Gila River Arena is a venue in or near Phoenix that is most often used for Basketball
There are a bunch of scalpers outside the arena but they are fine to deal with and every once in a while you get a good deal or pay a little more than face value.
The Coyotes Den is located inside the Arena and sell all the Coyotes gear you could ever ask for. There are also a few smaller stores inside the stadium at different locations.
I love basketball so in February the arena hosts some of the great Arizona high-school basketball teams for their state tournament. The place is packed with local teams' fans and its a fun atmosphere and you see some decent basketball.
The seating is exceptional for this arena. I would definitely recommend seeing a concert here as well. It is such a small venue and you are so close to the action even if you are in the upper deck. If you do get a chance sit in a luxury box because they treat you really good and it has a bunch of good food.
You can pre-purchase parking passes before the game. If not I would suggest parking on 93rd Ave and follow the digital signs to a nearby parking lot.
There really isn't much to check out at the stadium. They have some nice shopping and other sporting events in Phoenix and Glendale. They also have great golf and a bunch of random casinos on Indian reservations. They also have surprisingly good Mexican restaurants.
The Coyotes crowd is good but they have been part of a losing franchise other than the years Roenick was there. They are very family friendly and really treat the opposing teams' fans very nicely.
Saddle Ranch is a great saloon and steakhouse outside the stadium. The prices are a little more expensive that I would like but its a decent steak and they have a host of options and drinks. I also would stay with Cafe Rio since its the best Tex-Mex joint around. I would suggest getting their pork salad or burrito.
There is the usual food such as hot dogs, pizza, and hamburgers. They also have some good Mexican tacos and quesadillas inside. The place isn't too expensive for the hockey games but for some reason they hike the prices up for concerts.
Safety at the stadium is fine. There are a lot of families walking around and its in a good part of town. I would definitely be fine walking around at all hours of the day or night.
Gila River Arena is located at 9400 W Maryland Avenue in Glendale, Arizona. It is West of downtown Glendale. Gila River Arena has convenient access from Loop 101, which is accessible from Interstate 10.
They do not have any artifacts at the stadium other than some pictures of Roenkick and some other semi-good Coyotes.
Fans are encouraged to access northbound Loop 101 from Northern Avenue or Bethany Road to avoid traffic. Otherwise it really bottlenecks and you could be sitting there for at least 20-30 minutes.
The Yard house is by far the best place to get a drink and eat by the stadium. They have a bunch of draft beers and TVs to watch local sports. They also have a good selection on the menu for food and I would get the hamburger because its a good price and really feels you up.
They giveaway mini-hockey sticks, bobble heads of the Gretzky and other hockey greats, miniature jerseys, t-shirts, and some posters.