Spring Training Online

If You Go ...

There are a few places of interest within walking distance of the ballpark. Beer lovers are still lamenting the fact that the former Cougan's (7640 W. Bell Road) is now a Rock Bottom Brewery, a national chain of upscale brewpubs. Some of the Rock Bottom Brewery locations are actually pretty good -- like the downtown Minneapolis Rock Bottom -- and there are reports that this Rock Bottom is decent as well.

Peoria is a suburb of Phoenix, and as such you'll probably be spending a good chunk of your time there. Architecture fans will want to check out Taliesin West, conveniently located on Frank Lloyd Wright Drive in nearly Scottsdale. Frank Lloyd Wright and the Taliesin Fellowship wintered at Taliesin West, and today that unique set of buildings set amongst 600 acres of desert is open for tours.

Otherwise, the pickins are slim in terms of must-see attractions in Phoenix. You may want to do what the natives seem to enjoy: relax and commune with nature. Of course, most of that communing takes place on a golf course. 

There are 12 other teams with spring-training venues in the Phoenix area: Chicago Cubs (Mesa), Seattle Mariners (Peoria), Milwaukee Brewers (Maryvale), Oakland Athletics (Phoenix), Anaheim Angels (Tempe), San Francisco Giants (Scottsdale), Cleveland Indians and Cincinnati Reds (Goodyear), Chicago White Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers (Glendale), Texas Rangers (Surprise) and Kansas City Royals (Surprise). Tucson -- spring-training home of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies -- is 115 miles southwest of Phoenix. It's not really a bad drive -- it's mostly freeway, along I-10. 

Flying In: The closest airport is Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. It's served by all the major airlines, including United, Delta, Northwest, Air Canada, American, Continental, US Airways, and Southwest. It's a pleasant enough airport.

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