Most meeting planners have been handed the task to secure a unique and exceptional venue to provide their attendees a memorable experience that will be talked about for years to come. And every meeting planner wants to find that perfect wow-factor site for exactly the same reason. So if Tempe is your destination, we are here to help guide you to some of the very best unique venues in Tempe. Whether you’re looking for the perfect venue for your next meeting, or an amazing location for your upcoming wedding, here are a few spots that are sure to please, including a hip, local hangout, a lakeside, picturesque setting and a beautiful outdoor garden.

Culinary Dropout at the Yard Tempe, located in Downtown Tempe, is a Fox Restaurant Concept and Sam Fox has been heralded a gastropub genius. There are three separate venues within this location, the largest being the Showcase Room which is able to accommodate up to 400 guests. Touted as an event space for food lovers, the Showcase Room is a beautiful, cool room that can be transformed to exude any vibe and can also be divided into two rooms for a more intimate occasion. Culinary Dropout itself is an industrial warehouse turned chic restaurant/bar offering classic games like ping pong, foosball and corn hole where guests can mingle and enjoy cocktails and pub type food. A third space, The Coop, provides a rustic bar atmosphere that can hold up to 75 guests. Buy out the entire space and 1,000 of your guests will be talking non-stop about the event of the year.

Located on the south bank of Tempe Town Lake, the Tempe Center for the Arts (TCA) offers an unbeatable views of the lake and beyond. The Lakeside Room looks out on a negative edge pool that appears to spill into the lake, with buttes in Papago Park and Camelback Mountain as a backdrop. Able to accommodate up to 200 guests, and with eight different catering services to choose from, your guests will become part of the Tempe cultural scene. A cocktail reception can be held in the Gallery where both local and international artists display their work. There is also the Theater (600 seat performance hall) and the Studio (200 seat space which can accommodate many different configurations) that can be used for performances or speaking engagements. Throw in a couple outdoor spaces for intimate receptions and you have a perfect venue to create a memorable event.

Showcasing what the desert is all about, the Desert Botanical Garden is a delightful gem that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. With 140 acres dedicated to the wonder and beauty of the desert, your guests will be inspired and wowed by the 50,000 plants displayed in beautiful outdoor exhibits. With open air pavilions, outdoor terraces, conference rooms, historic banquet halls and scenic courtyards you can find the space best suited for your group of 5 to 500 attendees. The Desert Botanical Garden works with several caterers and you are welcome to bring outside vendors to entertain your guests, although take note, you will be hard pressed to upstage the Garden’s natural beauty.

The mountain-top rustic Western setting at Rustler’s Rooste features live music nightly, an indoor waterfall, famous tin slide and rattlesnake appetizer. Indoor and outdoor facilities available for groups up to 1,500.

Treat your guests to an event they’ll always remember. The Phoenix Zoo, one of the nation’s largest non-profit zoos, is home to over 1,400 animals and centrally located in beautiful, scenic Papago Park. More than 15 indoor and outdoor event venues offer one-of-a-kind surroundings for corporate events, weddings, anniversaries, birthday and holiday parties, team-building programs and more. Private events are held year round, day and evening. Venues can accommodate 20 to 1,000 seated guests or several thousand, reception style.

Old Main at Arizona State University is a unique, historical venue with a rich tradition all its own. Constructed before Arizona statehood, Old Main is an iconic venue on campus and is the perfect venue for corporate and business events in Tempe. Today, Old Main boasts multiple conference rooms, the Basha Library, Tooker Board Room and the Carson Ballroom. Each corporate space is priced to fit any budget and their team of expert event planners will assist in assuring that each event is perfectly executed.

These are just a few meeting venues available in Tempe and the Phoenix area. Discover more options on the Tempe Tourism Office website. You can also contact our team today for personal assistance in finding the perfect place for your next meeting or event in Arizona.