Coming to a university as big as ASU can be intimidating. Knowing where to go to have a good time can relieve some of the stress that goes along with move-in, the first few days of classes and adjusting to dorm life.
When a break from the monotony of classes and homework becomes a necessity, the Stand Up Live Comedy Theater on Jefferson Street in Phoenix is the perfect stop. Just a short walk from the Metro Light Rail stop at Central and Jefferson, the theater is easily accessible.
The theater seats 600 and brings high caliber comedians to the Phoenix area. Stand Up Live also offers a full dinner menu and free parking for up to three hours.
Craving a little adventure? F1 Race Factory and K1 Speed Phoenix are conveniently located close to ASU. F1 promises the fastest go-kart races and is open until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, while K1 specializes in European style racing. Tempe Paintball, located on the 1400 block of South McClintock Drive, boasts a 12,000 square-foot indoor and air conditioned paintball field. Rental equipment is available and every Friday is Ladies Night.
Clubs for ages 18 and over are hard to come by around ASU, but they do exist. Afterlife in Scottsdale is open Thursday through Saturday until 4 a.m. with a hookah den, three dance floors, blackjack, pool tables, video games and late night food. PHX Nightclub in downtown Phoenix also features an 18 and over night every Sunday.
Sports fans made the right choice coming to ASU. Aside from ASU’s many sporting events, downtown Phoenix is teeming with options to gratify any sports fan. Chase Field, home of the Arizona Diamondbacks, is just a few blocks from Taylor Place. Single game tickets start at $11.
Just a few blocks away from Chase Field is the US Airways Center, home to the Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury. Basketball fans can enjoy professional games almost year-round.
There is certainly no shortage of museums in Phoenix, either. Phoenix has something for everyone no matter what your interests may include. The Arizona Science Center, located at 600 E. Washington St., boasts 300 exhibits, a planetarium and an IMAX theater. The Phoenix Police Museum displays a Ford Model A police car from 1919, police uniforms to try on, along with an assortment of other law enforcement memorabilia dating back to the 1880s.
The Phoenix Art Museum and the Heard Museum, which has a private collection of American Indian Art, are both located on Central Avenue. The George Washington Carver Museum and Cultural Center, located at 415 E. Grant St., commemorates the African American experience. The building was once the Phoenix Union Colored High School, which closed in 1954, and includes a library, art gallery and historical exhibits. If museums are not for you, the SEA LIFE Aquarium offers an interesting and educational view of aquatic animals.
With all the entertainment and culture that ASU and the surrounding community have to offer, there is no excuse for boredom. Take advantage of everything the area has to offer and a great year is virtually guaranteed.
Reach the reporter at cemurph2@asu.edu
