Spring Training Life Hacks Open Thread

Hello friends. For the first time ever, I think I will be sojourning to Peoria this year for spring training because my dear mother wants to go be in the sunshine and is happy to exploit her oldest daughter’s passion for baseball in order to finagle a trip buddy. I have started looking at hotels and the like and wow, it can be very overwhelming. I have spent approximately three days in Arizona and I was sixteen and hanging out at my grandparents’ retirement complex, which honestly might as well have been on the moon. So this is an entirely self-serving thread, but also maybe something that will be useful to those of you who are less-seasoned spring training attendees. Please comment with your best Spring Training Insider Info. Some ideas for comment threads:

• Best places to stay? I looked up some hotels in Peoria and holy moses they were expensive.
• Best options for eating, both at night and during the day?
• Are there any good side trips? My mom was asking me about Sedona but that looks hecka far.
• Any special tips for people who may require special accommodation—people traveling with little kids or elderly people or special-needs folks?
• Is there anything to do at night?
• What’s the best place to take in a game?
• Do you ever go to non-Mariners games? If so, what complexes? What have you really enjoyed?
• What are the best autograph spots?
• What is your perfect Spring Training day?

Veteran Spring Training-goers, we the uninitiated thank you in advance.