There are many reasons to consider Tempe, Arizona for your next meeting. This desert destination is known for amazing sunsets, warm weather and Sonoran Desert vistas. But, there’s even more appeal for meeting and event planners.
Tempe is located within 10 minutes of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, making it extremely accessible for your attendees. It is one of the country’s busiest airports with non-stop flights to more than 100 destinations in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and the U.K. With a quick trip on Valley Metro Rail from the airport, visitors arrive in Downtown Tempe. Downtown’s bustling Mill Avenue is home to dozens of shops and restaurants in a historic and pedestrian friendly district. In Downtown Tempe, you’ll find plenty of options to soak up the sun including a hike up “A” Mountain, attending a festival, lunch on an outdoor patio or sampling a craft beer or two from one of several breweries that call Tempe home. Downtown is adjacent to the Arizona State University Tempe Campus, one of the largest universities in the country. With more than 50,000 students in Tempe, ASU is a center of knowledge, research, sports and the arts. In fact, one of the crown jewels of architecture in Arizona is the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed ASU Gammage, a 3,000 seat theater that annually hosts popular Broadway shows.
Tempe’s hotels and meeting venues are perfectly suited for groups ranging from 10-500 attendees. You can choose from a conference hotel in Downtown Tempe, a retro chic boutique hotel or a mountaintop resort that overlooks the city lights. With new hotels being added over the next few months, Tempe will offer more than 6,200 guest rooms. Beyond our hotel partners, you can also find some interesting off-site venues including the modern and sleek Tempe Center for the Arts and the beautifully lush Desert Botanical Garden.
Your attendees will enjoy lots of activities before and after the meeting. Discover live music and globally influenced cuisine at one of the many eateries, including those in Downtown Tempe and at Tempe Marketplace. Relax by boating, walking, hiking or biking at Tempe Town Lake, Tempe Beach Park, Papago Park and South Mountain Park and Preserve. Find bargains and be entertained at Arizona Mills which offers more than 170 outlet shops, a Harkins IMAX Theatre, the Tilt Studio arcade, LEGOLAND Discovery Center and SEA LIFE Arizona Aquarium.
The Tempe Tourism Office can help you check off everything on your meeting planning to-do list by offering an individualized Destination Experience in Tempe. Our staff will develop an itinerary that fits your schedule and your needs to make it easy to plan your next meeting in Tempe. To learn more, go to MeetInTempe.com.
