Arizona
Spring Training Baseball with the San Francisco Giants or the Chicago Cubs
Program No. 7197RJ
Cheer on your San Francisco Giants or Chicago Cubs and all things baseball in Arizona. Attend four games and meet baseball insiders who share their love of the game.
Itinerary
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date.
Read More.
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. As a result, some program activities, schedules, accommodations, personnel, and other logistics occasionally change due to local conditions or circumstances. Should a major change occur, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
Duration
6 days
5 nights
What's Included
10 meals (
5B, 1L, 4D
)
5 expert-led lectures
5 expert-led field trips
An experienced Group Leader
5 nights of accommodations
Taxes and customary gratuity
Road Scholar Assurance Plan
Day
1
Check-in, Program Registration, Orientation, Welcome Dinner
Location:
Scottsdale Old Town
Meals:
D
Stay:
Hilton Garden Inn Scottsdale Old Town
Activity Note
Hotel check-in from 3:00 p.m.
Afternoon:
Program Registration: 4:30-5:15 p.m. After you check in and have your room assignment, join us at the Road Scholar table adjacent to the lobby to register with the program staff, get any updated information, and confirm the time and location of the Orientation session. If you arrive late, please locate your Group Leader and let them know you have arrived. Orientation: 5:30 p.m. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions as we gather in our private meeting room. We will review the up-to-date program schedule and any changes, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. In the unlikely event that a game is rained out, an alternative activity will be provided (no refunds). Free time is limited and unscheduled at this time. Periods in the daily schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. NOTE: The following itinerary has been updated with the current schedule of games, but presentations are a representation of last years program and will be updated as we get closer to the date of the program. Thank you for your understanding.
Dinner:
In the hotel restaurant, the dinner buffet includes savory dishes and entrées that vary nightly, plus coffee, tea, water; other beverages available for purchase.
Evening:
At leisure. Continue getting to know your follow participants, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.
Day
2
Morning presentation, Game 1, AZ Baseball Museum program.
Location:
Scottsdale Old Town
Meals:
B,D
Stay:
Hilton Garden Inn Scottsdale Old Town
Activity Note
Walking up to 1 mile throughout the day. Walking approx. 1/2 mile to Scottsdale Stadium; some stairs. Free Old Town Trolley available for transfer from hotel to stadium.
Breakfast:
In the hotel dining room, the breakfast buffet offers choices such as eggs and omelets cooked to order, breakfast meats, oatmeal, fruit, and toast, plus juice, coffee, tea, water.
Morning:
Throughout the program, we’ll meet wonderful baseball personalities who have intimate and often long histories with the game. Sports writer Charlie Vascellaro will join us and provide unique perspectives on baseball history and personalities. In addition to his lifelong love of baseball, Charlie is a bibliophile, historian, raconteur, traveler, and author of a biography on Hank Aaron. Charlie took part in his first Road Scholar program in 2004 and has been a regular guest ever since, delighting our folks with Spring Training chronicles. We’ll take a short break before gathering to head over to our first baseball game.
Lunch:
This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like at the ballpark. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.
Afternoon:
Game 1! The Giants take on Mike Trout and The Los Angeles Angles at Scottsdale Stadium. A short walk from the hotel, Scottsdale Stadium feels like the center of the baseball universe when the Giants are at home.
Dinner:
Frasher's Old Town Tavern, adjacent to the Hilton Garden Inn.
Evening:
Dinner will include a presentation by group leader Charlie Vascellaro, providing a guided narrative through "The Old Town Baseball Experience at Frasher's Tavern" Arizona Baseball History Museum exhibit in the restaurant.
Day
3
“Baseball Behind Barbed Wire -Bill Staples, Game 2, Movie
Location:
Scottsdale Old Town
Meals:
B,L
Stay:
Hilton Garden Inn Scottsdale Old Town
Activity Note
Driving approximately 40 miles one way to stadium; about 1 hour. Walking up to 1 mile throughout the day; distances less than 1/2 mile at a time; paved, flat surfaces; some stairs at the stadium.
Breakfast:
Hotel buffet.
Morning:
Settle into the hotel conference room to enjoy a presentation from Bill Staples. Bill is a baseball historian and author and a member of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) with a passion for researching and telling the untold stories of the “international pastime.” His areas of expertise include Japanese American and Negro Leagues baseball history as a context for exploring the themes of civil rights, cross-cultural relations and globalization. After the presentation, we’ll transfer to the stadium for our second game.
Lunch:
On your own to enjoy what you like at the ballpark.
Afternoon:
Game Two! The Giants travel to Goodyear Ballpark in the West Valley to play their longtime Cactus League Rival League Cleveland Guardians We’ll return to the hotel after the game.
Dinner:
Mexican dinner at Los Olivos,
Evening:
“The Adventures of Superfan,” film by John Leonoudakis.
Day
4
Giants' ownership history, museum exhibit, Game 3
Location:
Scottsdale Old Town
Meals:
B,D
Stay:
Hilton Garden Inn Scottsdale Old Town
Activity Note
Driving approximately 32 miles one way to stadium; about 45 minutes. Walking up to 1 mile throughout the day; distances less than 1/2 mile at a time; paved, flat surfaces; some stairs at the stadium.
Breakfast:
Hotel buffet.
Morning:
Author and NY/SF Giants historian Robert Garret will make a two-part presentation: “A Backward Glance: a brief glimpse of Giants ownership history and Back to the Future with the Magowan group.”
Lunch:
On your own to enjoy what you like at the ballpark.
Afternoon:
Game 3! Today the Giants take on the plucky Kansas City Royals at Surprise Stadium in the West Valley city of Surprise.
Dinner:
Dinner at a restaurant proximate to the hotel .
Evening:
Evening at leisure
Day
5
Broadcaster, Game 4, program wrap up
Location:
Scottsdale Old Town
Meals:
B,D
Stay:
Hilton Garden Inn Scottsdale Old Town
Activity Note
Walking up to 1 mile throughout the day. Walking approx. 1/2 mile to Scottsdale Stadium; some stairs. Free Old Town Trolley available for transfer from hotel to stadium.
Breakfast:
Hotel buffet.
Morning:
Special celebrity guest presentation.
Lunch:
New York style pizza from the famous Grimaldi's of Brooklyn.
Afternoon:
Enjoy a leisurely afternoon in Old Town Scottsdale
Dinner:
On own at ballpark,
Evening:
We will then return to the hotel for a short program wrap-up to reflect upon our week. The remainder of the evening will be at leisure. Be sure to prepare for check-out and departures in the morning.
Day
6
Program Concludes, Independent Departures
Location:
Scottsdale Old Town
Meals:
B
Activity Note
Hotel check-out by 12:00 Noon.
Breakfast:
Hotel buffet. This concludes our program.
Morning:
If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!
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Please Note:
This program has itinerary variations on certain dates.
Mar 8 - Mar 13, 2026 Itinerary Differences:
This date features the San Francisco Giants.