Tempe, also known as Hayden’s Ferry during Arizona’s territorial times, is named after the Vale of Tempe in Greece. The famous pioneer Darrell Dupa is recognized for suggesting Tempe’s name in 1879, after he compared a part of Salt River valley to the Vale of Tempe near Mount Olympus in Greece, home to the Arizona State University and many great attractions. Stroll through the pedestrian-friendly downtown with brick sidewalks, a choice of restaurants, and lively nightlife. Visit Hayden Butte Preserve, the Arizona State University Art Museum, and the Tempe Historical Museum. Let’s find out Best Things to Do in Tempe, Arizona.
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Karsten Golf Course
Karsten Golf Course, part of Arizona’s State U, is known as a first-class golf course for its excellent upkeep, as well as Karsten’s fairly challenging courses with its rolling fairways and undulating greens. For the golfing fans of the family, there are several very reasonable packages to purchase which will give you time to play a bit of glorious golf, some of which include two rounds of golf w/golf car, practice balls, bag tag, one sleeve of Titleist pinnacle golf balls and a voucher for the café’s tasty breakfast or lunch.
Get amazed by the SEA LIFE Aquarium
Find yourself fulfilling your dream in the biggest aquarium of Arizona- SEA LIFE Aquarium. Having an area of almost 26,000 square feet, the aquarium has a vast exhibit when it comes to different sea lives. Clownfishes, jellyfishes, seahorses, lionfish, various types of sharks, crabs, and other species are present in plenty.
Also, the aquarium is made up of glass so you can see the different fishes swimming around, and touch the glass to interact with them. It is a very entertaining way to spend an afternoon with your family, and kids love this huge aquarium.
Visit the local Tempe Marketplace
Are you in the mood to have a bit of outdoor shopping fun? Wait no more for we have the Tempe marketplace for you! An outdoor space that is filled with several shops and eateries.- Tempe Marketplace is the paradise for shopping under a budget. The government came up with such an idea, and it was made successful in 2007.
It is built on almost 130 acres of area and has more than 120 shops and restaurants too. So, if you are feeling a little hungry amid all that shopping- you can do so too. Large screens showing different games, live music, crowded shops- everything makes this market a lovable one.
Enjoy an event at the Tempe Beach Park
Tempe Beach Park is more of a landmark of Tempe that is used by both locals as well as tourists to sit back and relax for a day. Surrounded by Tempe Town Lake, Tempe Beach Park is quite a small park in the heart of Tempe. The park is almost 1 acre in area and has a lot of activities for you to try out.
It has several fields for playing different games, baseball fields, and there is a special attraction called the Splash Playground. It is what makes the park more interesting as it is a tiny water park inside Tempe Beach Park having a lot of thrilling water sports just for you to try out.
Phoenix Rock Gym in Tempe
The Phoenix Rock Gym is the place to climb, and an attraction where you can experience the world of climbing as never before! The Rock Gym has thirty-foot-high walls with a vast amount of climbing service area. And don’t worry if the family has never experienced rock climbing before, as the highly trained staff are there to teach you about all the skills needed to climb safely. The gym has 56 top ropes with everything from easy routes to overhanging arm blasters, faces, cracks, chimneys, and lots more. It is a perfect venue for pre-teens and teens to expend some energy and learn some really useful climbing skills.
Hike at the Papago Park
Papago Park is a place filled with activities. You can have a picnic, go hiking or learn about the native history at the Arizona Heritage Center that is located in this Papago Park.
The views of this Papago are beautiful indeed as the color of the rock formation is red here, and there are several palm trees and cactus bushes to make the view more splendid. The trails are quite accessible here along with biking options too.
The Heritage Center has quite a nice exhibit to show the history of the town, but it focuses on the modern history of the 20-21st century. Bonus point: It has a copper mine exhibit you can check out!
