The Rockies return to the diamond for the start of spring training Saturday in Scottsdale, Ariz. Planning on traveling south to watch the Rockies? Here’s a brief guide to the area to help you plan your trip.
WHERE TO STAY
Salt River Fields at Talking Stick will be the Rockies’ (and Diamondbacks’) home for spring training. The facility — which includes an 11,000-seat ballpark, 12 practice fields and office bulidings for team clubhouses — is located just off state route 101, in central Scottsdale. Talking Stick Resort, less than two miles from the fields and with mountain views, is offering for spring training, meaning you can watch the games during the day and gamble and get dolled up at the resort’s spa in the evening. A quick search for a one-room reservation in March revealed a stay at the four-star resort will cost you upward of $300 a night, without the spring training package.
Located about 2.4 miles from Salt River Fields is , where rooms cost about $300 during spring training. The hotel provides a complimentary shuttle that will take you to and from the fields each day, and is near The Pavilions at Talking Stick, Talking Stick Casino and hundreds of Scottsdale golf courses.
WHAT TO DO
Besides watching baseball and more baseball, a trip to Scottsdale isn’t complete without a round (or many) of golf. And with more than 200 courses to choose from in the Scottsdale area, there’s really no excuse for not playing.
One of the closest to the fields is Talking Stick Golf Club, ranked No. 11 by among Arizona’s top courses.
A 20-minute drive north from the fields (about 16 miles) will take you to Troon North Golf Club near Pinnacle Peak, which boasts breathtaking views and 36 holes. It was named by as the 25th best public course in the United States in 2014.
And of course, if you’re eager to experience Tiger Woods’ dreadful outing at The Waste Management Phoenix Open a few weeks ago, head north about eight miles to . Perhaps you’ll have better luck than he did.
( that compares many of the local courses.)
Uninterested in hitting the green? Roughly six miles southwest of Salt River Fields is , where cafes and niche shops line the streets and many of the district’s buildings date back to the 1920s, according to its website. There are more than 150 stores and restaurants in the area, as well as weekly art festivals and farmer’s markets.
WHERE TO EAT
, in Old Town Scottsdale, was named one of Esquire’s best new restaurants and a James Beard semifinalist for best new restaurant in 2013. Located in Bespoke Inn, the restaurant serves upscale Mediterranean fare and has been ranked by many outlets as one of the finest in the area. Which is to say: Prepare to spend a pretty penny if you’re able to land a reservation (recommended). The menu changes, but its sample winter menu includes “bacon candy” and smoked duck breast.
For something a little more low-key, try , a bar about three miles northeast of Salt River Fields that has shuffleboard, pool, darts, enough flat-screen TVs to make your head spin and a menu that should please just about anyone.
Nicki Jhabvala: njhabvala@denverpost.com or twitter.com/nickijhabvala
Rockies new GM Jeff Bridich joined Woody Paige and Les Shapiro, on .
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