Tempe's wide range of family oriented attractions and activities will please both parents and kids. Summer vacation can include water parks and interactive museums. The holiday season sparkles with Tempe's Fantasy of Lights and the fun-filled Insight Bowl. Spring break is perfect for hiking, biking and catching a Spring Training game.

• Rent a pedal boat or kayak, cruise around on an electric boat or even go fishing at Tempe Town Lake. This two-mile urban oasis is located just north of the Mill Avenue District and features the glittering Fantasy of Lights Boat Parade during the holidays.
• Tempe Beach Park, which surrounds the lake, boasts nearly 5 miles of pathways for walking or biking. From April to September, the coolest spot for children is the free Cox Splash Playground at Tempe Beach Park.
• Childsplay, Arizona's professional theatre company for young audiences, is the primary resident company at Tempe Center for the Arts. Childsplay offers a series of productions annually - perfect for parents who want to be entertained while introducing their children to theatre.
• Get up close and personal with the Sonoran Desert. Go on a scenic hike at Papago Park, just north of Tempe Town Lake, or South Mountain Park/Preserve, the nation's largest municipal park. The well-marked trails feature excellent examples of desert plants and wildlife.
• The Phoenix Zoo in Papago Park has been voted one of the nation's top 5 zoos for kids. The whole family will enjoy exhibits such as the Monkey Village, Harmony Farm and Wallaby Walkabout, where visitors can personally meet the animals in an unfenced exhibit.
• Big Surf, America's original water park, offers a full mix of rides for the entire family every summer. Kids and adults alike will love thrilling speed slides like Hurricane Falls and the little ones can splash around at Captain Cooks Landing.
• At Golfland/Sunsplash, families can play video games or laser tag in King Ben's Castle, play miniature golf, ride bumper boats, splash in multiple waterslides and pools, coast down the Endless River and more.
• Spend the day at Arizona Mills. This indoor outlet mall features the Rainforest Cafe, virtual reality arcade at GameWorks and exhilarating, educational films at IMAX Tempe.
• From pizza to burgers to more sophisticated fare, you'll find it all in the Mill Avenue District. After dinner, you'll want to save room for your own ice cream creation at Cold Stone Creamery, which originated in Tempe, or try a homemade ice cream sandwich at Cookiez on Mill. During the holidays enjoy the APS Fantasy of Lights Parade along Mill Avenue.
• At Tempe Marketplace, adults and children alike will love grooving to the sounds of live bands performing outside in The District every Thursday-Sunday evening. During the warmer months, the little ones can cool off at the Splash Pad fountain. Or, catch a movie at the Harkins Theatre Cine Capri at Tempe Marketplace 16, home to the largest movie screen in Arizona.
• On the first Saturday of the month at Changing Hands Bookstore, don't miss Costume Storytime, where books come to life. On third Saturdays, the bookstore presents Animal Tails with the Phoenix Zoo, featuring live critters and information about the animals that we all know and love. Both events are at 11 a.m.
• Be a kid again at the Hall of Flame Fire Museum where you can explore firefighting equipment dating back to 1725.
• Catch a fly ball, get an autograph and have a hot dog at Tempe Diablo Stadium during the annual Spring Training season. Tempe is proud to be the home of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Spring Training.