Accommodations
Conference Hotel
We have reserved a block of rooms at the Marriott Courtyard Tempe Downtown Hotel at a special rate of $149 per night. In order to get this rate, you must book your room by December 30th, 2019. The hotel is located in downtown Tempe just west of Mill Ave and numerous bars and restaurants. The hotel is just under 1 mile from the conference venue and is walk-able in less than 20 minutes. This area is also served by the Free Orbit Jupiter route shuttle.
In order to get the reduced rate and for the Southwest Symposium Organization to get credit for the reservation, you must book using this link or by calling directly and referencing the ASU Archaeology Conference group rate.
Other Hotel Options:
Other hotels near ASU include the Graduate Hotel and the Moxy, both of which are walking distance to the conference venue. We do not have block rooms available at these properties so we suggest checking early for the best prices. In addition to this, there are numerous relatively inexpensive hotels of variable quality (read reviews) east of campus along Apache Blvd and the light rail including Holiday Inn Express, Motel 6, Super 8, and several others.
Travel and Parking
Flying
Arizona State University and the conference venue are just five miles from the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. The airport is served by most major airlines and is the hub for US Airways. The conference hotel and venue are easily accessible by light rail, shuttle, and taxi from the airport. Additional local transportation information can be found here.
The Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport in Mesa is approximately 25 miles from the conference venue and hotel. This airport is served by Allegiant, Swoop, and WestJet and has direct flights from a number of smaller airports in the midwest, the Great Lakes, and the mountain west. Shuttle transportation to Tempe and other valley cities is available from this airport as well for about $40 round trip. See this link for ground transportation options.
Public Transportation
Public transportation is available and abundant in and around Tempe and the conference venue.
Free Orbit Shuttle
The city of Tempe has a FREE Orbit neighborhood circulator shuttle bus that runs throughout much of the city with a 15 minute frequency on most routes. This bus is centered on ASU and the conference venue with routes that include other major destinations and shopping areas. The Orbit runs 365 days a year with most routes running from 6:30 AM to 7:30 PM on weekdays and until 10:30 PM on weekends (check details for specific routes).
Valley Metro Light Rail and Busses
Tempe and the surrounding cities in the Phoenix Metro area are served by a Light Rail system which runs to the Sky Harbor International Airport (via the PHX Sky Train station) and other major destinations in Phoenix, Tempe, Mesa, and Gilbert (including many areas with inexpensive lodging). The McClintock/Apache Blvd Light Rail stop is approximately 0.5 miles from the conference venue. The Light Rail runs on 15 minute intervals 24 hours a day and tickets may be purchased at any station ($2 for one ride or $4 for a day pass). There are numerous park and ride areas with free parking for Metro riders.
Areas not served by the Orbit or Light Rail are often accessible via other Valley Metro Bus routes. Schedules are available here.
Parking
There are many parking options in and around ASU and the conference venue ranging from uncovered parking for $5 per day to covered parking at $15 per day. Parking fees for most lots can be paid by credit card upon departure or via the Parkmobile app. Details on accessible parking are available here. The Apache Blvd Parking Structure at the corner of Apache Blvd and College Ave has visitor parking just 500 feet from the Memorial Union venue for $15 per day. Other options include the Fulton Parking Garage, the Rural Road Parking Garage, and surface Lot 20, all of which are less than 0.5 miles from the venue.
Parking garages will be free on Saturday, February 1st.
Dining, Shopping, and Other Attractions
The conference venue is located on the Arizona State University Tempe campus near downtown Tempe with numerous restaurants, bars, and shopping opportunities. Midtown and downtown Phoenix restaurants, bars, and shopping areas are also easily accessible via the Light Rail and bus routes. There are many local and regional attractions from museums to hiking to shopping and live music.
Some highlights include:
Downtown Tempe’s Historic Mill District and Tempe Town Lake
Pueblo Grande Museum and Archaeological Park
The Mesa Grande Cultural Park
The Deer Valley Petroglypyh Preserve and Museum
The Gila River Indian Community – HuHuGam Heritage Center
The Heard Museum of American Indian Art and History
The Desert Botanical Garden
The Arizona Natural History Museum
The Tempe History Museum
The Musical Instrument Museum
The Phoenix Museum of Art
South Mountain Park/Preserve
Papago Park
Hayden Butte (A-Mountain)
See Tempe Tourism for more