Enjoy beach vibe without leaving W. Valley

Vacations are over, school and work are in full swing, and you lack the time or money to travel over Labor Day weekend. So here are a few West Valley spots where you can capture some final summer vibes without leaving town. For a list of Valley-wide options, go to dining.azcentral.com.

Margaritaville Glendale

6751 N. Sunset Blvd., Suite E109, Glendale

623-772-0011

margaritavilleglendale.com

The message here is, "Don't need to change your latitude to change your attitude." If the margaritas don't help, the intense beach theme will. Palm trees, sea gulls, parrots and Jimmy Buffett will take you on vacation for the price of a taco platter and a frozen margarita.

Sandbar Mexican Grill

9868 W. Northern Ave., Peoria

623-877-6444

sandbaraz.com

This drive to a sandy beach, with a Baja feel, thatched and tin roofs over the bar and peel and eat shrimp (plus a full menu of entrees) won't take a tank of gas. Order the Baja fish tacos or the Sandbar signature chimichanga and pretend that the ocean is on the other side of the parking lot.

Islands

10055 W. McDowell Road, Avondale

623-907-1214

Islandsrestaurants.com

With names like Big Wave, Hula, Maui and Bleunami, even the hamburgers conjure up tropical breezes and ocean beaches. The restaurant aims to capture the sun, surf and sea atmosphere with a menu of burgers, tacos and fries and special drinks like strawberry lemonade and cola lime ice.