The American Literary Translators Association

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. It’s a 7-hour drive from Los Angeles, California (west), a little under 2 hours from Phoenix (north), and 4½ hours from El Paso, TX (east). 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. 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. 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 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. You can also read a Tucson’s local’s recent recommendations in the Boston Globe.

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). 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 highly unlikely, but not impossible.

Tucson boasts an impressive variety of cuisines and dining styles, with many dining options clustered along University Boulevard (just one block from the Marriott conference hotel), Fourth Avenue, Congress Street, and Broadway Boulevard (all of them easily accessible via streetcar). Tucson is said to have the “Best 23 Miles of Mexican Food.” Find a restaurant guide produced by Visit Tucson here, and consider some of these nearby favorites, just a few steps from the conference hotel. Information about Tucson’s fully accessible Sun Link Streetcar is available on our Hotel & Travel webpage. Note: Transit fares in the Tucson area (Sun Tran, Sun Link, Sun Van, Sun on Demand and Sun Shuttle services) will remain free for the rest of 2021 to provide riders with some fiscal relief because of the pandemic. Read more here.

Note: This list was compiled in summer 2021. Before you go, please be sure to check each location’s most up-to-date hours and public health safety protocols.

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. If you’re looking for a quicker bite, just a bit east on University Blvd at Park Ave is Pelio Grill, where you can enjoy Greek favorites inside or to-go. Head north on Park Ave and you will find Caffe Luce serving up a variety of coffee and tea drinks. 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 to do so, 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 wood-fired 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 what at least one ALTA staff member says is the best beer in Tucson!

Thanks in part to its welcoming attitude and the University of Arizona, Tucson hosts an array of world-class performing arts and cultural spaces, many of them within walking distance from the Marriott conference hotel (distances given are starting from the conference hotel). Note: This list was compiled in summer 2021. Before you go, please be sure to check each site’s most up-to-date hours, ticket prices/admission, and public health safety protocols.

There’s lots to do in Tucson, from admiring the cacti and other desert flora to hiking to exploring the area’s rich history. And if you’re a stargazer, Tucson is one of the best spots in the U.S. for astronomy. In 1972, Pima County enacted a “dark sky” code to regulate the brightness and number of outdoor bulbs in an effort to help local observatories like one at Kitt Peak. Now Tucson suffers from far less light pollution than most cities do, allowing stars and planets to shine through the darkness. Many of the following activities are located within walking distance or a short ride share from the Marriott conference hotel, while others would may more sense for those who have extra time to spend in Tucson (distances given are starting from the conference hotel). Note: This list was compiled in summer 2021. Before you go, please be sure to check each site’s most up-to-date hours, ticket prices/admission, and public health safety protocols.

Driving distance

Note: This list was compiled in summer 2021. Before you go, please be sure to check each site’s most up-to-date hours, ticket prices/admission, and public health safety protocols.