Arusha National Park is 25km east of town — a manageable half-day trip with game drives among the Momela crater lakes, or a guided walk on the lower slopes of Mount Meru. Not as spectacular as the main safari parks, but good for smaller mammals, birds, and close views of Meru's summit.
Tengeru market, 25 minutes east on the Moshi road, is held on Wednesdays and Saturdays: produce, clothing, local crafts, and a chaotic but enjoyable atmosphere. The lake at Doluti crater, just nearby, can be visited by canoe.
Longido, 80km north near the Kenyan border, is a Maasai settlement accessible on organised half-day trips. It gives a genuine introduction to Maasai culture and livestock farming. The walk up Longido Mountain, with a local guide, takes around four hours and rewards with views across both Tanzania and Kenya.
Ng'iresi Village, 7km from town in the foothills of Mount Meru, offers a community-run cultural tour: coffee and banana plantations, traditional farming methods, and views of the Arusha district. Nkoaranga, 40 minutes out at 1,650m elevation, is similar and on a clear day gives sightlines to Kilimanjaro.