Scottsdale Spring Training Planning: Your Complete 2027 Guide

Take me out to Spring Training!

Spring training has a way of making the Valley feel like the center of the baseball universe for six straight weeks. Fifteen MLB teams, ten stadiums, and a whole lot of day-drinking disguised as "getting to the ballpark early." If you're just starting to plan a Scottsdale spring training trip for 2027, here's everything you need: when it starts, where to eat around each stadium, a timeline for locking in the logistics, and how to skip that part entirely so you can just show up and watch baseball.

When Does Spring Training Start in 2027?

Cactus League play is expected to run from mid-to-late February through late March 2027, with pitchers and catchers reporting first and the full slate of games following shortly after. That's roughly six weeks of baseball across the Phoenix metro, with games happening basically every day of the week. If you're the type who books flights before the official schedule drops, build in flexibility, and check the official Cactus League schedule once it's live. Ticket sales tend to move fast for the marquee matchups (Cubs vs. Dodgers, anyone?).

The Lay of the Land: 15 Teams, 10 Stadiums

Part of what makes Scottsdale such a good home base for MLB spring training is that you're within a short drive of nearly every stadium in the league. Some of the local favorites:

Salt River Fields at Talking Stick — shared home of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies, and one of the most walkable, well-designed spring training complexes in the Valley.

Hohokam Stadium (Mesa) — home to the Athletics, with a laid-back, local crowd and easy access to some of the best breweries in the East Valley.

Scottsdale Stadium — home to the San Francisco Giants, right in the heart of Old Town, which means you can walk to dinner after the last pitch.

Sloan Park (Mesa) — home to the Chicago Cubs, and consistently one of the highest-attendance parks in the league, so plan to arrive early.

If you're a die-hard who follows one team across every away game, you already know the Valley rewards that kind of commitment. If you're just here for the vibe, sticking to the stadiums above will keep you close to Scottsdale and out of excessive freeway time.

Where to Eat and Drink Near Every Stadium

Good baseball deserves good food. Here's where to go before or after the game, organized by stadium.

Near Salt River Fields (Diamondbacks / Rockies)

• Famous 48 — ribs and margaritas, exactly what you want post-game

• Rockefeller — happy hour cocktails and calamari if you're arriving early

• Campo Italian Bar & Bistro — house-made pasta for a sit-down dinner

• Sumomaya — Mexican-Asian fusion, plus a weekend bottomless brunch if you're making a whole day of it

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Near Hohokam Stadium (Athletics)

• 12 West Brewing Co. — craft beer and live music, good for hanging around after the final out

• Bobby Q's — upscale barbecue, worth the wait

• Pedal Haus Brewery — award-winning beer and Bavarian pretzels, a solid pre-game stop

Near Scottsdale Stadium (Giants)

• The Montauk — East Coast beach-inspired dining, an easy walk from the stadium

• Diego Pops — reliable, no-fuss Mexican

• Hot Chick — fried chicken and arcade games, good if you've got a group that wants to keep the night going

Near Sloan Park (Cubs)

• Thirsty Lion GastroPub — runs a free trolley to the stadium, which solves your parking problem

• Papago Brewing Co. — also runs shuttle service, another easy no-drive option

• Mykes Pizza — often runs discounted Margherita pizzas on game days

Restaurant lineups shift year to year (that's the nature of the Valley's dining scene), so if you don't see your go-to on this list, or you want the current, verified rundown, ask us when you book. We keep this list updated in real time, which a blog post from six months ago can't do.

Scottsdale Spring Training Planning Timeline

If you're not sure where to start, here's roughly how far out to plan each piece:

• 3+ months out: Lock in your rental or hotel. Spring training weekends book up fast, especially anything walkable to Old Town or Salt River Fields.

• 6-8 weeks out: Buy tickets once the Cactus League schedule is confirmed, particularly for high-demand matchups like Cubs or Dodgers games.

• 2-3 weeks out: Nail down restaurant reservations for anything with weekend brunch or a big group.

• The week of: Let us handle house setup, groceries, and bag storage so the only thing left on your list is first pitch.

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How Girl About Town Handles the Rest

Here's the thing about spring training: the baseball part is easy. It's everything around it, house set up, tickets, groceries, figuring out which bar has a table, that eats your actual vacation time. That's the part we handle, along with the rest of our Scottsdale event planning services.

• House setup before you arrive. Walk into a stocked kitchen instead of a bare rental. Breakfast items, beverages, and yes, baseball-themed decor if you want it.

• Ticket help. Tell us which games you want to see and we'll take it from there.

• Local recommendations, curated for you. Restaurants, bars, and entertainment picks based on which stadium you're closest to and what you're actually in the mood for, not a generic list.

• Vacation rental connections. We work with rental partners across Scottsdale and the greater Valley, so you're not searching listings blind.

• Bag storage. Early check-in, late flight, or just came straight from the airport to the ballpark? Drop your bags with us and go watch baseball instead of hauling luggage around a stadium.

  
  

Basically: we're the concierge service for people who want their spring training trip to run like a well-executed double play. Book directly through our site to get started, and we'll take it from there.

Quick Answers

When should I start planning a Scottsdale spring training trip? Start with your rental or hotel about three months out, tickets six to eight weeks out once the schedule's confirmed, and everything else (restaurants, house setup) can wait until a few weeks before you land.

When does spring training start in Arizona in 2027? Cactus League games are expected to begin in mid-to-late February 2027 and run through late March, though exact dates depend on MLB's official release.

How many teams play spring training in Arizona? Fifteen MLB teams train across ten stadiums in the Cactus League, most of them within a 30-minute drive of Scottsdale.

Do I need a car for spring training in Scottsdale? It helps. Some stadiums (like Sloan Park) have shuttle or trolley partnerships with nearby restaurants, but getting between stadiums generally requires a car or rideshare.

Can Girl About Town help plan my whole trip, not just game day? Yes. From house setup to restaurant recs to ticket help to bag storage between checkout and first pitch, that's the actual service. Reach out through the site and tell us your dates.