TAKE IN THE VIEWS OF ‘A’ MOUNTAIN
That’s ‘A’ mountain with a capital (not lowercase) A. Officially called Hayden Butte, everyone in Tempe calls it A Mountain (and so should you) because of the giant, 60-foot-tall, gold-painted letter A. The letter is so big that you can even see it when flying in (or out of) the Phoenix airport.
As everyone in Tempe will tell you—this is quite a popular hike. So if you’re game to get your cardio on, we say go for it and would love for you to share your thoughts! Or alternatively, if you’re not up for the hike (like, we admit, us), you can still admire it from afar. Which is what we did during our visit.
Our favorite view was at the rooftop pool of the AC Hotel Phoenix/Tempe Downtown. Just take the elevator to the top and look out! How easy is that?
Designed by Antoine Predock, Art in America dubbed the museum as “the single most impressive venue for contemporary art in Arizona.” Also, there’s a sculpture of cowboy boots out front.
Fashion is always art, but it’s extra cool when art is about fashion. Riiight?
Housing the largest collection of Cuban art in the US, the museum also showcases both regional and national contemporary artists, as well as an award-winning print collection.
Extra bonus: it’s always FREE! Click on the website for the most up to date info on opening times.
Architecture buff? Theater lover? Or both? Either way, you’ll love visiting ASU Gammage theater.
An architectural landmark, the theater presents the best of Broadway, as well as concerts, symphonies, and more! Tony and Emmy Award winner John Leguizamo was just at the theater performing his one-man play LATIN HISTORY FOR DUMMIES.
Named after former ASU president Grady Grammage, the theater is one of the last public commissions by his friend, UNESCO-celebrated architect Frank Lloyd Wright.
And with a seating capacity of over 3,000, Gammage is one of the largest university performing arts centers in the world. The auditorium is (unsurprisingly) listed on the National Register of Historic Places.