Travel Tips – The Cactus League Versus the Grapefruit League

by Spencer Loomis

Every year, truly committed fans looking for an opportunity to flee their team’s chilly hometown conditions journey south for an opportunity to warm up and watch their favorite players participate sparingly in the exhibition pre-season that is Major League Baseball’s Spring Training.   Teams from the American League and National League are combined into two different leagues; the Cactus League in Arizona, and the Grapefruit League in Florida.   With pitchers and catchers reporting to training camps today, let’s take a look at what the leagues have to offer in terms of the fan experience.

The Baseball:

Teams are split up based on their geographic locations.   Generally, teams from the west play in the Cactus League while teams from the east play in the Grapefruit League.   The middle of the country is less predictable, for example the Minnesota Twins play in the Grapefruit League while the more eastern Cleveland Indians play in the Cactus League.

Aside from players trying to prove themselves in a new location like Cliff Lee or John Lackey, or players trying to prove they’re fully healthy again like Francisco Liriano, superstar players’ effort won’t be stellar.   However, young players on the verge of making a major league roster will play their hearts out.    Unless you’re from New York, LA, or Chicago and you get to watch your two teams play each other in an exotic location, a trip to Spring Training should be less about watching baseball and more about enjoying yourself in the atmosphere of excitement for the new season.

Teams are still hopeful during Spring Training and that level of energy and optimism is generally unmatched throughout the season for fans of perennial cellar dwellers like the Pittsburgh Pirates or Kansas City Royals.   So go to Spring Training fans; soak up the sun and fun alongside your team, just don’t expect to see most of these world class athletes putting in a regular season effort.

Troon North Golf Course in Scottsdale

Day Time Recreation:

During your trip you may decide that you don’t want to spend every day at your team’s training facility. When choosing which league to visit, consider what each league has to offer in terms of non-baseball related activities.

While both regions have world class golf courses for fans to enjoy on off days during their Spring Training vacations, The Valley of the Sun gets a slight nod due to the caliber of courses and big name players you’ll find on the links of Scottsdale. On the other hand there are two things you definitely won’t find in Arizona that Florida has to offer; a day at the beach and a trip to Walt Disney World.

In the next category I recommend you bear in mind who you’ll be traveling with before choosing a destination. If this trip is an opportunity for you and the guys to get away from the family/girlfriend then by all means head to Arizona for 18 holes when you’re not catching pre-season action. On the other hand if you’ll be traveling with your family or girlfriend, a relaxing day by the ocean or a visit to the land Where Dreams Come True is probably more up your alley.

A Scottsdale Bartender

Nightlife

Florida is famous for having tan babes across the state, but their epicenter of good looking girls and nightclubs has got to be Miami. Unfortunately the Grapefruit League doesn’t play games south enough to make a night in Miami a convenient option. The center of Arizona’s nightlife is less famous, but those who know it well describe it as unmatched. Old Town in Scottsdale is where people in the know will head for a night on the town while visiting the Cactus League. Sam Madison, resident of Minnesota and passionate Twins fan, makes frequent visits to Scottsdale to escape the harsh winter conditions of the Great White North.    “Old Town has quality incomparable to other locations because of the consistency of hotness of their women.  Also, the diversity of women is unmatched,” Madison said of the area. A former Phoenix sports executive also said of Old Town, “the women of Old Town are possibly the hottest in the entire country.”

With these factors in mind, my recommendation is simple. Pack up the family and head to Florida for some baseball and a trip to the Happiest Place on Earth. Or grab the guys and head to Arizona for some time with your team as well as golf and gorgeous girls. If you haven’t been to Spring Training in your lifetime and you call yourself a sports fan, be sure to make an addition to your bucket list.