When visiting Phoenix, Arizona, we try to fit in at least one Spring Training Baseball game. Even if you’re not a baseball fan, if you’re visiting Phoenix during the short Cactus League season, you should try to go! There are so many amazing training stadiums, and it’s a fun way to spend an afternoon or evening.
Although these games might not be high stakes regarding rankings in the regular season, they’re a great chance to see the teams before the roaster is set. If you are a huge baseball fan, these games are a superb way to get close to your favourite players without breaking the bank!
The first team to play an exhibition game in Arizona was the Chicago White Sox in 1909. It wasn’t until 1929 that the first teams held official training camps here in the desert. The warm, dry weather brought more and more teams to Phoenix to practice. And by the 1960s, the Cactus League had been established. The Phoenix Cactus League now features 15 major league teams. They play just over 200 games from February 22nd to March 22nd. See the Full schedule here.
The best way to buy game tickets is online or from the stadium box office. Big-ticket games might sell out quickly, but if you’re not picky about where you want to sit, you can almost always find tickets on the day. Avoid buying from the scalpers right in front of the box office since you might actually pay more than face value. If you’re dead, set on seeing a certain team on a particular day with seats in the right spot to see your favourite player, buy tickets in advance to ensure you don’t miss out.
If you’re like me and don’t mind which team you go and see, you are more just going for the experience; you might want to choose your game based on the stadium itself. The stadiums themselves are some interesting places to see. While baseball is entertaining, for me, a baseball game is all about food and drinks. That’s what I really come for! Every stadium will have all the American baseball classics like corndogs, hot dogs, nachos and beer. But the different stadiums also feature unique items, making them more popular for certain visitors. Some of the ballparks ensure the vendors sell classic dishes from their team’s home state. So if you’re missing a little taste of home, coming to these ballparks might have just what you’re looking for!
The Goodyear Ballpark is my home park so it has a soft spot in my heart. It’s the home to the Cleveland Indians and Cincinnati Reds. Goodyear Park has a homely charm with beautiful views of the mountains from the berm seats. Their special right-field pavillions offer lounge furniture and nine big-screen TVs to watch the game from cool comfort. You can buy a bunch of seats here with the group ticket option, which includes access to their ballpark buffet! This is a great option for families or big groups.
Goodyear ballpark has lots of new food options this year. Try the loaded corn dog nuggets, the parmesan waffle fries, or their half-pound cheeseburger served between two grilled cheese sandwiches. You can also get nachos served inside a souvenir plastic helmet with your team’s logo! Great for the kids. My favourite thing to get is the taquito dog. It’s a foot-long hot dog wrapped in a flour tortilla loaded with cheese. It then gets deep-fried and topped with queso, guacamole and pico de gallo. You’ll be full long past the 7th inner stretch.
The Surprise Stadium is home to the Texas Rangers and Kansas City Royals. If it’s your first-time visit to the stadium, tell te upon entering with your ticket, and they’ll give you a complimentary “1st Visit” button! A great little free souvenir. The recently renovated stadium is sure to wow any visitor but seeing it at night makes it feel very professional. The stadium was designed to allow fans to move around and watch from not just their seats. There is even a special viewing area in the batting cages.
Surprise Stadium is a great place to come if you’re on a budget. Their value menu has food for just $3 which features all the staples like hot dogs, popcorn, soda, and nachos. One of their more unique options can be found at Saigon Kitchen. This Vietnamese restaurant features garlic noodles and lemongrass chicken. Who knew you could find this at a ballpark game?! If you’re looking to try something desert-inspired, get the AZ Dog. This ballpark dog is covered in chipotle mustard and topped with cactus pico da Gallo.
The Peoria Sports Complex is home to the Seattle Mariners and San Diego Padres. The stadium is made with sandstone-shaded concrete and blue steel, matching the team’s colours. This stadium was the first to install an outfield spanning berm and 360-degree concourse. These features allow fans to see the game from all angles. Peoria is the best place to bring your kids! Peoria park has a mini baseball field made just for kids. Here, the little ones can play like they’re in the big leagues. The kid’s zone also features a pirate ship-themed playground!
Street tacos are all the rage this year, and there is even a taco cart which wheels around the stadium so you can grab them whenever you’re craving them. Spice is the game’s name here in Peoria Park, and one of their most popular items is the spicy Foot-Long hot dog wrapped in jalapeno bacon. This park also has many craft beer brands on draft from the Pacific Northwest and Southern California. So whatever team you’re cheering for, you can have a beer to go alongside.
Hohokam Stadium is home to the Oakland Athletics. This stadium is perhaps one of the more overlooked parks. But recent renovations have made it a great place to watch the games. Over half of the seats in the stadium are shaded, and there are also covered patios for picnics. The fan speed pitch contest is held daily, broken up into age groups. This means fans can compete against each other to see who has the best arm!
At Hohokam, vegetarians will be in heaven with the option to order the new Impossible Burger! You can also find Polish hotdogs and other Ohio-themed concessions in honour of their home team. But the most amusing item to get here has got to be the Mustache Pretzel! A delicious salty pretzel in the shape of, you guessed it, a moustache.
Tempe Diablo Stadium is home to the Los Angeles Angels. I think the Tempe Diablo Stadium has the best views from the seats. Sitting there, you can enjoy the amazing landscape and look at the famed Twin Buttes. Especially if you’re not a local, this is a great way to admire the desert. In Tempe Stadium, there are lots of shaded seats available. You can also get a $25 all-you-can-eat food package which makes dining so much fun!
Tempe Stadium is home to Arizona’s best corndog! You also can find brisket sandwiches, jalapeno cheese sausages in hoagie buns and humongous cheesesteaks. But the best of all is the Baked Bear ice cream sandwiches! You can get your ice cream scooped between two warm cookies and covered in sprinkles! One of the most beautiful things you’ll find anywhere in the city.
American Family Fields of Phoenix is home to the Milwaukee Brewers. Renovations on this park finished in 2019, so the stadium feels brand new! It smells like a new car. As you walk through the parking lot to the stadium, you’ll see these huge marquees with the numbers of famous Brewers; these make for great photo-ops on your way in. There’s something about this park that feels so local and intimate. Like you’re just out watching your neighbourhood team play instead of a major league sports team.
The Wisconsin-inspired “bratchos” are kettle chips covered with bratwurst and nachos toppings! Their new item for this year is a Bernie Brat, a bratwurst dipped into a secret sauce and covered in bacon and onion straws! My favourite item has to be the fried cheese curds, which are very much Wisconsin themed! Pair that with a cold beer, and you’ve got yourself a real treat.
The Scottsdale Stadium is home to the San Francisco Giants. Scottsdale is one of the fanciest neighbourhoods in Phoenix, and as such, they have quite an impressive stadium. This is the one place where tickets really do sell out, so don’t wait to buy your seats. The Scottsdale Stadium prides itself on blending old-school charm with modern amenities. Even parking is made surprisingly charming by the antique trollery, which brings guests from the parking complex across the street to the park.
The best item here by far is the smoked pulled pork brisket layered on top of garlic fries. Worth a trip just for that. There is also a large selection of specialty beers, including San Francisco’s own Anchor Steam. Since Mexican food is so popular in San Francisco, street tacos are also available at the park. They are available as one of the most delicious options.
The Camelback Ranch-Glendale is home to the Chicago White Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers. Camelback is such a great area of town, and this stadium is nestled away in the heart of the desert. It has gorgeous views of the mountain ranges from the seats, so if the game is slow, you can sit back and enjoy the view. An interesting fact about this stadium is that the field is sunk 12 feet below ground, so there isn’t a bad seat in the house to watch the game. The grounds also feature picturesque walking trails, citrus groves, and a fully stocked five-acre lake filled with swans, geese and other animals.
Come hungry if you want to try their famous 18-inch slice of pizza! Whether you support it, you’ll have to choose between the Dodger Dogs or the Vienna Beef Chicago hotdogs to represent your team.
Salt River Fields is home to the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies. As the “hometown” team, the Diamondbacks draw a huge crowd. Salt River Fields was the first Major League Baseball property built on an Indian reservation. Tribal influences have been incorporated throughout the park to attempt to pay some respect to the original landowners. There are even placards around the stadium detailing the history of the Pima and Maricopa tribes. Most of the signage throughout the stadium is written in Maricopa, Pima and English. Just a little touch which makes this stadium unique. The views from here are the most impressive featuring Camelback Mountain, the McDowell Mountains, Four Peaks, Red Mountain, and the Superstition Mountains.
The Sonoran BBQ is one of the most popular items at Salt River Fields. This place is my first stop once I get inside to get my hands on their delicious shredded adobo pork. This then gets covered in lime cabbage and pickled red onions, the perfect balance to the fatty pork. 101 Cattle-Co is a new vendor this year with its half-pound grilled burger with peanut butter, cheddar cheese, bacon and sweet chilli jam. If, on the other hand, you aren’t a meat-eater, meatless options can be found here with the Beyond meat burger being sold at Home Plate Hot Dogs.
Sloan Park is home to the Chicago Cubs. Since this stadium is home to the Wrigley Field players, aspects of that famous park are woven into the design of Sloan Park. You’ll see brick patterns, a cantilevered roof and even the scoreboard was designed to look like the one in Chicago. It’s like travelling across the USA in one place! The bleachers here are covered in a huge trellis, allowing shade in most of the seats. This park also features a 300-foot tall rock climbing wall for kids to enjoy.
The food at Sloan Park feels more gourmet than just a regular ol’ ballpark. Here you can sample their famous Street Corn, grilled corn off the cob covered in chipotle mayo, parmesan cheese, lime and Valentina sauce. You can also indulge in their Carved Pork sandwich, an herb-encrusted honey mustard glazed pork loin topped with horseradish aioli and pineapple coleslaw! For a twist on the tradition, try the hot Cheetos Cheesesteak, filled with Philly beef steak, sauteed peppers and onions and covered in hot cheese for an extra bite! For a traditional Chicago ballpark treat, you must head to A Taste of Chicago, which has all the traditional Chicago specialties.
Spring Training games are almost always full of additional events. We were lucky enough to come to a game where we were greeted by the Budweiser Wagon and their line of Clydesdales. So neat! There are also special fan experiences you can buy. These include a meet & greet with the players on the field! Check the schedule for fan appreciation days when stadiums give out free memorabilia for attendees, such as player bobbleheads. You also should check the schedule at each stadium to see what time batting practice starts, as that is always a good opportunity for a potential autograph. Ask politely, and don’t expect them to sign, but you’ll have a truly amazing souvenir if they do.
Even though the games take place in February and March, they can still get hot. So if you’re sensitive to the heat, you should book a seat under the shaded area. If you’re worried about being too hot, try to find a night game. Since all the stadiums at Spring Training games are a fraction of the size of regular season stadiums, you’re hard-pressed to find a bad seat. They’re all pretty close to the action too. But the seats on the lawn are where the fun is at! People bring huge picnics, layout on the grass and treat the game as almost secondary to hanging out. Plus, they cost almost less than a fast-food combo meal for a whole afternoon of fun!
Spring Training is a great time to buy limited-edition merchandise from your favourite teams or exclusive to the Cactus League. If you’re a collector, a fan, or know someone who loves their team, this is a great place to buy some unique merch.
If you are in Phoenix over the Spring Training season, I encourage you to go and check out a game. Even if you’re not a huge baseball fan, many additional aspects to Cactus League games make a trip out to the ballpark the perfect way to spend an afternoon.
Let me know which team you’re cheering for this season and your favourite park in Phoenix!
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