Tempe, Arizona is a city in the Phoenix area home to Arizona State University’s main campus and other popular attractions such as the Mill Avenue District and Tempe Town Lake. The city is located just east of Phoenix, south of Scottsdale, and west of Mesa. Arizona State University is a hub for the arts community in the greater Phoenix area, and the Mill Avenue District is a major shopping, nightlife, and entertainment draw. Tempe is the location of the annual Fiesta Bowl Block Party—a New Year’s celebration that attracts nearly 50,000 people—and other events such as the Ford Ironman Arizona, and the NCAA college football Insight Bowl. Tempe’s population was 161,719 in 2010, making up about 4% of the total Phoenix area population.
Arizona State University’s campus in Tempe is the oldest and largest, with almost 60,000 students enrolled. The university is the primary community hub for arts and performance. Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, ASU’s Gammage Theatre hosts Major Broadway productions. The ASU Art Museum is home to several extraordinary art collections and exhibits, and was named “the single most impressive venue for contemporary art in Arizona” by Art in America magazine. Outside the ASU campus, the Tempe Center for the Arts has an impressive gallery and hosts a diverse array of performances.
Tempe Town Lake and the Mill Avenue District are two of the main attractions in Tempe. The Mill Avenue District downtown is a historic and pedestrian-friendly street with shops, restaurants, pubs, and nightlife options. Located near the ASU campus, it’s a popular area for students and locals. Events are held in this lively district throughout the year, including the highly attended New Year’s Eve Fiesta Bowl Block Party. Adjacent Tempe Town Lake is a reservoir popular for boating and sailing, and for walking, jogging, biking, and in-line skating the 5 miles of paths that circle the lake. Twenty-five-acre Tempe Beach Park is located at the reservoir and has trails, baseball fields, a splash playground for children, picnic areas, and everything else necessary for an outdoor family get-together. Each year the park hosts over 75 events like the Ford Ironman Arizona and the Tempe Music Festival.
There are popular attractions, shopping centers, and restaurants located all throughout Tempe. And what you can’t in Tempe you can find a quick drive away in Phoenix and other nearby communities. There are multiple parks just minutes away, such as Papago, which has dozens of trails through the Sonoran Desert and is home to the Phoenix Zoo and Desert Botanical Garden. Tempe hotels are varied and plentiful and have the added advantage of being only a few minutes’ drive from the Phoenix airport. Downtown Tempe, Arizona is located about 12 miles east of downtown Phoenix, and about 4 miles east of the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. To learn more about Tempe hotels, attractions, and things to do, explore the links on the left.
