“Tempe, Arizona sits in the center of the Valley of the Sun in the heart of the greater Phoenix metropolitan area. In the middle of the action, days and nights in Tempe are filled with fun. Tempe is a city rich with culture, history, and entertainment.” — City Guide
How true that is! Although perhaps known best for being the home of Arizona State University, the fifth-largest university in the country, Tempe has lots of other places to see and things to do. In fact, Tempe houses more than 20 free museums and galleries, plus numerous other cultural offerings, so one can hardly be bored.
Searching for some outdoor adventure? Try a hike up “A” Mountain, also known as Tempe Butte, for panoramic views of the city and the surrounding areas. Tempe is rich in Native American history, and visitors to the Tempe Historical Museum or the Pueblo Grande Museum, a 1,500-year-old Hohokam village in nearby Phoenix, can take a trip back in time and learn about earlier cultures.
Photo from www.tempe.gov
The city even has its own “beach.” Tempe Town Lake on the Rio Salado, conveniently adjacent to the charming downtown area, is a 220-acre recreational facility complete with a sandy beach, boating, biking trails and a “splash playground” full of water features that are fun for all ages. The Tempe Town Lake Festival and Tempe Festival of the Arts are two of the city’s hallmark events. Tempe Town Lake Festival is a wonderful family event with a fireworks show, food and more. The Tempe Festival of the Arts, which has a spring and a fall show, is one of the top 20 art festivals in the nation. In addition, ASU’s Gammage Auditorium – the final design of iconic architect Frank Lloyd Wright – hosts a wide variety of top-notch performances and productions.
Speaking of ASU, the university has about two dozen museums and collections to view; just keep in mind that any tours of facilities need to be booked in advance. Is outer space your thing? View the public gallery at the Mars Space Flight Facility or schedule a free tour. The ASU Center for Meteorite Studies is a “must see,” as is the recently renovated R.S. Dietz Museum of Geology, which will re-open in September 2010. The ASU School of Earth and Space Exploration Planetarium also offers daytime and evening shows as well as viewings using the school’s telescopes. If gardening rocks your world, don’t miss the 908 species of plants at ASU’s Arboretum. It is literally all around the campus, which also happens to be the state’s largest arboretum. And did you know there are 18 varieties of rattlesnakes? Check them out at the Life Sciences Center Living Collection.
As for local flavor, the city’s inordinate number of restaurants and “hot” spots are sure please any palate. The diversity of the dwellings is another tasty aspect. Tempe has plenty of older, more established neighborhoods with large lots and traditional-style homes. Newer properties, however, showcase the city’s urban lifestyle and loft-style town homes, unique architectural designs and rooftop balconies have indeed gained enormous popularity among residents.
Getting to and from Tempe, which is well connected via freeways and access roads, recently became even easier. It was among the first Arizona cities to integrate a light rail system and the only city to have the system running from border to border. This system allows commuters to travel from downtown Phoenix facilities such as Chase Field, the Translational Genomics Research Institute, the Heard Museum and the Phoenix Art Museum to Sun Devil Stadium, the Mill Avenue District and Tempe Town Lake as well as the many businesses along the way. Tempe really does have it all!
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