Arizona vs. Florida: Battle of the Spring Training meccas (infographic)

As if you didn’t already need a reason to spend March under sunnier skies, the MLB’s Spring Training is happening right now in Arizona and Florida. Read on to discover which Sun Belt state should you run to right now to catch your favorite teams.

RELATED: Meet the once-scruffy border town everybody is talking about

Click twice to enlarge

Transcript

Love baseball and can’t wait for the season to start? Catch all the pre-season buzz in either Arizona’s Cactus League or Florida’s Grapefruit League. Not sure which to choose? Use our handy guide to get you in the game!

DISTANCE

Arizona
Arizona’s Cactus League boasts 15 teams in 10 stadiums across Metro Phoenix. That means it’s about an hour from Mesa (Cubs and Athletics) to Surprise (Rangers and Royals).

Florida
Florida’s Grapefruit League has 15 teams around the state, but many are a short distance apart, so you could take in both a day and night game on the same day.

HOTELS

Arizona
Cambria Hotel & Suites North Scottsdale Desert Ridge, A Residence Inn, and Courtyard by Marriott in Luhrs City Center are the newest to crop up in Metro Phoenix.

Florida
The Bayfront Westin featuring a rooftop pool and the bar and the Art Ovation Hotel, Autograph Collection, both in Sarasota, give Orioles fans a reason to cheer.

TOP ATTRACTIONS

Arizona
Peace out in Sedona, gaze over the Grand Canyon or relive the Wild West in Jerome; all are within a half day’s drive (or less) of Phoenix.

Florida
Hang with the Mouse, go airboating in the Everglades or bliss out on the beach; Florida’s options are practically limitless.

WEATHER

Arizona
Think dry, desert heat in the Valley of the Sun. Avg. March temps: 77 degrees.

Florida
Sunny skies coupled with high humidity in the Sunshine State. Avg. March temps: 79 degrees.

WORLD SERIES CHAMPS

Arizona
The Cactus League boasts 2016 World Series winning Chicago Cubs in suburban Mesa at Sloan Park.

Florida
The 2017 World Series champs the Houston Astros play at the ballpark of the Palm Beaches in West Palm Beach.

FAMILY-FRIENDLY

Arizona
Enjoy the Pirate Ship Splash Pad at Peoria Stadium, where the Padres and Mariners play and whiffle ball in the Outfield at Sloan Park.

Florida
There’s plenty to do at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports complex in Orlando where the Braves train, while Spectrum Field has the largest kids’ section in the Grapefruit League, including a supervised playground.

GETTING AUTOGRAPHS

Arizona
Get easy access to players at Sloan Park’s walkway in Mesa from the Clubhouse to the stadium.

Florida
Fill your scorecard with bullpen pitchers from the Cardinals and Marlins along the first and third base lines at Roger Dean Stadium in Juniper.

Tagged: Arizona, Florida