SOUTHERN ARIZONA
VisitTucson.org; @VisitTucson—A world-renowned culinary scene and natural beauty help make Tucson a unique and memorable spot for a meeting or event, says Mo Olivas, communications manager for Visit Tucson. “While many might think of a desert as a barren wasteland, the Sonoran Desert has provided the people living here with edible foods for more than 4,000 years. It’s what helped Tucson receive the first UNESCO City of Gastronomy designation in the United States in 2015. Since then, Tucson’s culinary scene has flourished. We’re home to James Beard Award winners and semi-finalists, as well as America’s best Mexican food.”
According to Visit Tucson, unique stops for foodies include Sonoran Hot Dogs, with a James Beard American Classics Award-winning hot dog; El Charro Café, the nation’s oldest Mexican restaurant in continuous operation by the same family; Whiskey Del Bac, with tours and tastings and a room for private events; and Unicorn Zebra, a new South African-inspired cocktail lounge at the former Citizen Hotel, which reopened in February 2025 as a boutique hotel with an Airbnb-hotel hybrid model.
Tucson has approximately 16,675 guest rooms and a wide variety of facilities for meetings and conferences. Located in the walkable downtown, Tucson Convention Center has 233,000 square feet of meeting and event space and multiple facilities, including the 8,962-seat Tucson Arena, 511-seat Leo Rich Theater, and 2,211-seat Linda Ronstadt Music Hall, which also has a spacious lobby and event patio. The center recently completed a 10-year, $100 million renovation. Connected to the convention center, a 170-room DoubleTree by Hilton Tucson Downtown Convention Center has 3,799 square feet of event space.
Other larger event hotels include the 575-room JW Marriott Tucson Starr Pass Resort & Spa, with 88,000 square feet of event space; The 487-room Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa, with 110,000 square feet of event space; 130-room Omni Tucson National Resort & Spa, with 10,500 square feet of indoor meeting space and 12,900 square feet of outdoor venues; and 398-room Loews Ventana Canyon Resort, with 83,000 square feet of indoor/outdoor event space.
Additional properties with event space include the 428-room El Conquistador Tucson, A Hilton Resort, with 76,543 total square feet of event space; 366-room Casino Del Sol Resort, with 100,000 total square feet of indoor and outdoor space; Arizona History Museum, with five meeting rooms and a 250-person reception capacity; Arizona Sands Club, a private business and social club with a capacity to host 800 people for receptions; Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, which has indoor and outdoor event space, including a theater, café, plaza, and event room seating 100 for dinners; and the 1930s-era Fox Tucson Theatre, which seats 1,164 and includes additional lobby event space. Pima Air & Space Museum, featuring aircraft from all around the world, has 80,000 square feet of event space and a theater-seating capacity of 400.
Visitors to Tucson will enjoy shops, restaurants, bars, and museums in the University District, the Fourth Avenue District, the Downtown District, and the Mercado District, which hosts community festivals and events. “All public transportation in Tucson, including the Sun Link Streetcar, is currently free to ride,” says Olivas.
Tucson’s weather is great year-round for outdoor activities, she says. “Families and planners will enjoy horseback riding at Tanque Verde Ranch, touring the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, and visiting the Mini Time Machine, a museum of miniatures.” The museum offers workshops, classes, and after-hours buyouts for up to 200 guests.
