Tempe

Tempe is the East Valley's energy center, home to Arizona State University and one of the largest student populations in the country. That gives downtown Tempe a youth and density unusual for the metro: Mill Avenue is a walkable strip of bars, music venues, restaurants, and shops that stays busy long after dark.

Tempe Town Lake is the local surprise — a two-mile recreational lake built in the bed of the usually-dry Salt River, lined with paths for running and biking, kayak and pedal-boat rentals, and the riverside amphitheater and parks that host many of the Valley's biggest festivals. The Tempe Festival of the Arts and Fourth of July fireworks over the lake are signature events.

Sun Devil Stadium and the ASU campus anchor the sports and culture scene, from college football Saturdays to concerts and the ASU Gammage theater's Broadway series. 'A' Mountain (Hayden Butte) gives a quick climb and a downtown-and-lake panorama right from the edge of campus.

Light rail connects Tempe straight to downtown Phoenix and Mesa, so it's an easy car-free base. Summer is hot, but the lakefront comes alive at night and the festival season runs heavy from fall through spring.