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 filled with culture, history, and entertainment.

Arizona State University (ASU) Campus is a great to place go while visiting Tempe because it offers a variety of entertainment. The Cereality Bar & café at ASU specializes in cereal and lots of it. ASU is the fifth largest university in the country and home to over 20 free museums and galleries. Visit the Mars Global Surveyor Space Flight Facility for a glimpse of the Thermal Emission Spectrometer Experiment that was launched into space in 1996. The ASU Planetarium offers daily shows and views through giant telescopes from February-April and September-November. The Arboretum at ASU is the site of an All-American Selections Garden. See over 1,500 meteorite exhibits at the ASU Center for Meteorite Studies, 18 varieties of rattlesnakes at the Life Sciences Center, and amazing precious gems and minerals at the R.S. Dietz museum of Geology.

If you’re searching for more adventurous activities, hike up “A” Mountain for panoramic views of Tempe and Phoenix. Step back to prehistoric Hohokam tribal times at the Tempe Historical Museum or Pueblo Grande Museum, a 1,500 year-old Hohokam village in nearly Phoenix. Spend a day at the “beach.” Tempe Town Lake, adjacent to downtown, is a 220-acre recreational oasis complete with a sandy beach, boating, and biking. Finally, toss back a cool one at one of Tempe’s three microbreweries: Four Peaks Brewing Company, Gordon Biersch, or Rio Salado Brewing Company.

Tempe Town Lake Festival and Tempe Festival of the Arts are two of Tempe’s annual events. Tempe Town Lake Festival is a wonderful family event with a firework show, food, and much more. The Tempe Festival of the Arts is one of the top 20 art festivals in the nation.