OT: Official Arizona Visitors Inquiry Thread (links on start page)

[ClassLessCoyote]

HAHA! I got drunk with a bunch of guys from the ASU hockey team like four or five years ago. I was shocked at how small they all were. It was like the soccer team from my highschool all decided to grow beards, and go out drinking, or something. Anyway, it must've just been like the ten smallest guys on the team all hung out, by coincidence because I know the whole team couldn't have been that size. Probably second team freshmen, or something, I don't know.

LOL

You know the world has gone wrong when there are male hockey players that small and you have female volleyball players as tall as basketball players and built like linemen!

Amazing Some of the best people I got drunk with at the UofA were athletes from club level up to Division one level.
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[Sundogsfan]

Anyone been to a Sundogs game?
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I have been to alot of Sundogs games. I live in Prescott Valley so it's great to have hockey up here. If anyone has some free time you should come up north and check out a game this year. They just started training camp and it looks like they have some pretty decent players this year (for this level of course). Tickets are cheap, it's only about an hour and fifteen minute drive from the north valley, and the fans are great. Hope to see some of you up here.

 

[yakko]

I live in Prescott Valley so it's great to have hockey up here. If anyone has some free time you should come up north and check out a game this year.

I live in California, but I have family in Prescott Valley. I hope to catch a Sun Dogs game myself this year. Maybe a Coyotes game too

 

[CapnCornelius]

Morning Skate

Jackets fan coming in for the game Saturday. Curious about where the visiting teams do their morning skate. Is it typically at the Ice Den or the Arena? Open to the public or closed?

Thanks for any info.

And, for the record, there are fans of other teams that are hoping to see the Coyotes stay in Phoenix. I live in SoCal and I enjoy making at least one pilgrimage a year out to Glendale to see a game.

 

[PHX FireBirds18]

I'd be shocked if they didn't practice at the arena. Practices usually are open to the public.

 

[ClassLessCoyote]

Jackets fan coming in for the game Saturday. Curious about where the visiting teams do their morning skate. Is it typically at the Ice Den or the Arena? Open to the public or closed?

Thanks for any info.

And, for the record, there are fans of other teams that are hoping to see the Coyotes stay in Phoenix. I live in SoCal and I enjoy making at least one pilgrimage a year out to Glendale to see a game.

That's a very good question! I say it varies since we have Ice Dens in Scottsdale Peoria( next city north of Glendale ) Chandler.
Scottsdale and Peoria are common more for visiting team and I haven't heard of any visiting teams practicing at the Arena hours before a game.

My guess would be since Coyotes practices are open to the public at the Ice Dens then I wouldn't see why not the other teams!

Of course since visiting team usually arrive with in a 24 hour time frame your guess is as good as mine to which skating rink they will use plus at what time for how long!
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[ClassLessCoyote]

With all the talk about transportation in the Valley, I must say that this metro area has one of the worst to get around in.

The biggest joke of all has to be our new light rail system.

1. The trains don't operate long enough to pick up others after the bars close at 2am
2. In a place where the population is booming we takeout road space to put in a train system that has to obey the rules of the road as well.
3. They didn't build a train system that circles the Valley of the Sun.

The light Rail only works well for those live and play right by it.
What should have been done IMO was to build a high speed monorail( like BART ) that has trains above ground circling passengers from all over the Valley to the big hot spots of while having Park and Ride spots at different spots for people to commute to and from work or play.

My advice to any of our visitors this year unless you play to strictly stay at WestGate, rent a car for yourself and your companisions if you have any and you want to really get around in.
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[yakko]

With all the talk about transportation in the Valley, I must say that this metro area has one of the worst to get around in.

The bay area is actually pretty bad too. The trains don't run very late, even on weekends, so if you close a bar you had better be able to afford a cab. The other insanity is that the bay area has four different train systems that do not work very well together. Up until recently, you couldn't transfer from one to the other at all. Phoenix may be worse than the bay area, but at least Phoenix didn't spend nearly as much money for something that isn't very good.

What should have been done IMO was to build a high speed monorail( like BART ) that has trains above ground circling passengers from all over the Valley to the big hot spots of while having Park and Ride spots at different spots for people to commute to and from work or play.

BART isn't a monorail.

 

[ClassLessCoyote]

The bay area is actually pretty bad too. The trains don't run very late, even on weekends, so if you close a bar you had better be able to afford a cab. The other insanity is that the bay area has four different train systems that do not work very well together. Up until recently, you couldn't transfer from one to the other at all. Phoenix may be worse than the bay area, but at least Phoenix didn't spend nearly as much money for something that isn't very good.



BART isn't a monorail.

Stand corrected! Bay Area Rapid Transit is a train and according to Wikipedia its a heavy rail.

I should have known better on that since I used to ride on BART 12 years ago.

I used to pick up a bus on AC transit in Fremont either off of Mowry Ave or Stevenson Blvd by I-880 to take to the Fremont BART station.
I frequent the Oakland Coliseum and the Embarcadero stops.
It was 4 bucks each way to get from Fremont to the 1st 4 stops in SF after going through the transbay tube that started after the West Oakland stop.

I would think its gone up since then especially now that BART goes to SFO.

Ill take your word with what you said since you do live there.
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[RR]

we need to keep bumping this.

 

[ClassLessCoyote]

So far I'm getting a lot of readers and looking for anything else to add to the main list.
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[GalenYote]

I was thinking of doing some skaking (since they closed the rink in Tucson) before a Coyotes game but dont know where a rink is close to Westgate. Also I was looking at getting some good hocky equipment but have no idea where to go and I dont want to be running all over the valley. And finally Coyotes gear is sparce in Tucson and the rest of Arizona, are there any good stores outside of the coyotes den in Westgate?

 

[ClassLessCoyote]

I was thinking of doing some skaking (since they closed the rink in Tucson) before a Coyotes game but dont know where a rink is close to Westgate. Also I was looking at getting some good hocky equipment but have no idea where to go and I dont want to be running all over the valley. And finally Coyotes gear is sparce in Tucson and the rest of Arizona, are there any good stores outside of the coyotes den in Westgate?

Just Sports used to have a great selection but not so after the bankruptcy.

The nearest ice rink from Westgate is in Peoria at Alltel ice den. All of the ice rinks in the Valley sell hockey equipment.
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[Sinurgy]

I was thinking of doing some skaking (since they closed the rink in Tucson) before a Coyotes game but dont know where a rink is close to Westgate. Also I was looking at getting some good hocky equipment but have no idea where to go and I dont want to be running all over the valley. And finally Coyotes gear is sparce in Tucson and the rest of Arizona, are there any good stores outside of the coyotes den in Westgate?

Regarding hockey equipment, Behind the Mask is a good store. There is one on Thunderbird and 32nd St. I mention that one because it's right off the 51 (have to exit Cactus though, no exit on Thunderbird).

 

[bennysflyers16]

The "Tilted Kilt" sports lounge, is this a good place to go for beers and wings. It is 6 miles from my hotel and thinking of checking it out one night. Arrive Sat , Cards game Sunday, Yotes game Monday, and 4 rds of the best golf around !!

 

[Sinurgy]

The "Tilted Kilt" sports lounge, is this a good place to go for beers and wings. It is 6 miles from my hotel and thinking of checking it out one night. Arrive Sat , Cards game Sunday, Yotes game Monday, and 4 rds of the best golf around !!

I don't think most people go to the Tilted Kilt for the food but instead for the scenery.

 

[bennysflyers16]

I don't think most people go to the Tilted Kilt for the food but instead for the scenery.

Is it a sports bar ? I get in to Phoenix at 5:30pm, and am hopeing to find a lounge/bar that may be showing the UFC replay or the Pacqaio fight !! And yes the scenery looks good there !!!

 

[mouser]

Is it a sports bar ? I get in to Phoenix at 5:30pm, and am hopeing to find a lounge/bar that may be showing the UFC replay or the Pacqaio fight !! And yes the scenery looks good there !!!

Yeah, it's a sports bar. They do carry many of the pay per view events also [with appropriate cover of course]. You may want to check ahead on the fight.

 

[HockeyHillbilly]

Does anyone plan on having a bit of a tailgate party tomorrow before the game? If so what time & what lot? Our weather has been getting perfect for this type of activity. There's no Yotes fans aren't doing more of this. It's not like we need to dig our cars out of snow after the games & sit in stove pipe jackets w/ choppers on to hang out.

 

[Sarge18]

Hey everyone,

I'll be heading out there for the Devils game in January and have some questions since I've never been down there and know nothing of the area.

First, regarding tickets: I noticed there are some all you can eat sections in the arena. Does anyone know what specific sections they are? Are there any of those sections in the end where the Coyotes attack once?

Next, the area: There will be three of us coming down there. My girlfriend will be staying in Surprise with her friend who moved down there. I'll be staying in a hotel with another friend. Can anyone recommend a nice central area to stay in that wouldn't be too far from Surprise or the arena but not in the middle of nowhere? How far is the airport from everything? How is the weather there in January?

Finally (for now), food: I live on pizza and would love to hit Pizzeria Bianco. Where is that place in relation to the arena. I guess I'll have more specific questions when I decide where to stay. Also, where would be a great place to grab a good steak without breaking the bank?

Thanks for any help and can't wait to get down there.

 

[Sinurgy]

Hey everyone,
First, regarding tickets: I noticed there are some all you can eat sections in the arena. Does anyone know what specific sections they are? Are there any of those sections in the end where the Coyotes attack once?

The tickets are upper level only but otherwise no restrictions so yes you can get tickets on the attack one side.

Next, the area: There will be three of us coming down there. My girlfriend will be staying in Surprise with her friend who moved down there. I'll be staying in a hotel with another friend. Can anyone recommend a nice central area to stay in that wouldn't be too far from Surprise or the arena but not in the middle of nowhere? How far is the airport from everything? How is the weather there in January?

Surprise actually isn't that far from the arena, around 10 miles according to google maps. So if you wanted you could stay at Westgate (where the arena is located) without any real inconvenience. It's close to Surprise, you'll be right there for the hockey game and Westgate has a ton of entertainment options.

If you want to be closer to Surprise you could stay at any of the hotels near the spring training complex on Bell Rd. and 101. The area offers similar entertainment options as Westgate though not as much of a wow factor IMHO. Still a good spot though.

Here is a map: Surprise, spring training area and Westgate
Note that I added the middle destination point to show you where the spring training area is located, that is why it shows 14 miles to Westgate. If you remove that middle destination the route changes and the distance becomes 9.9 miles.

The airport is about 22 miles away from Westgate: Airport to Westgate map

Finally (for now), food: I live on pizza and would love to hit Pizzeria Bianco. Where is that place in relation to the arena. I guess I'll have more specific questions when I decide where to stay. Also, where would be a great place to grab a good steak without breaking the bank?

Map to Pizzeria Bianco
The place is awesome but be prepared for a serious wait, very likely in the 2-3 hour range, easily that if it's on a weekend.

As for steak, I really like The Keg, it's a chain (Canada and southwest US) but it's really good. Price is in the $20-$30 range and you will have to travel a bit to get to one (about the same distance as PB).

 

[Sarge18]

Wow Sinurgy I couldn't possibly thank you enough for all that info. You just made things much easier for me! Just a couple of follow ups, can you buy the all you can eat tickets in person the day of the game, or is this an online only special? As of now the seats that come up are the opposite end of where I want to sit and you're given no choice.

As for Bianco, how early do people start lining up to get a table there?

I've actually been to the Keg in Toronto and Niagara Falls, so it's funny you mention them.

 

[Sinurgy]

Wow Sinurgy I couldn't possibly thank you enough for all that info. You just made things much easier for me! Just a couple of follow ups, can you buy the all you can eat tickets in person the day of the game, or is this an online only special? As of now the seats that come up are the opposite end of where I want to sit and you're given no choice.

As for Bianco, how early do people start lining up to get a table there?

I've actually been to the Keg in Toronto and Niagara Falls, so it's funny you mention them.

You're welcome! Just do me a favor and secretly route for the poor Yotes when ya can!

It's very likely you can buy tickets the day of the game but since you're coming all the way out here on vacation I would not take the chance on something going wrong. Since you can't get your seats online, just call a ticket rep (480-563-puck) and order through them. They will be able to assist you in getting the section of your choice.

It of course varies but generally people start lining up for Pizzeria Bianco a little before it opens which is at 5pm (fyi it's closed on Mondays). It will of course be more crowded on the weekends. There is a small wine bar owned by the same people right next door that you can chill at while you wait for your name to be called. There are also tables outside between the two places where you can relax. Basically they know you'll be waiting a long time and try to at least make it bearable. One thing to consider, if you have 6 or more people in your party, you can make reservations.

Oh and I realized that I skipped your original weather in January question. In a nutshell there are few places in the US that will rival Phoenix weather in January. It will be sunny during the day and unless you're out till the wee hours of the morning, you're unlikely to see any temps below 50 degrees, maybe even 60 degrees.

 

[Sarge18]

You're welcome! Just do me a favor and secretly route for the poor Yotes when ya can!

It's very likely you can buy tickets the day of the game but since you're coming all the way out here on vacation I would not take the chance on something going wrong. Since you can't get your seats online, just call a ticket rep (480-563-puck) and order through them. They will be able to assist you in getting the section of your choice.

It of course varies but generally people start lining up for Pizzeria Bianco a little before it opens which is at 5pm (fyi it's closed on Mondays). It will of course be more crowded on the weekends. There is a small wine bar owned by the same people right next door that you can chill at while you wait for your name to be called. There are also tables outside between the two places where you can relax. Basically they know you'll be waiting a long time and try to at least make it bearable. One thing to consider, if you have 6 or more people in your party, you can make reservations.

Oh and I realized that I skipped your original weather in January question. In a nutshell there are few places in the US that will rival Phoenix weather in January. It will be sunny during the day and unless you're out till the wee hours of the morning, you're unlikely to see any temps below 50 degrees, maybe even 60 degrees.

Thanks again for your help. Believe me, as a Devil fan and fan of the underdog, I have a soft spot for the Coyotes.

I've been doing some research on places to stay and I found that people have been getting the SpringHill suites on West Bell Rd. in Glendale/Peoria for as low as $38 a night. Looks pretty close to Surprise and not too far from the arena. Any thoughts on that area?

 

[Sinurgy]

Thanks again for your help. Believe me, as a Devil fan and fan of the underdog, I have a soft spot for the Coyotes.

I've been doing some research on places to stay and I found that people have been getting the SpringHill suites on West Bell Rd. in Glendale/Peoria for as low as $38 a night. Looks pretty close to Surprise and not too far from the arena. Any thoughts on that area?

That's the spring training area I mentioned earlier.