When you live in an area that gets over 300 days of sunshine every year, there are perks that come along with the privilege. Pool season extends throughout most of the year, your winter wardrobe is limited to a few sweaters and a jacket or two, and in the spring, the Cactus League brings baseball teams from all over the nation to our doorstep for Spring Training games. Scottsdale in February and March may be your favorite place to visit and our I Love Scottsdale Spring Training sanctuaries are sure to be your favorite places to stay and this guide will help you enjoy, the season, the town, the games, and our properties to the fullest!
The Two Spring Training Leagues
Spring Training games are divided into two leagues of 15 teams, with the Grapefruit League in Florida filling up their March calendars with games and the Cactus League right here in the Phoenix area doing the same. This time of year is absolutely beautiful in the desert, with the sun shining bright and the temperatures lingering in the warm but not too warm zones, and as travelers from all over the nation flock to the stadiums that serve as home to our 15 teams, we too find ourselves playing hooky from work, grabbing our stadium chairs, and taking ourselves out to the ballgame. Offering a more intimate experience than during the regular season, the games are the perfect time to get autographs, check out the players before the season begins, and to enjoy hot dogs and other baseball foods, especially enjoyed by all those who have been behaving since the new year began!
10 Stadiums
There are 10 stadiums in the area, each hosting one or two teams from across the US, but today, we want to concentrate on our hometown stadiums, the two that are actually located in Scottsdale. Our I Love Scottsdale homes are sure to be located near one or both, and as you spend more time at the park and less time fighting traffic, you will have a vacation experience that is both exciting and comfortable. Starting with Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, located at 7555 N Pima Road, this wonderful stadium often serves as a concert venue, festival grounds, and during July 4th, fireworks destination spot. But in the spring, it is home to our hometown heroes, the Arizona Diamondbacks, winners of the 2001 World Series, making this stadium quite popular with the locals during Spring Training 2025. They also share the stadium with the Colorado Rockies, but in our minds, it is the Diamondbacks that matter! Our second field, Scottsdale Stadium, is located at 7408 E Osborn Road and is the seasonal home to the San Francisco Giants, winners of eight World Series since 1905. As you can imagine, Giants fans are quite in love with their team, making Scottsdale Stadium equally popular at this time of year.
Honorable Mention
We know we said we would just concentrate on the two stadiums in Scottsdale, we are I Love Scottsdale, after all, but we can’t talk about Spring Training if we don’t bring up the fact that the most popular team in the Midwest calls Mesa home during the month of March. The Chicago Cubs have their own stadium here, Sloan Field, one that is built to look exactly like Wrigley Field, just on a smaller footprint. And as much as we love our Diamondbacks, you haven’t seen fan love until you witness a Spring Training game starring the Chicago Cubs, especially as many locals are Midwest transplants eager and excited to see someone from their own hometown play the game!
Seeking Autographs
Every baseball fan is thrilled to collect an autograph from their favorite players, and during Spring Training, it is easier than at any other time of the year, with the best time to get them being during their practices. Practice is open to the public, generally taking place in the morning hours between 9 AM and noon. Be sure to arrive early, as it is no secret this is the time to get the autographs of your favorites, and try not to linger. There will be a lot of people waiting and everyone deserves a shot, so have what you want autographed ready, bring a Sharpie (The players won’t be carrying those in their uniform pockets!) and sit in the second row. Your time to be thrilled will arrive and you will make a memory that will last a lifetime. Want photos with your kids? Arrive even earlier, while the team is warming up, and the friendly players are sure to be agreeable. If you can’t make practice sessions, there will still be opportunities to get your autographs as players linger in the foul ball territory before and after games, specifically for this purpose and that includes the most famous athletes, not just the prospects who are hoping to be signed for the season.
More Than Hot Dogs and Cracker Jacks
The food being sold during Spring Training games has received an upgrade, and although there will always be hamburgers, hot dogs, and probably Cracker Jacks (Does anyone really eat those anymore?), each year the food services people bring new items to the menu to excite your taste buds. Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, is especially known for their gourmet food choices, and in previous years, new food items have included hot dogs made from ostrich, elk, rattlesnake, and even vegetarian versions. Hot dogs still seem to be the most popular food item, and other variations have included a bacon, macaroni and cheese hot dog, but burrito bowls and loaded nachos are always a sure bet as well. The Diamond Bar offers restaurant quality food, prepared when ordered and a huge television inside the restaurant ensures you won’t miss a minute of the game if you decide to dine this way.
Spring Training with the Kids
The youngest generation of fans, your children, may not have the attention span necessary to sit in a seat and watch the entire game, but the stadiums in Scottsdale both offer kids zones to help the littles burn off some of their excess energy. The Cold Stone Kid’s Fun Field at Salt River Fields is a free activity zone, letting kids practice hitting whiffle balls and running the bases (This will definitely tire them out!) while also offering an ice cream cart to sweeten their dispositions. At Scottsdale Stadium, the kids can run around the berm alongside the field or they can take their energy to the batting cage, hitting their own balls out of the park. In any case, the vibe of Spring Training games is much more relaxed during the regular season games and parents can feel comfortable when their children are a little more exuberant than usual. It’s spring, the weather’s gorgeous, and the baseball season is in full swing; how can you not be exuberant?
The Innings Festival, Tempe Beach Park
Again, although we are concentrating on Scottsdale at the moment, the Innings Festival, held every year at Tempe Beach Park, is close enough to your I Love Scottsdale baseball retreat that you won’t feel like you are driving forever just for a party. Occurring at the beginning of Spring Training (generally the last week of February) and lasting two days, this exciting festival kicks off training season in all the best ways. Offering three stages where a rotating round up of live bands will be constantly playing, delicious foods, and baseball themed activities for everyone, the beauty of the Papago Mountains and Tempe Town Lake offer an extra element of wonder to the whole celebration. A batting cage and speed pitch section offer fun ways to test your own baseball skills, vendors will be passing out free merch at spots like the Beatbox Clubhouse and the Ghost Lounge, and food vendors will be selling all manner of delicious foods. And because one weekend is wonderful, two weekends must be even better (and it is!) the second weekend of Spring Training provides the Extra Innings Festival offering more of what you explored in the first!
A Tour of Restaurants
Although there are some games that take place in the evenings, the majority are played in the afternoon, ending, for the most part, in plenty of time to enjoy a night out on the town and if you didn’t completely pig out during your baseball adventures, the restaurants listed below will be yummy additions to your Spring Training shenanigans. We’ve also included some breakfast restaurants, in case you don’t feel like utilizing the fully equipped kitchens in your I Love Scottsdale spring sanctuaries.
Hash Kitchen, 8777 N Scottsdale Road in Gainey Village & 14838 Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard in North Scottsdale
There are not enough words to describe the breakfast wonders that await you at Hash Kitchen, one of the most exciting breakfast spots in the entire Phoenix Metropolitan area, not just in Scottsdale! From their Build Your Own Bloody Mary Bar to the live DJs that provide music on the weekends, Hash isn’t just a restaurant, it is a fantastic party spot that will enhance your away from the ballpark activities. Offering a great time to experience some authentic Mexican chilaquiles (an egg dish served over tortilla chips) or their eclectic takes on Benedicts, including one made with fried chicken, biscuits, and a maple reduction, you won’t leave Hash Kitchen feeling hungry or bored!
Durant’s, 2611 N Central Avenue in Phoenix
Your daytime hours are going to be filled with a fun and casual vibe that matches our hometown, but we can be fancy too, and if you want to up the elegant vibe and experience a true special occasion meal, we are going to change it up a bit and suggest Durant’s as the restaurant you should not miss. Located in nearby Phoenix, not Scottsdale, the history of this venerable institution that originally opened in the 1950s is as delicious as the steaks they serve, involving the original owner Jack Durant who once worked for Bugsy Malone in a Vegas casino. Pro tip, regulars know that the only way to enter Durant’s is through the back door which gives guests a sneak peek into the kitchens where food magic is created. This hot spot is also a great spot in which to rub shoulders with celebrities, many of which may be in town for Spring Training.
Butter’s Pancakes & Café, 8300 Hayden Road #104
Sometimes you just want a good breakfast, not a party, and when you are fueling up for a day on the fuel, Butter’s Pancakes & Café has just what you seek. Offering every flavor of pancake under the sun, all fluffy and practically plate sized, they also serve French toast, waffles, and a huge classic egg menu that takes a while to read but will be worth all the extra effort when you find the meal that makes your heart smile.
More Than Baseball & Food
Scottsdale is one of Arizona’s top vacation destinations, and although your primary reason for visiting is the game, you may want to explore other exciting activities in town. OdySea Aquarium, located at 9500 E Via De Ventura offers a tropical oasis in the middle of the desert, providing more than 2,000,000 gallons of waters in its aquariums, Taliesin West was Frank Lloyd Wrights winter home and architecture school and can be toured today, and the Scottsdale Wine Trail features seven wine tasting rooms offering Arizona wines that are sure to become your newest obsession. Night spots like Cake (modern and exciting) and the Rusty Spur (Western and historic) will provide the opportunity to dance, drink, and perhaps meet a celebrity or two as they like to hang out in these spots as well!
Come Home to Comfort
Your favorite moments, however, may be the ones that take place after the last home run has been hit out of the park, the leftovers from your hearty meal have been bagged up, and your night on the town has ended. The moments you spend at home with I Love Scottsdale, swimming in private pools, soaking in bubbling hot tubs, maybe even playing foosball against your 10 year old in fully equipped game rooms, will be the ones you treasure forever. Reserve your favorite Scottsdale retreat today and come home to comfort every night of your stay; we even have homes for a last minute stay!
