Tucson: A Melting Pot of Southwest Influences

Also known as The Old Pueblo, Tucson, AZ is a melting pot of Native American, Spanish, Mexican, and American Southwest influences. The setting is hard to beat as the Santa Cruz and Rillito Rivers converge here, where five mountain ranges form a protected valley, and majestic saguaros stand guard on the desert floor.

The city is bordered on all sides by protected natural areas: Coronado National Forest, Catalina State Park, Ironwood Forest National Monument, and Saguaro National Parks East and West.

Boasting an average 350 sunny days a year and warm, dry air, Tucson's climate is ideal for year-round outdoor recreation.

The second-largest city in Arizona, this city is home to the University of Arizona -- established as the state's first university in 1885 and now boasting a campus of 50,000 students and staff from around the world.

There is outstanding hiking and outdoor adventures here, rich cultural traditions, a vibrant arts scene, world-class golf, and great dining.

Whether it's the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, one of the world's great zoos (displaying the living spirit of the plants and animals of the Sonoran Desert in their natural habitat), or a dine-around among the largest concentration of Mexican eateries in the U.S., all within a 23-mile radius, meeting groups will not be at a loss for things to do. Not only does Tucson have one of the largest concentrations of Mexican eateries in the U.S., the city has just been named to UNESCO's Creative Cities Network based on its diverse gastronomic offerings.

Hotel News
Marriott Hotels will be opening two new properties in Tucson: the AC Hotel by Marriott, scheduled to open in early 2017, with 137 rooms, and the 213-room Tucson Residence Inn by Marriott Hotel located in Main Gate Square, a pedestrian-friendly dining and shopping destination.

Hacienda Del Sol Guest Ranch Resort has just completed construction of 32 additional guest rooms. The new Catalina rooms and suites were designed and built to reflect the same Santa Fe-style construction of the existing historic structures.

Loews Ventana Canyon Resort is undergoing a multimillion-dollar remastering of its guest rooms, meeting space, lobby, fitness center, signature Lakeside Spa, and Flying V Bar & Grill, which is scheduled for completion early this year.

The Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa, celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2016, has unveiled a new art walk and serenity garden featuring metal and stone sculptures created by Tucson's Metal Arts Village artists -- and available for sale to interested buyers. As part of the resort's 250 acres of desert landscape set in the Santa Catalina Mountains, the art walk was created as a sanctuary for groups to extend Westin's commitment to wellness to the great outdoors. In partnership with the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, the property's serenity garden includes informative signs that educate guests about their flourishing cacti- and succulent-filled surroundings.

The Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa, a 250-acre property, completed a $35 million resort-wide rejuvenation in late 2013, boasting 487 of Tucson's newest and largest guest rooms along with showcasing the desert's exotic plants and native animals on the new Sonoran Desert Walkway.

This month, James Beard Award-winning chef Janos Wilder will open The Carriage House, a multiuse space featuring a cooking school, as well as a private event/dining room and patio. The space, with its brick walls, high ceilings, graceful trusses, sky lights, and stunning collection of original local art, will provide a beautiful backdrop for events of all varieties and sizes. Year-round classes will be taught by Chef Wilder, as well as other guest chefs, wine experts, mixologists, and culinary educators in a state-of-the-art demonstration kitchen and video studio. 

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This article appears in the January 2016 issue of Successful Meetings.