Tempe Mill Avenue Downtown District

Without a doubt, Tempe's Mill Avenue District is the hottest entertainment center in Arizona. It is the hot spot in the Valley of the Sun Phoenix area with the highest concentration of restaurants, cafes, microbreweries, sports bars, unique shopping and nightlife than any other place in the Metro area.

Tempe Mill Avenue is pedestrian-friendly with something happening almost every day of the week. Combined with the nearby Tempe Town Lake, there are hundreds of events scheduled year-round including the Tempe Arts Festival and the Insight/Fiesta Bowl New Years Block Party, voted one of the Top 10 New Year's celebrations in the country.

Tempe Mill Avenue District

Shopping Mill Avenue

This isn't your typical shopping environment, it's a cultural experience in a walkable urban atmosphere. It has the variety of a mall set in the charm of historic downtown. Here you will find brands like Urban Outfitters, Sunglass Hut and Bath and Body Works along with unique boutiques.

If you're the type that likes to combine shopping in a fun, happening place, this is it. It's an eclectic urban oasis of 24-hour culture and lifestyle. Residents and visitors flock here just to hangout and being surrounded by high rise condominiums around Tempe Town Lake, Sun Devil Stadium and the Main Campus of Arizona State University, Mill Avenue is an active place where just people-watching is a fun time. You'll never want to leave this place.

Nightlife and Entertainment

The contrast of nightlife and entertainment is amazing. Mill Avenue has its cultural venue side with broadway-type plays and concerts at Gammage Auditorium offering performances like Phantom of the Opera, Wicked, Cats, Nutcracker and more. There are award-winning local theatre groups featuring plays for audiences of all ages in the many theatres in the area.

There are so many microbreweries, sports bars and restaurants in Tempe, it is difficult to even begin to count them all. The downtown Tempe Mill Avenue area has more restaurants concentrated in one area than any other restaurant row in the Valley from upscale and romantic to hole-in-the-wall specialties. Dine inside or outside. Quaint or fancy. And when you're done with dinner, look in any direction for entertainment that excites you. From country to swing, jazz or rock-n-roll, you'll find a bar, dance club or night spot that fits the bill.

Or, just chill on the sidewalks of downtown where sidewalk entertainment is often spontaneous.

Close To Everything Convenient

Mill Avenue in Tempe is nearby many of the Valley's popular destinations. Sky Harbor International Airport is but a few minutes away making Tempe the ideal place for the busy business traveler that needs diversion from a hard day on the road. Gammage Auditorium is right there on the ASU Campus. The Sun Devil Football Stadium, home of the Sun Devils and the Annual Insight Bowl is within walking distance as is Tempe Town Lake where you can jog, bike, sail, kayak or enjoy a lunch on a bench on the lake's shore.

The Desert Botanical Garden is nearby in Papago Park and the Phoenix Zoo across the Tempe Bridge. Getting to venues North, South, East or West is easy and quick with multiple freeways going in all directions.

Tempe Mill Avenue District

Mill Avenue Events

This is the entertainment center in the Valley of the Sun with something hot happening almost every day from live music in its many nightlife venues and even on the sidewalks just about every night. The streets of Mill Avenue is just a great place to hangout and people watch.

Mill Avenue sponsored annual events are some of the most attended in the country and include its twice per year Tempe Festival of the Arts which attracts 5,000,000 every year. The 4th of July Fireworks celebration is the best Fourth of July Show in the Phoenix area.

The Insight Fiesta Bowl New Year's Block Party is a New Year's Eve bash you do not want to miss. Over 100,000 jam the Mill Avenue District to bring in the New Year with national and local headlining entertainment groups. This is the street party of all street parties.

Other annual events include Oktoberfest. During the holiday Christmas season enjoy the Fantasy of Lights and the Holiday Boat Parade on Tempe Town Lake. And of course don't forget the sporting events including the Insight College Football Bowl held at Sun Devil Stadium.

Parking On Mill Avenue

And parking on Mill Avenue? There are parking metered spaces every where, a parking garage with over 5,000 spaces and 5 "Parkit" locations where the first hour is free with extended parking validations offered by participating commercial businesses in the area. During major events held in the Downtown District, the streets are closed to vehicle traffic and the entire area becomes a pedestrian-friendly environment.