Cactus League Spring Training Road Trip: Grand Canyon

Double the fun of Cactus League spring training with a road trip to Grand Canyon National Park.

a man and woman sit on the edge of the Grand Canyon and look off into the distance

Baseball is an American icon, so it’s only fitting that when you’re in the vicinity of another great American icon – the Grand Canyon – you add it to your travel itinerary.

We put together some of the best Cactus League spring training road trips, with:

  • links to the Cactus League schedule so you can plan the best time for your spring training side trip,
  • a variety of activities beyond baseball,
  • choices for cultural, recreational and natural explorations using Flagstaff as the hub.

Between games, get out and discover the amazing outdoor experiences that Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon offer. When you do, you’ll be batting a thousand with your family and friends.

GRAND SLAM: FOUR NATIONAL PARKS & MONUMENTS

Your Arizona spring training road trip to Flagstaff has bases loaded with three National Monuments along the route to home plate, Grand Canyon National Park.

Your family will be in a league of their own when they come home telling stories of their Southwest discoveries.

Two people sit on a boulder and gaze out at the Grand Canyon at sunset. The sky is purple and orange

STEP UP TO THE PLATE: GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK

The friendly mountain and college town of Flagstaff makes a perfect base camp for your Grand Canyon road trip.

Take the 90-minute drive from Flagstaff to stand at the edge of the amazing abyss for some of the planet’s most picturesque scenery. We have heard some visitors refer to the enjoyable drive as a “one cup of coffee” cruise.

Spending the night in Flagstaff after your return from the Grand Canyon, you’ll experience a million points of light in the sky over the world’s first International Dark Sky City.

Get more information about Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon here.

White exterior of Lowell Observatory at night. The sky is full of stars

HIT IT OUT OF THE PARK: LOWELL OBSERVATORY

Step out of your Flagstaff hotel room to be wowed by the night skies. Better yet, visit Lowell Observatory, where Pluto was discovered.

Open noon to 10 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday during Cactus League 2024 spring training, Lowell Observatory offers night viewing of celestial objects through telescopes and historic tours that include the Pluto Discovery Telescope. During the day you can view the sun through a telescope with a special filter.

A sandwich and salad on a plate in front of Foret on a sunny day in Flagstaff

KNOCK THE COVER OFF THE BALL: FLAGSTAFF FOODIE SCENE

The Flagstaff food scene has taken off in recent years, now boasting four James Beard semifinalists within walking distance of one another downtown. Flagstaff’s young, innovative chefs are opening fresh new restaurants alongside old favorites.

Go Major League at time-tested favorites like Brix, awarded among the Top 95 New Restaurants in the World by Condé Nast Traveler in 2007, or Fat Olives, recently listed among the Top 100 Pizza Spots in the U.S. by Yelp.

Check out Forêt, where Sam Greenhalgh, a James Beard semifinalist for Best Chef Southwest 2024, conjures French-styled pastries and coffees.

Then there’s the lauded  Shift Kitchen + Bar with Christian Loew, a 2023 James Beard Emerging Chef nominee. Proper Meats + Provisions earned a James Beard nod as Outstanding Restaurant nominee that same year. The meatery is sustainably committed and locally sourced.

You’ll hit a home run at Atria with Chef Rochelle Daniel, the 2022 James Beard Emerging Chef semifinalist inducted into the Arizona Culinary Hall of Fame.

Or simply belly up to the bar at one of Flagstaff’s eight fun breweries, such as Beaver Street Brewery.

friends cheers pints of beer from a brewery in Flagstaff, Arizona

EXTRA INNINGS: FLAGSTAFF BREWERY TRAIL

Flagstaff offers a Brewery Trail for visitors to explore this leading craft beer city’s award-winning ales, including a passport app with prizes for checking in at stops along the way.

Enjoy breweries within historical buildings at Lumberyard Brewery or Mother Road Brewing Company, and you’ll get a taste of Arizona history while sipping stouts, ales and lagers.

A special note to Chicago Cubs fans: take selfies with real bear cubs in the background at Bearizona, a 160-acre animal park.

2024 CACTUS LEAGUE SCHEDULE

Plan your spring training side trip with the 2024 Cactus League schedule. Please note that Cactus League 2024 times, dates and opponents are subject to change.

Cactus League Schedule: 2024 Spring Training Calendar

a baseball player runs to the next base
CACTUS LEAGUE BASEBALL TEAMS

Here’s the list of the Cactus League baseball teams and the Arizona stadiums they call home during spring training:

Arizona Diamondbacks
Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, 7555 N. Pima Rd., Scottsdale, AZ 85258

Chicago Cubs
Sloan Park, 2330 W. Rio Salado Pkwy., Mesa, AZ 85201

Chicago White Sox
Camelback Ranch – Glendale, 10710 W. Camelback Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85037

Cincinnati Reds
Goodyear Ballpark, 1933 S. Ballpark Way, Goodyear, AZ 85338

Cleveland Guardians
Goodyear Ballpark, 1933 S. Ballpark Way, Goodyear, AZ 85338

Colorado Rockies
Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, 7555 N. Pima Rd., Scottsdale, AZ 85258

Kansas City Royals
Surprise Stadium, 15960 N. Bullard Ave. Surprise, AZ 85374

Los Angeles Angels
Tempe Diablo Stadium, 2200 W. Alameda Dr., Tempe, AZ 85282

Los Angeles Dodgers
Camelback Ranch – Glendale, 10710 W. Camelback Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85037

Milwaukee Brewers
American Family Fields of Arizona, 3805 N. 53rd Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85031

Oakland Athletics
Hohokam Stadium, 1235 N. Center St., Mesa, AZ 85201

San Diego Padres
Peoria Sports Complex, 16101 N. 83rd Ave., Peoria, AZ 85382

San Francisco Giants
Scottsdale Stadium, 7408 E. Osborn Rd., Scottsdale, AZ 85251

Seattle Mariners
Peoria Sports Complex, 16101 N. 83rd Ave., Peoria, AZ 85382

Texas Rangers
Surprise Stadium, 15960 N. Bullard Ave. Surprise, AZ 85374


To help plan your Cactus League 2024 road trip, use the convenient map of the stadium locations for Cactus League spring training. 

Spring Training Locations

FINAL OUTS: CACTUS LEAGUE 2024 ROAD TRIP WRAP UP

Natural wonders like dark skies and the Grand Canyon are easy to experience on a road trip to Cactus League spring training. In fact, you can tick four parks off your National Park bucket list with this road trip to Flagstaff!

unstoppablestaceytravel.com

About the Author

Stacey Wittig

Stacey Wittig

Stacey Wittig’s adventures have led her up the Inca Trail in Peru eating fried caterpillars, across the plains of Spain enjoying steamed barnacles, and through the vineyards of Cinque Terre sipping Chianti Classico. “The Grand Canyon State is a remarkable place to call home,” declares the wandering writer, who writes from her home in Flagstaff.