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Things to Do in Phoenix and Tempe, Arizona
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items A practical guide to memorable things to do across Phoenix and Tempe, from desert parks and museums to independent restaurants, coffee shops, and neighborhood favorites. The picks are organized by type so visitors, ASU students, and locals can quickl...
Sections
5
Outdoor Activities
Restaurants
Other Food & Drinks
Arts & Entertainment
Local Favorites
Outdoor Activities
Desert parks, waterfront paths, garden trails, and city viewpoints. Check official heat guidance and closures before heading out.
Papago Park is an easy way to see Phoenix's red sandstone buttes without committing to a long desert hike. Walk the short Hole-in-the-Rock route, explore the smoother park paths, or pair the stop with the nearby zoo or botanical garden. Go early in w...
Papago Park
Tempe Town Lake is one of the easiest places near ASU for a walk, run, bike ride, or sunset by the water. Paved paths follow both shores, and seasonal rentals can add kayaking, paddleboarding, or pedal boats. Check the city map for parking and water ...
Tempe Town Lake Boating
Desert Botanical Garden is a strong first stop for learning what makes the Sonoran Desert distinct. Its walking trails combine native plants, seasonal exhibits, and easy photography opportunities without requiring a backcountry hike. Reserve ahead wh...
Desert Botanical Garden
South Mountain gives you room to choose between a scenic drive, an overlook, and hikes ranging from easy to demanding. Dobbins Lookout is the standout for broad Valley views, while the larger trail system rewards people who plan ahead. Check road and...
South Mountain Park and Preserve
Hayden Butte, better known as A Mountain, is a short but steep climb beside Downtown Tempe and ASU. The summit area opens up views toward campus, Tempe Town Lake, and the Valley, making it a useful sunset stop when temperatures are reasonable. Stay o...
Hayden Butte Preserve (A Mountain)
Restaurants
Independent Phoenix and Tempe restaurants worth planning around, from casual campus staples to a destination dinner.
The Chuckbox is a longtime Tempe burger stop with a no-frills setup near ASU and burgers cooked over an open mesquite fire. It works well for a casual lunch or an unfussy meal before exploring downtown. The official site still describes the restauran...
The Chuckbox
Cocina Chiwas is a polished Tempe dinner option built around regional Mexican cooking, with the official site offering reservations as well as the current menu. It is a better fit for a planned dinner or date night than a rushed grab-and-go meal. Hou...
Cocina Chiwas
Pizzeria Bianco at Heritage Square is the original downtown location for Chris Bianco’s wood-fired pizza and an easy anchor for a museum or downtown day. The small dining room is part of the experience, but it can also mean a wait. The official locat...
Pizzeria Bianco – Heritage Square
Cornish Pasty Co. is a useful downtown Tempe choice when you want a hearty meal and a menu that works for different appetites. The Mill Avenue location serves the brand’s baked pasties in a casual setting that fits an ASU or downtown outing. Hours an...
Cornish Pasty Co. – Mill Avenue
Green is a practical local pick for fully plant-based comfort food rather than a menu with only one token vegetarian option. The Tempe location works for mixed groups that want burgers, bowls, and familiar casual food presented in vegan form. Confirm...
Green New American Vegetarian – Tempe
Other Food & Drinks
Local coffee, dessert, brewery, and market stops that work well between larger activities.
Cartel began in Tempe and the Maple Ash café is a solid stop for locally roasted coffee near downtown and ASU. It works for a quick espresso, a slower catch-up, or a change of scenery from campus. Cartel has several Arizona locations, so confirm that...
Cartel Roasting Co. – Tempe Maple Ash
Novel Ice Cream is a compact Grand Avenue dessert stop for locally made ice cream and a fun finish to a downtown outing. Flavors and specialty combinations can change, which makes the current shop menu more useful than a fixed recommendation. The spa...
Novel Ice Cream – Grand Avenue
Four Peaks’ original Tempe pub combines brewery history, a full food menu, and specialty beer inside a former creamery building. It is a better choice for a sit-down group meal than a fast drink-and-run stop, and reservations can be useful at busy ti...
Four Peaks 8th Street Pub
Uptown Farmers Market is a strong weekend stop for Arizona produce, prepared food, baked goods, and locally made products in one place. The Saturday market operates year-round, but hours and vendor mix change with the season and heat. Check the curre...
Uptown Farmers Market
Arts & Entertainment
Museums, live performance, and hands-on cultural attractions for hot afternoons, rainy days, and planned evenings.
The Musical Instrument Museum is large enough to justify several hours, especially for anyone interested in music, world cultures, or recording and performance. Its geographic galleries pair instruments with audio and video, while a separate theater ...
Musical Instrument Museum
The Heard Museum centers American Indian art, artists, histories, and living cultures of the Southwest. It is most rewarding when you leave time for the permanent galleries as well as current exhibitions, and the museum offers public tours on many op...
Heard Museum
Phoenix Art Museum is the broadest conventional art-museum stop on this list, with collections and rotating exhibitions spanning fine art, fashion, and photography. It works especially well as an indoor summer activity or as part of a Central Avenue ...
Phoenix Art Museum
ASU Gammage is Tempe’s main touring-Broadway venue and a recognizable Frank Lloyd Wright-designed landmark on the ASU campus. It is a planned, ticketed evening rather than a drop-in attraction, so choose a show first and then build dinner and parking...
ASU Gammage
Arizona Science Center is a reliable indoor choice for hands-on exhibits, family visits, and anyone who prefers interactive learning to a quiet gallery. The downtown location also offers large-format theater and dome experiences on separate schedules...
Arizona Science Center
Local Favorites
Walkable districts and longtime community places that show more of the area than a standard attraction checklist.
Roosevelt Row is the most walkable place in central Phoenix for murals, small galleries, independent shops, food, and an easy downtown wander. It is worth visiting outside major events, when you can actually notice the public art and local businesses...
Roosevelt Row Arts District
Downtown Tempe ties together Mill Avenue, the ASU campus edge, A Mountain, and Tempe Town Lake in a compact area that works well without a full driving itinerary. The district is strongest when you pair a specific restaurant or event with a walk rath...
Downtown Tempe and Historic Mill Avenue
Changing Hands is an independent bookstore with deep Tempe roots and a useful mix of books, gifts, community events, and staff-curated browsing. The south Tempe store is a relaxed local stop when you want an indoor hour that is not a mall or museum. ...
Changing Hands Bookstore – Tempe
Phoenix Zoo is a full outing rather than a quick stop, with several themed trails and seasonal events inside Papago Park. It works best when you choose a few priority areas instead of rushing the entire property. Summer daytime hours end early, so ch...
Phoenix Zoo
The Japanese Friendship Garden is a smaller, slower-paced Phoenix stop built for quiet observation rather than a packed activity schedule. Its paved garden paths, koi pond, seasonal programs, and connections to Phoenix’s sister city of Himeji make it...
Japanese Friendship Garden of Phoenix