Where Historic Meets Hip

So much of downtown’s outdoor adventures start at the Santa Fe Plaza.

Jump on the new Santa Fe Market Trail and meander your way through the city’s core, past fountains, parks and food trucks. Within distance of each other are two downtown mainstays for adults and families. The Santa Fe Gardens offer quiet respite among native Texas plants, a gazebo and picnic tables. Kids will enjoy the Whistle Stop Playground, an interactive stomping grounds with a railroad theme.

When it’s time to shoot hoops, toss the frisbee or picnic, head to Jackson Park. This 7.7-acre park is an oasis embedded among historic downtown homes. The city’s center is also home to various sports fields, where soccer, baseball and softball games are frequently held.

Temptation is on the menu in downtown Temple.

On Saturdays, start at Pignetti’s for brunch and make room for their banana cream French toast made with vanilla wafers. Any day is a great time to get lunch at Bird Creek Burger Co. Good luck choosing between the cheese curds, fried green tomatoes, and chicken and waffles.

Sample flavors from the East with bento, hibachi or rolls at Nami Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi Bar. Just two blocks away is Thai Café, where locals rave about the pineapple red curry and drunken noodle dishes.

A wide selection of brews are always on tap at O’Brien’s Irish Pub. Sample craft beers from Texas while listening to one of 60-plus national artists that perform at the pub each year. With 36 beer and wine taps, Treno’s Taproom & Pizzeria tantalizes taste buds with libations and Italian pies.

A must-visit spot at The Hub, a turn-of-the-century harness shop transformed into dining and shopping center, is Sweet Eileen for dipped cones and handspun milkshakes.

View downtown restaurants.

For more than 25 seasons, the Temple Symphony Orchestra has hit the right notes with locals, performing pieces from classical to contemporary. Visiting national and international artists also frequent the stage.

Museums are a staple in the downtown cultural scene, particularly the Railroad and Heritage Museum. Exhibits, model trains and an interactive outside area with locomotives, cabooses and passenger cars are part of the draw.

The Temple Children’s Museum is renovating its downtown location to intensify its arts and science experience, and the Czech Heritage Museum & Genealogy Center conveys the regional influences of the Czech people.

Get in step at In the Mood Ballroom, where you can take group or private dance lessons in a historically renovated building from 1885.

Downtown Temple is served by the Temple Independent School District (ISD). Alternative and private schools are also an option.