A complete fan's guide to Nationals spring training

What to do at the complex, plus where to stay, eat, drink and have fun in West Palm Beach

There’s nothing like spring training. Nothing like basking in the warm Florida sun on a February morning watching relaxed ballplayers run through fundamental drills, bullpen sessions and batting practice, then partaking in Grapefruit League games whose results don’t matter one bit.

And there’s really nothing like being there to experience it all in person.

Some of you may make annual treks to watch the Nationals. Some of you may never have been before but are thinking about going this year. Whatever your level of experience, consider this your official travel guide. Everything you need to know about Nats spring training.

The Nats, of course, train in West Palm Beach. They’ve called it home since 2017 after spending their first 12 springs in Viera, about 2 hours north on Interstate-95. CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches – yes, I had to look up the name to make sure I have the correct current moniker, because it’s changed multiple times over the last decade – houses both the Nationals and the Astros, but you’d hardly know it. The complex is huge, and really the only times the two teams cross paths are when they play each other inside the stadium.

The Nats’ side of the complex includes six full-size practice fields, plus another half-field, plus a giant bullpen with 12 mounds, plus a big batting cage and an artificial turf field used for conditioning.

If you come during the first 10 days of camp (Feb. 11-20), you’ll only see the morning workouts, because the games don’t begin until Feb. 21. But those workouts can be a blast to attend, because you can watch from up-close, overhear plenty of what is said between coaches and players and strategically position yourself to interact with guys as they make their way from one field to another or back to the clubhouse.

Workout days are free to attend and typically start around 9 a.m. The first five days officially feature only pitchers and catchers, though plenty of position players arrive early and should take the field for informal workouts once the pitchers are done. We don’t know for sure how Blake Butera’s camp will compare to Davey Martinez’s camp, but most everyone should be done before noon, especially on those early days of the spring.

When Grapefruit League play begins Feb. 21, the team will still hold morning workouts on the practice fields around the same time before heading inside the stadium closer to game time. You’ll have to pay for parking (and a game ticket, of course), but fans are welcome to arrive early and watch the workouts, just as they do during the first 10 days. And as the calendar moves into March, you’ll start to see the guys from minor league camp out there as well, usually on the four fields that form a cloverleaf.

That’s the schedule for 1:05 p.m. home games. For 6:05 p.m. games, just push back the schedule, with players likely emerging for workouts around 2 p.m.

If the Nats are playing on the road against a nearby opponent (the Astros right there in West Palm Beach, or the Cardinals or Marlins in Jupiter), they’ll still go through the morning workout at home before boarding the bus for the game. If they’re making a longer road trip (Port St. Lucie to face the Mets, Tampa to face the Yankees, Clearwater to face the Phillies), the guys playing in the game will do their pregame work at the game site while others not making the trip stay back to work out in West Palm Beach.

As far as Grapefruit League games go, they’re nothing like regular season games. It’s a totally relaxed atmosphere, especially during the first week or two when regulars take only one or two at-bats and pitchers throw only two or three innings. As they inch closer to Opening Day, the regulars start playing more and the pitchers start throwing more. Consider all that as you decide when to attend.

So that’s what you need to know about the actual baseball part of spring training. But what about the rest of your trip to West Palm Beach?

There are a growing number of nonstop flights from the D.C. region to Palm Beach International Airport. You can fly American or JetBlue from Reagan National. You can fly United from Dulles. And you can fly Southwest from BWI. You can also fly to Fort Lauderdale and make the 45-minute drive north if you find a significantly cheaper fare. Or take the AutoTrain from Lorton, Va., to Samford, Fla., and bring your own car. Or really show off and make the entire 980-mile drive yourself.

Hotels are abundant, but beware high prices this time of year, even for establishments that are far from four-star. The closest hotels to the ballpark are clustered together off 45th Street about 1 1/2 miles to the east. You might find some cheaper ones a bit to the south near the airport. You can also stay in downtown West Palm Beach, luxuriate by the water in the actual Palm Beach or head 15 minutes north to Jupiter, which is very nice.

Where to eat and drink? The list is exhaustive. Clematis Street in downtown West Palm Beach is a big hub of activity and home to such mainstays as Rocco’s Tacos, Grease Burger Bar, E.R. Bradley’s Saloon, Avocado Grill, Elisabetta’s Ristorante and Hullabaloo, to name just a few favorites.

To the west of downtown you’ll find the historic Okeechobee Steak House, as well as Zuccarelli’s Italian restaurant. Head north to Palm Beach Gardens for some upscale options, plus another Rocco’s Tacos (which actually has more seating than the downtown location). Or keep heading north to Jupiter, where among other establishments you’ll find the curiously named but outstanding Little Moir’s Leftovers.

And for an authentic, waterside Florida experience, definitely head south to the Old Key Lime House in Lantana, where the wait times can be long but the signature pie is worth it.

If you’ve got time to have some fun when you’re not at the ballpark, check out the Palm Beach Zoo or the Loggerhead Marine Life Center (where they house rescue turtles). Take a tour of the Everglades on an airboat. Or just go to the beach and soak up that sun, then send photos to your friends and family still waiting for the snow to melt back home.

That’s just a sampling of what you can expect at Nationals spring training. If you’ve been and have your own recommendations, please share them in the comments below!