Where to find fun off the field
We show you where to have fun off the field during Arizona spring training — Photo courtesy of cmannphoto / iStock Via Getty Images Plus
Every year, baseball fans flock to Phoenix, Arizona, to see their favorite teams and players during the Cactus League’s spring training season. The Cactus League is comprised of 15 Major League Baseball teams, to include the Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Guardians, Colorado Rockies, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee Brewers, Athletics, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners, and the Texas Rangers. With 2025 spring training running February 20 to March 25, they’ll be plenty of action at the 10 spring training ballparks.
However, this gorgeous stretch of the Sonoran Desert offers plenty of fun off the field too. From hot air balloon rides to hiking among Saguaros cacti to kayaking in the company of wild mustangs, there’s so many ways to fill your sunny desert days that even die-hard baseball fans might find themselves thinking about skipping a game or two. Here are some of our favorite diversions, plus cool places to eat and stay.
Things to do during Arizona spring training
Hot air balloon rides typically launch around sunrise during Arizona spring training — Photo courtesy of Dana Rebmann
You’ll have to get up early (before sunrise early), but you’ll quickly realize it’s worth it. Hot air balloon rides provide a bird’s-eye view of the desert. Rainbow Ryders and Hot Air Expeditions offer daily sunrise excursions, weather permitting.
First-time fliers will be amazed at how quiet it is floating among the clouds, and it’s a good idea to wear your ball cap; if you’re standing near the burner, it can help your head from feeling overly toasty.
Experienced hikers seeking challenging outings head to well-known Camelback Mountain to stretch their legs, but workouts with a view are plentiful in the desert. Usery Mountain Regional Park offers more than 30 miles of trails, with options for all ages and fitness levels. The Wind Cave Trail is the park’s most popular trek. It’s considered a moderate-to-difficult hike, so plan on at least a couple hours and carry more water than you think you’ll need.
If you’re a bit shy about exploring the desert on your own, make a beeline to the Desert Botanical Garden. Five thematic trails, each a third of a mile or less in length, make for ideal strolling and perhaps even learning a thing or two about desert plants.
A variety of tour options make it easy to visit Taliesin West during spring training in Arizona — Photo courtesy of Dana Rebmann
Taliesin West, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was more than Frank Lloyd Wright’s winter home. It served as an architecture school where apprentices of the famed architect perfected their craft. A variety of tours are offered — the longest only a couple hours in length — making a visit oh so easy to squeeze in before or after a ball game.
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Many baseball fans are surprised to learn they can kayak during their time in the desert. Kayaking along the lower Salt River comes with stellar scenery and plenty of wildlife-spotting opportunities. Be on the lookout for egrets, juvenile bald eagles, cormorants, and wild horses. Perhaps better described as a float than a paddle, an excursion with Cliff Creek Outfitters is suitable for all kayaking levels, even first-timers.
Where to eat and drink during Arizona spring training
Bravo’s “Top Chef” alum Angelo Sosa boasts a pair of signature restaurants worth checking out. The menu at Tía Carmen is loaded with sharable dishes, the likes of steamed mussels, New York strip, street corn, and yucca brûlée. Get your own tuna crudo. (Trust us.) Colorful Kembara is an Asian street food restaurant offering a range of dishes, including green papaya salad, dim sum, vegetable lo mein, and chicken satay.
There’s something delicious to eat and drink at seemingly every turn in Old Town Scottsdale. The menu at FnB is constantly changing, thanks to its commitment to highlighting ingredients grown by local farmers. The Mission is a good bet if you’re craving Mexican eats.
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JoyRidesAz runs foodie-focused tours on golf carts. Choose from tour themes like gelato and ice cream, wine tasting, beer and spirits, and margaritas and tacos.
Got kids in tow? Even if you don’t, Sugar Bowl will bring a smile to your face with its cotton candy pink façade, burgers, banana splits, and epic collection of The Family Circus comic strips by artist Bil Keane.
Where to stay during Arizona spring training
Scottsdale’s Hotel Valley Ho is a favorite place to stay during spring training — Photo courtesy of Dana Rebmann
An Old Town Scottsdale icon, Hotel Valley Ho is a mid-century marvel that isn’t afraid of color. An added perk, it has an award-winning pool. Always buzzing, you can tell from the moment you walk into the lobby at The Global Ambassador that it’s a place to be seen. Every detail of the hotel is well thought out, and the spa is a delightful retreat to get lost for a day.
The Adero Scottsdale Resort is located in a certified Dark Sky Community, and guests have complimentary use of a star-gazing app while on property.
At the Grand Hyatt Scottsdale Resort, give yourself time to chill out alongside one of its 10 swimming pools. If you’re the type that can’t sit still, there’s a three-story, high-speed waterslide to keep you busy.
