USA TODAY 10Best
10 spring training ballparks that hit the sweet spot
Best Spring Training Facility (2024)
The first sound of spring might well be "Batter, batter, batter!" as spring training begins in sunny Arizona and Florida. But which spring training spots are the best?
An expert panel has nominated their top picks, considering amenities for the fans, views, and atmosphere. Then, readers voted for their favorites to determine the winners. Here are the 10 best spring training facilities.
- George M. Steinbrenner Field - Tampa, Florida
- BayCare Ballpark - Clearwater, Florida
- Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium - Jupiter, Florida
- Peoria Sports Complex - Peoria, Arizona
- Camelback Ranch - Phoenix, Arizona
- Goodyear Ballpark - Goodyear, Arizona
- Clover Park - Port St. Lucie, Florida
- Salt River Fields at Talking Stick - Scottsdale, Arizona
- Surprise Stadium - Surprise, Arizona
- Charlotte Sports Park - Port Charlotte, Florida
Photo courtesy of Jacob Wackerhausen / iStock / Getty Images Plus
No. 10:
Florida's most sizable spring training stadium exists in the form of George M. Steinbrenner Field, a verdant venue that opened in the Sunshine State in the mid-1990s. While the park was designed to emulate Yankee Stadium for its off-season residents, it also hosts games for the Tampa Tarpons.
Photo courtesy of 33ft / iStock / Getty Images Plus
No. 9:
Just west of Tampa Bay, BayCare Ballpark serves as both the spring training base for the Philadelphia Phillies and the year-round home for the Clearwater Threshers. Fans have their pick of 7,000 stadium seats and an additional grass sitting area that can hold 1,500 spectators.
Photo courtesy of St. Louis Cardinals Archive
No. 8:
Roger Dean Stadium, built in 1998 in Jupiter, Florida, hosts four minor league teams, as well as the Miami Marlins and the St. Louis Cardinals during Grapefruit League season. The $28 million complex is one of the newest in Florida and features two levels of stadium seating, luxury sky boxes, and a party deck, so fans have a range of viewing experiences to choose from.
Photo courtesy of City of Peoria, Arizona
No. 7:
Perched on the convergence of the New River and Skunk Creek, Arizona's Peoria Sports Complex comes complete with 12 distinct fields built alongside a massive main stadium. While sports aficionados tend to visit the site for San Diego Padres and Seattle Mariners spring training games, the venue has also hosted the iconic Warped Tour music festival since the early 2000s.
Photo courtesy of Camelback Spring Training LLC
No. 6:
Officially opened in March 2009, Camelback Ranch provides both the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Chicago White Sox with an idyllic warm-weather base for spring training. In addition to a 13,000-person seating capacity, the venue also offers charming design flourishes ranging from a Walk of Fame to a sprawling lake that's packed full of fish.
Photo courtesy of Mark Skalny Photography
No. 5:
Ohio's most established baseball teams spend their spring training in Goodyear Ballpark, with both the Cleveland Guardians and Cincinnati Reds playing within the structure outside of the regular season. Before each game kicks off, guests are welcome to stroll around the on-site shop in search of memorabilia or head to the bar for a pre-match cocktail.
Photo courtesy of St. Lucie County Communications
No. 4:
First debuted in 1988, Florida's Clover Park underwent major renovations in 2019 and 2020, ultimately ushering in a wealth of new amenities for guests to enjoy. During a New York Mets spring training game, visitors can take advantage of the on-site bourbon bar, and as an added bonus, dazzling fireworks shows are held all throughout the year.
Photo courtesy of Chris Bonnell
No. 3:
The Salt River Pima–Maricopa Indian Community officially welcomed its own MLB spring training site just over a decade ago, with the Salt River Fields at Talking Stick making its debut in 2011. Two MLB teams currently call the site home, with 11,000 seats up for grabs for fans of the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Colorado Rockies.
Photo courtesy of City of Surprise
No. 2:
In late February, the Texas Rangers and the Kansas City Royals head west to Surprise, Arizona, to train at Surprise Stadium. Opened in 2002, the stadium seats 10,000-plus fans and offers plentiful berm seating, perfect for laying out a blanket and soaking up the sun. The complex also features six practice fields where fans can watch a morning workout before the big game.
Photo courtesy of Charlotte County Community Services
No. 1:
Located in Port Charlotte, Florida, Charlotte Sports Park welcomes the Tampa Bay Rays each year for spring training. Grapefruit League fans can enjoy a 360-degree fan-friendly pedestrian concourse, outfield bar, a covered pavilion, batting cages, and a children's play area. The 82-acre venue features seating for around 7,500, including seating in two outfield berms.
About 10Best Readers' Choice Awards
Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best.
The Experts
Alex Tantum
Alex Tantum is the founding director of MLBFITS... Read More
Alex Tantum is the founding director of MLBFITS (@mlb.fits), an Instagram account with a mission of marketing MLB players and connecting them with fans in new ways by showcasing their personalities through their off-field fashion, on-field customized gear, and intersections between baseball and pop culture. Since its launch in October 2019, the account has grown to over 95K followers, including hundreds of active MLB players and top prospects. MLBFITS frequently engages with MLB players, collaborating with superstars such as Manny Machado, Francisco Lindor, and Jazz Chisholm, amongst many others, and working with media companies in the industry such as Bleacher Report and Jomboy Media. Alex also travels around the country interviewing players as an extension of the mission of helping players market themselves and helping fans to get to know them better. MLBFITS has been featured in publications including the New York Post, Bloomberg, and GQ and recognized on MLB Network. Alex is a Villanova University graduate, Class of 2022. You can follow MLBFITS on Instagram @mlb.fits, and Alex on his personal Instagram @alextantum and TikTok @alextantum. You can also connect with him on LinkedIn.
Alex Tantum
Alex Tantum is the founding director of MLBFITS (@mlb.fits), an Instagram account with a mission of marketing MLB players and connecting them with fans in new ways by showcasing their personalities through their off-field fashion, on-field customized gear, and intersections between baseball and pop culture. Since its launch in October 2019, the account has grown to over 95K followers, including hundreds of active MLB players and top prospects. MLBFITS frequently engages with MLB players, collaborating with superstars such as Manny Machado, Francisco Lindor, and Jazz Chisholm, amongst many others, and working with media companies in the industry such as Bleacher Report and Jomboy Media. Alex also travels around the country interviewing players as an extension of the mission of helping players market themselves and helping fans to get to know them better. MLBFITS has been featured in publications including the New York Post, Bloomberg, and GQ and recognized on MLB Network. Alex is a Villanova University graduate, Class of 2022. You can follow MLBFITS on Instagram @mlb.fits, and Alex on his personal Instagram @alextantum and TikTok @alextantum. You can also connect with him on LinkedIn.
Jack Dopp
Jack Dopp is a lifelong baseball fan, having grown... Read More
Jack Dopp is a lifelong baseball fan, having grown up in Philadelphia and spending many years in New York. Jack is a former sports memorabilia vendor who specialized in baseball cards. He grew up in Philadelphia, watching games at Connie Mack Stadium, then Veterans Stadium, and now Citizens Bank Park. Despite having gone to countless games in the last 70+ years, Jack has yet to catch a foul ball in any ballpark. In 1992, he married his wife Donna and moved to New York. In 2013, Jack set out to visit all the ballparks in the MLB. It took 9 years, but in 2022, he was able to complete his journey in Chicago, where the Sox and Cubs both rolled out the red carpet for him.
Jack Dopp
Jack Dopp is a lifelong baseball fan, having grown up in Philadelphia and spending many years in New York. Jack is a former sports memorabilia vendor who specialized in baseball cards. He grew up in Philadelphia, watching games at Connie Mack Stadium, then Veterans Stadium, and now Citizens Bank Park. Despite having gone to countless games in the last 70+ years, Jack has yet to catch a foul ball in any ballpark. In 1992, he married his wife Donna and moved to New York. In 2013, Jack set out to visit all the ballparks in the MLB. It took 9 years, but in 2022, he was able to complete his journey in Chicago, where the Sox and Cubs both rolled out the red carpet for him.
Jessica DeLine
Jessica is a lifelong baseball fan and has been... Read More
Jessica is a lifelong baseball fan and has been lucky to have been
writing about the sport since 2016. She is the former editor in chief of
the SB Nation Angels fan site Halos Heaven and is current editor in
chief and co founder of the Angels fan site Crashing the Pearly Gates.
Jessica has been to 28 of 30 MLB stadiums, a handful of MiLB stadiums
and attends games frequently in Anaheim and San Diego where she now
lives. You can find her on Twitter @abaseballchick.
Jessica DeLine
Jessica is a lifelong baseball fan and has been lucky to have been
writing about the sport since 2016. She is the former editor in chief of
the SB Nation Angels fan site Halos Heaven and is current editor in
chief and co founder of the Angels fan site Crashing the Pearly Gates.
Jessica has been to 28 of 30 MLB stadiums, a handful of MiLB stadiums
and attends games frequently in Anaheim and San Diego where she now
lives. You can find her on Twitter @abaseballchick.
Malcolm MacMillan
Malcolm MacMillan is a writer, avid baseball fan... Read More
Malcolm MacMillan is a writer, avid baseball fan and founder of The Ballpark Guide. His website features tips to help fans get the most out of their ballpark visits, including advice on how to save money on parking, find the ultimate seat, eat the best food and snag baseballs. Malcolm also writes a travel blog that takes the reader, through his stories and photos, on his road trip adventures to new ballparks each summer. He has been to more than 80 affiliated stadiums across the major and minor leagues since 2010, and his work has been featured in USA Today, Forbes and ESPN Radio.
Malcolm MacMillan
Malcolm MacMillan is a writer, avid baseball fan and founder of The Ballpark Guide. His website features tips to help fans get the most out of their ballpark visits, including advice on how to save money on parking, find the ultimate seat, eat the best food and snag baseballs. Malcolm also writes a travel blog that takes the reader, through his stories and photos, on his road trip adventures to new ballparks each summer. He has been to more than 80 affiliated stadiums across the major and minor leagues since 2010, and his work has been featured in USA Today, Forbes and ESPN Radio.
Catherine Smith
Catherine Smith, Readers' Choice Awards... Read More
Catherine Smith, Readers' Choice Awards Production Manager and Social Media Director for USA TODAY 10Best, has a special interest in unique culinary experiences and off-the-beaten-path adventures. Catherine is the founder of Her Bags Were Packed where she focuses on helping women release emotional baggage through solo travel and self-discovery.
Catherine Smith
Catherine Smith, Readers' Choice Awards Production Manager and Social Media Director for USA TODAY 10Best, has a special interest in unique culinary experiences and off-the-beaten-path adventures. Catherine is the founder of Her Bags Were Packed where she focuses on helping women release emotional baggage through solo travel and self-discovery.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original,... Read More
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
