Arizona, New Mexico & the Grand Canyon Trips (Lonely Planet, 1st Edition) - Aaron Anderson [42]
Pane Bianco
A café from the Pizzeria Bianco group, taste the homemade mozzarella in a salad or sandwich without the pizzeria wait. 602-234-2100; www.pizzeriabianco.com/pane; 4404 N Central Ave, Phoenix; mains $8; 11am-3pm Tue-Sat
Pizzeria Bianco
James Beard–winner Chris Bianco makes the best pizza in town and maybe even all of America. 602-258-8300; www.pizzeriabianco.com; 623 E Adams St, Phoenix; pizza $10-14; dinner Tue-Sat
Sugar Bowl
This pink-and-white place has been cooling sun-baked citizens since the ‘50s. Sandwiches and salads, too. 480-946-0051; 4005 N Scottsdale Rd, Scottsdale; dishes $4-9; 11am-10pm Sun-Thu, 11am-midnight Fri & Sat
DRINK
BS West
A gay bar and dance club in the Old Town; has pool tables, a small dance floor and karaoke some nights. 480-945-9028; www.bswest.com; 7125 E 5th Ave, Scottsdale; 2pm-2am
Durant’s
With red-velvet wallpaper and overstuffed red-leather booths, the steaks are as sumptuous as the decor. 602-264-5967; www.durantsaz.com; 2611 N Central Ave, Phoenix; mains from $20; 11am-10pm Mon-Thu, 11am-11pm Fri & Sat, 4:30-10pm Sun
SLEEP
Hotel Valley Ho
A centrally located and fun place to stay with a great spa and a Trader Vic’s restaurant on site. 480-248-2000; www.hotelvalleyho.com; 6850 E Main St, Scottsdale; r $99-600
Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort & Spa
The location is second to none; steep discounts during hottest months. 480-948-2100; www.sanctuaryoncamelback.com; 5700 E McDonald Dr, Paradise Valley; r $415-750, private home from $3000
USEFUL WEBSITES
www.scottsdalecvb.com
www.visitphoenix.com
LINK YOUR TRIP www.lonelyplanet.com/trip-planner
TRIP
12 Cactus League Spring Training opposite
14 Steak-Lovers Arizona
20 Arizona in Tune
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Return to beginning of chapter
Cactus League Spring Training
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WHY GO The crack of a bat, the sweet smell of corn dogs and the warm days of an Arizona spring – come see the best baseball clubs in the country duke it out in pre-season play. In March, the biggest conundrum a baseball fan faces is which of the 12 Cactus League teams to see.
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TIME
2 days
DISTANCE
150 miles
BEST TIME TO GO
late Feb – Mar
START
Phoenix, AZ
END
Tucson, AZ
ALSO GOOD FOR
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You know spring training has started when Japanese TV news crews are camped out front of Peoria Sports Complex, talking to the camera about Japanese-born Seattle Mariners sensations Ichiro Suzuki and Kazuhiro Sasaki.
The stadium, set in the northwestern Phoenix suburb of Peoria, is home to both the Mariners’ and the San Diego Padres’ spring training – fans with an affinity for West Coast sluggers should definitely pay the spiffy sports complex a visit. Notice how many people avoid walking in front of the TV cameras. Any local will tell you that sports fans call in sick a lot this time of year and spring training crowds are unusually camera-shy. The players, however, aren’t shy at all. Between innings most of them are open to talking to fans and signing autographs – maybe it’s the smaller venues or maybe it’s because they know that spring training brings out the truest fans.
Spring training brings alive the baseball of a bygone era, when juicing is what mom did to oranges in the morning. The historic Phoenix Municipal Stadium is the spring training home of the Oakland A’s and a good place to relive the sport’s golden days: Willie Mays hit the first spring training home run in 1964 here. Look across third base for great views of the wind-carved rock formations that look like scoops of melting ice cream at Papago Park. The old-timey stadium isn’t flashy, but it’s comfortable enough after its revamp, and with only 7800 seats, there’s not a bad place to cop a squat in the house.
Head to Four Peaks Brewing Company for some post-game brews. Just 4 miles away from “Phoenix Muni,” as locals