Tempe, Arizona

Downtown Tempe is an area located on South Mill Avenue near the Arizona State University Tempe Campus. It is known for its brick sidewalks and its many bars, entertainment venues, microbreweries, restaurants, shops, and its lively nightlife. If you are wondering what to do in Tempe today, this is a great place to start exploring.

Downtown Tempe is pedestrian-friendly and hosts many special events throughout the year, some of which include the Tempe Arts Festival, the 4th of July Fireworks Celebration, and the New Year’s Eve Block Party on Mill Avenue. Cultural venues include the Gammage Auditorium that presents concerts and Broadway plays such as Cats, Phantom of the Opera, Wicked, and more.

Downtown Tempe, 310 South Mill Avenue #201, Tempe, AZ, Phone: 480-355-6060

Established in 1950, the Arizona State University Art Museum features a permanent collection consisting of more than 12,000 objects. These include art from Arizona and the Southwestern United States; works by Latin American artists, especially Mexican folk art and ceramics; 3,500 pieces of American ceramics; contemporary art including new media; historic and contemporary American and European prints; and much more.

The art museum offers several education outreach programs, some of which involve activities in local area schools and neighborhoods. The museum also hosts a variety of events throughout the year.

Arizona State University Art Museum, 51 East 10th Street, Tempe, AZ 85281, 480-965-2787

Attractions for Couples

Hayden Butte Preserve is a protected area and a famous local landmark located on the southeast corner of Mill Avenue and Rio Salado Parkway. Also known as Tempe Butte, the butte stands 1,398 feet (425 meters) high. The City of Tempe declared it a park in 1973, and it was designated a preserve in 2002 because of its many desert plants and animals.

There are approximately 500 petroglyphs found here, which the Hohokam Native Americans made sometime between 750 AD and 1450 AD. The 25-acre park is a popular area for outdoor exercise, especially hiking.

The Tempe Center for the Arts is a visual and performing arts center located on West Rio Salado Parkway along the Salt River in Tempe. Built between 2004 and 2007, the center features striking architecture, and its roof is composed of intricate geometric folded plates. The center serves as the home of dance companies such as ConderDance, Desert Dance Theater, and A Ludwig Dance Theatre; music groups like the Arizona Wind Symphony, the Tempe Community Chorus, and the Tempe Symphonic Wind Ensemble; and a theater company called Childsplay.

The Gallery is a visual arts space that displays works by local and international artists.

700 West Rio Salado Parkway, Tempe, Arizona, Phone: 480-350-2829

The Tempe History Museum is dedicated to presenting the history of the city of Tempe. In the main hall there is an exhibit entitled Tempe: Distinct, Diverse, Dynamic that explores the history of Tempe through a variety of media. The Community Room Art Gallery and the Changing Exhibits Gallery both host temporary art exhibitions, and the Community Room can be rented for meetings and performances.

The museum offers several education outreach programs for children. It also hosts a wide variety of events including children’s plays, concerts, films, and Tempe Historical Society Lunch Talks.

809 East Southern Avenue, Tempe, Arizona, Phone: 480-350-5100

Tempe Beach Park is a one-acre city park and local landmark that sits along the Tempe Town Lake. Some of its features include a baseball diamond, other athletic fields, and a splash playground called the Splash Pad, which features a slide, waterfall, spray cannons, and interactive play equipment. Activities include biking, boating, fishing, kayaking, paddle boarding, picnicking, and much more.

The park also hosts many events such as concerts, festivals, and running events, and it offers a special program called the Living Tree Memorial Program, a program that gives people the opportunity to have a tree planted in memory of a loved one.

Recommended Activities for Families

LEGOLAND Discovery Center is a great place to spend some quality family time. Your children will love every minute they spend in this wonderland of play and learning. In Miniland, you can all marvel at the amazing famous landmarks which have been constructed out of Lego bricks, including the Grand Canyon exhibit. There is a dedicated build-and-play area for children, as well the Lego 4D cinema, the Merlin’s Apprentice Ride and the Kingdom Quest Ride. You can check the daily schedule online and plan to attend a Creative Workshop where your kids will learn the tricks of the trade from expert Lego builders.

LEGOLAND Discovery Center, 5000 S. Arizona Mills Cir STE 135, Tempe, AZ 85282, 480 565 7078

The 26,000 square foot SEA LIFE Aquarium contains thousands of aquatic animals including angel fish, clownfish, jellyfish, lion fish, rays, seahorses, and several species of sharks such as black tip reef sharks and white tip reef sharks. The aquarium also features an interactive touch pool called the Interactive Rockpool, where children can touch several aquatic creatures, including crabs, lobsters, and sea stars.

The aquarium is also involved in animal conservation, and it rescues and cares for disabled or injured sea animals including an endangered green sea turtle named Ziva, now happily living in the aquarium’s 161,000-gallon display.

SEA LIFE Aquarium, Arizona Mills, 5000 South Arizona Mills Circle #145, Tempe, Arizona, Phone: 480-478-7600

ASU Gammage Auditorium is located on South Forest Avenue on the campus of the Arizona State University. The auditorium is a historic building: it was the last public commissioned building designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Built between 1962 and 1964, the auditorium is named after Dr. Grady Gammage, president of the university from 1933 to 1959 and close friend of Frank Lloyd Wright.

With a seating capacity of 3,000, the auditorium features three levels of seating. It is known for its good acoustics and its collapsible orchestra shell. The auditorium serves as the venue for operas, symphony concerts, organ recitals, and much more.

1200 South Forest Avenue, Tempe, Arizona, Phone: 480-965-3434

Located on South Arizona Mills Circle, Arizona Mills is a large indoor outlet shopping mall in Tempe. Opened in 1997, the mall contains more than 185 retailers and 6,000 parking spaces. The interior of the outlet mall features abstract graphics and several pieces of artwork.

Some of the stores include Burlington Coat Factory, Ross Dress For Less, and the Sports Authority. The mall is also the home of Sea Life Arizona and the largest IMAX theater in Arizona.

5000 South Arizona Mills Circle, Tempe, Arizona, Phone: 480-491-9700