Pamela Smith

Tempe Area Information

Nestled in the East Valley of Arizona, just outside of the bustling city of Phoenix, lies the comfy river town of Tempe, Arizona. With its rich history and exciting present day lifestyle, Tempe is an ideal living community. Successful businesses and beautiful neighborhoods are appealing aspects of Tempe, but what truly draws people to this special town is its ability to posses a metropolitan feel due to its proximity to Phoenix while still maintaining a suburban, quaint ambiance. Come see what Tempe has to offer and why so many people call it home.

Discover more about Tempe here; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tempe,_Arizona and here; http://tempe.gov/

History

Since the Hohokam tribe first roamed Tempe’s land in the 1400s, the city possessed the ground work for success. The original inhabitants had built canals across the land in order to support the Arizona agriculture. Years later in 1865, new settlers had arrived and established Fort McDowell on the Salt River. United States military personnel and Hispanic immigrants alike worked to grow food and tend to the site to ensure the fort’s success. At the time, there were two settlements in the Tempe area, one of which was called Hayden’s Ferry, which became a main intersection of the Salt River where The Tempe Irrigating Canal Company was established, which helped supply water for the Arizona crops. Tempe received its name thanks to a pioneer named Darrell Duppa in 1879, who compared the Salt River valley to the Vale of Tempe by Mount Olympus in Greece. After the city had been established, Tempe became to home of the Territorial Normal School which eventually became The Arizona State University. The birth of the Maricopa and Phoenix Railroads in 1887 pushed Tempe to become an economic hub for the agricultural area and in 1911 when the Roosevelt Dam was completed, Tempe’s fate was sealed as one of the most prosperous cities in the west. Roosevelt himself predicted the town’s success, and later that year Arizona became the 48th state, thanks no doubt to the Salt River and Tempe.

For more information on Tempe’s rich history, visit this website; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tempe,_Arizona#History

Attractions & Activities

Big Surf Water Park
Need to escape the hot, Arizona summer sun? Grab your friends and family and head to Arizona’s best water park, Big Surf Water Park. With eight slides and North America’s original wave pool, Waikiki Beach, you will stay entertained for hours. Come for the day or buy a season pass, either way the memories you make will be unforgettable.

For more information visit the park’s website: http://www.bigsurffun.com/

Casino Arizona
The lavish, Casino Arizona is located in the Talking Stick Resort and has 240,000 square feet of gaming fun. Visitors can try their hands at one of the over 800 slot machines, Texas Hold ‘Em poker, Black Jack and many other games. Experience a night out on the town and if you’re lucky, you’ll head home with a hefty new stash of cash.

Learn more at the casino’s official website: http://casinoarizona.com/

Mill Avenue District
Located in Downtown Tempe, the Mill Avenue District is the second most visited tourist destination in Arizona, just after the Grand Canyon. What makes it so special? With over 100 restaurants, popular night clubs and amazing shopping, Mill Avenue is a great way to spend all the money you made at Casino Arizona.

Visit the district’s official website for more information: http://millavenue.com/

Sea Life
Sea Life Aquarium has much to offer visitors of all ages. With exhibits presenting everything from shrimps to sharks, you can get a close up look at the life under the sea. Learn interesting sea facts from the Aquarium’s experts and see a part of the world you’ve never seen before!

Discover more at the aquarium’s official website: http://www.sealifeus.com/

Parks & Recreation

Tempe Parks & Recreation Department provides a myriad of opportunities for people to take advantage of in their quest to stay active and involved in community programs. With a number of parks and innumerable programs, the people of Tempe won’t have a hard time finding activities to partake in. The Parks & Recreation Department is committed to enhancing Tempeans’ quality for life and sense of community to ensure the town’s promising future.

List of Tempe Parks:

Clark Park
Daley Park
Escalante Park
Hollis Park
Jaycee Park
Kiwanis Park
Papago Park

Discover this and more at their official website: http://www.tempe.gov/recreation/

Tempe Town Lake
The Tempe Town Lake provides visitors with a number of exciting and fun parks and activities. Drawing in 2.5 million visitors a year, the parks offer sites for fishing, jogging, boating, bicycling and picnicking. Inexperience boaters can take lessons on Tempe Town Lake and those unfamiliar with the area can take tours of the parks. The pristine natural settings of the parks and golf courses make for a perfect get-away day to escape the bustle of every day life.

Parks within Tempe Town Lake Area:
SPR Town Lake Park
Giuliano Park
Papago Park
Mesquite Bosque
Linear Park

Learn more at the area’s official website: http://tempe.gov/lake/

Events Calendar

Annual Family Fun Day
Held at the ASU Art Museum, the Annual Family Fun Day allows kids and their families to take part in a day full of hands-on activities that are fun for people of all ages.

Get more information here; Annual-Family-Fun-Day

Annual Fall Frenzy
The Annual fall Frenzy takes place at Tempe Beach Park in September and is a three-day concert series that always presents a number of successful and entertaining musicians. This year the line-up includes Weezer, Sublime, Primus and many others.

Learn more at the festival’s official website: http://www.arizonafallfrenzy.com/

For a more detailed list of Tempe Community events, visit the city’s official website and check out the event calendar: http://www.tempe.gov/calendar/