Tempe Beach Park is at Tempe Town Lake and has a splash playground, hiking & biking paths, you can rent bikes, boats, or paddle board and float in the water or you can attend one of the many festivals and concerts they host here. There is free parking on the south and north sides of Tempe Town Lake, lots of free parking under the loop 202 at Mill Ave, but there is also closer paid parking all around too. It's also close to the light rail too. We came to visit the splash pad, it's a acer splash pad free to all, it has waterfalls, slides, water dump bucket, water cannons, flower showers and other random water spaying things, the water is constantly moving , puddles no deeper than maybe 2 inches, perfect for kids of all ages. Believe it or not the water dump bucket seemed to be the hottest spot when I went, lots of kids just waiting for the water to drop on them. They even have life guards on deck, watching everyone and making sure no RUNNING is happening, it's hard to tell the little ones not to run. My 5 yr old grandson had a blast, and the 2yr old grandson is getting used to it. Did I mention it's free? This is one of our favorite spots to cool the kids off and let them run it out. There is plenty to do down at Tempe Beach Park for all ages. read more

Finally checked out the Aloha Festival today- took a Saturday off work, and the event happened to fall on this day. We (Kevin H., Marian H., and I) were glad to arrive early (11'ish am), as there already were long lines at some of the vendors. After doing the "once around," Kevin decided to line up at "Paradise," and after some talk, Marian decided to line up at the vendor with the "EGGROLL" banner, and see which of the lines would go faster (hers did). It was a long wait, but once our turns came up, the ordering, paying, and receiving processes went fast. As it turned out, part of the reason was that there wasn't much food to be had for $10... Since Kevin had had his fill of BBQ yesterday, he decided to skip the heavy pork and beef and go for the meat jun and BBQ chicken plate lunch (with rice and macaroni salad), but instead received meat jun and kalbi (short ribs). Meat jun is a Korean dish of thinly-sliced beef marinated with soy sauce, minced garlic, and sugar, which is then coated with a flour and egg batter and pan-fried. It was accompanied by a red dipping sauce that stumped Kevin and Marian. I just rechecked the recipe I found on foodland.com earlier and it calls for a dipping sauce made with soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, and red/black pepper. The sauce Kevin and Marian tried looked like it had the red pepper blend minus the soy sauce. I tried the meat jun and found it to be too sweet for my liking. It reminded me of a Filipino torta (omelet, sort of), but ours are made with ground beef, garlic, and onions- definitely a savory dish, although often paired with ketchup, or even better- banana ketchup! I usually just skip the sugar and enjoy the torta as a savory dish, but I digress... I just ordered the short ribs, hold the rice, and instead asked for two scoops of mac salad. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/tempe-beach-park-tempe?select=Aqkd_iBCRsvyuFsTdE8jsw#GdfF4jvzBJPcnWmf8vaC-w The salad was OK-- too much mayonnaise! Nice flavor, though. Overall, everything was just so-so and not worth $10. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/tempe-beach-park-tempe?select=Aqkd_iBCRsvyuFsTdE8jsw#dWOvXgEZ5fMkR0UsyKnd-Q Marian's plate featured a stick of battered and fried large shrimp and a stick of BBQ chicken. The chicken had a nice color to it and had a nice mouth-feel, but I wasn't too impressed. The ribs I ordered were mostly bone and very fatty. I'd say that 20 to 25% of what I received was actual meat-- the rest were bones, fat, and connective tissue. The meat that I tried was OK, nothing special. We also had some shave ice, but I didn't get the name of the vendor I got them from. For $6 a pop, I could get up to three flavors, and I asked if I could also get adzuki beans and condensed milk added, as well, and the rep said OK. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/tempe-beach-park-tempe?select=Aqkd_iBCRsvyuFsTdE8jsw#pt1Zmf-pRqyIcE3vVyHHxw No added costs- cool! Pretty certain that many people are unfamiliar with authentic HI shaved ice and so wouldn't order the additional stuff, so it was very considerate of the vendor no to charge extra for those who wanted them-- THANK YOU! The shaved ice was alright- we tried Lihing mui, passion fruit, and guava, plus the beans and condensed milk. I'd have to say my faves were the passion fruit and guava, which surprised me as I was looking forward to the Lihing Mui the most. Perhaps there'll be another shaved ice vendor next year, because I will make sure to get the Saturday off work to attend! Afterwards, we wanted to walk off some of those calories, so we took it to the lakeside and walked down to Tempe's Center for the Arts. Nice place (check my review there). Also, always a great plus to use restroom facilities, instead of stinky port o' potties. (I just got shivers down my spine imagining using one of those!) I'd have to say the best part, and I'm sure Kevin and Marian would agree, was hanging around one of the tents were Keoki Kahumoku and others held a workshop of sorts- a dynamic group of people who wanted to learn a few strumming styles and music breaks. We saw people handing out ukeleles for others to practice with. I found it fascinating that Keoki would call out chord changes, strum a few bars, call out animal noises, and then just have everyone dive in and play a song that progressively improved as more and more people gained their confidence and played, while Keoki sang in Hawai'ian and made animal noises-- so much fun! With the gentle breezes flowing by, food aromas wafting in the air, and dancers springing up to hula dance, it almost felt like we were in Hawai'i! Oh, and the OC-6 model we ended up dining next to was pretty sweet! Kind of made up for the fact that there weren't any malasadas... #680 read more

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Tempe Beach Park is truly a special treat to Phoenix. No, we might not have an ocean or even a lake, but we do have a large canal that was converted into "Tempe Town Lake" several years ago and with that, they built up a wonderful Tempe Beach Park. Where to even begin? Tempe Beach Park really has it all. It has plenty of grass alongside the water for people to picnic and relax on, it has a playground for children to play on and it has plenty of permanent and visiting activities throughout the year. For the permanent activities, one of my favorites are the paddle boat rentals. It's such a fun activity that someone of any age can enjoy it. Whether you have a family, you're on a date, or you simply want to do something entertaining with friends, going to Tempe Town Lake for a picnic and some paddle boating makes for a great weekend day. Tempe Town Lake also has an awesome jogging/biking trail that goes for miles. In addition, they have a dock for boats and I'm pretty certain you can rent boats and kayaks to take on the lake. Now moving on to the visiting events. I feel like every major event comes to Tempe Beach Park. In the fall, the Oktoberfest comes to town. In March, they have a huge St. Patty's Day event. They have Greek Fest's, sister city events, art fairs and a plethora of concerts and walks throughout the year. This is a great resource to look into if you are ever looking for a fun festival or event, or you are organizing one and looking for the perfect venue. So while we might not have a natural water source in the Valley, they have done an amazing job of converting the water we do have into a family-fun atmosphere for all. read more

Tempe Town Lake is just awesome. I don't even know where to start, so I'll just start from the very, very beginning. I moved out to AZ in 2007 from Chicago and literally the first major thing that I drove by on my way to ASU campus from Sky Harbor was the Tempe skyline with Tempe Beach Park in the foreground. Amazing. I knew that I chose the correct school right when I saw this. You would think that Arizona is just a dry desert with gun totin' Americans in electric scooters kicking up sand as they wave their American flags, but you'll drop that notion once you see what I saw. I love this town so much--so freakin' much and Tempe Beach Park is one of the best reasons why. Some history: Tempe Town Lake is actually just a widened, beautified stretch of the Salt River, i.e. Rio Salado. You can rent paddle boats, go for a run, test your new bike, whatever but the real fun starts when there is an event in Tempe, like the Tour de Fat, New Year's, Oktoberfest, etc. They really designed this park well for events and even when there isn't an even going on, you'll temporarily forget that you're in the desert (but we were reminded in 2010 when the lake was drained after a part of the dam broke). I love bringing my dog here. There is plenty of grass and you can even cross over to the north side with the new pedestrian bridge/dam in front of the Symphony Center. The north side of the lake offers a beach (not one where you can just walk into the water, just a sand lakefront before the edge of the lake). One time, Petsmart or someone was having an event here and they made a fenced off dog park for Ferdinand to be off leash. That was awesome, too. When you come here, bring some water and some sunglasses--enjoy. read more

My favorite dog friendly activity on the weekends! On a beautiful day, it's the best spot to take your dog and walk around the park. Lots of doggy bags stations, very clean and not too crowded that your avoiding bikers, rollerbladers and runners all the time, especially with a dog sniffing around on a leash. The lake also makes it a nice cool walk when the breeze hits the water. Also, lots of parking in various areas. I find parking close to the lake and marina is a better option with lots of available parking. Only negatives is that each weekend there is always some big festival, marathon, charity walk, etc, so the streets and public parking is all closed off so it's tough to find a place to park. Also, there needs to be more watering stations for dogs and people out walking and running. Also bathrooms are scarce and not placed well at all for such a huge park. While there are lots of events on the weekends, the good part is, most are dog friendly. I've done several charity dog walks here and each have been different, but really fun. Mill Avenue is also close by and there are several great outdoor dining options for your pets and you to enjoy after a great walk at the park. read more

A very nice park with long, wide trails, both gravel/dirt and paved. It's a good option for jogging, or walking your dog. There are a fair amount of trees to provide shade as you go down the paths, and the grass is well-maintained. Although there seems to be a fair number of people with dogs that go here, most of the owners seem to do a good job picking up after their dogs. There are fountains at dog and human level, and dog bags available scattered throughout the park. Parking isn't too much of a problem, since there are a lot of spaces available. I haven't tried any of the water activities here, but I did see someone paddleboarding, and it looked pretty cool! read more

Tempe Beach Park is a fun place for any occasion. Be it a festival, concert, trip to the splash playground with your child(ren) or a date on the lake in a rental boat, this park offers it all. The only gripe I have are the folks that park in the public lot adjacent to the park. I've returned to my car on more than one occasion to find car waste fluid or other trash either on my car or littered around it. It definitely doesn't give off the safest vibe. read more

Fantastic FREE destination in the Tempe Phoenix area! Enjoy a 8+ mile walk around the entire lake and enjoy some spectacular views. Sunsets in particular are really nice here. They let off fireworks on Fourth of July on the Mill Avenue bridge. It's loud and impressive! Definitely a great place to visit morning afternoon or night. Lots of lights around entire lake. read more

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So looking forward to seeing another amazing Tool concert. Only to not be able to get parking within several miles really was inconvenient. Then to have to wait 20 minutes for an ID check. Then find out none of the vendors accept credit cards. Not to be complaining all the time. The sound is most excellent in this outdoor venue. And basically the people who are in attendance have good attitudes. But I am thinking next time I will skip this place. Just a huge hasslem read more

Can only give this place 4 stars rather than 5 because there is no fenced-in dog exercise area. Dogs must be on leash at all times. How can you design a waterfront park and NOT put in a dog run? I take my dogs for a run/walk all the time here, but I would really appreciate a fenced-in dog area for when I want them to run around off-leash and play with other dogs. For that, I just go to Papago Park on College and Curry, or Chaparral on Hayden. read more

Tempe Beach Park is a great place to come spend the day. It's fairly large and easy to get around. There are some great paved paths for skating or bike riding, fishing, peddle boat rentals, and the splash park. This is just a handful of what the park has to offer. The splash park is what we mainly come for. It can get pretty crowded but there are covered picnic tables in one area off the playground or there are some seats closer to the water...be prepared to get a little wet. There are a lot of great features for kids of all ages, and since there is only an inch of water or two in the "deepest" area, it's great for babies as well. I used to bring my seven year old here when she was a baby and I don't remember there being staff around, but when we came last weekend there was someone up by the slide to make sure that kids were taking turns and some other people were set up in the main water area. Parking can be a challenge, especially on the weekend, but there is street parking nearby. There is a ton of grass, and if you come prepared to have a bbq, there are some grills set up around the park. I have seen people bring their own as well but I'm not sure what the rules are regarding that. If you plan on coming on a weekend or holiday, just double check that there aren't any special events going on. read more

Just about my favorite place in Arizona. I love to run, bike or walk around at this park. They also have boat rentals which I recommend! Great for a picnic or having ice cream with friends. The view at sunset is breathtaking! They have events like beer fests, marathons and concerts throughout the year. And the best fireworks in the area for the Fourth of July. If you love the outdoors and haven't been here, you are missing out! read more

Welp...This place definitely doesn't have an ocean, but good enough and close to it for AZ. Offers paddle boating, kayaking, and other water activities on the canal. Came here this time around for the Aloha Festival and it was packed with thousands and thousands of people. Have been here for other festivals and fun runs every year and is a great place! read more

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The best part about the Tempe Beach are the festivals and events that happen here almost every weekend. The Tempe Beach is a great venue for enjoying the outdoors, especially in the Spring and Fall. New Years Eve and 4th of July events happen here yearly, as well as many festivals, concerts and other events. This year I've been to The Great Arizona Beer Festival and the Arizona Chicks with Picks Music Fest, both of which were amazingly fun and relaxing. Just walking around the park or sitting on the grass listening to music, with (or without) a beer in my hand in the great weather really helps me realize why I live here and makes the summers a little more manageable. Check out a list of upcoming events on the Downtown Tempe site: http://www.downtowntempe.com/ It is really easy to get to from I-10, and the 101 and 202 (as well as the Light Rail), so there's no excuse! Close by are Mill Ave, ASU, Papago Park and the Oakland A's spring training park, so you can easily spend a day enjoying the outdoors in Tempe. read more

I'm writing about the volleyball courts on the north side of Tempe Town Lake. The courts are very nice with deep sand that was used across the bridge for the AVP events when the AVP used to come to Tempe. They are free to use and have sprinklers for the summer time when the sand gets hot. The draw backs are the nets are pretty worn out and there are only portapotties for restrooms. The other problem is that the courts are set up east/west as opposed to north/south so the sun can be brutal depending on the time of the day. All in all this is a nice facility and you can get pretty competitive games on Saturday mornings. read more

Cool hip spot to start a morning off with or enjoy a sunset at. Just ignore the shady people trying to ask you to borrow your phone. Bring your dog, bring your paddle board bring a friend to stroll around and enjoy the scene. Then walk to get a drink and taco and one of many of the near by bars. read more

If you are going for a walk the view at night is spectacular. I like boating in Tempe beach park and I highly recommend it. There is plenty to do biking,fishing,jogging,walking the dog,etc... Good all around beach park. read more

I thought this was an adorably cute place. My only gripe is that it's not really a beach or a park. I mean I didn't see much sand at all or any park equipment. What I did see and enjoyed was that there were recreational choices like paddleboating, paddleboarding, and other water recreation options. If you're visiting in the area, I say go. Then after walk downtown and grab a drink at the many happy hour options. After that, climb the steep hill with a paved trail that is close to the beach park to burn off those beer calories you just had. read more

The Tempe Beach Park changed my life last night. After eight years, I was finally able to see the best band that ever has graced the earth with their existence in a venue I absolutely could not fault. We arrived as the sun was setting, and on a perfectly clear Autumn night we had a magestic sunset, a splattering of beautiful stars, were able to watch the moon rise next to the stage. Im unsure of what production company was used but they utilised all of the park to its full potential. On a side note, the show was Tool and it was probably the most profound moment of my life. I say moment because it was unsure whether they had actually played for their two hour set or that we had transcended time and space and were in an almost unending, soul expanding journey through pure, unadulterated musical perfection. Its proximity to the airport made it all the more special to see planes take flight overhead to rouse and lift the crowd more than the sweet, godly tunes already had. If I were staying longer in Phoenix, or if I will be able to return, I will go and sit and weep for that sound that was once resonating throughout the park. read more

This is one of my favorite spots in the Phoenix area. I'm fortunate enough to be able to see it on mornings that I take the light rail to work, but the place really shines at night. In cooler months (note: Phoenicians typically consider anything 90 degrees or below as "fall weather), it's an awesome place for a late afternoon/early evening run or just walk in the park. You'll see runners, families with their kids, and ASU students out enjoying the weather. Great to people watch, or, if you're feeling up to it, renting a kayak (I haven't tried it yet but hope to soon). My favorite spot at night is the dam on the west end of the lake, over by the performing arts center. It's a spectacular view as the sun is setting and the area lights up once it gets dark. Perfect spot if you're looking for somewhere to take your date. This is a pretty popular location for events. Oktoberfest takes place here every year and I'm told it's quite the scene. Downside: Be aware of your surroundings once it gets dark. It's a nice time to enjoy the view and weather, and the times I've been there have been plenty of other people around, but homelessness is a big problem in Tempe and this is one of the areas they tend to congregate in. read more

TBP is a great place for an evening stroll or run, the man made lake is a real treat to be around. It's lovely when it isn't very busy but it's also great when there are big events going on. :) I want to rent a pontoon and blast around in the water some day soon read more

I give it a 3* just cuz it smelled like really strong pesticide in a few of the grassy areas. Really? Why do you need pesticide spray there? There's children and pets playing all around on the grass!! Positives: The walkway right along the lake is great! And the "new" pedestrian bridge is nice. I say "new" cuz I'm not totally sure when they built it, but just recently noticed it. Great play area for kids and picnic tables in the back area. Overall, great fun in the sun place for a date, family day, friends and family outing. read more

This is such a great waterfront park and event venue! There are lovely paths for walking, jogging, biking, etc. and plenty of grass and trees for copping a squat with a good book or a snack. There are lots of clean bathrooms, and the whole park in general is always really clean. You can rent peddle boats and ride on the lake - a super fun and not terribly spendy activity. The entrance is big and easy to find, and the whole area is really cute, so no matter where you find parking, the little walk to the park will be nice. All of the events I've attended that were held here, from cruiser rides to beer fests to runs, have been well-organized and spread easily over the massive space, so there's no claustrophobic feeling, even among lots and lots of people. A walk here in the evening is a wonderful way to wrap up a night and relax after dinner in Tempe. I've been here so many times and I've never felt unsafe - it's a clean, safe, beautiful park on the water. read more

Always a great time coming here with the family. The views are great and restaurants close by are delicious. Friendly for bike riders, too. Perfect time to come here is early spring when it's not too hot or cold. read more

Beautiful place to watch fireworks on 4th of July! A truly romantic place as you can see the moon reflection on the lake and as you walk on the park, there's a lot of colorful lighting that lights your way. This is my great escape place when I need to wind up. read more

Tempe Beach Park - Love this spot.. - Parks Near Me - Tempe, Arizona

A sad name! No beach, no swimming! What is the point in 110 degrees? Reflective, the only thing reflective is all the concrete. Waste of natural resources. All I could think of, standing on the sidewalk was this: http://youtu.be/j7OHG7tHrNM read more

I'm really glad that Tempe Beach Park has a 4 stars but it truly deserves a 5 star rating. I can't think of a place that better showcases the dynamism of the Phoenix Metropolitan Area than this gem situated on the banks of TTL (Tempe Town Lake). read more

This place is great if you're looking to hit the bike path or run/jog/take a walk. Really nice at night when the lights hit the water and all that...romantic enough if you know what I'm saying... ;) Not really a "kids" park when you consider there isn't a playground. Boat rentals are fun tho...and kids like fun right? read more

Great place to go workout or relax! Workout here every Tues/Wed/Thurs with the Marines at 0600. It's a perfect location to start a run, you can run around all or half of Tempe Town Lake, go through the hilly paths of Papago or even head down Mill to "A" Mountain or ASU's Main Campus. The scenery is great and there is a huge open grass area along with a playground and softball field. The bathrooms are kept very clean and there are consistently cleaning crews picking up and doing maintenance. It's a great place to go workout or relax. The only downside is when there is going to be a big event because the parking lot is kind of small. At times to make matters worse, they've shut down half of it to accommodate for the crews setting up the events days before hand. Overall, awesome park... Thank you Tempe! read more

My ex-boyfriend Ted Knight took me 2 years ago for 4th of July, was so much fun, I enjoy the concerts, food fire works and ice cream !!

It's difficult to rate the park itself. I came here for the "Oktoberfest". I couldn't see much of the park because of all the booths. I can say that the "Oktoberfest" was utter crap. I've been to the real one in Munich. This wasn't even close. First, "Oktoberfest" is not a carnival. So what is with those stupid rides? And when you get a beer, it's in a tiny (TINY!) cup. The real deal you get a pint. Sure, it's still over-priced even in Munich. But at least they give you a decent quantity. Also, the selection was a joke. There was Warsteiner (probably the best of the choices), Bud (are you kidding me?), Beck's, and Shock Top. That's it. In Munich there are about a dozen halls (I didn't count), each featuring a different brewer. Here they expected the crowds to get their beer at a counter, which made for huge congestion and crowding. The proper way is to have everyone sit on the benches (at really long picnic tables) and a bar maid brings you what you want. Much more efficient that way as there are only bar maids running around instead of hundreds of patrons. Seriously...the Tempe "Oktoberfest" is a complete waste of time and money. Will never go again. I suspect the park itself might be nice if it's not shoulder-to-shoulder full of people and booths selling junk food. read more

This is a sweet place, and unexpected in the desert. I have been here in the past for paddle boating on the lake, concerts in the park and a few runs. This past weekend I ran the Frank Kush 5K - lots of people and their dogs, good weather and a nice gathering spot. The area has many portable bathrooms, picnic tables and even a baseball field. When someone from out of state visits, I often try to bring them here - especially if there is an event being held. read more

Tempe Beach Park - Under the bridge from a paddle boat - Parks Near Me - Tempe, Arizona

I adore Tempe Beach Park ! Stopped by for Oktoberfest over the weekend ( which was great by the way). I love being able to go and sit on the ledge overlooking the water. You kind of forget you're in the middle of the desert for a brief moment and then you stand up and see all the dirt all over you and reality kicks back in. You can walk and hang out, paddle boat, bike trails etc. Great place to visit! read more

Whenever I'm at Tempe Beach Park, 99% of the time it's for a triathlon or open water swimming event. The park itself is really pretty, with nice facilities that are usually unlocked and stocked with TP (but I always bring my own just in case). The water in Tempe Town Lake is really gross. If you're swimming in it (during a legally sanctioned event! Swimming in it any time is illegal), don't drink it. You'll get sick. Trust me on this one. read more

I visited this place during a trip to Tempe. It is a really nice place to go walking or biking. Part of the track is near the art center so it is a really tranquil place to go camp out, breathe and enjoy the fresh air. I went in a weekday around 1 and the park wasn't too packed. Lots of room to enjoy the track and stroll. read more

Good for taking a walk along the Salt Lake and enjoying the view of nature and buildings around. Easily accessible from downtown Tempe.

Took park in the Lifetime Fitness Reindeer Run, well our daughter did. It was a great event at a great park! Parking was a bit confusing to a first timer. read more

So nice to visit this area, it's normally grounds form events. We went to the art walk on mill n fifth it was neat. read more

Tempe Beach Park - Pano - Parks Near Me - Tempe, Arizona

Nice place with lots of different things to do. I was only approached by one homeless dude for some money. I didn't have to park, I walked in. So can't comment on the parking situation. It was neat they had paddle board rentals. Not sure about the water quality, but the boards are stable enough that you shouldn't fall in. Overall, I'd come back next time I'm in town! read more

Very nice park, you can run, bike, kayak, row, paddle board, rollerblade, hike and its in the middle of downtown Tempe. Everything happens here. read more

Tempe Beach Park - Running in Tempe Town Lake - Parks Near Me - Tempe, Arizona

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