Spring Training in AZ

[redshoes]

My 10 year wedding anniversary is coming in March. My husband loves baseball and I'm throwing around the idea of taking a trip to Scottsdale for Spring Training. I know it's not a super romantic trip but it's something that I think he would enjoy. I'm looking for any experiences you might have with this type of trip.

 

[AUPr8Hd]

Try springtrainingonline.com

I've been to Florida for spring training, not Arizona. In my experience with Florida, most of the games were daytime. However, a lot of the Arizona towns host 2 different teams. So, there may be more night games.

Good luck and have fun!

 

[redshoes]

Thank you for your help

 

[hopemax]

When I lived in Scottsdale, we went to Mariners (our team) games at their home in Peoria and when they played the Giants in Scottsdale. For the home games, the crowd was mostly families and lots of seniors. It was very laid back, "lazy days of summer, although it was March" type feeling. The Giants game was a big party. 8 feet inside the gate was a beer seller chanting Beer, Beer, Beer. The crowd was a lot of 20-somethings more interested in their next libation than the game I think. So there is definitely a different vibe depending on whose games you attend.

 

[AUPr8Hd]

I'm not familiar with all of the locations in Arizona. But, I would recommend planning your trip to be able to visit multiple locations. When we went to Grapefruit League last year. We stayed outside of Tampa. This allowed us to visit a different city Friday night, Saturday afternoon and Sunday afternoon. All of the drives were within 20 to 30 minutes max from our hotel. We would have tried to make an afternoon game on Friday, if we could've arrived in town in time. If you can afford it, buy tickets online through a ticket broker. We purchased all of ours last year this way and had seats on the 8th row on the 1st base line behind the dugout and 1st row seats down the 3rd base line. The 1st row seats were AWESOME! Chat up the coaches and/or players. A lot of them will talk in between innings, etc.

My friend and I have discussed going again this year. However, I am in banking and he is in insurance. So, it's not the best time for either of us. We'll definitely do it again and will consider flying to Arizona at some point.

There are several teams which have left or planning on leaving Florida and moving their Spring camps to Arizona. This includes the Dodgers, Indians and Reds. The Dodgers and Indians are there beginning this year. The Reds will make the move in 2010.