Travel at My PaceAccessible family travel, one stop at a time

Journal · Tempe · Arizona

Tempe on a hot day: Tempe Marketplace's splash pad, misters and a donut stop

An outdoor center with a play fountain for kids and misters for everyone else, a sushi place I've eaten at at least 15 times, and a donut shop with a mural. Small, easy Valley outings.

By Travis Estes · Updated November 2026 · Gentle

An open box of frosted and topped donuts next to two iced coffees on a wooden table
A box from Hurts Donut in Tempe, August 6, 2017.

Tempe Marketplace got five stars from me in June 2018, for a reason that matters a lot in an Arizona summer: "A bunch of nice places to eat plus a nice splash pad for the kiddos. It also has misters on to keep it a bit cooler in there."

It's an outdoor shopping center at the Loop 101 and 202 crossroads, so it's easy to reach from most of the Valley. The center describes itself as an outdoor mall with "a play fountain for kids."

  1. Tempe MarketplaceSplash pad, misters and places to eat, at the Loop 101 and 202
  2. KabukiJapanese food at the center
  3. Hurts DonutA donut shop on University Drive in Tempe

The splash pad and misters

  • Splash pad hours: 10 AM to 10 PM every day, per the center's information page.
  • Center hours: 11 AM to 9 PM Monday to Saturday, and 11 AM to 6 PM on Sunday. Store and restaurant hours vary.
  • Getting there: from Loop 101, take Exit 52 (University Drive northbound, Rio Salado Parkway southbound). From Loop 202, take Exit 7 westbound or Exit 8 eastbound. The address is 2000 E Rio Salado Pkwy.

Where I ate there: Kabuki

Kabuki Japanese Restaurant is at Tempe Marketplace. My review: "I've eaten here at least 15 times. Its quality food for a fairly good price." Check its page for this season's hours.

A donut stop: Hurts Donut

A mural of two fists with the words Hurts Donut tattooed across the knuckles, on a brick wall
The mural at Hurts Donut, August 6, 2017.

Hurts Donut is at 2161 E University Dr in Tempe. My 2017 review: "Unique donut shop with fun decor and very tasty donuts." My photos are from 8:14 on a Sunday morning in August 2017: the mural on the wall, and a box of donuts with two iced coffees.

Who this suits

All ages: the splash pad for kids, and the misters, the restaurants and the late hours for everyone else. It pairs well with the Phoenix Zoo, and it's an easy first evening if you've just flown into Phoenix Sky Harbor.

Gear that helps

The splash pad is open until 10 PM, and summer evenings in the Valley are still hot. For the kids and whoever is watching them:

Affiliate links: the Amazon links here are tagged, so I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. They're suggestions for this kind of trip, not products I've tested, and prices change, so I don't list them. Disclosure

More ideas, grouped by need, on the accessible travel gear page.

Sources

Official pages read November 2, 2026.

Opening hours, routes and rules change; check the official pages before you go. Planning links for every guide are on the Plan page.