Originally Posted by
Wilbur
From your requirements, I recommend that you look for a place in one of these locations, in descending order of likely interest.
Old Town Scottsdale
Kierland area of Scottsdale
Mill Avenue in Tempe
The light rail will be useless for your purposes - it doesn't go anywhere that will interest you.
You will need a rental car. Nobody Walks in L.A., and getting around the Valley of the Sun is an automotive activity.
I mostly agree with the locations, but would favor either Mill Ave in Tempe or downtown Phoenix, as either is workable with the light rail.
From what I remember, for the last couple of superbowls here, there was quite a bit of activity on/near Mill Ave in Tempe, Tempe Town Lake, and at Sun Devil Stadium (where ASU plays).
The light rail goes from the Mesa border (roughly Dobson/Main) all the way up past downtown Phoenix. There is a stop (Priest/Washington) for the zoo/botanical gardens, but it is either a healthy 15 min walk, or a transfer to bus (the bus is typically waiting there for the trains to stop).
If there is a Suns basketball game, the dowtown area could be lively. But it has really changed over the past few years, with more and more conventions that downtown does actually have some nightlife, at least during the week.
Chase Field, where the Diamondbacks play, has tours, and the AZ Science Center is also downtown. The Heard museum is a quick ride on the light rail north of downtown.
There are a few hotels within walking distance to the 44th St/Washington light rail station (I think most call this, "airport north,") which could also work in a pinch. There's a Crown Plaza right there, along with a handful nearby. From here you could walk to the Chinese Cultural Center, roughly at 44th St/Van Buren (or hop on the rail).
I live out in Chandler, near CHD, and even hotels out there sell out for the superbowl, so definitely book as soon as you can. It is about an hour drive from there to the stadium in Glendale.