The Phoenix Scottsdale area gets 300 days of sun a year, and when we landed on Saturday afternoon there wasn't a cloud in the sky. Coming from San Francisco's cool climate, we were happy to feel the heat.
Here's a rundown of our first day in Arizona...
The day's budget:
- Spring-training game lawn seats: $138.50
- Parking at Scottsdale Stadium parking: $5
- Lunch at Scottsdale Stadium: $27.50
- Dinner at Barrio Queen: $50.89
- Best Western Plus InnSuites Phoenix: $120
Total: $341.89 (Yikes! We're way over our $250-a-day budget, but tomorrow we can make it up!)
Highlights:
1) Giants-A's spring training game at Scottsdale Stadium
Is it possible to take in a spring-training game on a budget family trip? Yes, if you're willing to sit on the lawn. We paid $34 a ticket for lawn seats to a Giant's-A's game, not a bargain but certainly doable.
Living in San Francisco, we're all Giants fans, especially my 10-year-old daughter who was shaking with excitement as we walked into the stadium right in downtown Scottsdale and walked under the 2012 World Series Champions banner. She was sporting her Giants T-shirt with orange shorts and even orange shoes.
Our favorite pitcher Tim Lincecum, No. 55., was pitching the first inning. The A’s Yoenis Cespedes hit a long home run in the first inning and the green-and-yellow team continued to hit balls out the park throughout the rest of the game. But my kids' little hands clapped loudly every time the Giants made a smart play, which actually wasn’t all that often in this game. The Giants made a few runs, five, but it didn’t come close to the A’s 12. Our team were clearly losing big time, but my kids were still cheering.
2) Old Town Scottsdale
After the game, we walked through Old Town Scottsdale where the kids had fun poking around souvenir shops selling dream catchers, turquoise jewelery and Kachina dolls.
3) Barrio Queen, Scottsdale
My friend Nino Padova, who is a travel editor at Sunset magazine, recommended this Mexican restaurant in Old Town Scottsdale. The food is best described as elevated street. The chef has taken those flavorful dishes that you might buy from a street vendor in central Mexico and given them a gourmet twist.
We started with a bowl of guacamole, large chunks of perfectly ripe avocado mixed with pomegranate seeds, dried figs and apricots, cilantro, and lots of lime and spices. They make the concoction right in front of you and serve it with thick, salty tortilla chips.
The kids had fun decorating their children's menu, which features mild dishes like cheese quesadillas and bean and cheese burritos served with a bowl of creamy black beans.
The menu features a dizzying list of 20 different tacos and for $10 you get $3. I tried the chilled salmon with diced mango, the spiced chicken with pinon cream and poblano peppers, and the "Queen's specialty," slow-cooked brisket with cilantro and onion.
4) Swimming at the Best Western Plus InnSuites Phoenix
At the end of the day the kids were thrilled to dive into the pool at our hotel. They spent two hours splashing around and were exhausted by bed time. Lights out—and they were asleep within minutes.
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