What to do in Tempe, AZ

If you find yourself heading for sunnier skies, be sure to check out Tempe which boasts over 300 days of sunshine a year! Tempe is a college town caught in the greater metropolitan Phoenix area. It has the best of both worlds of being close to a lot of activities while maintaining a small college town charm. The nearby college of Arizona State University isn’t exactly small – with the most students of any college in the United States at over 70,000. It feels much smaller as a large percentage of the students are online, commute, or live on one of the other three campuses. I had the joy of spending four fantastic years in this wonderful city. After so many years, I got to know the ins and outs of living here. Without further ado here is my guide to visiting Tempe:

Arizona State University (ASU) campus

Walking the ASU campus can be a fun way to pass time and see how the college kids live. It really is paradise! Some highlights are the campus bookstore to pick up SunDevil gear; Old Main which is one of the oldest buildings on campus with a huge fountain out front that makes it a scenic photo op; and Palm Walk which goes down the center of campus with a line of palm trees surrounding the walkway.

Football

I sure hope you planned your trip with football season!! The whole town shuts down when there is a game on campus. They just renovated the stadium and it looks fantastic. Put on some maroon and gold and cheer with the thousands of fans that fill up the stadium on game days!

Basketball

Basketball games are a fun way to fill up a few hours. The games are right next to the football stadium in the dome shaped building. The team has a ‘curtain of distraction’ and one time Michael Phelps showed up behind the curtain!

Baseball

Baseball is not right on campus, but it is a quick Uber away. The games are fun, cheap, and the weather is always perfect. If you come during March, you can even catch a nearby spring training game.

Hike A mountain

One of my favorite things to do in Tempe is hike up to A mountain. It is easy to spot anywhere in Tempe as it is a large hill with the letter A on it for ASU. The hike is not too difficult with a gradual path up the mountain with a look out point and then stairs to get to the very top. It is an easy hike for all ages. The views at the top are gorgeous whether it’s mid-day, sunset, or twilight. You have a view over ASU’s campus and the broader Tempe area including Tempe Town Lake.

Tempe Town Lake

Tempe town lake is a man made lake in the heart of Tempe that makes for a perfect scenic walk, picnic, or water activities such as stand-up paddle boarding.

Restaurants

Tempe has some of the best restaurants and greatest diversity I have found in one town. I don’t think a city will ever top the amount of selection, outdoor patio’s, and unique vibes of the places to eat compared to Tempe. It honestly makes me sad thinking back to being in walking distance to so many amazing place! There are so many, I wrote a whole new post! See my separate post on restaurants here (Coming Soon).

Nightlife

Did you really come to a college town without expecting a fun bar scene? Check out my favorite bars to go to below.

CASA

This arguably my favorite bar on Mill. Has ‘buckets’ for $10. Get the AMF, you will not be disappointed. You can get chill, outdoor vibes outside on the patio on the bar. Probably one of the only bars you can hear yourself think at. The inside of the bar has totally different vibes with raging music and laser lights. It really is the best of both worlds because you can get both experiences without having to wait in a new line for a bar.

Whiskey Row

I frequented this bar all the time in college. The bar is huge and a good time. In Arizona, it is custom to dance on tables, so if you have the money and a big group, I highly suggest getting a table for the night so you have your own space and you can dance the night away. Whiskey has a good playlist seamlessly switching from new hits to oldies that everyone knows and can sing along to.

Low Key

This is a really fun piano bar!! I didn’t discover it until my senior year and I wish I knew about it earlier because this bar is a blast. They have fishbowls for pretty cheap that are fun to drink and they play songs on request. There is karaoke that is funny to watch. All the songs they play are ones you know by heart and can belt out.

Hefe

This bar is fun, but you have to be in the right mood. They blare EDM so loud that the floor shakes and your eardrums hurt. The bar always has the longest line and is so packed inside you often have trouble making your way to the bar or standing in one spot without getting pushed around. It can be fun when you are super drunk and just want to dance, but otherwise I don’t frequent Hefe as much.

Cue club

Looking for more chill vibes or somewhere to pregame? They are known for their long island iced teas and games of pool. The bar is made up of twenty or so pool tables to play at. It is a fun way to drink a little and play a friendly game of pool with your friends.

Zuma

This place is fun for random Tuesday nights out or as a place to pregame. You can get cheap drinks and have a good time before going to your final destination of the night. Try the ‘snorkels’ which is shotgunning a redbull with vodka in it.

Fat Tuesdays

I love Fat Tuesday’s, but oddly enough the vibe here in Tempe is just not good. I don’t like the crowd that hangs out here at night. If you come, come during the day and grab a slushy on the patio where you can people watch the people walking by on Mill.

Movies

On Mill street there is an AMC that has the nice reclining chairs and all the latest hits. It is easy to walk to and while there are not a lot of rainy days in Arizona, if you happen to be here during a monsoon, this could be a good option to pass time.

Zoo

That is right, the Phoenix Zoo! Okay, so technically it is in Phoenix but it is only about a ten minute drive from Tempe. The zoo is a lot of fun to go check out all the animals and the light show in the evening. If you go during the holiday months, there are ‘Zoo Light’ nights where you go to see the whole zoo lit up in Christmas lights.

Pool

You are in Arizona after all, so the pool is a staple activity to catch a buzz and a nice bronze tan. Spend a couple hours laying out and soaking in the almost year round perfect weather.

Golf

I am personally not an avid golfer, but you could say that Arizona is a perfect spot for those that golf. The nice weather attracts year round golf-playing weather. There are plenty of courses nearby to spend a day on the course.

Shopping

I’m not normally one to comment on the shopping, but if you are in Tempe check out Divaz Boutique. It always has the cutest stuff and they are constantly getting new things! If you are not from Tempe, you will likely be the only one with this cute new outfit too because it is a boutique!

So there you have it! There are more than enough activities to fill up a weekend or two of sunshine and good times. Enjoy!