SOUTH TEMPE’S HIDDEN GEM

Kiwanis Park is a seasonal delight with seasonal programming all year long. No matter when you visit, renting a kayak or pedal boat at Boat Rentals of America is a must for exploring this 12-acre lake. Alternatively, surrey bike rentals are available for a ride around the Lakefront Trail loop. Please note that wading or swimming in Tempe Town Lake is not permitted.

Fall & Spring

Kiwanis Park’s playgrounds, picnic areas, batting range and tennis center are buzzing throughout these seasons. Movies in the Park take place at dusk on select Fridays, too. While the lake attracts avian visitors all year, birders will have the best luck sighting one of the 180+ species that have been spotted here during the spring months. The lake is also a popular urban fishing spot that is stocked with rainbow trout, largemouth bass and bluegill each spring and fall.

Summer

Throughout the summer, there’s no better place to make a splash than Kiwanis Park. The indoor wave pool, which features water slides and 3’ waves, operates from April to August (dates vary by month) at the Kiwanis Recreation Center. Outdoors, The Cloud is a 5,000-square-foot splash playground that makes for a perfect summer retreat.

Winter

The annual Water Lantern Festival marks the arrival of the winter season, with the soft light of thousands of lanterns reflecting off of the lake’s surface. Of course, the changing colors of the park’s leaves make winter a scenic time to visit, stroll the walking trails or pack a picnic.