Amid a renaissance, Tempe adds elevated concepts to complement its vibrant downtown scene and inviting outdoor activities.
In Tempe, we invite you to step into a place where the electric hum of the city meets the warm embrace of a connected community — a place surrounded by sun-soaked outdoor adventures, tantalizing cuisine and exciting arts and culture around every corner.
Here, you’ll discover a vibrant mix of historic charm, local culture, new experiences and people as diverse as the scenery. From candy-colored skies to moonlit lake nights, Tempe is the heart of it all and your bridge to the best of both big-city excitement and the stunning natural beauty of Arizona.
This is urban desert life. This is Tempe.
Known for its unique position at the confluence of urban sophistication and Sonoran Desert recreation, Tempe prides itself on being a vibrant, walkable and welcoming destination for meetings of 10 to 500 attendees.
Home to a robust collection of state-of-the-art accommodations as well as Arizona State University, one of the largest and most innovative schools in the country, Tempe is an urban oasis — located within the Greater Phoenix area — where anything is possible.
From arrival to departure, your attendees will experience the essence of what makes Tempe unique — from chic hotels and first-class amenities to year-round events and candy-colored golden hours. It’s that same magic that keeps groups coming back year after year — and thanks to this city’s constant evolution, there are new experiences to greet them every time.
Here's your guide to our ever-evolving list of new accommodations, restaurants and other experiences:
State-of-the-Art Accommodations
Omni Tempe Hotel at ASU, a AAA Four Diamond property adds 330 guest rooms and 36,000 square feet of meeting space to the downtown landscape. Additionally, your attendees can experience the exquisite flavors of Neighborhood Services, the inviting ground-floor restaurant concept, the serenity of the Salt + Gila Pool Deck Restaurant, and the unmatched ambiance of Lucero Rooftop Restaurant + Bar, an elevated concept that overlooks our city's iconic landmarks, including Tempe Town Lake, the red sandstone buttes of Papago Park and beyond.
Hot Attractions
Tempe offers hours of entertainment for groups, large and small. Here, a wide variety of new attractions offers opportunities for team building and group off-sites. One of the newest additions:
This new dining-meets-entertainment concept — the first-ever Electric Pickle — blends dining and entertainment across a 4.5-acre space in South Tempe. Combining the ultra-trendy sport of pickleball with an outdoor entertainment space and a two-story, globally inspired restaurant since January 2025, Electric Pickle redefines the entertainment and dining scene with nine state-of-the-art pickleball courts, private cabanas, Full Swing Golf Simulators, bocce ball, cozy fire pits, a live-music stage, an expansive lawn for cornhole and more. The signature restaurant offers inventive cocktails and dishes perfect for a mid-day patio experience, a late-night date beneath the twinkle lights and, of course, a post-match celebration for pickleballers.
In 2024, this executive golf course emerged as Grass Clippings at Rolling Hills: Arizona’s only fully lit, 18-hole golf course and practice facility that’s available day and night. Located in picturesque Papago Park, less than 2 miles from Downtown Tempe, this hilly course lives up to its name with quite a few elevation changes. Take in views of the surrounding mountain ranges and skylines from the 8th hole (the course’s highest point) and keep an eye out for Sonoran Desert animals after dusk.
Bonus: The evolution of this course includes the addition of Glenrosa, a full-service restaurant and patio bar. Sonoran Mexican cuisine and live-fire cooking set the tone this culinary experience apart — at the sandstone buttes of Papago Park serve as the delicious backdrop.
Arizona Bouldering Project, a 53,000 square-foot indoor rock-climbing, gym, yoga studio and coffee shop concept, will celebrate its first anniversary this September. The fitness center is designed to double as a community hub, with plenty of space for a wide variety of activities, including a forthcoming private space.
Mullett Arena, a 5,000-seat, state-of-the-art venue, offers up-close proximity to all the action, including a wide variety of programming that ranges from Lucha Libre and touring concerts to sports tournaments and other community events. It is also home to the Arizona State University Sun Devils ice hockey teams and the NBA G League’s Valley Suns. The arena's intimate setting fuels contagious energy for fans on game day as well as during live event and concert programming. Premium suites and loge boxes are available for smaller groups, and the Coors Light Club Chill can accommodate 150 banquet/seated, 250 Theater-style and 450 standing.
Arizona Theatre Company brings a lineup of world-class productions to Tempe Center for the Arts — a testament to the arts and culture scene this city continues to cultivate. This beloved waterfront venue is home to year-round programming as well as a wide variety of spaces that can accommodate group events ranging from presentations to performances
Delicious Dining
Wrap up your meeting day with globally influenced dining at one of Tempe’s diverse and eclectic eateries. Choose from international flavors, Southwest favorites and more, at restaurants that also offer spacious patios and a variety of private rooms available for reservation. No evening is complete without sampling a matinee version of the nightlife scene. From sports bars to rooftop lounges, and breweries to distilleries, your attendees will appreciate the energy of this city and its relentless quest to elevate the happy hour experience. Here are a few of the city’s innovative concepts (with more on the horizon):
Tempe has added a high-end dining experience that engages all the senses by blending elegance with energy. Located at Watermark, Three Thirty Three is truly a one-of-a-kind concept that pairs bold Asian flavors — reimagined with a modern twist — with captivating ambiance that includes flowering cherry blossom trees, a wraparound LED screen and glowing DJ tower. The 14,000 square-foot space also features a bar, lounge and equally decadent cocktail program. From the kitchen, offerings range from a standout sushi bar to a 64-ounce Wagyu tomahawk steak, and also include far-from-typical noodle and rice selections (to name a few).
Recently opened as a hub for dining and gathering, NOVUS placecomprises a variety of new restaurant concepts, including North Italia, Flower Child, Blanco Cocina + Cantina, Eureka! and Blue Sushi Sake Grill and a variety of other offerings. Located between Downtown Tempe and the ASU Tempe campus, this mixed-use entertainment district is centered around a community stage and amphitheater, and forthcoming hotels will add approximately 1,000 hotel rooms to NOVUS Place (upon completion).
The newest additions to Mill Avenue, Filthy Animal and Drop Dead Gorgeous, represent the city’s evolution – and elevated, immersive concepts. In a posh space punctuated with accents reminiscent of a jungle setting, Filthy Animal promises ‘‘a feast of fire feeding the primal animal within.’’ From the decor to the wood-fired cuisine, this experience is a wild new addition to Tempe’s dining landscape. Under the same roof, yet an entirely separate concept, Drop Dead Gorgeous, a 1970s-inspired cocktail lounge that celebrates vintage glam where both the aesthetics and the cocktail program live up to the concept’s name.
From the family that created such concepts as Bacanora, Espiritu and Tacos Chiwas throughout the Valley comes Cocina Chiwas, an upscale and authentic Mexican dining experience in Tempe. Husband-and-wife co-owners, Armando Hernandez and Nadia Holguin, are delivering world-class Chihuahuan cuisine from Culdesac — the first car-free community in the U.S. Lucky for you, there are parking options but be sure to make a reservation, because this culinary duo has quite a following of enthusiastic foodies.
In 2019, Holguin was named a semifinalist in the James Beard Awards’ Best Chef – Southwest category. In 2021, their Phoenix concept, Bacanora, was named one of the 40 best new restaurants in America by “Esquire” magazine. The James Beard Foundation recognized the restaurant as a semifinalist for best new restaurant in the country. And, in 2024, Hernandez and Holguin were named semifinalists in the Outstanding Restaurateur category for their collective roster of concepts. Needless to say, we’re thrilled they’ve set up shop in Tempe.
Since opening Hundred Mile Brewing Co., Sue Rigler has been combining her microbiology degree from ASU with her passion for craft beer and love of the Tempe community — a goal of hers since 2014. This bright and modern 10,000 square-foot (10-barrel) brewhouse and restaurant recently added 16,000 square feet of private event space, designed to provide an exceptional setting for a wide range of events, including corporate gatherings, team building and group tastings. "We can't wait to help you create a truly memorable experience at Hundred Mile Brewing," Rigler shared.
The brewery menu shines all on its own, with elevated pub fare, including a wide variety of small plates as well as burgers, salads and entrees such as coffee-rubbed short ribs. Hundred Mile brews include Coyote West Coast IPA, Pinetop Pils, Desert Neon Hazy IPA, Crowd Surfer Mexican Lager (with lime and salt) and The Natural Blonde Ale.
Located in one of Mill Avenue’s historic buildings, Devil’s Hideaway is an immersive space that draws inspiration from a futuristic underground tunnel system circa 2054. Billed as an adult playground — complete with craft cocktails, small bites, Skee-Ball and billiards — this concept is also equipped with live music capabilities and a sprawling patio space out back.
Turn one of the corners within the brick labyrinth and you're at the door of Idle Hands Enchanted Cocktail Bar, a distinct, 90-minute cocktail experience of its own. Video projections across windowpane walls depict other-worldly scenes landscapes pair perfectly with the equally exclusive cocktail program for a one-of-a-kind speakeasy vibe that’s perfect for unforgettable private events.
Transportation
Conveniently located less than 5 miles from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, Tempe is an easy-to-navigate destination for all visitors. Thanks to our excellent public transportation options, airport proximity and walkable downtown, attendees are able to park their car once and then immerse themselves in all aspects of our city on foot or via one of our other group-friendly options, which range from the Tempe Streetcar and Valley Metro Rail to Waymo's self-driving rideshare experience and even such micromobility offerings.
The Tempe Tourism Office is available to ensure your next event in Tempe is a success.
For more information about hosting your next meeting in Tempe, contact Matt Connelley, Tempe Tourism Director of Sales, at 480-305-1375 or matt@tempetourism.com.
