Maricopa district, Arizona, United States

Places to visit near Tempe

Tempe is a city in Maricopa district, Arizona, United States, home to about 175,826 people. Within 50 km by road there are 230 places to visit — 63 parks, 59 churches, 20 hill stations & viewpoints and 16 lakes, dams & reservoirs. The must-see places are Mary College (3 km), Hayden Butte (4 km) and Tempe Town Lake (4 km).

Updated · Distances are road estimates · Open Tempe on the map

Tempe at a glance

Location
Maricopa district, Arizona, United States
Population
about 175,826
Coordinates
33.4148° N, 111.9093° W
Places within 50 km
230 (95 must-see)
Best time to visit
October to February for cool, clear air for hill stations & viewpoints; August to December when reservoirs are full and gates may open for lakes, dams & reservoirs; year-round for parks and churches

Top places to visit near Tempe

Ranked by how worth the drive they are from Tempe: must-see places and the closest well-loved spots first. Open a place for photos, today’s visitor status, timings and directions.

More places near Tempe

Things to see near Tempe, by type

Parks near Tempe

63 parks within 100 km of Tempe. The closest is Escalante Park (2 km); the best-known is Papago Park (8 km). Best time: year-round, evenings.

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Churches near Tempe

59 churches within 100 km of Tempe. The closest is Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church (2 km); the best-known is Mary College (3 km). Best time: year-round.

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Hill stations & viewpoints near Tempe

33 hill stations & viewpoints within 100 km of Tempe. The closest is Hayden Butte (4 km). Best time: october to february for cool, clear air.

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Lakes, dams & reservoirs near Tempe

30 lakes, dams & reservoirs within 100 km of Tempe. The closest is SRP Tempe Town Lake Marina (4 km); the best-known is Tempe Town Lake (4 km). Best time: august to december when reservoirs are full and gates may open.

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Museums near Tempe

27 museums within 100 km of Tempe. The closest is Bollinger Atelier (2 km); the best-known is Arizona Museum of Natural History (9 km). Best time: year-round.

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Wildlife, forests & gardens near Tempe

25 wildlife, forests & gardens within 100 km of Tempe. The closest is Selleh Park (2 km); the best-known is Phoenix Zoo (6 km). Best time: november to march for sightings.

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A one-day trip from Tempe

5 of the best places within 60 km, in driving order so you don’t double back: about 21 km on the road.

  1. Start in Tempe
  2. 3 km Mary College · church, Maricopa
  3. 1 km Hayden Butte · viewpoint, Maricopa
  4. 1 km Tempe Town Lake · lake, Maricopa
  5. 3 km Phoenix Zoo · nature spot, Maricopa
  6. 9 km Riverview Lake · lake, Maricopa
  7. 4 km Back to Tempe

Plan a longer trip from Tempe — the planner adds a place to stay each night and keeps the route to one loop.

How to reach Tempe

    All places near Tempe by distance

    Within 15 km of Tempe

    15–50 km — half-day trips

    50–100 km — one-day trips

    Count by type

    Places near Tempe by type
    TypePlacesNearest
    Parks63Escalante Park (2 km)
    Churches59Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church (2 km)
    Hill stations & viewpoints33Hayden Butte (4 km)
    Lakes, dams & reservoirs30SRP Tempe Town Lake Marina (4 km)
    Museums27Bollinger Atelier (2 km)
    Wildlife, forests & gardens25Selleh Park (2 km)
    Forts & heritage18Elias-Rodriguez House (2 km)
    Other attractions9Arizona State Fairgrounds (23 km)
    Beaches & coast3Tempe Beach Park (4 km)
    Temples2Hindu Temple of Arizona (9 km)
    Waterfalls2Arizona Falls (12 km)
    Mosques & dargahs1Islamic Community Center of Phoenix (30 km)
    Treks1Maricopa Trail (30 km)

    Tempe: questions travellers ask

    What are the best places to visit near Tempe?

    Mary College (church, about 3 km), Hayden Butte (viewpoint, about 4 km), Tempe Town Lake (lake, about 4 km), Riverview Lake (lake, about 4 km), Phoenix Zoo (nature spot, about 6 km), Governor Hunt's Tomb (tomb, about 7 km).

    How many tourist places are there within 50 km of Tempe?

    230 places on Spotwander: 63 parks, 59 churches, 20 hill stations & viewpoints, 16 lakes, dams & reservoirs, 26 museums.

    Which is the nearest park to Tempe?

    Escalante Park, about 2 km by road; Connolly Field (2 km) is next.

    Which is the nearest church to Tempe?

    Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church, about 2 km by road; The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (3 km) is next.

    Which is the nearest viewpoint to Tempe?

    Hayden Butte, about 4 km by road; Bell Butte (7 km) is next.

    What is a good one-day trip from Tempe?

    Start in Tempe, visit Mary College, then Hayden Butte, then Tempe Town Lake, then Phoenix Zoo, then Riverview Lake, and drive back — about 21 km by road in all.

    What is the best time to visit places near Tempe?

    October to February for cool, clear air for hill stations & viewpoints; August to December when reservoirs are full and gates may open for lakes, dams & reservoirs; year-round for parks and churches.

    Towns near Tempe

    Sources: places from OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata and GeoNames; Tempe’s location and population from GeoNames. Data sources & credits.