When my friends come to visit me in Phoenix, It can be tricky to find places that they will love.
Plus, I must consider the weather when they come because not many people are used to the desert heat.
That’s especially true when the temperatures rise into the triple digits. I have been living here for over 30 years, and I am still not used to it. Heat exhaustion is a real thing in Phoenix, so I am always aware of how much time I spend outside when the weather is hot. Over the years, I have spent a lot of time indoors in my comfortable air conditioning. But when my friends are in town, I usually plan entertainment for them. While I am comfortable at home in my A/C, I can’t expect them to do the same. One of my favorite places to take them is to Tempe Marketplace. It’s an open air shopping area that has lots of stores, bars, restaurants, events, and more. What I love about it is that it’s comfortable to walk around there. Not only are there stores with air conditioning, but there are also misters which are like outdoor cooling stations for the patrons. Another feature of the marketplace is that it has a splash pad. I have never needed to cool off in it, but there are people, especially kids who will use it as a cooling station. All in all, the marketplace is a great spot because there are lots of stores with air conditioning as well as cooling stations outside. And best of all, my friends love it and they never complained about the heat while we were there.