Drinks Downtown Tucson
Playground Bar & Lounge
A place for a drink in Downtown Tucson, moderately priced ($$) and worth about 2 hours. Best time to go: After 10 p.m.
Why go
A Congress Street bar with a rooftop deck that has hosted a DJ New Year's Eve party with a midnight champagne toast.
It is one of 8 curated places we feature in Downtown Tucson, alongside 2 activities, 2 places to eat and 1 outdoor spot. 6 more of our picks sit within about half a mile in a straight line, so it pairs easily with Hotel Congress and Rialto Theatre.
- Type
- Drinks · Nightlife
- Neighborhood
- Downtown
- Price
- $$
- Time needed
- 2 hr
- Best time
- After 10 p.m.
Nearby
The 6 closest curated picks in Downtown Tucson, measured as straight-line distance.
- 1Hotel Congress
A 1919 railroad hotel with a lobby bar, Club Congress and a big themed New Year's Eve party across its stages and patio.
Stay · 0.0 mi straight-line - 2Rialto Theatre
A 1920 theater across from Hotel Congress that is now Tucson's main mid-size concert hall.
Activity · 0.0 mi straight-line - 3Charro Steak & Del Rey
The El Charro family's downtown steakhouse on Broadway, with Sonoran-style steaks and seafood in a big, lively room.
Food · 0.1 mi straight-line - 4Fox Tucson Theatre
A restored 1930 movie palace on Congress Street with a neon blade sign, now hosting concerts and films.
Sight · 0.3 mi straight-line - 5Downtown Bowl Bash
Tucson's free New Year's Eve street party, with music and food trucks, ending in a lighted taco drop and fireworks at midnight.
Activity · 0.3 mi straight-line - 6El Charro Café
Opened in 1922 and run by the same family, known for carne seca dried on the roof and chimichangas.
Food · 0.5 mi straight-line
On these curated routes
Playground Bar & Lounge is a stop on our Tucson New Year's Eve route. Open it to see the full day-by-day plan.
More to do in Downtown Tucson
Playground Bar & Lounge is our only drinks pick in Downtown Tucson; here is what else we recommend there. See the full Downtown Tucson guide.
When to go
Average daily highs in Downtown Tucson run from 64°F in December to 103°F in June; July is usually the wettest month. For Playground Bar & Lounge itself, we suggest: After 10 p.m.
Modelled monthly averages for Downtown Tucson from NASA POWER, not a forecast. Full Downtown Tucson weather by month.
Getting there
Map links open a live search for Playground Bar & Lounge, so hours and directions come straight from the map app.
- Coordinates
- 32.22198, -110.96723
- Destination
- Downtown Tucson, Arizona
Playground Bar & Lounge: quick answers
How much time do you need at Playground Bar & Lounge?
Plan on about 2 hours at Playground Bar & Lounge. That is our curated estimate for a typical visit; groups that linger will want more.
When is the best time to visit Playground Bar & Lounge?
Our pick: After 10 p.m.
Which TripsCircle routes include Playground Bar & Lounge?
Playground Bar & Lounge appears on Tucson New Year's Eve, a curated route you can open on TripsCircle and plan with your group.
Add Playground Bar & Lounge to your crew's plan
Save it to a shared TripsCircle itinerary, settle the timing with a quick poll, and split the costs with everyone going to Downtown Tucson.
Plan Downtown Tucson
- Downtown Tucson travel guide 8 places
- Best time to visit Downtown Tucson weather by month
- Downtown Tucson to Catalina Foothills 7.1 mi straight-line
Lists & regions
Also in Downtown Tucson
- Sentinel Peak Outdoors
Curated recommendation, not live listing data. Confirm hours, prices, bookings and access before you go.