Gilbert and is expanding rapidly. GoDaddy, Raytheon, and Deloitte are already well-established businesses in the area. I can see the East Valley becoming another small Silicon Valley in the next few decades.

Despite its vast growth, Chandler continues to hold on to its many horse ranches and farms. You can occasionally smell these on a breezy day or see them when driving your bike on the canal.

The People and Politics

Chandler is a middle-class suburb of Phoenix with diverse demographics and middle-of-the-road politics.

Arizona is very much a purple state, politically. The 2020 elections were evidence that Arizona was a battleground state; and the results in Maricopa County in particular were highly contested.

American and confederate flags were everywhere at the time. Throughout the pandemic, Governor Ducey’s approach to lockdowns, vaccinations mirrored his Republican counterparts in other red states.

To date, I’ve only met wonderful friendly people no matter their politics or race. You’ll hear that there are many people from California moving to the area. However, I have yet to meet any Cali folks. Instead, I have met transplants from Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, and Washington.

According to the 2021 stats, Hispanics accounted for 32% of the population, followed by 5% African American, 5% American Indian, and 4% Asian and 3% multi-racial. However, I’d argue that Chandler is far more ethnically diverse than the books say. I sure hope our local Census worker, Albert, got a bonus this year. The U.S. Census staff were very persistent, but they’re always going to be a bit behind the trends.

There is a huge influx of Indian American families to the region. Our community alone is ‘Little India’ and KK Skousen park has cricket games on most weekends. Yet, in the same neighborhood, you’ll also see cars sporting Trump’s red Make America Great Again (MAGA) hats on their window dash and ‘Let’s Go Brandon’ stickers on their cars. At least on the surface, it seems everyone coexists peacefully.

Gilbert, right nearby, has a large Mormon community. The beautiful large temples are one reminder of the large community presence in the area. In fact, Arizona hosts the 4^th largest Mormon community in the country.

Transportation and Traffic, and Pedestrians at Risk

According to the most recent Census, the average time to commute to work for anyone living in Chandler is 25 minutes. That’s quite a difference from the one hour plus commute we had in the Washington D.C. area back East that consisted of car, bus, metro and burro to get to and from our jobs.

Unless there’s an accident, it’s rare for me, personally, to witness the sort of traffic that would cause road rage.

Pedestrian Street Dangers

Still, traffic has increased over the past few years, in conjunction with population growth. The danger is rarely on the freeways though. Chandler and the nearby areas are notorious for accidents on our city streets, often with pedestrian fatalities. Drivers sometimes treat the long mile-and-a-half street blocks as freeways, and it just takes one missed red light to strike an unsuspecting pedestrian.

We have personally witnessed too many rolled over cars at intersections. Almost weekly, it seems. It’s pretty common to read stories about people getting mowed down crossing the street, and hit-and-run drivers ultimately arrested for striking residents, a mother and child in a stroller, or someone in a wheelchair. Very saddening.

I see cars fly through intersections too often. During the brutal heat in the summer, the streets are empty. Drivers know this and tend to get a lead foot. For the few pedestrians just trying to catch their bus to work, it could be deadly.

According to recent data, Arizona’s pedestrian fatality rate was double the national average. In Chandler, AZ, over one-third (34%) of pedestrians injured because of car crashes in 2019 were 55 or older.

Car Crash Fatalities

In 2019, Arizona ranked 3^rd in the number of deaths per 100 million miles traveled, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). About 1% of crashes are fatal and 29% have an injury. Of all pedestrian crashes, 15% were fatal, while 4% of pedalcycle crashes were fatal.

While Chandler doesn’t have the highest car insurance rates, I was surprised that rates were still much higher than the congested area of Washington D.C. Every insurance rep I spoke with claimed that when accidents occur here, they are more likely to be severe and involve major injuries or death. So, I suppose, insurance companies are just trying to keep up with the high cost of accidents in the area.

Other recent complaints I’ve heard about have been about cars drag racing on Val Vista Rd, between Pecos and Williams Field, as well as on Hunt Highway. Not sure when the City will step things up to curb this.

If you’re going to go for a leisurely stroll, do it at one of the many parks in the area or the downtown areas where traffic naturally slows due to congestion and shorter blocks.

Motorcyclists

Motorcyclists always run the risk of injury or death. About half (46%) of motorcycle riders who died in 2020 in a car crash in Arizona were not wearing a helmet. Arizona law ARS 28-964 only requires anyone under age 18 to wear a helmet; and requires all riders to wear protective eye gear, such as goggles. That’s right, they don’t want you getting a bug in your eye; but cracking your skull open – that’s your call.

Way Mo’ Safe than You

The future is here. Autonomous vehicles are a sight to behold in the city. Chandler and the general suburbs of Phoenix have been part of WayMo’s testing of its autonomous fleet of vehicles since 2017. Today, anyone can hail a ride through WayMo’s public-facing app. WayMo even comes with a car seat for kids.

Some people get a little leery at the thought of these unmanned vehicles taking over. I like to rely on the numbers. From the road safety standpoint and WayMo’s overall safety record, you’re probably safer in a WayMo car and less likely to be in an accident caused by these vehicles on the road. Just sayin’…

Speaking of entering the future, electric vehicles are also ever-present. I’m starting to see as many Teslas as GMC trucks on the road. There are plenty of charging stations in the area too.

Crime

The Chandler area covers a wide region. Overall, crime is low, especially if you stick to areas southeast of the 202.

Snapshot from Neighborhood Scout on February 22, 2022. The darker the region, the higher the crime rate.

I’m on Ring and NextDoor, and one of the most unsettling and equally annoying messages we often get is “Did anyone hear that?! Were those gun shots?” Often, they are just fireworks, which are legal in the area throughout the year.

Porch pirates are ever prevalent and a growing problem, as is true everywhere else.

Housing and Senior Living

Our home has increased in value by 52% from May 2020 to February 2022. Yes, you read that right!

Expect that nearly every community south of the 202 will have some sort of HOA, as those are mostly new developments. We have a very nice community pool and park.

HOA fees are hard to avoid, especially in these neighborhoods that consist of mostly new developments. They do maintenance on the front and side lawn. Just how much does it cost to maintain 3 small bushes and piles of rocks?

By law, they can’t increase HOA fees by more than 20% without the majority vote from HOA members, but this doesn’t stop the fees from being higher than you might expect.

We even paid HOA while living in a rental home. They slapped us with a fine for not cutting the grass, even though it was neither unwieldy nor offensive. Mind you, we just moved and hadn’t purchased a lawnmower. At our new home, we were given a warning for not taking down the Christmas lights. Guilty! 

Senior Living

Senior living communities are abundant in this area. The Sunbird Golf Resort is a prominent one with a variation of home styles on-site, as well as Clarence of Chandler for apartment living. Both have the full nine yards and support levels across all lifestyles and levels of independence. It’s always good to be prepared when visiting a retirement community.

I was surprised to see that they are already accepting applicants for Mera, a new senior community, just down the block from Banner Health and about 100 other medical establishments. They have just started breaking grown.

I’m planning a separate blog post on just the senior living retirement communities in the area and conducting interviews with residents with as many communities as possible. Keep an eye out for that!

Prefer the nomad life? Arizona is a huge parking lot of RVs. You have many RV parks, especially along Baseline Rd in Mesa, AZ and in Apache Junction not too far from here. Chandler is home to many RV parks as well, and you can learn more from RV Share.

The Weather and Environment

The idea of not having to shovel snow or clean the gutters is very attractive. At one point, we lived in a cul de sac with what looked like a forest in our yard. After we moved, our old neighbor mentioned to my husband that one of the trees in our former yard had fallen on his brand new deck during a storm. We don’t miss that! Who can blame you?

The alternative in Chandler is the unapologetic, sweltering heat, and limited greenery around your home and neighborhood.

Hellish Heat

The miserable heat is a public health hazard and the worst part of living here. The average reported high temperature in Chandler peaks in July at about 103°F, but honestly, to heck with the numbers. My thermometer always tends to read much higher, as high as 125°F, on the worst days. If you’re not sure what that feels like? Stick your head in the oven…and keep it there for 20 minutes.

On a drive back from San Diego, approaching Chandler, we let our dog out at a rest stop to relieve himself. When he started whimpering and jumping on me, I wondered whether he wanted something I had in my hand. Nope, the poor doggie was crying in pain because his paws were getting singed on the hot pavement. That was a big fail on my part.

It’s also quite dangerous to leave kids or animals in the car for an extended period of time during the heat. I’m always saddened to hear stories on the news of parents leaving their kids in their car.

Animals are at risk as well. No, you can’t leave your pup outside. If you plan to get a dog, be sure you’re comfortable with having it inside while you’re away, properly train it to go in a designated area, or hire a caretaker to come and play with it.

If you’re going to take your dog for a walk, it has to be bright and early, first thing in the morning or late at night (after dark) in a well-lit area and even then, a very brief walk.  Fido needs to sniff and go!

The heat here is no laughing matter. Heat-caused and heat-related deaths hit an all-time high in 2020, almost doubling from just the year prior.

Created with data from the Arizona Department of Health. ADHS – Extreme Weather & Public Health – News & Publications (azdhs.gov)

Dust Storms

Monsoons, dust tornados, and walls of dust are common in the region. During the monsoon season, from May to September, dust storms can happen unexpectedly. They appear as typical light thunderstorms, accompanied by rain and rough winds.

Other times, they create haboobs, or dust walls. Below is an example of the haboob we encountered on a drive back from San Diego, hitting zero visibility. Some cars just drove into the dust into the unknown. We weren’t so sure. Monsoon season also means flooding and inexperienced drivers making bad decisions.

Snow

If you miss the snow, that’s not a problem. You can still venture out to nearby towns like Flagstaff or Payson to see the snowcapped mountains, go sledding, ski, or make a snowman. We’ve gone to both. Flagstaff is an incredible city with so much to do. The scenery is picturesque and the old-town historic area has something to offer everyone.

We made the mistake of making Flagstaff a one-day round trip. To really take full advantage of this beautiful city, definitely get a place to stay overnight if you’re coming from Chandler.

Allergies

If you think you’ll rid yourself of allergies upon moving here, you’re in for a surprise. A few weeks into moving out here, my allergies were on fire! 10 to 20 sneezes each morning.

Over the years, new residents have done everything in their capacity to bring different vegetation to the region to make it greener. Most plants are foreign to the area.

My allergies only got worse after moving out here. After some allergy testing in the lab, it looks like I’m most prone to allergies when tree pollen is high. Get tested and be prepared!

Cooling

You need to make sure your air conditioner is in tip-top shape. When we first moved here and stayed at a temporary place until our rental was available, there was a family whose air conditioner had broken staying in the same hotel. Their rental insurance covered hotel night stays while their air conditioner unit was being fixed.

Broken air conditioners are no laughing matter. There was a record of 323 heat-related deaths in 2020, and 68 heat-related deaths in August 2021 alone.

The Skies

The sunset here is stunning – a dance of bright, swirling colors of red, orange, yellow and blue. Ahhhh….Where’s my glass of wine?

The skies are also ideal for the stargazers among you. You can see Venus and Mercury with the naked eye. You might even catch a glimpse of Mars with a powered telescope. A drive out to Payson to see the solar system is a must.

Reclaimed Water

We used to wonder why certain parks or areas were flooded at times, despite there being no rain whatsoever. As you may have imagined, there aren’t major rivers of water flowing freely in this area.

Fortunately, Maricopa and many parts of Arizona use reclaimed water to water the grass at parks. I’ve also seen this reclaimed water “flood” churches and school grounds. Keep your dog away from this water unless you want them to get the runs.

Critters

We heard so many warnings about scorpions before moving out here. We get a constant number of representatives from pest control coming around asking if we want to rid our home of bugs, warning us of an infestation. Yet, I have only seen an occasional cricket or small spider. We saw a very small scorpion at our rental home in the garage, and none since. Not saying they’re a myth, but they aren’t waiting for you in your sock drawer like others made it out to be.

Physical Activity in Hot Weather

Expect that the heat will have some impact on your overall physical activity. To remain active during the hot summers, you’ll need to get a gym membership, join the the City of Chandler’s recreation facilities, or subscribe to your favorite workout videos on YouTube.

Sure, you can venture out to get your fitness on, but do so bright and early to avoid the scorching heat.

Tumbleweed Park Recreation Center even has a ‘family’ walk period, where you can walk indoors at their facility and out of the brutal heat. There are many popular indoor gyms for kids as well, such as Uptown Jungle.

Vegetation

I have managed to kill even succulents during the worst part of the summer. We finally grew veggies in our garden bed – jalapenos and tomatoes.

Many homes opted for fake grass, as we have, although there is some upkeep to it too. We had a kiddy pool over the grass, then learned you have to be careful when releasing the water. It can erode the quarter minus, a special sand used to keep the fake grass level. Plus, when your dog does his business on your fake grass, you’ll want to control the smell with an occasional vinegar treatment.

The sight of the beautiful saguaros is always impressive. Overall, however, there is minimal greenery, so people choose decorative rocks or fake cacti.

Schools

I quickly learned that Arizona has a ridiculously early start date to their school year compared to the rest of the country and can be very inconvenient. This year, 2022, the Chandler District schools start the new school year on July 20th. That ends up overlapping with my daughter’s type 1 diabetes camp this year.

A pleasant surprise in Arizona is that regardless of where you live, the “open enrollment” policy allows children to attend a public school of their choice, rather than being obligated to attend the school in their neighborhood.

That said, enrollment isn’t guaranteed and schools will give preference to children in their assigned school by jurisdiction and siblings and children that meet other criteria. They can enroll in schools across the school districts too: Chandler, Kyrene, Mesa, etc. Or choose a charter or public school.

Children must be at least 5 years old by August 31 of the start of the school year to start kindergarten. If they are born between September and December, they can be tested to qualify for early entrance. The Chandler School District conducts gifted testing throughout the year during second grade or can be initiated by parents during any other school year. Other school districts may have different schedules.

To learn more about the schools you’re considering, visit SchoolDigger.com, add some basic filters and download a spreadsheet. You can then sort by the criteria that matter most to you, such as teacher/student ratio, racial/ethnic diversity, test scores, and more. Message me or leave a comment if you have questions about schools.

The area also offers specialized certificates and degrees at Gilbert-Chandler Community College in a wide range of fields, such as computer science, early childhood education, food science technology, Artificial Intelligence, exercise science, law and policy, and much more. And by outsourcing some academic tasks, you create more opportunities for family enjoyment. Whether it’s exploring the districts, attending community events, or simply having quality time together, Custom Writing services can contribute to a healthier work-life balance. 

Entertainment and Culture    

Chandler has art, culture, entertainment and outdoor fun for all ages.

There are year-round festivals, as well as casinos, concerts (indoor and outdoor), farms, hiking trails with beautiful scenery, museums, golf resorts, and more. If you enjoy the occasional weekend getaways, as we do, you’ll be in a great location.

The list below is not exhaustive, but rather a mention of some of our favorites. I plan to update this article further as we continue exploring Chandler.

Festivals

We’ll be attending the Ostrich Festival for the first time this year. Since our move here, it’s been shut down due to COVID-19. This year’s concert performances include Flo-Rida, Nelly, Uncle Kracker, The Four Tops, and The Temptations.

The City of Chandler has also hosted the Multicultural Festival, featuring performances for ballet folklorico, K-pop, bhangra, and more; as well as an Innovation Festival to promote STEM learning. You can always expect local merchants and food vendors.

Concerts, Music, and Theater

Art and culture are plentiful in the area. My husband is a Veteran, so we’ve had luck getting tickets through VetTix to various venues and concerts at major discounts or nearly free. Chandler Center for the Arts has a wonderful schedule of performers.

Ladysmith Black Mambazo was one of the memorable performances we attended at the Center. If you’re okay with venturing a minutes outside of Chandler, my favorite was Man from La Mancha at Tempe Center for the Arts.

We also went to see Little Shop of Horrors at the Arizona Broadway Theater in Peoria, about an hour out from Chandler and added a delicious dinner.

Museums

For obvious reasons, we’ve stuck with family-friendly museums. My all-time favorite museum is the Musical Instrument Museum, located 40 mins from Chandler, in northern Phoenix, but worth the drive. The Arizona Museum of Natural History and Arizona Science Center are other favorites. You may have “heard” about the Heard museum too? Hee hee. A must for history, art, and culture die hards.

Farms

Farms are especially popular among visitors in the Fall. We visit Vertuccio Farms in Mesa, AZ and Schnepf farms in Gilbert, AZ around the holidays. You can pick your pumpkins, go for a hayride, slides, meet the farm animals, and dazzle in the holiday lights, flare, and food.

We’ve also gone there for Halloween as well, where kiddos can get their spookiest face painted on.

Hiking Trails, Parks, and the Outdoors

There’s an abundance of breathtaking views and outdoor opportunities when the weather is right. Here are just a few:

• Silly Mountain is our go-to for hiking, especially with a kid. We’ve even taken our dog there a few times. Just be careful, as the ground can be full of dead cactus thorns.
• Telegraph Pass is great for a challenge. It goes from easy, to moderate, to ‘need-to-catch-my-breath’ difficult as your reach the treacherous top. Don’t forget to take a selfie when you reach the top.
• Butcher Jones is a very picturesque and highly trafficked trail that partly surrounds Saguaro Lake. There is lots of green and vegetation and only a 42 minute drive from Chandler.
• Tonto National State Park has spectacular views and a wide range of things from trails and campgrounds. Watch out for the free-roaming javelinas.
• Riparian Reserve is next door in Gilbert. It’s an ecological wonder in the desert, designed to educate the public and protect wildlife. On our visits, we usually see rabbits, turtles, cranes, and even pelicans. It’s pretty common to see people coming here for photo opportunities before and after weddings, or to snap their engagement photos.
• Desert Breeze has a lake, a train ride, and a playground for the kids.
• The Dolly Steamboat is in Tortilla Flat, AZ, where you can select from a scenic tour, a twilight tour, or dinner cruise. Admittedly, it was a little boring for the kids in our group, who preferred to play Roblox on my phone instead, but the adults enjoyed the scenery.
• “The Canal”, as locals know it, is an 18-mile path for bikers, joggers, walkers, and even horses running along the canal. It’s usually uncongested, running behind people’s homes or businesses for many miles. You’ll see the occasional person fishing. Apparently, the catch is similar to the nearby lakes. Be careful not to go too far onto restricted native American reservations.

Other

Other fun spots we’ve enjoyed that are worth checking out after your move.

• Downtown. Have I mentioned how adorable both downtown Chandler and Gilbert are? They are full of charm and many niche restaurants and shops. The central lawn in downtown is where Chandler hosts its farmers market, and Chandler Park nearby is where you’ll find festivals and outdoor concerts.
• Farmers Markets. Chandler and Gilbert run markets each Saturday from October through March to avoid the hot summers. They feature local crafts, merchants, and an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables. They also sell the usual farmer’s market fare, including homemade soaps and jam.
• Public Pools and Water Parks. The City of Chandler offers six public aquatic centers. Most are large, have some shading, plentiful seating and parking, and are usually equipped with lots of fun slides.
• Golf Resorts. I don’t know much about golf, but my husband has taken up the sport since our move here. There are 22 golf courses in the East Valley, so you’ll have plenty to choose from.
• Rawhide Town Center. Rawhide is a replica of the Old West. They have a restaurant and town hall on site. We’ve been there only for the holidays, and they go all out with decorations and bring Santa in on a train. Don’t get caught in the crossfire!
• The Merchant Square. Merchants come together and rent small spaces to showcase and sell their unique collection of antiques, vintage goods, and collectibles of all types. You’d think you’re on the set of the Antique Road Show. When my sister visited us in Chandler, she came here, not once, but twice!  

If you’re a parent, be sure to subscribe to Raising Arizona Kids and Arizona Parenting Magazine to stay on top of information on camps, events, and what’s new that may affect your child, while living in Arizona.

Food

We had been here just a few months before the lockdowns from COVID went into effect. Our family enjoys just about every cuisine out there, but we’re a little behind in tasting all that Chandler has to offer on account of lockdowns.

In the D.C. area, we were spoiled with an abundance of authentic ethnic restaurants everywhere: Ethiopian, Mexican, Salvadorian, Afghan, Nepalese, Peruvian, Burmese, etc. There wasn’t a single cuisine you couldn’t find. All you had to do was go into Annandale, VA, to get the best of Asian food in the country.  

In Chandler, we have nevertheless managed to find a few treasures amidst the closures. At the moment, I’ll cover just the international markets and Mexican food restaurants. I’ll update this as we explore the city’s finest.

International Food Stores

I must also mention international stores for all the cooks at home. Our two favorites are El Rancho and Lee Lee’s market.

• El Rancho is a grocery store catering to mostly Mexican food. They have a Mexican bakery, as well as tortillas made fresh on-site. Their deli sells ensalada de nopales (cactus salad), real chicharrones, beans, chorizo and eggs, pozole and menudo, and much more. You can find fresh salsas, aguas frescas as well. They also carry a lot of what other grocery stores offer, including fruits and vegetables, and have meat and fish sections.
• Lee Lee International Supermarket is also spectacular, with food from all over the world, some with their own dedicated aisle in the store. We buy chili oil, kimchi, lentils, and spices at Lee Lee’s. They have an in-house bakery that sells a lot of Filipino favorites, like baos. We’ve bought fresh grouper there, which is absolutely delicious, and they also seem to have fresh vegetables. They have food from everywhere – China, Thailand, Korea, Japan, the Philippines, Jamaica, India, Germany, and more. You can also buy wine or beer, and vegetarian options are plentiful.

Mexican

I grew up on Mexican food. Mother is originally from the Mexican state of Quintana Roo and dad is from Michoacan. When I hear people mention that Arizona has ‘New Mexican’ food, it’s all a bit foreign to me. It might be good, but it’s just not anything I had personally heard of or would know what to expect. Now, I’ve heard of ‘Tex-Mex’, which I’m not a fan of. I had heard of ‘Sonoran’ food as well but had no clue what to expect. We’re on a mission to learn more and let you know what we find as we sort it all out.

For now, I’ll share our favorite spots for great authentic Mexican tacos: Tacos el Paisa (GIlbert) and Tacos Tijuana (Gilbert). Another one is El Taco Santo (Gilbert). For breakfast burritos, visit Elmer’s Tacos(Chandler).

So far, the best Mexican mariscos restaurant I’ve been to in Arizona wasn’t even in Chandler. It was in South Tucson.

Of the two we visited in the Chandler area, one was so loud, we couldn’t hear each other and the food was just okay; and the other in Mesa served a soup that was oozing with oil. Not good. We need to explore further in this area. I tend to measure it by the quality of their sopa de pescado (fish soup) or sopa de 7 mares (soup of the 7 seas).

Kid Friendly Restaurants

Kid friendly food places include The Perch in downtown Chandler, which serves food outdoors and where customers are surrounded by large, caged, Amazon exotic birds, all screaming at you and singing while you eat delicious food.

We are also fans of Eastwind Chandler sushi, where you can pick your sushi right off the bar’s conveyer belt. My daughter couldn’t wait to pick her sushi.

The Hangar Café is good for breakfast or brunch, and an ideal spot for kiddos or flight enthusiasts to watch the planes take off and land at the small Chandler airport.

My other favorite spot is the Hot Bamboo for steamed buns, including chorizo, tofu, pork, and chicken. They also have boba tea and rice bowls. What makes this place great for kids and scary for parents is that it doubles as a store filled with anime doll collections for purchase. After she scored her first goal in soccer, I took her for a Pokémon treat and boba here.

Other Food

Second to Mexican food, we regularly eat Indian food. Our two favorites have thus far been the Biryani Pot and Guru Palace, although Guru is a bit further north in Mesa.

For Thai food, we’ve enjoyed Phuket Thai Cuisine.

There was a Vietnamese restaurant we went to for pho and I was sorely disappointed. The pho broth was as flavorless as water, my daughter had a hair in her food, and we were given the tiniest wedge of lime.

Not a restaurant, but my kid’s favorite is La Nueva Flor Michoacana, for the best tasting Mexican style paletas and ice cream at affordable prices.

For new American fare, we love BLD. The service is amazing and you can’t go wrong with any choices. We’ve taken guests there on multiple occasions. I applaud the staff for their patience with kids. Plus, it seems to be a great place to grab a drink with friends or a date.

Getaways

Once you’ve settled in and wanderlust sets in, not to worry. What’s great about Chandler is its convenient location and short distance to many nearby cities and attractions. These are the places that we’ve managed to get away to thus far and are completely worth the drive!

• Flagstaff, AZ
• Ghost town Goldfield (Apache Junction, AZ)
• Lake Havasu, AZ
• Prescott, AZ
• San Diego, CA
• Scottsdale, AZ
• Sedona, AZ
• Sho Lo, AZ
• Tucson, AZ

We’ll eventually make it to Vegas and Los Angeles. Rocky Point across the border is another popular destination on our list. Not to mention, we plan to head to Boulder, CO and Santa Fe, NM at some point. I hope to write more about our local adventures in the coming future.

Businesses That Made Our Life Easier

None of these businesses sponsored a mention in this section.

For Our Kiddo

There have also been some businesses that we’re so grateful existed. The owner, Todd, and the staff at The Goddard School of Chandler, a private school for infants to pre-K level, were beyond phenomenal. They have a low staff turnover and are dedicated instructors and caretakers.

For us, they proved they were family when they pulled all the stops to accommodate our daughter when she was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2020.

Many recreational centers or after-school programs won’t even take kids like her.

Instead, Todd was committed to making sure they made whatever accommodations were needed, such as having staff check her glucose throughout the day, communicating with us when her CGM fell off or another diabetes-related issue arose, and always having extra juice on hand in case she went low. During the pandemic lockdowns, they remained open to try and support as many employees as possible and provide care to the kids of essential workers.

Now that she’s entered elementary school, we’ve been blessed to have the school district’s support and KidsExpress as a trusted place for my daughter. They are always willing to learn and adapt to make my daughter feel like a normal kid.

For Our Cars

Once you move, you’ll be pleased to know that Arizona outsources its DMV services to smaller agencies throughout the state, at least in some cities. I’m always in shock at how fast I’m in and out of TSI Title & Registration Services to handle everything from registering our cars to getting our Arizona licenses.

With the extreme heat in the area, car care has never been more important. It’s a hassle.

You’ll want to tint those windows as soon as possible to help keep your car cooler and protect the inside of your car from looking dull and worn out. My husband was thrilled with the customer services and quality of the window tinting from Tint World in Chandler.

For car detailing, Tony from Shining Detailing worked magic on the inside of my car, even managing to remove unsightly remnants of slime and food.

For Our Pets

Finding cat sitters is always a tad easier. Our amazing cat sitter retired a year after we found her in Chandler. Since then, I found Fetch of Chandler and Gilbert, after learning that Meowtel was a total letdown.

The communication from Fetch’s owner was exceptional and reassuring. We’ve used them multiple times for the cats and may use them for our Chiweenie for an upcoming vacation. If only they did housesitting!

Conclusion

In sum, this place is growing on us. It’s a great destination for explorers, families, seniors, and young people looking for a new adventure or ready for the next chapter in their life.

Chandler is many steps ahead with its driverless vehicles, offers red carpet treatment to new tech business, has a high tolerance for all political leanings, and plenty of opportunities for outdoor leisure.

Moving to a new city can be exciting and overwhelming. Almost two years in, we often feel that we lack some helpful resources. I’m still learning how to tend to my garden in 120°F weather and who to trust to leave our dog with for extended outings. While we have locked down a reliable cat sitting service, our 2-year-old needy Chiweenie still needs to find a place to go.

Getting the right hair care for my daughter has been another challenge. In the D.C. area, I didn’t need to look far for an Ethiopian or Dominican hairstylist to knock out some protective styles and braids on my daughter’s tight curls.

Here, I’ve only been able to get her hair done professionally once, and it required that a hairstylist call her daughter from Phoenix to meet me and my daughter down here in C-town to do her braids. She did a wonderful job. However, the braiding that cost me $35 in any Virginia mall, cost me $75 here. Ayy!

In short, we have settled in nicely.

If you have any questions about life in Chandler, drop them in the comments or direct message me at [email protected].