Gilbert vacation rentals

Desert dreaming in sun-struck Gilbert

Looking for a dreamy desert escape, surrounded by copper-colored hills and star-swept skies? Then book yourself in at one of Gilbert’s vacation rentals. Gilbert is a sun-blushed midsize town in Arizona’s Maricopa County – just southeast of the city of Phoenix. Gilbert’s vacation rentals range from luxury condos overlooking pristine artificial lakes to full size low-rise Prairie-style houses – many of which have refreshing outdoor pools. Downtown Gilbert celebrates a small-town vibe – rich with retro early 20th-century architecture – and is surrounded by a mix of rolling green golf courses and nature reserves.

Futuristic architecture and Gilbert’s heritage

Architecture buffs can tour Gilbert’s churches and temples, including the gargantuan and futuristic white-stone Gilbert Arizona Temple, a modern building whose stonework glistens in the desert sun. Culture vultures can swing by the Gilbert Historical Museum to get a sense of Gilbert’s history – the exhibit showcases artefacts and photographs from the town’s early years, and even the museum building itself offers a glimpse into the past – it dates to 1913, and was formerly the Gilbert elementary school. If you’re traveling with the kids, take them to Freestone Park, a family-friendly green space with a play park and fishing.

Golfing, hiking, and exploring in and around Gilbert

Gilbert overflows with exciting outdoor activities. Sports fans can take a round of golf at one of the many 18-hole courses dotted in and around Gilbert, where perfectly maintained thoroughfares and glistening water features, paired with the infinite blue desert skies, make for a paradisal golfing experience. Gilbert also boasts its fair share of national nature reserves, all crisscrossed by hiking trails. Naturally, sometimes it will be too hot for outdoor desert adventures – luckily downtown Gilbert offers air-conditioned indoor activities like bowling and movie theaters.

Gilbert grows into the desert hills

Gilbert was once a small agricultural town, but has in recent decades expanded at a rapid rate. Its grid-work boulevards and wide streets occasionally give way to new-build suburban community estates, often grouped around idyllic man-made lakes, and speckled with imported palms. Downtown Phoenix – Arizona’s capital city – is just a 30-minute drive away. To the south of Gilbert, you’ll find the rolling San Tan Mountains Regional Park, with its hiking and wildlife trials. A 15-minute drive north will take you to the vast Tonto National Forest, with its seemingly endless canyons and cactus-covered hills.

Traveling to and around Gilbert

The nearest airport is in Phoenix Sky Harbor Intl. Airport (PHX), located 14 mi (22.5 km) from the city center. If you can't find a flight that works for your travel itinerary, you might consider flying into Phoenix - Mesa Gateway Airport (AZA), which is 7.5 mi (12.1 km) away.