March 15--In spring the Phoenix area is baseball's best spa. The Cactus League draws 15 major league teams, including the Dodgers and the Angels, to 10 sun-kissed stadiums within an hour's drive of one another.
If it gets too hot at Camelback Ranch, the Dodgers' spring quarters in Glendale (the Arizona town), go to the customer-service window and request a shady seat. If it's not a sellout, they'll usually accommodate you.
At Diablo Stadium, where the Angels play, the best tanning spot is the picnic tables along the left-field line. Best shady spot is row P and up, from behind the backstop and along the first-base line.
Reliable postgame hangouts include the sporty Don Charlie's, a Scottsdale steak-and rib-emporium where I once had a martini so big there was a mermaid living on the bottom [7501 E. Camelback Road; (480) 990-0900, www.donandcharlies.com]. Locals and visitors flock to Cibo Pizzeria in downtown Phoenix, (603 N. 5th Ave.; [602] 441-2697, www.cibophoenix.com) which also happens to be one of Andre Ethier's favorites, not far from where the Dodgers outfielder grew up.
New options include Four Peaks Brewing Co. (1340 E. 8th St., Tempe; [480] 303-9967, www.fourpeaks.com), which is offering $10 tours. Nearby, Pedal Haus Brewery, (730 S. Mill Ave.; [480] 314-2337, www.pedalhausbrewery.com) is a huge new brewery with indoor and outdoor bars featuring 24 taps.
Info: For Phoenix-area lodging, golf and tours, go to discoverazspringtraining.com. For Florida camps, where the other 15 MLB teams train: www.floridagrapefruitleague.com
