Introduction
Tempe, Arizona is one of the most exciting places to visit for both tourists and residents. It’s located right next to Phoenix, and it also has a lot of great attractions nearby.
Arizona State University
Arizona State University (ASU) is a public research university that has the largest enrollment of any university in the state of Arizona. It was founded in 1885 as the Territorial Normal School at Tempe, which was established to train teachers for primary school students. In 1958, it was renamed Arizona State College at Tempe and became a four-year institution. In 1972, it became known as Arizona State University due to its growing reputation, size, and scope of activities. ASU offers over 300-degree programs through its 15 colleges/schools across four campuses: The Polytechnic Campus; Downtown Phoenix Campus; West Campus; and SkySong Innovation Center
Tempe Town Lake
Tempe Town Lake is a man-made lake located in Tempe, Arizona. The lake was built in 1999 to control flooding and provide a recreational area for locals and tourists alike. It is currently home to many restaurants, shops, and events throughout the year, including the annual winter event Icy Hot Cool Nights which takes place from January through March every year.
During this time you can enjoy an outdoor concert series featuring local bands as well as food from your favorite restaurants on both sides of the lake at Tempe Beach Park or Mill Avenue Bridge (which are connected by footbridges). There’s even a splash pad for kids who want to cool off after walking around exploring all these great attractions!
Desert Botanical Garden
The Desert Botanical Garden is located at 1201 N Galvin Parkway, Tempe, AZ 85281. It is a great place to see desert plants and animals. There are many different gardens that you can walk through, including the Santa Fe Garden and the Sonoran Desert Garden. You can also visit their events such as the Night of Lights or their plant sales where they sell different plants that grow in the desert.
This place has a beautiful landscape with views of mountains surrounding it which makes it perfect for taking photos! You can go on your own or with friends during daytime hours but after dark, some events happen here like concerts or fun family nights where everyone comes out together with food trucks nearby serving delicious treats while listening to music under twinkling lights
Papago Park
Papago Park is the perfect place to go for a walk or jog. Several trails take you through the park, and if you’re feeling especially energetic, you can even climb up to the top of Camelback Mountain! If you’re with kids, there are also several playgrounds where they can burn off some energy before heading back home.
South Mountain Park
South Mountain Park is a mountain park in central Phoenix, Arizona. It is the largest municipal park in the United States and is operated by the City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department. The park comprises 1,332 acres (539 ha) and includes hiking trails, scenic vistas, wildlife viewing areas, and picnic grounds.
South Mountain Park is home to many endangered species such as the Gila topminnow, desert tortoise, and Harris hawk. The park has a variety of flora including saguaro cactus forests and palo verde trees.
Mill Avenue Bridge
- The Mill Avenue Bridge is a popular hangout for college students and locals alike. It’s open 24/7 to pedestrians, and it has a large pedestrian area with plenty of restaurants, bars, and stores nearby.
- If you’re looking for someplace to spend time with friends on a night out in Tempe, this is it!
Tempe Beach Park
Tempe Beach Park is one of the best places in Tempe to spend a day, and it’s right on the edge of downtown. The park includes a large lawn area with plenty of shade trees and grassy areas where you can lay out a blanket or throw down some towels to enjoy some sun. Take advantage of the many amenities at this park by renting a paddle boat or canoe, playing basketball or volleyball, taking an art class at the Tempe Center for Arts and Recreation (known as TCA), grabbing lunch at Tempe Beach Market and Café, having lunch delivered by Food Truck Fridays during spring through fall semesters (food trucks come into the park every Friday afternoon). Or head over to nearby Mill Avenue where there are lots of shops and restaurants.
There are lots of great things to do here:
- Renting paddle boats or canoes from Tempe Town Lake Marina is fun for all ages! And if you have kids under 12 years old who want to take their boat around in their time frame? They can even rent their own!
- Playing basketball or volleyball on one half-court is free! Just bring your ball if you’d like since there aren’t any available for rent here. You’re also allowed to use other courts within this complex but must pay $5 per hour per court if they’re not already being used by another group—call 480-350-2959 first though just so no one gets upset with each other when they show up looking for different things than what they expected.”
Tempe Marketplace
Tempe Marketplace is the largest shopping center in Arizona, with over 100 stores and restaurants. It’s also home to a movie theatre and bowling alley, as well as an ice rink.
The mall is located near Arizona State University and has become a popular gathering place for college students. This makes it a fun spot during Halloween when many of its tenants decorate their storefronts with seasonal flair.
Tempe Sports Complex
The Tempe Sports Complex is a great place to take the family for some outdoor fun. There are 13 fields where you can play baseball, softball, and soccer. If you’re looking for something different, there’s also an archery center and horseshoe pits.
There’s also a golf course that was designed by Bob Cupp, who has designed courses all over the United States as well as in Japan and Australia. The 18-hole championship course offers beautiful views of nearby Camelback Mountain and Papago Park while providing challenging holes with water hazards on five holes along with sand traps that will test even the most experienced players’ skills throughout their rounds at this excellent facility!
Tempe History Museum
The Tempe History Museum is located in the Tempe History Center, a historical site on the shores of lakefront Tempe Town Lake. The museum offers free admission to its collection of exhibits that include photos and artifacts from around town as well as a changing lineup of temporary exhibits. The museum is open daily from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Saturday.
Mesa Riverview
Mesa Riverview is a great place to walk, run, and bike. It’s also a great spot for people-watching and bird-watching.
Tempe Town Lake is one of the best places in Arizona to catch a sunrise or sunset—from the riverwalk, you can see all of it! The park has plenty of photo opportunities, too. You might even see some boats on the lake or kayakers paddling by as well! If you’re interested in photography or birding, this is an excellent place to go.
Sea Life Arizona Aquarium
You can visit Sea Life Arizona Aquarium for a fun day with the kids. This is an interactive aquarium with many different types of marine animals including stingrays, sharks, penguins, and more. Visitors can interact with the animals by feeding them or touching them through special exhibits such as Seals Underwater Habitat or Shark Reef. You can also enjoy watching sea lions play in their underwater habitat on weekends from 11:30 am every hour until 1:30 pm. The aquarium is located at Tempe Marketplace which offers plenty of shopping options so that you don’t have to leave once you arrive there!
I.D.E.A Museum and Big Surf Waterpark at Tempe Marketplace
The I.D.E.A Museum is an interactive museum for kids with exhibits about energy, transportation, technology, and more! It also has a water park that’s open year-round so you can enjoy the slides, lazy river, or wave pool during your visit!
Mill Ave – Tempe’s Arts District
Mill Avenue is an iconic destination on an iconic street in Tempe: Mill Avenue in Downtown Tempe Arizona. It’s known as an arts district with tons of shops, restaurants, and bars to check out while touring the area!
Here are some of the top things to do in Tempe, Arizona
Tempe is a great place to visit, with all it has to offer. It’s located in the Phoenix metropolitan area, which means that you can also take advantage of some of the other attractions there.
Tempe has a wide range of things to do so that everyone will be able to find something they like. There are several museums and art galleries, as well as hiking trails and parks where you can enjoy nature while staying active. Many people choose to spend their time shopping at the Tempe Marketplace or going out dancing at one of the many clubs and bars nearby. The town also hosts many festivals throughout the year such as Greekfest or local car shows called Hella Fest hosted by radio station KJZZ 91FM every January since 2009 where thousands come to celebrate music along with hot rods, classic cars & motorcycles!
Conclusion
There’s no shortage of things to do in Tempe, Arizona. Whether you’re looking for a relaxing day at the beach or an adrenaline-fueled adventure through the desert, there are plenty of options to keep your family busy all year long. If you’re planning a trip to this beautiful city, be sure not to leave out some of these top attractions!
