About this page.
Directions to Stadiums
Map to Cactus League Stadiums
- Tempe Diablo: Take I-10 to exit 153. Go a mile south to Alameda Drive.
- Peoria: Take Bell Rd. exit off I-17 and go west to 83rd Avenue.
- Tucson: 3 miles east of Tucson. Take Broadway exit east off I-10.
- Phoenix: Take I-10 Northeast to Exit 153 (48th street).
Take HoHokam Expressway to Van Buren Street, right on Van Buren two miles.
- Mesa: Center St., 1.5 miles north of Main St., center of Mesa.
- Scottsdale: On corner of Osborn and Civic Center Dr.,
east of Scottsdale Rd.
Things to Pack
Sharpies, seat pads, 15 & 30 sunscreen, caps, binoculars,
scorecards, radio, balls, sunglasses
Also, don't forget to take some warm clothes. Virtually every
year I catch a game or two when it's really cold, or a sudden storm
moves in. I like to throw some sweats into my bag or the trunk of the
car so I can just pull them over my shorts if it starts to get too cool.
Misc. Pointers and Notes
Buy a Spring Training magazine:
You can usually find these in bookstore magazine sections
in late winter or early spring. The good ones a little
map to each ballpark and good stats and info on the teams.
(Some have the hotels each team uses, if you're interested.)
Rental Car:
I used to rent a convertible and this is great down there.
That's before it started costing about $1,000.00 plus $250
more in fees and taxes for 10 days. I now get a special deal
via my father. It's expensive down there, look for budget
dealers and special deals.
Buying Seats (all parks):
Most of the ballparks now have grassy berms in the outfield.
These can be great, but you have to really like the
sun to be comfortable out there the whole game.
What I like to do is buy seats as close to the plate as
possible, then slip out to the grass about the 6th inning
for some sun, as the stars are replaced by minor leaguers.
Scalpers: Scalping is legal in Arizona, although usually
prohibited with 500' of the ballpark. The tickets are generally
inexpensive enough that it's not an expensive option to pick up
tickets from the scalpers who are always to be found on the main
routes into the parks, and this is often the best way to get the
best seats.
Getting Autographs:
Arrive early. At Peoria, if you want people from minor
league camps, watch for when they walk in from the
practice fields.
Food:
Most the parks have a good variety of food (Phoenix Muni is a
notable exception).
If you don't like paying ballpark prices, you should check the
ballpark rules about bringing food before heading in. Some allow
you to bring in your own lunchbags and sealed plastic containers
of drinks (e.g. Peoria), others don't.
Nightlife & Hotels:
I haven't had time to write much on this yet, but if you enjoy
the nightlife I suggest a hotel in or within walking distance
of Old Scottsdale. All stadia are accessible and there is a
wide variety of restaurants and bars in walking distance.
I've stayed at the
Scottsdale Days Inn and been satisfied, but I've spent most my trips
staying with relatives and have not reviewed options carefully.
Tuscon is a story unto itself -- I'll write some of that if I get
time.
Our 2001 Trip:
Here's the personal trip plan for
me and
Monica in 2001.
Related Internet Links
AccessArizona 360 Views - This site has swell views of the Cactus League
ballparks that let you swivel the view 360 degrees. (See bottom of page for
additional parks.)
C Arizona Spring Training Page
The Peoria Sports Complex
City Search Phoenix Events and attractions
Tucson Electric Park
Skilton's Baseball Links - Comprehensive List of Baseball Links
Scooter's Tucson Spring Training Site
Major League Baseball - Contains Spring Training info, though the links were broken when I checked 1/27/01
