The best place to stay for Phoenix spring training depends on which teams you’re following, because the Cactus League’s ten ballparks are spread across the Valley. The good news is that no two are more than about 45 minutes apart, so you can base yourself in one central area and reach every stadium. For most fans, the East Valley around Scottsdale, Tempe, and Mesa is the sweet spot. If your team plays on the west side, Peoria or Goodyear will save you a daily drive.
The 2026 season runs February 20 through March 24, with fifteen teams playing across the metro. Here’s how to pick a home base that fits your schedule instead of fighting it.
The Cactus League map, grouped by area
Ten stadiums, sorted by which side of the Valley they sit on. Find your team, then pick a base nearby.
East Valley (Scottsdale, Tempe, Mesa)
- Scottsdale Stadium: San Francisco Giants, right in downtown Scottsdale
- Salt River Fields at Talking Stick: Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies
- Tempe Diablo Stadium: Los Angeles Angels
- Sloan Park (Mesa): Chicago Cubs, the league’s biggest-drawing park
- Hohokam Stadium (Mesa): Oakland Athletics
West Valley (Peoria, Glendale, Goodyear, Surprise)
- Peoria Sports Complex: Seattle Mariners and San Diego Padres
- Camelback Ranch (Glendale): Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago White Sox
- American Family Fields (Phoenix): Milwaukee Brewers
- Goodyear Ballpark: Cleveland Guardians and Cincinnati Reds
- Surprise Stadium: Kansas City Royals and Texas Rangers
A note for our Pacific Northwest guests: the Mariners share Peoria Sports Complex with the Padres, so if you’re
following Seattle, the West Valley is your natural base.
Best areas to stay, matched to the stadiums
Scottsdale, if you can swing it
Scottsdale is the most popular base for a reason. You’re walking distance to bars and restaurants after a day game,
minutes from Salt River Fields and the Giants’ downtown park, and roughly half an hour from the Mesa and Tempe
stadiums. It’s the priciest area, but for a group splitting a rental it evens out.
Mesa or Tempe for the East Valley teams
If your itinerary leans toward the Cubs, A’s, or Angels, basing in Mesa or Tempe puts you closest to the action and
costs less than Scottsdale. Tempe also has the shortest hop to Phoenix Sky Harbor airport, which matters on arrival
and departure days.
Peoria or the West Valley for those teams
Following the Mariners, Padres, Dodgers, White Sox, Brewers, or the Goodyear and Surprise clubs? Stay west.
You’ll cut a 40-minute each-way drive down to ten or fifteen minutes and get more house for your money, since
the West Valley runs cheaper than Scottsdale.
Drive times between the parks
Every ballpark sits within about 45 minutes of the others, and most pairings are far closer. As a rough guide from a
Scottsdale base: Salt River Fields is about 15 minutes, the Mesa parks 20 to 30, Tempe around 25, and the West
Valley stadiums 35 to 50 depending on traffic. Day-night doubleheaders at two different parks are genuinely
doable here, which is part of what makes the Cactus League fun.
Book early, because spring training does sell out
Spring training is one of the busiest windows of the Phoenix year, and the best rentals near the popular parks go
months ahead. If you’re eyeing a Cubs or Mariners game on a weekend, treat your lodging like your tickets and lock
it early. Groups especially should book well in advance, because four-bedroom-plus homes near the stadiums are
the first to disappear.
Why a rental beats a hotel for a spring-training group
For a group of friends on a baseball trip, a house does what a block of hotel rooms can’t. You get a shared kitchen
for breakfast before day games, a common space to watch the other games at night, a pool for the warm
afternoons, and one bill to split instead of four. Our Phoenix-area homes are set up for exactly this kind of trip.
Browse our Arizona rentals and pick a base near the teams on your schedule.
Frequently asked questions
When should I book for spring training?
As early as you can, ideally several months out. Homes near the popular parks and larger group rentals book first,
and the February-to-March window is peak season across the Valley.
Which area is most central to the Cactus League stadiums?
The East Valley around Scottsdale is the most central overall, with the shortest average drive to the full set of
ballparks. If your teams play on the west side, Peoria is the better central base.
Is a vacation rental better than a hotel for a spring-training group?
For groups, usually yes. A house gives you a kitchen, a shared living space, a pool, and a single cost to divide, which
suits a multi-day baseball trip far better than separate hotel rooms.
