Things to do/spring training

Spring is a great time to explore the Valley, and in fact one of the reasons we chose March for our ceremony was so that out-of-town guests could enjoy both the weather and Cactus League spring training.

DINING

Our newspaper’s website has a bunch of great dining lists at dining.azcentral.com. You can also find our critics’ favorites (for both dining and activities) at best.azcentral.com; click on “Critics’ Picks.”

SHOPPING, MOVIES AND MORE

Downtown Tempe, Tempe Marketplace and Scottsdale Fashion Square are all near our hotel and the garden, and all offer shopping, movies and dining. Old Town Scottsdale is just south of Fashion Square, along Scottsdale Road, and has great restaurants, art galleries and nightlife.

The Valley has some great museums, including the Phoenix Art Museum and the Heard in downtown Phoenix. But if you enjoy music at all, we recommend the Musical Instrument Museum in north Phoenix. It’s more up in Mary’s and Pete and Kati’s neck of the woods. The MIM is a world-class collection of instruments from all over the world (it’s the biggest in the U.S.) -- it’s incredible. Give yourself at least two or three hours to make your way through it.

SPRING TRAINING

Even if you’re not a huge sports fan, chilling out at a spring-training game is a great way to pass a relaxing afternoon. Half of Major League Baseball’s teams make their way to the Valley each spring, and many folks can be found sprawled on the lawn seats or enjoying a Sonoran hot dog in the stands.

Here are the stadiums and which teams are headquartered where:

Camelback Ranch Glendale (actually in Phoenix): Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers

Goodyear Ballpark (about 10-15 minutes from Bill’s house; you’ll pass it driving from downtown to his house): Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Indians

Cubs Park: Chicago Cubs

Maryvale Stadium: Milwaukee Brewers

Peoria Sports Complex: San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners

Phoenix Municipal Stadium (about 5 minutes from the wedding venue): Oakland A’s

Scottsdale Stadium: San Francisco Giants

Surprise Stadium: Kansas City Royals, Texas Rangers

Tempe Diablo Stadium: Los Angeles Angels

Salt River Fields at Talking Stick (not too far from the wedding venue, and one of Penny’s favorites -- great food choices!): Arizona Diamondbacks, Colorado Rockies

Find maps to the stadiums, game schedules and ticket information at www.cactusleague.com.