Mill Avenue runs north from the ASU campus down to Tempe Town Lake — a half-mile of restaurants, bars, music venues, and shops that constitute Tempe's downtown. The strip dates back to the 1890s, but its current incarnation is a mix of restored brick storefronts and newer mid-rise developments.
This is where Tempe students go out, so expect a college-town energy on weekend evenings. Day or night, it's the easiest place in metro Phoenix to walk between dinner, a drink, and a venue without moving your car. The Hayden Flour Mill at the north end, with its 1918 grain silos, is being redeveloped as a public space.