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Bet Hedgers to Opportunists: Dealing with Uncertainty in the Desert

Local Information

• Maps and Directions to ASU
• Hotels
• Restaurants
• Attractions
• Travel

Maps and Directions to ASU

Visit this site for directions, parking information, and a map of the Tempe campus: http://www.asu.edu/map

Travel

Getting Here: Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport (PHX) is only a few minutes from campus and area hotels.  It is a major international airport serviced by most carriers.

Getting Around: You can take a taxi or the less expensive Super Shuttle to get to your hotel, and the Valley Metro buses to get around the greater Phoenix area. Most buses come every 15 minutes, and you can get almost anywhere from ASU's campus without transferring. If you are planning to go out of bus range, most car rental companies are available at the airport. Keep in mind that there are several hotels and dining options within walking distance of the ASU campus (see below).

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Hotels

The hotels below are within walking–distance of campus, but many other options are available in the surrounding area.

Twin Palms
We have reserved a limited number of rooms here for conference participants at a reduced rate of $99 per night for double occupancy. Please ask for the ASU rate and say you are with the Iridescence conference when you reserve to get this rate. Reserve early as space is limited.
225 East Apache Boulevard
(480) 967–9431

University Motel
902 South Mill Avenue
(480) 966–7221

Tempe Mission Palms
60 E. 5th St.
(480) 894–1400

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Restaurants

Good local restaurants and cafes within walking distance of campus:

Blue Nile – Delicious Ethiopian food (vegetarian and vegan friendly). (Southeast corner of Rural and University Dr.)

Phoenicia Café – Good Greek and Mediterranean food. (Northwest corner of Forest and 6th St.)

Three Roots Coffee House – Good coffee and free wireless internet. Food menu is limited, but always good. (Mill Ave. just south of 10th St.)

Slices – Great variety of pizza by the slice. (6th St. just east of Mill Ave.)

House of Tricks – A little bit pricey, but fantastic food. (7th St. just east of Myrtle Ave.)

My Big Fat Greek Restaurant – Local chain with good Greek food. (Mill Ave. just south of 5th St.)

Rula Bula – Irish pub with a good selection of food and beer. (Mill Ave. between 3rd and 5th St.)

There are several restaurants and bars (as well as some shopping) on Mill Avenue between University and Rio Salado.
Go here for more info: http://www.downtowntempe.com

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Natural Attractions

Local Birding: ASU Campus – Bird life is surprisingly abundant on the ASU campus with an interesting mix of native desert birds and urban specialists. Notable species on campus include:
Anna’s Hummingbird (Calypte anna)
Abert’s Towhee (Pipilo aberti)
House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus)
Verdin (Auriparus flaviceps)
Curve–billed Thrasher (Toxostoma curvirostre)
Cactus Wren (Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus)
Great–tailed Grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus)
Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
Peach–faced Lovebirds (Agapornis roseicollis)

Desert Botanical Garden (www.desertbotanical.org) – This is a beautiful garden with a wide variety of desert plants from the Sonoran desert and beyond as well as displays highlighting the ethnobotany of the local region. This is a good location to find common desert residents and wintering sparrows and warblers

Papago Park
(http://phoenix.gov/parks/hikepapa.html)
This popular city park is home to scenic red rock formations and common desert resident birds including numerous Gambel’s Quail (Callipepla gambelii) and cooperatively hunting Harris’s hawks (Parabuteo unicinctus).

Rio Salado project (http://phoenix.gov/riosalado/) Although still in the early stages of restoration, this riparian corridor through urban Phoenix has yielded sightings of more than 200 species of birds.

Gilbert Water Ranch (http://www.riparianinstitute.org/birding.cfm) is one of the most popular birding sites in the valley. This complex of ponds and riparian edge habitat is an excellent location to look for waterfowl, wading, and shorebirds. The water ranch also boasts an impressive list of rare bird sightings including Streak–back Oriole (Icterus pustulatus) and Groove–billed Ani (Crotophaga sulcirostris).

South Mountain Park
(http://phoenix.gov/parks/hikesoth.html)
This is an impressive desert park at the southern edge of town with miles of trails to explore.

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