Every spring, the Phoenix metro becomes the center of the baseball world. The Cactus League opened its 2026 schedule on Friday, February 20, and games run into late March, giving fans a few weeks when big league rosters play in ballparks where the seats are close, the sun is out, and two games in one day is a realistic goal. There is one thing that catches first-time visitors off guard, though: the Valley is big. The metro stretches roughly 50 miles from east to west, and the ballparks are scattered across it, from Goodyear and Surprise on one side to Mesa and Tempe on the other. This guide walks through where every Cactus League park sits, which teams train there, how to plan a two-stadium day, and how a private door-to-door shuttle from Airport Shuttle of Phoenix keeps the driving off your plate from the moment you land at Sky Harbor. Sloan Park shuttle
How the Cactus League Is Laid Out
The good news is that spring training here is remarkably compact for a metro this size. According to the Cactus League Association, all Cactus League facilities sit within roughly a 45-minute drive of one another, and that is exactly what makes multi-stadium trips realistic in the first place. Camelback Ranch shuttle
The key detail is direction. The parks split into two loose clusters on opposite sides of the Valley:
- The West Valley cluster: Camelback Ranch-Glendale, Peoria Sports Complex, Surprise Stadium, and Goodyear Ballpark.
- The East Valley and Scottsdale cluster: Sloan Park in Mesa, Tempe Diablo Stadium, Scottsdale Stadium, and Salt River Fields at Talking Stick.
- In between: American Family Fields of Phoenix, on the west side of Phoenix proper, which leans toward the West Valley group.
The caveat that matters for planning: while 45 minutes covers park-to-park drives under typical conditions, a trip from the West Valley (Goodyear, Surprise, Peoria) to the East Valley (Mesa, Tempe) at peak traffic can take an hour or more. When you can, pair ballparks on the same side of the Valley, and pad any cross-town plans generously. Salt River Fields shuttle
The West Valley Ballparks
Four parks anchor the western suburbs, and they combine naturally with one another for two-game days. If your team trains on this side of the Valley, basing yourself in Glendale, Peoria, Surprise, or Goodyear keeps game days simple:
- Camelback Ranch-Glendale (Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago White Sox). The shared spring home of the Dodgers and White Sox sits in Glendale, a city that also anchors the Westgate Entertainment District — one of the Valley's go-to spots for postgame dinners and nightlife.
- Peoria Sports Complex (San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners). Located at 16101 N 83rd Ave in Peoria, this shared facility serves two devoted fan bases and sits in the northwest part of the metro.
- Surprise Stadium (Texas Rangers, Kansas City Royals). At 15850 N Bullard Ave in Surprise, this is one of the farthest-flung parks on the map, so build in extra drive time if you are based in Scottsdale, Tempe, or Mesa.
- Goodyear Ballpark (Cleveland Guardians, Cincinnati Reds). At 933 S Ballpark Way in Goodyear, this park sits at the metro's southwest edge — a short hop from its West Valley neighbors, but a real trek from the East Valley in rush hour traffic.
Central Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe, and Mesa
The eastern half of the Valley packs four ballparks into a compact corridor, with a fifth sitting just west of downtown Phoenix. On this side of the metro, game-day hops stay short:
- American Family Fields of Phoenix (Milwaukee Brewers). At 3805 N 53rd Ave in Phoenix, the Brewers' spring home works as a handy middle stop between the two clusters.
- Scottsdale Stadium (San Francisco Giants). Set at Osborn Road and Drinkwater Boulevard in downtown/Old Town Scottsdale, this may be the most walkable stop on the circuit, with restaurants and shops steps from the gate.
- Salt River Fields at Talking Stick (Arizona Diamondbacks, Colorado Rockies). At 7555 N Pima Rd in Scottsdale, the shared spring home of the Diamondbacks and Rockies sits in the northeast part of the city.
- Tempe Diablo Stadium (Los Angeles Angels). At 2200 W Alameda Dr in Tempe, the Angels' spring base is one of the easiest East Valley parks to reach from Mesa or Scottsdale.
- Sloan Park (Chicago Cubs). At 2330 W Rio Salado Pkwy in Mesa, the Cubs' spring home draws big traveling crowds, so expect energy — and fuller lots — whenever Chicago is home.
The Two-Games-in-One-Day Plan
This is the Cactus League ritual that keeps fans coming back: watch a game at one ballpark, break for lunch, and settle into a seat at a second ballpark later in the day, all because the facilities sit within about 45 minutes of one another. The trick is choosing pairings that respect the geography. Scottsdale Stadium shuttle
- Stay inside one cluster. A game at Sloan Park followed by one at Tempe Diablo Stadium, or Scottsdale Stadium followed by Salt River Fields, keeps every leg short. On the west side, Camelback Ranch, Peoria, Surprise, and Goodyear trade off just as easily.
- Treat cross-town days as planned events. A morning in Goodyear and an afternoon in Mesa is absolutely doable — just remember the cross-valley drive can stretch past an hour at peak, so leave a generous buffer between games.
- Let someone else drive. A private shuttle turns the between-games leg into downtime: no circling for parking at a second stadium, no navigating unfamiliar freeways, no drawing straws for the designated driver, and no surge pricing when a popular matchup peaks.
Fans who build their week around two-a-days often base themselves near one cluster and cross town only once or twice. Airport Shuttle of Phoenix runs private door-to-door rides across the Valley, so a two-stadium day becomes two easy pickups instead of two parking lots. Tempe Diablo Stadium shuttle
From Sky Harbor to First Pitch
Most traveling fans fly into Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, which puts you close to the middle of the Cactus League map. The last thing you want after a flight is a rental car counter line, a lot shuttle, and an unfamiliar freeway at rush hour. A private airport shuttle trades all of that for a single pickup and a drop-off exactly where you are headed. Peoria Sports Complex shuttle
Airport Shuttle of Phoenix operates private door-to-door rides 24/7 with no shared rides — your group travels together and goes straight to your hotel, vacation rental, or even directly to a ballpark gate with luggage in tow. On airport legs, drivers track your flight, so a delayed arrival does not upend the plan, and there is no surge pricing when a spring weekend gets busy. Surprise Stadium shuttle
Planning ahead is straightforward, too: dedicated stadium route pages exist for Sloan Park, Camelback Ranch, Salt River Fields, Scottsdale Stadium, Tempe Diablo Stadium, Peoria Sports Complex, Surprise Stadium, and State Farm Stadium, so you can scope out the ride from your lodging to any ballpark before you ever land. State Farm Stadium shuttle
Timing Your Trip
The 2026 Cactus League season opened on Friday, February 20 and runs into late March, which leaves a healthy window for planning. A few practical notes:
- Weekdays are the easier play. Crowds and traffic both ease outside of weekends, which matters most when you are trying to move between two parks in a single day.
- Check schedules before you lock anything in. Game times and matchups come from MLB and the individual clubs, and they should drive your lodging, pairing, and flight decisions.
- Book early for weekends. Spring weekends concentrate local fans and traveling fans alike, so lodging and transportation both fill faster on Saturdays than on Tuesdays.
- Respect the desert sun. Spring afternoons are generally pleasant, but shade can be limited at some facilities, so hats, sunscreen, and water belong in your bag regardless of the forecast.
Beyond the Ballpark
Not every highlight of the trip happens between the lines. In Glendale, State Farm Stadium — home of the Arizona Cardinals — and the neighboring Westgate Entertainment District give the West Valley a full evening's worth of dining and entertainment, an easy add-on to a Camelback Ranch or Peoria game day. Scottsdale Stadium puts Old Town within walking distance of the ballpark, and Tempe and Mesa each have lively downtown districts near their parks.
And if you are extending the trip past the final out, the same private door-to-door model covers the rest of the state: rides run between Phoenix and the metro, Tucson, Sedona, Flagstaff, and destinations across Arizona, so a red-rock day trip or a Tucson detour does not require a rental car.
Plan Your Ride
Spring training rewards fans who plan the geography as deliberately as the itinerary. Pick a base near the cluster you will visit most, pair your ballparks on the same side of the Valley, and hand the airport leg and the cross-town hops to a private shuttle. Airport Shuttle of Phoenix offers private door-to-door rides 24/7 — no shared rides, no surge pricing, with flight tracking on airport legs — and you can book around the clock at airportshuttleofphoenix.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far apart are the Cactus League ballparks?
Per the Cactus League Association, every Cactus League facility sits within roughly a 45-minute drive of the others. The caveat is scale: the Phoenix metro spans about 50 miles east to west, so a West Valley-to-East Valley run — say, Peoria to Mesa — can take an hour or more at peak traffic.
Can I see games at two different ballparks in one day?
Yes, and it is one of the best parts of a spring training trip. Where the schedule allows, fans catch a game at one park, break for a meal, and do it again at a second. Same-cluster pairings keep the driving short: Sloan Park with Tempe Diablo Stadium or Scottsdale Stadium on the east side, or Camelback Ranch with Peoria, Surprise, or Goodyear on the west.
How do I get from Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport to my hotel or a ballpark?
A private door-to-door shuttle is the simplest route. Booking is available 24/7, drivers track your flight on airport legs, and the ride is fully private — no shared rides, no surge pricing, and no rental car counter when you land.
When does Cactus League spring training take place?
The 2026 schedule opened on Friday, February 20, with games running into late March. Exact dates shift from year to year, so check the official MLB and club schedules when you begin planning a future trip.
Which ballparks pair well for a two-game day?
Stick to one side of the Valley. The eastern corridor stacks Sloan Park, Tempe Diablo Stadium, Scottsdale Stadium, and Salt River Fields; the west side stacks Camelback Ranch-Glendale, Peoria Sports Complex, Surprise Stadium, and Goodyear Ballpark. American Family Fields of Phoenix sits on the west side of Phoenix and can serve as a middle stop for either cluster.
Do I need a rental car for a spring training trip?
Not necessarily. With private door-to-door rides available around the clock, many fans base themselves near one cluster and let a shuttle handle the airport pickup, the stadium runs, and any side trips to Tucson, Sedona, or Flagstaff — no parking hassles at multiple ballparks and no navigating rush hour on unfamiliar roads.
