Tempe combines water, Hohokam history, architecture, and art. If you want to plan your stay around specific interests, you can choose between the paths around Tempe Town Lake, rental options at Tempe Beach Park, petroglyphs at Hayden Butte, and cultural venues such as ASU Gammage or the ASU Art Museum.
Water and Events
Tempe Town Lake is in the heart of Tempe and is more than two miles long. It was created by damming a section of the dry Salt River and filling it with water. The paths around the lake are open daily from 5 a.m. to midnight. Check access hours before your visit, as they may change.
Stand-up paddleboards, kayaks, and pedal boats are available from Tempe Boat Rental at Tempe Beach Park. If you plan to use one of these options, check availability in advance, as it may change. Path hours and rental availability answer different planning questions: when the paths are open and whether a specific watercraft is available.
Tempe Beach Park hosts about 40 events each year; the schedule may change. If a specific event is important to you, check its exact date before your trip. The approximate annual number describes the yearly program, not the event date.
History, Architecture, and Art
Hayden Butte Preserve is home to about 500 Hohokam petroglyphs, created between A.D. 750 and 1450. The Leonard Monti Trail climbs the side of Hayden Butte and was dedicated in 1994. A.D. 750 to 1450 refers to the period when the petroglyphs were created; 1994, by contrast, is the year the trail was dedicated. The two numbers therefore refer to different time periods.
The Eisendrath House is a historic adobe house in the Pueblo Revival style, built in Tempe in the 1930s. Adobe refers to the building material, while Pueblo Revival describes the style. ASU Gammage was completed in 1964 and is considered Frank Lloyd Wright’s last major architectural work. Different features are emphasized in the comparison: material and style at the Eisendrath House, and completion year and place in Wright’s body of work at ASU Gammage. The timeline spans from the Hohokam petroglyphs to 20th-century architecture.
The ASU Art Museum offers tours that connect everyday visitors with the artworks and exhibitions on display there. This distinguishes the museum’s focus from ASU Gammage, which is discussed in terms of architecture and Wright’s work: here, the focus is on engaging with displayed art, while there, it is the building itself. The Eisendrath Center for Water Conservation was opened to residents and visitors.
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