Ehrhardt Park Playground

That treehouse-style structure is genuinely one of the cooler designs you’ll find at a neighborhood park in Tempe — kids get into it immediately. The soft flooring is a nice touch, especially in Arizona heat when a fall on hard ground is the last thing anyone needs. Shade from the canopy actually does its job here, which locals know is not something you can take for granted. There’s a basketball court and open grass field for older kids, plus picnic tables and a BBQ area that make it easy to stretch a visit into a full afternoon. It’s a quiet spot, well-kept, with parking that doesn’t make you want to pull your hair out.