ARIZONA | BASEBALL
Spring training in Tucson, Arizona
If you're planning to see the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies get ready for action, there's a hotel just right for you.
Two of the 14 Cactus League teams hold spring training in Tucson. Here's a look at their facilities and what the area has to offer in lodging:
Arizona Diamondbacks
2500 E. Ajo Way, Tucson
Tickets: (866) 672-1343
The Diamondbacks’ "home away from home," Tucson Electric Park, enters its 12th season as one of the most comfortable, wide-open facilities in the league. The Santa Catalina Mountains far beyond the outfield wall provide Tucson Electric Park with the best view in the Cactus League. Military aircraft practicing maneuvers from Tucson's Davis-Monthan Air Force Base provide a free air show. We love getting up from our seats to take a leisurely stroll around the concourse even before the seventh-inning stretch. We love the great Mexican food and the live ballpark organ music.
Colorado Rockies
Hi Corbett Field
3400 E. Camino Campestre, Tucson
Tickets: (520) 327-9467
Hi Corbett Field has been the spring home of the Colorado Rockies since the team's inception in 1993. Although Tucson residents Fred Boher and Woody Duxler are retiring from their positions as staff supervisors, the pair has left an indelible mark on Hi Corbett Field with the creation of the ballpark's own Wall of Fame on the concourse just beside the ticket office and gift shop.
If you want to stay in Tucson:
Hotel Congress, 311 E. Congress St.; (800) 722-8848, www.hotelcongress.com. This historic hotel is conveniently located to both Tucson Electric Park and Hi Corbett Field. Moderately priced guest rooms, all on the hotel's second floor, are appointed with 1930s furnishings (no TVs). There is a noisy side above the nightclub and a quiet wing at the end of the hall in the opposite direction. The Cup Café is great for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the inconspicuous Tap Room bar is a cool reprieve from the afternoon heat and the Club Congress night spot features live music just about every night of the week. Rooms from $79.
Loews Ventana Canyon Resort, 7000 N. Resort Drive; (520) 299-2020, www.loewshotels.com. During spring training, the resort offers baseball-themed packages, including spring training tickets and a copy of the movie "A League of Their Own." Rooms from $319.
Hacienda del Sol, 5601 N. Hacienda del Sol Road; (800) 728-6514, www.haciendadelsol.com. A former college preparatory school for girls converted into a Spanish mission-style guest ranch resort in 1948, Hacienda del Sol immediately became popular as a secret hideaway for Hollywood celebrities such as Clark Gable and Katharine Hepburn. The rooms and casitas contain a distinct Southwestern charm and air of privacy. The 34-acre grounds are impeccably kept in their natural surroundings. The pool and Jacuzzi present a fantastic view of the seemingly infinite Catalina Mountain range. Rooms from $175.
Hangouts:
We like to hang out with all the local baseball heads and sports fans at Bob Dobbs Bar & Grill at 2501 E. Sixth St. The place is so friendly and accommodating, I always feel like one of the locals. (520) 325-3767.
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