Like so many Americans, my family loves baseball!
Living in the Northeast, the start of baseball signals that Spring is right around the corner.
Teams are called to their training locations in February and as fans, we begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel from the drab, cold days of winter. Warmer weather beckons us to the ballpark! As fans, we love everything about the game– the players (OK, maybe not all of them!), the sport itself, the excitement of each game, the fans, even the stadium food. All of it!
For me, love for this game definitely evolved over time.
I have to say that I was not always a baseball fan. Not that I didn’t like the game. I really had no opinion since it just wasn’t part of my youth. I didn’t have a father who watched the game or brothers or close relatives who did. My husband had a bit more exposure with Little League as a young boy. But it wasn’t until we had a son that this sport became our family’s sport. Little did we know that when we signed him up for T-Ball in kindergarten that baseball would infuse itself into our lives for years to come.
For many parents whose kids participate in sports, whether it be through school, a local league or travel team, participation and commitment to it becomes a family affair. You learn to love the game along with the many sacrifices it brings. The passion that my son had for it spilled over into our entire immediate and extended family. We all totally supported him. It wasn’t about whether he’d be the next David Wright, it was that he LOVED it. It wasn’t about us — it was for him. Unfortunately, we found that not to be the case for many parents. But that story is for another day and possibly another blog.
My family’s first baseball game at Shea Stadium became the catalyst to our baseball travel journey.
Our first family baseball game was at Shea Stadium in Queens, New York (Citifield today) where our beloved Mets play. The look on our son’s face at his first game was priceless as were all the firsts that came along with it. — the purchase of his first game program where he diligently kept a record of the score, his first stadium hotdog, his first ice cream in a souvenir baseball hat, (We have about 50 of those now!) and the first time seeing Mr. Met.
Getting to a game at least an hour before start time became tradition since there was a possibility to get player autographs while they practiced. What memories!
It’s been over a decade since my family attended that first game at Shea Stadium. We still attend games at what is now called Citifield and hope for the day that our team will win the World Series. Let’s Go Mets!
And that leads me to this advice:
Incorporate a shared family activity in all your travel planning, when possible.
Finding an activity that the entire family enjoys and infusing it into your travel plans, when possible, can be a priceless experience. That activity becomes a common thread that weaves its way into your travel experiences. And my family’s love for baseball did just that!
Attending a baseball game became a sightseeing destination on many of our trips. When possible, I would try to include a baseball game or stadium tour as part of our sightseeing schedule.
Of course, achieving this goal required some research and planning but it was well worth it. If possible, an overnight stop on a road trip would be dictated by a baseball game in the area. And it didn’t have to be major league baseball.
Attending minor league baseball games are a great way to start your family’s love of the game.
And these games are many times just as exciting, cheaper and you may be lucky enough to see an upcoming star at the start of their career.
For my family, watching a baseball game under the stars definitely beat staying in a hotel room after a long day of traveling.
Our first minor league game was in Memphis where we saw the Memphis Redbirds. After that, my family was hooked.
To read more about our Memphis journey, click here:https://followmyyellowbrickroad.com/?p=2649
Over the years, we have attended minor league games played by the Brooklyn Cyclones, Williamsport Crosscutters, Jacksonville Panthers, Red Sox and Warthogs to name a few.
When possible, attending Major League games and stadium tours have been part of our itinerary.
Over the years, we’ve attended major league games at Nationals Stadium in D.C., Chase Stadium in Arizona and Suntrust Stadium in Atlanta.
And when scheduling didn’t permit a home game, we booked a stadium tour.
We got to visit Petco Park in San Diego and AT&T park in San Francisco.
One day, we hope to take a baseball ONLY trip, hitting multiple stadiums along the way.
Of course, you can enjoy this game while traveling in other ways.
Visit iconic baseball locations and learn about its history.
Attending games in our travels was not the only way we infused our love for baseball into our travel journey. We have visited some iconic baseball locations over the years.
Louisville Slugger Museum…
was a must see on our Great Smoky Mountain road trip that included a stop in Louisville, Kentucky. We toured the bat making facility and learned about the history of many baseball greats.
Cooperstown, New York…
was probably truly the grand slam of our baseball visits so far. At least in my son’s opinion, anyway.
His local baseball team got to play baseball against teams from around the country at this iconic park for one summer week.
All teams bunked together, ate together, traded pins among the other teams and best of all, played ball! What memories and what an experience for the entire family!
Visits to Doubleday Park and the Baseball Hall of Fame capped the trip off.
