With an enchanting mix of landscapes and Old West history steeped in Native American, Spanish, and Mexican culture, the American Southwest is a compelling destination for attendees and a four-season playground.
A wild natural setting of rugged mountains, expansive canyons, and parched deserts, the Southwest is the ideal destination to feature the outdoors as an integral part of the meeting, says Mo Calderon, communications manager for Visit Tucson. “Planners can expect great weather; amazing properties that offer unique outdoor, culinary, and indigenous experiences on-property; and tons of off-site dining and activity options for groups,” Calderon notes.
The Southwest is a four-season playground with plenty of culinary and cultural highlights for meeting planners; here are four of the best destinations by season.
Spring: Tucson, Arizona
Spring in Tucson offers mild temperatures and fewer crowds for exploring the city’s bucolic setting in the heart of the Sonoran Desert. With more than 350 days of sunshine per year, visitors have abundant opportunities to enjoy guided mountain bike rides, hikes through saguaro forests and canyons, and horseback rides in the desert.
Home to Saguaro National Park, recently named the ninth Urban Night Sky Place in the world, stargazing is a popular pastime in Tucson. If you don’t get a chance to visit the national park, check out one of several world-class observatories just an hour’s drive outside of the city.
Popular meeting locations include The JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort & Spa, which boasts the city’s largest ballroom at 20,000 square feet in size. Attendees can enjoy unique programming, from a traditional Native American morning ritual to an evening toast on the Salud Terrace.
New properties include The Leo Kent, located steps from the Tucson Convention Center on the first nine floors of Tucson’s tallest (and most iconic) skyscraper, One South Church. There is also The Eddy Hotel, set northeast of downtown near the base of the Catalina Foothills. It offers 6,000 square feet of function space spanning four event rooms.
For an inimitable event, consider The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain, located 22 miles northwest of Tucson and Arizona’s only Forbes Five-Star hotel and spa.
“We offer an array of group activities and team-building experiences that take full advantage of the venue’s stunning location in the high Sonoran Desert and nestled in the canyons of the Tortolita Mountains,” says Michael Aylmer, the hotel’s director of sales and marketing.
Compete in guacamole challenges, play a round of golf on a Jack Nicklaus Signature 27-hole championship course, or plan a dinner at the on-site Cayton’s Restaurant, he says, to see “the best sunsets in all of Tucson.”
Downtown Tucson highlights include the historic neighborhood Barrio Viejo, expected to receive a National Historic Landmark designation this year. Attendees can stroll the city’s streets filled with colorful, historic adobe homes. Try glassblowing at the Sonoran Glass School or savor a group meal in the cozy enclosed courtyard of The Coronet.
As the first U.S. city to be recognized as a UNESCO City of Gastronomy, Tucson offers a unique foodie experience. Options include El Charro Cafe, a 100-year-old institution known as “the inventor of the chimichanga” and renowned for its roof-dried beef called carne seca.
Summer: Salt Lake City + Park City, Utah
The Rocky Mountains are known for world-class ski resorts, but as any mountain-town local will tell you: Summers are the sweet spot.
“Ski towns like Park City are truly magical in the summer, with art and music festivals, recreation, and ideal temperatures,” says Dan Howard, vice president of communications for Visit Park City. “The common phrase is: ‘I came for the winter, but I stayed for the summer.’”
Attendees can hike, bike, golf, and more, whether you’re planning a city or mountain event. “There is no shortage of accessible outdoor adventures,” says Devan Hamilton, director of convention sales for Visit Salt Lake.
With more than 23,000 hotel rooms—8,000 of which are in the convention district—Salt Lake City remains a popular option for planners. And its Salt Palace Convention Center is now connected to the new 700-room Hyatt Regency Salt Lake City.
Other downtown options include the fully renovated Kimpton Hotel Monaco Salt Lake City, the under-construction Asher Adams set to open this fall, and the Grand America hotel, a high-end luxury property.
The area’s nightlife scene includes several James Beard-nominated restaurants like the trendy Bar Nohm and mountain dining at Log Haven. Private or large-scale gathering options include favorites like Lake Effect, the Bar-X, and Beer Bar, owned by actor Ty Burrell—plus high-end eateries like Valter’s Osteria and Takashi.
Make your way to the Granary District’s Woodbine Foodhall for stunning city and mountain views from the rooftop bar. Or, plan an indoor/outdoor event just outside of town at Red Butte Botanical Garden on 100 scenic acres on the University of Utah campus.
For mountain vibes, Park City is an ideal location just 40 minutes from Salt Lake City. A silver-mining town founded in the late 1800s, Park City is home to two ski resorts, Park City Mountain and Deer Valley, offering numerous alpine activities. Attendees can enjoy a mountain-coaster ride at Adventure Zone at Park City Mountain, or try bobsledding or zip lining at the Utah Olympic Park, one of Park City’s premier event venues.
The town’s anti-chain ordinance means visitors can enjoy restaurants and bars unlike anywhere else, Howard says, including global-cuisine spot 350 Main Brasserie and farm-to-table dishes at Riverhorse on Main. For one of the best outdoor patios in town, check out The Bridge Cafe & Grill, featuring American dishes with a Brazilian flair.
Park City also features some of the state’s highest-rated hotels, from the Waldorf Astoria Park City to The St. Regis Deer Valley, Montage Deer Valley, Pendry Park City, Goldener Hirsch, and The Lodge at Blue Sky. For a quintessential alpine experience only found in Park City, the renowned Stein Erickson Lodge Deer Valley is the perfect spot.
“Most people who are coming to a ski town are looking for experiences,” says Tonya M. Hoopes, planner and designer at Hoopes Events in Midvale, Utah. “They create unique experiences for you.”
Whether it’s a cooking class with a chef or a mountainside cocktail hour, she says, the Forbes Five-Star, AAA Five-Diamond property can tailor activities for any event, from corporate events to weddings. “It has beautiful overlooks of the mountain,” she adds. “The food is wonderful, the space is beautiful. Everything is done with white-glove service.”
Fall: Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is an appealing city for meetings, drawing nearly 40 million visitors annually. But that’s especially true in the fall, when three-digit temperatures wane.
“With temperatures starting to cool off from our summer highs, it’s the perfect time to walk along the Strip, taking in the iconic resorts, dining alfresco, or enjoying any number of our spectacular venues that feature outdoor spaces,” says Lisa Messina, chief sales officer for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.
The city offers more than 150,000 hotel rooms, reaching a combined stadium and arena capacity surpassing 500,000 spectators. Boasting 15 million square feet of meeting and event space—more than any other U.S. city, Messina says—Las Vegas provides immense flexibility to planners.
“The destination is uniquely equipped to handle events of any size, style, and purpose,” she says. “Add in an ever-evolving roster of entertainment and sporting options, world-renowned dining, unique attractions, and outdoor excursions, it’s easy to see why Vegas remains a top choice for meetings and events year after year.”
For dining options, start the day at Salt & Ivy at Aria Resort & Casino, which offers indoor and outdoor venue options and a large 5,500-square-foot patio with covered cabanas. Enjoy fresh seafood and meat dishes at Bazaar Meat by José Andrés at Sahara Las Vegas or get a taste of Italy at Lavo at The Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas. The latter can accommodate up to 700 guests.
Plan meetings of all sizes at centrally located venues, including at the Las Vegas Convention Center and the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, plus The Venetian Expo and the Sands Expo and Convention Center, both connected to Sphere. Opened last September, Sphere is the world’s largest spherical structure boasting the most-expansive high-resolution LED-lighted building on Earth (160,000 square feet), and can accommodate more than 18,000 attendees.
“Sphere is where the world’s biggest artists, and now the biggest brands, go when they want to create an experience unlike any other,” says Jennifer Koester, president of Sphere business operations at Sphere Entertainment.
Winter: Santa Fe + Taos, New Mexico
Winters in New Mexico can be cold and snowy. But the offseason is also the perfect time to experience Santa Fe and Taos without the bustling crowds.
A must-experience is the fluffy, sparkly, only-in-New Mexico snow at spots like Taos Ski Valley, the state’s largest ski area. Set 20 miles outside of Taos, the ski area is a well-established powder paradise for skiers and snowboarders seeking steep chutes, big bumps, and few lift lines.
The town itself draws more than just winter enthusiasts with its bohemian atmosphere rich in spiritual traditions, fine art, distinctive cuisine, and a thriving music scene. Its crown jewel, Taos Pueblo, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and National Historic Landmark. It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited spots in the Western Hemisphere, and guided tours and shops teach guests about Native American culture, art, and people.
Event sites include El Monte Sagrado, a retreat-style hotel situated in the northern mountains of New Mexico near the city’s historic center, featuring more than 7,000 square feet of meeting space. There’s also the legendary Southwestern Hotel La Fonda de Taos, offering several spaces for business meetings and events right in the town center.
Larger event spaces include the Taos Convention Center, which features multiple meeting rooms, exhibit halls, and modern amenities like on-site catering and audiovisual capabilities.
Visitors can grab breakfast at Golden Piñon, a New Mexican restaurant with filling portions and hardy flavors. Dine with mountain views at Medley, a fusion of traditional and contemporary New Mexican food with an excellent wine list. At Doc Martin’s, the must-try restaurant is set in the historic adobe home of 19th-century local doctor Thomas Martin.
Attendees will find even more art and culture 70 miles southwest of Taos in the state’s capital, Santa Fe, perched at 7,260 feet in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Featuring wide-open spaces, expansive views, and magical sunsets, the city draws artists, says David Carr, sales director at Tourism Santa Fe.
The second-oldest city in the U.S., Santa Fe offers eight museums and more than 250 art galleries. It’s also tied closely to Pueblo communities of northern New Mexico, making it a hub for traditional and contemporary Native American art. “The city’s pueblo-style architecture and use of earthen adobe construction also give the city a distinct and charming feel,” says Carr.
The full-service Santa Fe Community Convention Center is in the historic downtown, and the convention center can accommodate groups of up to 1,500 people. With several hotels located within blocks of the center, Carr says, Santa Fe provides attendees with easy access to nearby art galleries and traditional New Mexican eateries in the compact, walkable Plaza.
Good options for group meals include Rio Chama Prime Steakhouse, offering a large private dining room that opens onto a covered patio. It’s also next door to the New Mexico State Capitol building and across the street from the oldest church in the country, San Miguel Chapel. Or check out the Sunset Terrace, set in the heart of downtown Santa Fe’s Plaza and with some of the best sunset views.
Special activities include the Sky Railway, a scenic adventure/excursion train ride departing from the Santa Fe Railyard. Or, do a full buyout for an after-hours immersive art experience at the Meow Wolf House of Eternal Return.
The American Southwest features distinct desert and mountain landscapes, unique outdoor recreation, endless cultural highlights, and plenty of good weather, offering planners a multitude of options in any season.