Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Tempe: Places to Explore
- Overview
- Places to Explore
- Sights
- Restaurants
- Hotels
- Entertainment
- Shopping
- Activities
- Travel Tips
- Features
- Fodor's Choice
- Deals
Tempe and Around
View Map
Tempe is the home of Arizona State University's main campus and a thriving student population. A 20-minute drive from Phoenix, the tree- and brick-lined Mill Avenue is the main drag, filled with student hangouts, bookstores, boutiques, eateries, and a repertory movie house. There are always things to do or see, and plenty of music venues and fun, casual dining spots. This is one part of town where the locals actually hang out, stroll, and sit at the outdoor cafés.
The inverted pyramid that is Tempe City Hall, on 5th Street, one block east of Mill Avenue, was constructed by local architects Rolf Osland and Michael Goodwin not just to win design awards (which they have), but also to shield city workers from the desert sun. The pyramid is built mainly of bronzed glass and stainless steel, and the point disappears in a sunken courtyard lushly landscaped with jacaranda, ivy, and flowers, out of which the pyramid widens to the sky: stand underneath and gaze up for a weird fish-eye perspective.
The banks of the Rio Salado in Tempe are the site of a new commercial and entertainment district, and Tempe Town Lake—a 2-mile-long waterway created by inflatable dams in a flood control channel—which is open for boating. There are biking and jogging paths on the perimeter.
Tempe and Around at a Glance
Sights
Elsewhere in Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Tempe
See Also
Free Fodor's Newsletter
Subscribe today for weekly travel inspiration, tips, and special offers.
Fodor's Trip Planning Ideas
- Great American Vacation: Find Your Next U.S. Trip with Fodor's
- 80 Degrees: Fodor's Helps You Find Your Best Beach Vacation Spots
- Go List: Fodor's Top 25 Places to Go in 2013
- Hotel Awards 2012: Fodor's 100 Top Hotels
- Weekend Getaways: Fodor's Recommends the Best Weekend Escapes in the US
- Best of Europe: Fodor's Picks the Best Places to Visit in Europe
Travel Deals in Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Tempe
- $167* & up -- Flights to/from Tucson on American, R/T American Airlines
- $85-$110 -- Phoenix: Studio Suite at Golf Resort, 30% Off Legacy Golf Resort
- $74-$91 -- Scottsdale Golf Resort incl. Weekends, Save 40% Orange Tree Golf Resort
- $29.99 -- Rent a Hyundai Elantra in Phoenix Sixt Rent a Car
- $59* & up -- Fares from 64 U.S. Cities into September, e/w — $59 Frontier Airlines
