A beautiful facility with plenty of back fields, Camelback Ranch is home to both the Dodgers and White Sox. As a result of this two team setup there is a home game pretty much every day, sometimes two. This park is very much worth a visit.
During the game: Camelback Ranch is a good sized stadium, perfectly capable of handling a AAA team so there are plenty of seating options. Shade is most common behind home plate and food/drink options are spread out along the concourse. There’s plenty of lawn seating and an all you can eat area out in left field.
Tickets can get pricey, especially for premium games, so pick a seat that fits your budget. Food options are plentiful and the Chicago style dog is my go to, but the Dodger Dog is also on the menu. There’s a nice patio area off of right field.
Before the game: The Camelback Ranch setup is like a baseball fan’s dream. Walk these back fields. They are beautiful, open, and always full of young players honing their craft. A creek runs from north to south separating the two sides. East of the water is Dodgers territory, to the west you’ll find White Sox prospects. Often you’ll find an empty field or two which provide a great place for a game of catch or over the line.
If you want to grab a bit before the game, an In-N-Out Burger is just east of the 101 on Camelback Road. You’ll see plenty of California license plates and feel right at home.
After the game: Westgate Entertainment District is a short drive away and offers pretty much every option you can imagine. Food, drink, movies, shopping, even the home ice of the Phoenix Coyotes. I’ve spent many an evening there and always had a blast. Topgolf also has a facility just a couple of miles away from the ballpark.
Pro tip: Two team ballparks offer a great way to catch two games in a day as they have night games fairly regularly. Check the schedule and shoot for a day/night double header. If either the Dodgers or White Sox are playing a night game, try to catch day game at any of the other stadiums west of downtown then enjoy a nightcap here. There are also several other two team ballparks on the west side, so a day game here followed by a night game in Peoria, Surprise, or Goodyear works too.
Warning, Phoenix traffic is like OC traffic, so if you are staying in Tempe you might want to pull the Dodger fan and leave a day game here early to beat traffic.
Autographs: the Dodgers are good about setting up a player walkway between their largest practice field and the main stadium. A small yellow rope with establish the path and fans can stand there waiting for signatures. Other than that, get down by the field and hope they stop or hit up the Alumni auction.
My thoughts: I love this ballpark and I truly love the back fields. I’ve played catch, talked to prospects like Fernando Tatis Jr, even seen Tommy Lasorda back there. So much of the joy of Spring Training is getting outside and Camelback offers a great opportunity to do so.
Your thoughts: let’s hear some thoughts, stories, and tips from your trips to Camelback Ranch.
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Picture by Nick Panico
Hate to say it, but this is probably my favorite ST stadium.
Camelback Ranch is my Favorite Spring Training Stadium in Arizona. I am a True Blue DODGERS fan and one of the reasons i bought a house in the West Valley in 2010 was because it was really close to the new dodgers spring training facility and near WESTGATE. Over the years i have met and talked to many dodgers players at the facility. One of my favorite Memories is seeing Puig when he was an unknown Rookie at the ballpark. I have met really nice guys like Andre Either, Joc Pederson, Tommy Lasorda, the list goes on.Artie Moreno was in the stands a few years ago at camelback ranch having a beer and talking baseball with all the Dodger fans, what a great owner and genuine guy he is. The backfields are amazing and i would definitely recommend getting to the park early to walk around and enjoy the beautiful scenery. Near the Ball park , inside the IN n OUT parking lot you will find a hidden gem for beer drinkers. Check out JJ’s Bar aka Jicky Jacks, its a local favorite for food and Beer. Tickets to Dodger games are expensive on the weekends, if you want to save money plan on a weekday game where Lawn seats cost as low as $25. Check out the ballpark if you are in town….IN THE WORDS OF THE LEGENDARY VIN SCULLY ……ITS TIME FOR DODGER BASEBALL……..
That is so awesome! Thanks for sharing your experiences with us. I can’t say I’m a Dodgers fan, but you guys are going to have a great team (Mookie!) this year.
This is one of my best friends. I often stay at his house when I’m in Phoenix.
He can verify my accounts of Ethier being a great guy. Joc signed a ball for his daughter years ago. We’ve had a lot of great times.
That’s awesome, Jeff.
I find both Camelback and Salt River to be too big. They don’t have the intimate “spring training” feel.
The is definitely a larger ballpark. But it sells out often enough I can see why the teams built it this large. Salt River dwarfs it and lacks the easily accessible back fields.
I genuinely love the back fields at Camelback. I’ve spent hours back there. If I lived there I think I’d take my young son and just walk around the back fields without even going to games some days.
that’s a fair point but they are nice! I really like the grounds around Camelback but not the post game traffic.