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ALTA48

Location

Tucson Marriott University Park

Front view of the Tucson Marriott from the outside.

The ALTA48 Conference will be held at the Tucson Marriott University Park in Tucson, Arizona. The Tucson Marriott University Park is located in the trendy Main Gate Square District, between the University of Arizona’s campus and Tucson’s downtown.

Phone: 520-792-4100

ALTA has secured a block of rooms at the discounted rate of $165/night in the Tucson Marriott University Park for conference attendees.

Please note that at this point, some nights in our block have filled (you can try searching individual nights to see which nights are still available). Because this fall’s conference coincides with the University of Arizona Homecoming football game, many other hotels in the area are also full. Some attendees have found Airbnbs, or there are other hotels within a short drive/Lyft ride away.

Book Your Room in ALTA's Block (opens in new tab)

Hotel Info

Please consider booking your stay at the conference hotel!

ALTA is proud to be programming our 48th annual meeting in person. Financially, we are able to do this by reserving a large block of rooms with a hotel. In exchange, the hotel offers our attendees the guaranteed lowest group rate for rooms and provides us with complimentary meeting space.

If we are unable to meet our guaranteed minimum number of registered guests, ALTA incurs a penalty and has to pay for the unused rooms, as well as room rental for the meeting space. This is why we request your support if you are able by booking within our reserved block. When you book your room through our link, you not only get a great deal on your room ($165), but you also support ALTA, because the Marriott gives a portion of that room rate to our organization!

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are available for purchase at the Saguaro Grill onsite. The Sedona Lounge is an onsite bar in the Atrium (hours 11am – 11pm daily; drinks may be carried throughout the hotel space and onto the Terrace). Many other dining options are just steps away. See below for suggestions.

Address: 880 E 2nd St, Tucson, Arizona 85719

Phone: 520-792-4100

Cancelation Policy: 11:59pm hotel time 2 days before arrival or pay 1-night fee / credit card required.

Floor Plan: View the floor plan of the Marriott University Park at this link.

Check-in time at the Marriott is 3:00pm. The check-out time is 12:00pm, after which time guests will incur an additional night’s charge.

Internet: Complimentary wireless internet is available in overnight guestrooms and in all meeting rooms.

Parking: Parking is available in the Main Gate Garage (815 E 2nd St), which is shared by the Marriott and the University of Arizona, at $20 daily. Parking in the garage is free from 8pm Friday night to 5pm Sunday evening. Valet parking at the hotel is $12 daily, $25 overnight..

Printing: Hotel guests may print sparingly (a few pages per person) in the onsite business center. ALTA will provide a list of the nearest copy shops should you need to print a larger print job; please ask at the conference check-in table for recommendations and locations.

Pets: Pets are welcome: Maximum 2 pets per room allowed with USD 150 non-refundable fee per room per stay. Contact the hotel for details.

Accessibility: Please visit our Accessibility web page for more information about hotel accessibility features.

Travel Info

Flying to Tucson: Tucson International Airport provides nonstop service to 20 destination airports, with connections worldwide. 

Airport code: TUS
Phone: 520-573-8100
Location: 8.5 miles south of the Tucson Marriott University Park.

Flying to Tucson:

If you fly into the Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport (PHX), you can book a shuttle to take you to and from Tucson. A good option is Groome Transportation ($49/one-way), which has a stop in Tucson located 0.4 miles from the conference hotel.

Bus to Tucson: The Tucson Greyhound bus stop is at 801 E 12th Street, a mile south of the conference hotel. There is a FlixBus stop at Sixth Street Garage on the University of Arizona campus, 0.5 miles from the conference hotel.

Train to Tucson: The Amtrak Station in downtown Tucson’s Historic Train Depot is served by the Sunset Limited and Texas Eagle trains, and is located 1.4 miles from the conference hotel.

Tucson Airport to Conference Hotel: The conference hotel does not provide shuttle service to and from the airport, but there are many options for getting to the hotel from the Tucson Airport without a car. Read more about ground and local transportation, including options from the airport to the hotel below.

  • Car rental: Seven car rental companies have counters and cars in the Rental Car Center adjacent to the east exit from the main terminal at the Tucson Airport. More info here.
  • Ride share: There is a designated Uber/Lyft curbside pickup site at the Tucson airport, at the Rental Car Center, which is out the east exit of the main terminal. Follow signs for “App Rides.” Drivers do not wait at the stop, but will arrive when requested through the mobile app. More info here.
  • Taxi/Cab: VIP Taxi and Yellow Cab are under contract with the Tucson Airport Authority to meet arriving flights. More info and rates here.
  • Bus: Two routes of Sun Tran, the region’s public transit system, make regular stops at Tucson International Airport. More info here.
  • Other options: Shuttles and car services are available from the airport. More info here.

Driving Directions: Head north on S. Tucson Blvd. Continue onto E. Benson Hwy. Turn right onto S. Campbell Ave/S. Kino Pkwy. Keep left to stay on S. Kino Pkwy. Turn left to merge onto AZ-210 W. Turn right onto Broadway Blvd. Turn left onto N. Euclid Ave. Turn right onto E. 2nd St. Turn right onto N. Tyndall Ave. The hotel parking garage, the Main Gate Garage, is at the corner of 2nd St. and N. Tyndall Ave. (Approx. 20 minutes)

 

Street Car: In central Tucson, the four-mile Sun Link Streetcar connects four districts with dining and entertainment options: University of Arizona, Main Gate Square (right by the conference hotel), Historic Fourth Avenue, downtown Tucson-Convention Center complex, and Mercado San Agustin. The streetcar has easy access for mobility devices, strollers, and bicycles. As of spring 2025, the streetcar is free to ride. 520-792-9222

Bus: The Sun Tran bus system serves metro Tucson. Transit centers are located at major destinations throughout the community. Call 520-792-9222 for more information.

Transit fares in the Tucson area (Sun Tran, Sun Link, Sun Van, Sun on Demand and Sun Shuttle services) are currently free. Read more.

Shuttles & Cars:

Maps and more information are available on Visit Tucson and in this an online travel guide.

About Tucson

An image of saguaro cacti with the Tucson Mountains in the background.

Situated about sixty miles north of the Mexican border, Tucson is the second largest and second-most-populated city in Arizona, second only to Phoenix. The Tucson metropolitan area is home to roughly one million people.

Indigenous people have called this area home for more than 4,000 years, which makes Tucson one of the oldest continually inhabited areas in North America. The name of the city of Tucson derives from that given to Sentinel Peak by the Tohono O’odham, “Ts-iuk-shan,” which refers to the fact that the base of the mountain is darker than its summit. Southern Arizona and the Tucson area forms the ancestral homeland of the Tohono O’odham and Pascua Yaqui nations.

The city of Tucson is 2,389 feet above sea level and covers nearly 500 square miles. The landscape is varied and includes flowering desert, rolling hills, winding dry riverbeds, rugged canyons, and pine-topped peaks, all beneath a clear blue sky.

Home to the University of Arizona, whose campus neighbors Main Gate Square, Tucson has long been home to students and artists alike, among them many literary greats such as Leslie Marmon Silko, Edward Abbey, Erskine Caldwell, Barbara Kingsolver, and David Foster Wallace.

You can view the official Tucson visitor’s guide online here, or request one in the mail. 

Time: Tucson is in the Mountain Standard Time zone (MST). Except for the Navajo Nation, Arizona does not observe Daylight Saving Time. This means that during the in-person conference, Tucson will be on the same time as Mountain Time (MT).

Weather: November weather is usually chilly – in Tucson terms! – so you can expect fall, spring, or even summer temperatures, usually in the 60s and 70s (during the day). There can be a wide variety of daytime and nighttime temperatures, and it gets dark quickly. Therefore, it is best to dress in layers. Precipitation is unlikely, but not impossible.

In 2015, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recognized Tucson’s world-class culinary scene as one of eighteen “Capitals of Gastronomy” worldwide – and the only in the United States.

Near the Tuscon Marriott University Park:

5-minute walk or less: Walking from the hotel to University Blvd, you’ll pass the popular Gentle Ben’s, which features food, locally-brewed beer, and an inviting patio. Sinbad’s on University Blvd has great Middle Eastern cuisine and an outdoor courtyard. At the corner of University and Park Ave is the new Agave House. And Snakes and Lattes is a fun spot for a drink and a board game! Head north on Park Ave and you will find Caffe Luce serving up a variety of coffee and tea drinks. Behind it is Saigon Phở. University Blvd hosts a variety of restaurants and coffee shops; you’re sure to find something to enjoy!

10- to 15-minute walk: If you have a little bit more time, consider making your way to Historic 4th Ave, an easy walk west on University Blvd. At 3rd Ave, you will pass local favorite Time Market, which in addition to hosting a small market, also serves sandwiches, salads, and delicious pizza fresh from their woodfired oven. Going one block further west, you’ll hit 4th Ave. Heading south, you will find a variety of options for both food and drink, as well as shopping! Some favorites are Tumerico, serving up a changing menu of vegetarian/vegan-friendly lunch, dinner, and Sunday brunch; Brooklyn Pizza Company, named Best Pizzeria by Tucson Weekly and a good late-night option, serves pizza by the slice or by the whole pie. Pro tip: order your pizza and ask for it to be delivered right next door at Sky Bar, where you can grab a drink and take a look at the stars through their telescopes while you wait.

20-minute walk or more: If you are up for a little bit more of a walk (or a ride on the streetcar!), Downtown Tucson offers several more options. Cup Café, located in historic Hotel Congress, serves food and drinks all day in a cozy atmosphere. El Charro, which has been serving Tucson since 1922, is a staple for visitors and locals alike. Purportedly the place where the chimichanga was invented, they are also known for their carne seca. After your meal, consider walking to Borderlands Brewing Co. for a pint.