A Sunny Scottsdale Getaway: Spring Training, Too Many Books & a Golden Who Never Met a Stranger

There are trips you plan for the weather. There are trips you plan for baseball. This one was both, and honestly, if you need to explain to someone why a family from the snowy Midwest books flights to Arizona in March, they have never experienced a February in Illinois.

Our annual family trip this year brought us to Scottsdale: Cubs spring training, genuinely great food, a beautiful resort, a solo bookstore detour that did real damage to my credit card, and a golden retriever who introduced herself to every person at the dog park and called it a full day.

Here’s how it went.

The Flight Down

Luna flew with us on United Airlines, in-cabin, because she’s a service dog, settled calmly at my feet in first class like she’s been doing this her whole life. Chicago O’Hare to Phoenix Sky Harbor is just under four hours, which she handled without incident or complaint.

One immediate adjustment on arrival: Arizona doesn’t observe daylight saving time. With Illinois’s spring clock change factored in, we landed two hours behind where we started. It took about half a day to get reoriented. The 80-degree sunshine helped considerably.

The dry heat thing is real. Coming from a place where humidity makes 75 degrees feel like a sauna, the desert air was genuinely light and pleasant. Though, to be fair, we’re from the Midwest. Someone who actually lives in a dry climate might disagree.

Where We Stayed: Hilton Scottsdale Resort & Villas

We stayed at the Hilton Scottsdale Resort & Villas, and if Hilton would ever like to sponsor us, we would absolutely jump at the opportunity. We booked one of their two-bedroom villas, which turned out to be an excellent choice.

The villa section is a separate area of the property entirely, quieter and more residential-feeling, with parking directly outside each unit. Guests in the main hotel building might not even realize it exists. The interiors have recently been renovated and feel more like a small condo than a hotel room: full kitchen with a dishwasher and cookware, large living area, two bedrooms, single-level buildings with no stairs. Luna took approximately 45 seconds to settle in.

My one complaint about the villas: you can hear the neighbors through the walls. The overall resort, though, was quiet and peaceful – a genuinely relaxed atmosphere. Even during spring break, the villa pool was calm and mostly adult-heavy. The main resort pool was busier and more family-oriented, with an outdoor bar where live music was playing.

The daily resort charge covered a useful spread of perks: self-parking, guest WiFi, daily bottled water, fitness classes, and discounts at nearby golf, spa, and activities. It also included a $20 credit at Fleming’s Steakhouse with a $100 purchase, which we deployed strategically on night two.

We would absolutely stay here again.

Day One: Pool Days and the Best Lemon Pasta in Scottsdale

Jeff and Kia (my brother and his fiancée) went to the afternoon Cubs game while Dad and I made the important decision to claim pool chairs and sit in the sun. The villa pool was calm and relaxed, even during spring break, and exactly the kind of afternoon you need after a travel day.

Dinner: Veneto Trattoria

For dinner, we went exactly 0.1 miles to Veneto Trattoria – which, at that distance, is less a restaurant recommendation and more a natural extension of the resort grounds. We arrived around 5:30 PM to a fairly open dining room; by the time we left, it was completely full, and people were eating out on the patio.

The food was the real standout: the night’s special was a Lemon Shrimp pasta that was genuinely excellent, and we shared a Burrata mozzarella dish to start. Casual Italian atmosphere, the right amount of noise. Great first-night call.

Dessert: Salt & Sol (and an Unexpected Encounter)

After dinner, we went over to Salt & Sol, the resort’s poolside bar, for dessert. The desserts were good.

The real story of the evening: while we were there, a representative from Good Boy Vodka was making the rounds, offering free samples and handing out dog toys. Good Boy Vodka is a company that donates a portion of proceeds to rescue dog organizations, military K9S, and veteran programs across the country – exactly the kind of brand that earns immediate goodwill from this particular table.

Luna received a dog toy. It immediately became her favorite of the entire trip. She is not subtle about her preferences.

Day Two: Divide and Conquer

Jeff, Kia, and Dad went to the Cubs vs. Colorado Rockies game. I went to a bookstore. Both groups made excellent decisions.

The Bookish Shop (Solo Detour)

The Bookish Shop in Gilbert is, and I say this with full sincerity, the mother of all bookstores. It was about a 20-minute drive from Scottsdale, and I spent absolutely way too much money on special-edition books and merchandise inspired by favorite reads. No regrets.

The cafe was the pleasant surprise – I ordered the Commitment Phobe, an iced green tea with peach and mojito mint syrup inspired by @miasosaromance’s books. It was excellent, and I thought about it for the rest of the day.

The shop was busy when I arrived around 11:30 AM on a Saturday, which isn’t surprising given how charming the space is. The cafe offers drinks and pastries but no full meals, which is fine because there are plenty of restaurants in the immediate area. Parking is a little confusing depending on your Google Maps route; the easiest option is the parking garage directly outside the shop.

Dinner: Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar

Every family trip gets one proper dinner, and this was ours. Fleming’s is connected directly to the resort, which made it feel almost too convenient – but the food earned it.

I had the Caesar salad and a medium-well steak. The atmosphere is upscale without being stiff – most people were dressed nicely; we wore summer dresses and a polo and felt comfortable. We used the $20 resort credit here, which made the splurge feel extremely justified.

We arrived around 5:30 PM on a Saturday to a mostly quiet dining room. By the time we left, there was a wait for tables. Reservations are technically optional, but based on what we saw on the way out, we recommend making a reservation.

Dessert: Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream

We finished the night at Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream in Hilton Village. There’s a line, but the staff moves it quickly. Only a couple of tables for seating, which gives the whole thing a grab-and-walk energy that suited the warm evening perfectly.

I ordered Birthday Cake and Brownie Dough topped with marshmallow and a cherry. This was absolutely the correct decision.

Day Three: Cubs vs. Dodgers at Sloan Park

Luna stayed back at the villa – spring training games are a dogs-out situation, which she accepted with her usual dignified resignation – while we made the roughly 20-minute drive to Sloan Park in Mesa for a 1 PM Cubs vs. Dodgers game. My first time at Sloan Park.

The drive from Scottsdale is about 9.5 miles, but traffic around the stadium gets congested. Our recommendation: park in the Red Lot and arrive a little early.

Once you’re inside, the atmosphere is exactly what spring training should feel like – the energy of a real Cubs crowd compressed into an Arizona afternoon. The stadium was packed, the fans were into it, and Sloan Park gets one key thing right: most of the seating is shaded, which in March desert heat is not a small detail. It lived up to the reputation.

Post-Game: Thirsty Lion Gastropub

After the game, we went to Thirsty Lion Gastropub for dinner. We waited about 30 minutes for a table, which makes complete sense, because apparently we weren’t the only people who thought “Cubs game, then dinner nearby.” Both the indoor and outdoor sections were full, and the energy was high. Exactly the right atmosphere for the end of a baseball day.

A Stop at Chaparral Dog Park

Any trip with Luna means finding at least one place where she can properly stretch her legs. Chaparral Dog Park, just 1.7 miles from the resort, fits the bill.

The park has separate sections for high-energy dogs and calmer ones – a detail that’s more thoughtful than it sounds if you’ve ever watched a calm dog get flattened by a very enthusiastic Labrador in a one-size-fits-all park.

The side we visited had more dry desert grass than shade, which is very much on-brand for Arizona in March. Luna, arriving from the lush green Midwest, processed this information with no visible concern and got straight to her preferred activity: wandering systematically from person to person until every single one of them had petted her. She was very successful, as always.

One logistical note: the water fountain is located outside the gated area, so I’d recommend bringing water in with you.

The Full Scottsdale Itinerary at a Glance