VELA at Town Lake
If lakeside living appeals to you but a short commute to work or school is also important, consider taking up residence on the shores of Tempe Town Lake. VELA at Town Lake is located next to the lake’s marina, just south of the Red Mountain Freeway. The apartment complex is approximately two miles north of the Arizona State University Tempe campus, so you can drive from your home to your office or class in approximately five minutes in light traffic. It may take more time to find a parking spot and walk to your class.
The most direct route to campus from the apartment complex is via Scottsdale Drive. Take this road south until you cross Tempe Town Lake and enter campus. The name of the road will change to Rural Road once you cross East Rio Salado Parkway, and you can easily reach all areas of campus from this roadway.
East University is the main road running through the heart of campus, and most of the academic and administrative facilities are located south of this road. The northern campus above University is home to the big attractions, including Wells Fargo Arena, Sun Devil Football Stadium and the softball and football stadiums. This area is also home to the band and athletic training fields and the aquatic complex, so the VELA apartments are convenient for student athletes and coaches.
Transportation
The fastest way to get from the VELA apartments to the ASU campus is to drive your personal vehicle over the lake, but you can also walk down Scottsdale Road. It takes approximately 20 minutes to walk from the apartment complex to the northern edge of campus, so you may want to consider riding a bike or catching a bus on Scottsdale. The buses will allow you to store your bike on the exterior bicycle rack, so you can pedal your way around campus once you arrive.
There are also many bus stops on both sides of Scottsdale Road, and even more stops are found on roads north and south of the lake. This allows you to explore the many restaurants, bars and entertainment venues surrounding campus in all directions.
Things Nearby
VELA at Town Lake is a rewarding place to live if you enjoy hiking, biking, swimming or simply driving through beautiful terrain. Besides sinking a boat in the water at the marina, you can travel northwest to explore the Rolling Hills Golf Course, Evelyn Hallman Park, Phoenix Zoo, Papago Park and Desert Botanical Garden. To the southeast, you have the Rio Salado Park and the Big Surf Waterpark.