When the Chicago Cubs signed papers in 1951, to make Mesa, Arizona, their new spring training home, the Tribune lauded one local amenity — a mineral bath — 9 miles away.
Fans complained when the White Sox arrived in Tucson 25 years ago for the team’s first preseason in Arizona that the ballpark — Hi Corbett Field where scenes from the 1989 movie “Major League” was filmed — was in one of the bleakest parts of town “where tank farms and body shops meet the high chaparral.”
Today, however, the fast-growing Phoenix area — where the Cubs and White Sox are among 15 teams that play in 10 stadiums as part of the Cactus League — offers numerous restaurants, outdoor activities and cultural institutions to help winter-weary travelers relax and thaw out in the Sonoran Desert.
It’s understandable if fans might feel overwhelmed with the multitude of options — this is the first full spring training schedule since 2019, because of the coronavirus pandemic and a lockout-shortened preseason last year.
If it’s been awhile since you last enjoyed a game at either Sloan Park (or “Wrigleyville West,” as some Cubs fans call it) in Mesa or Camelback Ranch in Glendale, we’ve got some suggestions on what to do away from the ballpark. The experiences are either familiar — with ties to Chicago — or unique to Arizona.
Getting around
What’s familiar: Like the Airport Transit System at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, the free PHX Sky Train at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport (skyharbor.com/ground-transportation) was under construction for years, with the only way to access the off-site rental car facility being aboard an often-cramped shuttle bus. That changed in December, when the Sky Train extension opened. The three-car train departs from Terminals 3 and 4 for the 2 ½-mile trip — roughly a 10-minute ride — to the Rental Car Center Station. Trains run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
What’s unique: Looking to hitch a ride in Mesa or head to downtown Phoenix from the airport? Consider a transportation option that only operates here and in San Francisco: Waymo One (waymo.com) is a ride service that can be booked through an app, similar to Uber or Lyft, but transports passengers in a driverless, electric Jaguar I-PACE. The service has operated in Arizona since 2017, but paid rides began at the end of last year, according to The New York Times.
Food and drink
What’s familiar: If a few days in the desert leaves you hankering for deep-dish pizza or a Chicago-style hot dog, a taste of home is closer than the next flight. Chicago-based chains have quickly found footing in the Valley of the Sun. Lou Malnati’s (loumalnatis.com/arizona) now has eight locations in the Phoenix area (three full-service restaurants and five carryout or delivery storefronts). Portillo’s (portillos.com) has four locations.
What’s unique: Longtime Scottsdale stalwarts Don & Charlie’s and Pink Pony have closed, but popular — and award-winning — eateries abound. Chefs Lori Hashimoto of Hana Japanese Eatery (5524 N. 7th Ave., Phoenix; hanajapaneseeatery.com) and Giovanni Scorzo of Andreoli Italian Grocer (8880 E. Via Linda, Scottsdale; andreoli-grocer.com) were both James Beard Award semifinalists in 2022. Also last year, Chris Bianco, chef-owner of Tratto, Pane Bianco and Pizzeria Bianco (locations vary, pizzeriabianco.com), was named Outstanding Restaurateur by the James Beard Foundation.
Phoenix Magazine named Feringhee Modern Indian Cuisine (3491 W. Frye Road, Chandler; feringhee.com) its best new restaurant of 2022. Co-founder Sujan Sarkar also helped open ROOH, whose Chicago location opened in 2019. The magazine also praised the menu at Lom Wong (218 E. Portland St., Phoenix; lomwongaz.com), which is inspired by a seafaring community in Thailand.
Late-night or quick bites are available at five In-N-Out Burger (in-n-out.com) locations in the Phoenix area — all offer drive-thru and dine-in seating until 1 a.m. Don’t forget to ask an associate for some free stickers and to order from the (not-so)-secret menu.
Don’t leave Arizona without trying a Sonoran-style hot dog — one wrapped in bacon and covered in beans, raw and grilled onions, tomato, mayonnaise and mustard, topped with jalapeño sauce. It’s on the menu at Moreno’s Mexican Grill (morenosmexicangrillaz.com) locations and food trucks around the valley, but those at El Guero Canelo in Tucson (elguerocanelo.com) recently made Travel Magazine’s list of Top 10 best hot dogs in the United States.
Hotels
What’s familiar: Great Wolf Lodge (7333 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale; greatwolf.com/arizona), operated by Chicago-based Great Wolf Resorts, opened in 2019. The family-friendly property features an indoor water park, bowling, arcade games, mini golf and a variety of themed rooms within walking distance to Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, which is the spring training home for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies. The ballpark is the first in the United States to be built on Native American land.
What’s unique: Midcentury hotels are glam again. The newly opened Egyptian Motor Hotel (765 Grand Ave., Phoenix; egyptianmotorhotel.com) offers 48 renovated rooms, a 250-seat cocktail bar, an outdoor entertainment venue and an Airstream trailer for an Instagram-worthy stay and play.
Hotel Valley Ho (6850 E. Main St., Scottsdale; hotelvalleyho.com) entertained stars including Natalie Wood, Bing Crosby, Humphrey Bogart and Zsa Zsa Gabor after it opened in 1956, and remains as cool now as its palm tree-shaded pool. Guests can explore the hotel’s minimalist and Southwestern design on a “Magical History Tour” for just $19.56 per person.
Attractions
What’s familiar: Wrigley and Wright are well-known names in Chicago, but both have significant staying power in Arizona, too. The Spanish and Mediterranean-influenced Wrigley Mansion (2501 E. Telawa Trail, Phoenix; wrigleymansion.com) was constructed on a hilltop in 1932, by chewing gum magnate and then-Cubs owner William Wrigley Jr. as a 50th anniversary present for his wife, Ada. The property has undergone extensive renovations, which can be explored on a tour, and now serves as an event venue and home for fine-dining establishments. Christopher’s at the Wrigley Mansion, run by James Beard award-winning Chef Christopher Gross, opened in 2021.
In 1937, architect Frank Lloyd Wright established a winter home in the foothills of the McDowell Mountains in Scottsdale. Taliesin West (12621 N. Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd., Scottsdale; franklloydwright.org/taliesin-west) is a UNESCO World Heritage site open daily and offering a variety of tours, including a 60-minute nighttime guided walking trek of the facility that takes place six nights in March. Wright’s influence extends to the luxurious Arizona Biltmore, which will host the NFL owners meeting in late March, and the Grady Gammage Memorial Auditorium in Tempe — one of Wright’s last public commissions.
What’s unique: Is there a better way to experience a dramatic sunrise or sunset in the desert than to be part of it — 3,000 feet up in the air? Hot Air Expeditions has offered hot air balloon rides in Arizona for almost 30 years and offers daily flights at Deer Valley Airport (702 W. Deer Valley Road, Phoenix; hotairexpeditions.com). Tours includes a 45-60 minute ride, post-flight Champagne ceremony, catered breakfast from Vincent’s on Camelback, and a commemorative flight certificate. Shared rides are $219-$239 for adults and $169-189 for children. Private rides are $599 per person. A special “Balloons & Tunes” package adds a visit to the Musical Instrument Museum (4725 E. Mayo Blvd.; mim.org) to a full-day itinerary for an additional $60.
For adventure on the ground, hike 2,704-foot-tall Camelback Mountain (dbg.org) or visit the colorful large-scale sculptures by a German-French artist as part of the “Playing with Stars: Rotraut” exhibit at the Desert Botanical Garden (1201 N. Galvin Parkway, Phoenix; dbg.org).
What’s familiar and unique: Love baseball and music? Check out the all-ages Innings Festival on Feb. 25-26 at Tempe Beach Park & Arts Park (80 W. Rio Salado Parkway, Tempe; inningsfestival.com). Headliners include Green Day on Saturday and Cubs megafan Eddie Vedder on Sunday, with former Cubs pitcher Ryan Dempster hosting a live version of his talk show “Off The Mound.” Other former MLB players and a variety of food vendors will also be on site. Sunday tickets are still available for $112-$825.
Other sporty options
What’s familiar: The Chicago Blackhawks will face the Arizona Coyotes Feb. 28 (Black Excellence Celebration night) and March 18, in Mullett Arena on the campus of Arizona State University in Tempe. As the Coyotes wait for their own proposed venue to be funded after being booted from Desert Diamond Arena, they are sharing the 5,000-seat arena — the smallest in the NHL — with the Sun Devils’ men’s hockey team. The views are exceptional from any location, but the ticket prices are steep — from $75 for standing room only, to more than $600 per ticket for a seat on the glass.
What’s unique: Ten games of the World Baseball Classic will be played at Chase Field in Phoenix, the Diamondbacks’ home, from March 11-15. Countries competing in the Pool C schedule include Canada, Colombia, Great Britain, Mexico and the United States. Tickets, which range in price from $20-$155 each, are available through ticketmaster.com.
What’s a trip out West without a rodeo? La Fiesta de los Vaqueros has been an annual Tucson tradition for almost 100 years. Events — including bull riding, mutton busting, barrel racing, steer wrestling and team roping — take place daily through Feb. 26 at Tuscon Rodeo Grounds (4823 S. 6th Ave., Tucson; tucsonrodeo.com). The drive is just under two hours south from the Phoenix area. Tickets are $18-$120 each with on-site parking available for an additional fee.
