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5 must-try summer dates for students in the Valley

Tempe Beach Park Picnic

Grab some grub and have a picnic at Tempe Beach Park, the perfect place to enjoy excellent waterfront views on a warm summer night. (Photo Illustration)


With summer temperatures scorching through the Valley at over 120 degrees Fahrenheit, it can be hard to find a cool way to spend the day with that special someone.

Here are our top five picks for summer dates that beat the heat without breaking the bank:

Picnic at Tempe Beach Park

With the pains of heat wave-ridden days come the joys of warm summer nights. What better way to take advantage of Arizona’s beautiful sunsets than a dinner picnic on the waterfront?

Waiting until dinner time means fewer blaring rays and a nice breeze off the lake — not to mention a spectacular view of Tempe Town Lake’s bridges, all lit up.

Run through the drive-through at In-N-Out and ask to eat your meal “in the car.” That way, they’ll pack up all your munchies in a convenient little cardboard box, perfect for picnicking. Or, opt for a cold meal such as sandwiches or sushi to help cool down even more.

Catch a Drive-In Movie

The charms of the classic drive-in movie are not just a thing of the past, and with no sight of cloudy skies in the near future, cinephiles throughout the Valley can get their fill.

At the West Wind Glendale Drive-In, you can pull up and enjoy Hollywood’s latest films for $7.50 on most nights and only $5.25 on Tuesdays.

Most shows are double-features, so for the price of one ticket, you can knock out two of your summer must-sees. T

he theater features digitally-projected films as well as a fully-stocked snack bar, playgrounds and arcades to help pass the time between each movie.

Take a Flashlight Tour of the Desert Botanical Garden

Touring the Desert Botanical Garden should be on every Arizonan’s bucket list, but during those peak-free-time summer months, the idea of trekking through this scorching desert environment seems less than ideal.

Thursday and Saturday nights this summer, the Desert Botanical Garden hosts a cooler alternative to the traditional garden tour in an after-dark journey through the garden’s trails with stops at its various discovery and activity stations.

These special flashlight tours are only offered at the Gardens through Sept. 3.

Bring your own flashlight and you will only have to pay the $22 general admission fee to take part in this nighttime exploration.

Get lost in the Phoenix Puzzle Room

Exercise your brain without working up a sweat at the Phoenix Puzzle Room, an escape room experience downtown.

The venue currently hosts two different escape rooms, with another coming soon. Here, guests are given one hour and a series of logic puzzles to unlock keys essential to their own escape. 

Phones and other personal effects are not permitted inside the venue, making this a Phoenix experience you must see yourself!

Paint the Night Away

Get out of your comfort zone and create some art!

At Phoenix-based art studio, Pinspiration, you can finally fulfill all of those DIY projects you had been eyeing on Pinterest for ages. Pinspiration will provide you with all of the tools, supplies and space you need to make take your crafts from the pin board to the drawing board.

Although the studio offers several different projects to choose from, their “Splatter Date” is the perfect way to create Jackson Pollock inspired masterpieces while taking part in a romantic evening with that special someone.

The “Splatter Date” package includes all necessary art supplies as well as champagne, chocolates and a cheese tray. Check on Groupon for a great deal on this romantic evening for two.


Reach the reporter at ekamezak@asu.edu or follow her on Twitter @emikamezaki

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