Arizona State University


South of Scottsdale and sandwiched between downtown Phoenix and Mesa, Tempe is home to the 50,000 students of Arizona State University's main campus. Founded in 1885, the vast campus is home to the Sun Devil Stadium, performance venues, galleries and museums, and has some eye-catching architecture. It’s also taken a leadership role in the eco-movement in striving to become a ‘living laboratory’ for sustainability.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. ASU Art Museum

0.32 MILES

This airy, contemporary gallery space has permanent collections of contemporary, Southwestern, North and Latin American art, hosts regular temporary shows…

2. Mill Ave

0.52 MILES

Along the western edge of Arizona State University, Mill Ave is Tempe's main drag and is lined with restaurants, bars and a mix of national chains and…

3. 'A' Mountain

0.74 MILES

For sweeping metro and mountain views, huff it up for half a mile to the top of Tempe's 'A' Mountain, so-called because of the giant letter 'A' painted…

4. Tempe Town Lake

1.12 MILES

Mill Ave spills into Tempe Town Lake, a 2-mile-long recreational pond created by reclaiming the long-dry Salt River in the 1990s. Have a picnic at Tempe…

5. Phoenix Zoo

2.35 MILES

Home to more than 1400 animals, including local natives such as the bald eagle and bighorn sheep, Phoenix Zoo houses species rare and common in several…

6. Desert Botanical Garden

2.98 MILES

Blue bells and Mexican gold poppies are just two of the colorful showstoppers blooming from March to May along the Desert Wildflower Loop Trail at this…

7. Pueblo Grande Museum

3.5 MILES

The O'odham Indians use the word 'Hohokam' ('all used up') for the ancestors who mysteriously abandoned this adobe city and the intricate irrigation…

8. Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art

5.02 MILES

Complementing the adjacent Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, SMoCA's five galleries, housed in a cleverly adapted old movie theater, showcase…