If you’ve never been to Peoria, Ariz., spring training home of the San Diego Padres and Seattle Mariners, then you’re in for a real treat. Besides being the home away from home of two great baseball teams, Peoria also has several fun and unique activities for baseball fans who find themselves with time on their hands.
Here are three of my favorites:
Take Flight
If you’ve ever wanted to experience the thrill of soaring through the sky, here’s your chance. The Turf Soaring School in Peoria offers glider flights high above the desert floor. Once your instructor releases the tow rope he will hand the controls over, lacing you in control of the plane. Depending on the flight you choose, you’ll soak up the beautiful scenery while gliding along or performing aerobatic maneuvers 4,000 feet up. After landing, your pilot enters your flight in an official log book that you get to keep as a memento of your experience.
Turf Soaring School is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Flights depart from 8700 West Carefree Highway in Peoria. For more information or to make a reservation, you can contact them at (602) 439-3621 or visit their website.
Draw Your Weapon
If being in the Old West has you thinking about all those famous gunfights then you might want to head over to Cowtown Paintball. One of the largest paintball fields in Arizona, Cowtown offers desert and urban scenarios, as well as tournament speedball fields. Don’t worry if you’ve never played before, Cowtown caters to all types of players, and the staff is very good at explaining things if you’re new to the game. Equipment can be rented for $10, plus the cost of paintballs, which start at $15 for 500.
During the winter months paintball is only offered weekends from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Cowtown is located at 10402 W. Carefree Highway Blvd. in Peoria. For more information contact them at (602) 695-0722 or visit their website.
Dinner and A Show
If you’re in the mood for something a little more relaxing and refined then you definitely need to take off that baseball tee, put on something nice, and head out to dinner and a show at the Arizona Broadway Theater. While at the theater you’ll be treated to a elegantly set table and scrumptious dinner that’s themed around the current stage show. Appetizers, desserts, and cocktails are available but not included in the ticket price, so if you order one expect to receive a bill. Depending on the show, tickets are around $45 for dinner and the show, and $25 if you just want to catch the evening’s performance.
The theater is located at 7701 W Paradise Lane in Peoria. For more information on current shows or to make a reservation, phone (623) 776-8400, or see their website.
Sources:
Turf Soaring School
Cowtown Paintball
Arizona Broadway Theater
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Spring Training in Scottsdale, Arizona: Fun activities fans can do in their spare time