Safety tips in downtown Phoenix

I am traveling to downtown Phoenix from Las Cruces, New Mexico to watch a Suns game this March. I will be there on Saturday (3/08) and Sunday (3/09).

This is my first trip to Phoenix, and I will be there alone. I%26#39;m a college student, so finances are a bit tight. I%26#39;d like to stay at a budget hotel such as a Super 8, or anything else with a similar price range.

I know there is a Super 8 (on E. Van Buren St.) within a mile of the U.S. Airways Center, so I would like to walk from the motel to the game, and to the Arizona Center as well since it is so close. How safe is this neighborhood after dark? I don%26#39;t plan on staying out too late, but I will be alone and don%26#39;t want to be mugged or anything like that.

I know the motel won%26#39;t be very luxurious, I don%26#39;t mind that. I just want to be able to walk around downtown Phoenix and enjoy the city.

I would appreciate just a general idea of what to expect safety-wise in the area, and also if there are any other hotels within a mile of the U.S. Airways Center that would be equally affordable and safe.

Thank you.

Safety tips in downtown Phoenix

I wouldn%26#39;i recommend walking Van Buren St after dark. It%26#39;s not really desireable during the day, but at least safe in the daylight

Safety tips in downtown Phoenix

What do you think might happen?

There is really not much to see in downtown Phoenix. There are very worthwhile things to see nearby. There is Heritage Park east of downtown and the Arizona Science Center. 1/2 mile from downtown north at McDowell and Central is Phoenix Art Museum and Heard Museum, both very worthwhile.

The area where the Super 8 is located is not the best, but the area near downtown is getting better. Just be observant and careful, and you%26#39;ll be fine.

';';This is my first trip to Phoenix, and I will be there alone. I%26#39;m a college student, so finances are a bit tight. I%26#39;d like to stay at a budget hotel such as a Super 8, or anything else with a similar price range.';';';

The Super 8, would probably be the most affordable, and convenient in the downtown area to the AZ Ctr and the Arena.

Other options might be the Holiday Inn Express on about the 600 North block of 6th Street? The Holiday would also be much more convenient to the AZ Ctr %26amp; Us Airways Center. And the cool new galleries, bars, and restaurants on and near Roosevelt St.( Which is the 1000 North block.)

Or, the SpringHill Suites(?) Suites, in the 800 block of East Van Buren.

Everything else that I can think of, would be mid - to high priced.

';';I know there is a Super 8 (on E. Van Buren St.)';';';

I assume you are inquiring about the Super 8, in the 1000 block of East van Buren.

';';How safe is this neighborhood after dark? I don%26#39;t plan on staying out too late, but I will be alone and don%26#39;t want to be mugged or anything like that.';';';

It%26#39;s not a great area, but not exactly bad...';for Van Buren Street.'; (--other areas of Van Buren to the East of your location--and West of downtown Phx., are %26#39;high crime areas.%26#39;- to put it mildly.)

If you aren%26#39;t comfortable being in the city @ night, by yourself, you shouldn%26#39;t walk it. I personally would, with little worries. With a little %26#39;street sense%26#39;, you will be just fine.

Downtown Phx. is as safe, or safer than any downtown of any city anywhere in the country.

Possibly take a $5 cab ride, to the Arena and Az Ctr.

Arizona Science Center. That bobbear43 mentioned, is about four or five city blocks away. In between the U.S. Airways Center and the Super 8.

';';There is really not much to see in downtown Phoenix. ';';

When people post statements such as this about downtown Phoenix...sometimes what I think they are trying to say is..'; It%26#39;s not a tourist trap, and there aren%26#39;t any resorts or trendy malls in the immediate area.'; For that you could stay in Scottsdale or Sedona, and pay 10 times more.....

cab it to and from definately. The arena area has bars and restaurants, but not much in the evening in downtown PHX. Tempe is the place.

How about the Best Western Central Phoenix Inn on 1100 North Central Ave? Is that a safer neighborhood?

The Best Western is in Phoenix%26#39;s new art scene area. It%26#39;s where the First Friday street festivals are each month.

It%26#39;s pretty nice in that area specifically, as there are new condos nearby and a nice neighborhood. It%26#39;s the stretch of Central from about Van Buren up that%26#39;s worrisome. The park right next to that hotel tends to have a lot of homeless, but I don%26#39;t think it would cause you too many problems.

I think that it would be unlikely that you would get mugged, especially if you%26#39;re a young and reasonably healthy-looking male. By comparison, I would never walk on that stretch of Van Buren that you were looking at alone at night.

hth

How about West Van Buren Street? I found a more affordable motel, the Budget Inn, at 424 W. Van Buren. It%26#39;s between 4th and 5th Avenue. Is the west area of this street safer than the east, or is it generally the same?

I%26#39;d be hesitant to stay at the Budget Motel @ 424 W Van Buren, not from a safety standpoint but a quality of product standpoint. If you are on a very tight budget then OK, but it will be a bit of a walk from here to the arena (a little over a mile).

Safety wise, you should have no problem walking from there to the arena (I wouldn%26#39;t wander west of the motel, the area gets sketchy and there is nothing of interest anyway). There will be plenty of people on the street before and after the game, and lots of vehicular traffic. You might want to look at the exterior of the hotel (or others you picked) on google maps - a street view is available for much of downtown Phoenix.

Downtown PHX can be a ghostown after dark when there isn%26#39;t a sporting event going on, but should be fairly lively on a Sat. night after a basketball game. Have a good time and don%26#39;t worry about getting mugged, it%26#39;s much safer (albeit less interesting) than the central cores of most large US cities.

Enjoy the game! Fantastic arena. We visited Suns-Bulls in november. Hope that ';Village People guy'; still is performing, he is great! BTW we were out only by 11.45 pm. Game started 8.45 pm! (they were late)

Tet