Despite
finishing the MLB tour with a rained out game, the trip as a whole was
a great time. We saw a game at Yankee Stadium, toured Yankee Stadium
(and even got in the clubhouse!), received autographs from several of
the players, took in the sites at Shea Stadium (although they were
damp), and had our Big League Player Experience with Miracle Mets team
member Art Shamsky.
Here are some things that our guests had to say about our baseball road trip:
"Dana & I wanted
to thank you so very much for the great time we had in New York. We appreciated your thoughtful, caring attitude toward creating a truly once in
a lifetime major league experience for both of us. You have successfully
fulfilled your mission of creating a first class big league tour." Dana G. and Darrel M., Grand Junction, CO
"Christine and I wanted to thank you for
the wonderful time in NYC. We really had a blast and the baseball experience was
outstanding. As I stood on the warning track in center field at Yankee Stadium and heard the
voice of the "Mick" , I have returned to the fold as a Yankee fan. The seats were wonderful for both games and Christine was especially
pleased to get so close to the field and to the Mets.I am sure we will meet again!" John and Christine L., Athens, GA
"We
really hated leaving New York -
love it there and loved the trip. You did a fantastic job putting together what
fans want to do and see!" Sonia and Patrick D., Bakersfield, CA
"Tami and I just wanted to tell you what a great time we had in New York. It was a fantastic experience. We're already talking about taking another trip with Big League Tours!" Joe and Tami M., Ball Ground, GA "We
had a wonderful time on the baseball trip - you took great care of all of the details
and it made for a wonderful vacation. We had never been to NYC before and this
was such a fun way to see the city for the first time. The seats at the stadiums were great too
- we would never have been able to get those ourselves. Finally, meeting Art
Shamsky was a highlight. We had no idea what to expect, but we were really
glad that we had the opportunity to do that. We have already talked about
traveling with Big League Tours again." Bridget and Jeff M., Rochester Hills, MI
Rain Out At Shea Friday, May 9th - Today the inevitable happened. When your business revolves around outdoor sporting events, you know that at some point you're going to get wet and that at some point you're going to have games canceled or postponed. That day finally arrived. After dodging rain outs all across America for a couple of years, we suffered our first one at Shea Stadium. All wasn't lost, though.
Part of the attraction of MLB road trips is to see the stadiums. While it was raining most of the time we were there, we were still able to walk around and see quite a bit of the stadium. In fact, it was quite nice. Most of the fans stayed away from Shea so we were able to check it out without fighting a large crowd. We essentially turned the time into our own baseball stadium tour. In addition, you could clearly see the new stadium, Citi Field, from inside the old ballpark. Here are some of the folks from our group. That's Citi Field in the background.
About half of the guests on our package tour were staying an extra night in New York City and were able to return to Shea to see the game (and it was a gorgeous day!). Unfortunately for me, I wasn't one of those lucky enough to see the game...
In my opinion, seeing Shea Stadium isn't worth a trip on it's own. If you are going as part of a baseball vacation package or baseball road trip of your own that includes other baseball stadiums, then it's worth making a stop. If nothing else, it will give you a greater appreciation for the new stadiums that are built with the fans in mind.
The Cool Stuff Friday, May 9th - One of the things that we love to share with our travelers is the cool stuff, things that you hope for on a baseball vacation but aren't always guaranteed. That's why we plan baseball stadium tours whenever we can. That's why we bring in MLB players to meet with our travelers. That's also why we go early to the games - to give everyone a chance to really see and experience the stadiums and get closer to the players.
Here's a picture from the stadium tour that we took this morning at Yankee Stadium. This is my son standing in the Yankees' bullpen. Several in our group have received autographs from players and coaches at the ballpark and in our hotel. I was even lucky enough last night to catch a ball in batting practice.
If you are considering a baseball road trip or any kind of sports travel package, consider what kind of extras that they are going to provide. Also, consider whether or not you are getting the "cool stuff" that you wouldn't be able to get on your own.
Friday, May 9th - We began the day with an escorted tour of Yankee Stadium. There was a steady rain this morning but we didn't mind as we were able to take in some great sites around the park. The stadium tour began in the press box. Absolutely a great view of the park from there.
We then walked out to Monument Park to see the plaques of the retired numbers and the monuments of the Yankees' greatest players. Several people in our group had never been in Monument Park before. It's something that everyone should experience, whether you are a Yankee fan or not.
We then walked around the warning track to the Yankees' dugout. It's a great place to sit and dream of what it's like to be a big league player. We took several pictures in the dugout, including the one on the right.Here are a handful of our travelers on the tour.
We then had the privilege of going into the Yankees' clubhouse. It was great to see where they hang out while at the park. It's smaller than many of the new clubhouses (but I'm sure that will change next year!). That said, it was still a religious experience for many in our group tour. It even brought tearsto the eyes of at least one traveler!
We're hooking up with Art Shamsky, member of the Miracle Mets, in a little bit and then heading out to Shea Stadium to (hopefully) catch the Mets and the Reds (we're hopeful because it has been raining all day...).
Thursday, May 8th - The MLB road trip officially started today. We met in the hotel lobby and then took off for Yankee Stadium. Our group contains travelers from California to Georgia and several places in between. For many on our group tour, this is their first time to New York City. So to give them an appropriate welcome and initiation into the city, the first thing we did was head into Grand Central Station and get on the #4 train to 161 and Yankee Stadium.
We arrived at Yankee Stadium just as the gates opened. This was the third game in the series against the Cleveland Indians. The Indians had won the first two games so the Yankees fans were anxious for a win. They weren't disappointed as the Yankees' bats finally came to life. None were more alive than Jason Giambi"s as he hit a towering home run into the Tier Boxes in right field. We had seats on the third base side looking down the right field foul line which were perfect for seeing whether or not that hit stayed fair. What an incredible shot! The Yankees ultimately won 6-3 avoiding the sweep from the Indians and drawing them to 18-18 for the season.
Here's a shot into famed Monument Park at Yankee Stadium. Our group will be taking the baseball stadium tour on Friday and will get to see the Park first hand along with other elements of the "House That Ruth Built". The Yankees have left town to play in Detroit so we will hopefully have access to their clubhouse and dugout.
Wednesday, May 7th - The latest Big League Tour revolves around the teams and stadiums in New York City. A few of the travelers arrived early in Manhattan to meet friends and family, take in some sites, or to head out to Yankee Stadium to take in a game.
Having never sat in the Tier or Tier Reserved levels, my son and I decided to see what it was like. (This photo was taken from our seats.)Frankly, we didn't think the seats were too bad. You couldn't always tell how well balls were hit since you couldn't see the arc of the ball. But from this angle, it's a great place to watch how players position themselves for different hitters, situations and plays. One thing we immediately noticed was that it was about 10 degrees colder (or so it felt) when we got to our seats. The wind was on us the whole game.
Probably the best part of these seats was that you couldn't help but get caught up in the magnitude of the ballpark. You get a birds' eye view of 50,000+ fans that have filled up one of the League's most historic baseball stadiums. I wouldn't want to sit up there every game, but it was worth it to get a different perspective of the game.
While we were taking the escorted tour of Coors Field, we had an unexpected thing happen. As we passed by the doors that led to the Rockies' clubhouse, we ran into Manny Corpas. Manny is the closer who had a phenomenal run at the end of last year.
Manny motioned for my son, Hiatt, to follow him into the clubhouse area and then gave him a personal tour of the clubhouse, the weight room, training room and cafeteria. The tour guides told us that this never happens which made it all the more special for Hiatt. Can you imagine being 10 years old and getting a personal tour from an MLB player?I would have been as excited at 40!
We've taken many baseball stadium tours but this one will stand out in our memories for a long time...Our thanks to Manny for going out of his way to make that stadium tour special for a young baseball fan. You instantly made him a Rockies fan and a personal fan for life. Thanks so much!!!
Yesterday we took the stadium tour of Coors Field. It's a great ballpark with a lot of interesting features. Since it was a game day, we started the tour on the field which is usually the last stop. Here's our group and guide just outside the Rockies dugout.
We then went up to the top of the stadium to work our way down. In the upper deck, the stadium has a row of purple seats that are located exactly at 5,280 feet. I like the that the seats are one color. The days of marking sections with different colored seats were awful. One row of purple seats seems appropriate.
Another interesting stop was in the press box. These guys not only have one of the best jobs in the world, but they also get the best seats in the house. Our guide pointed out that a fresh hole in the wall had been made from a Garrett Atkins foul ball during the Friday season home opener.It was marked with the date and his name so that they could remember all of them by the end of the season.
The guides were great and allowed us to take our time for many pictures and questions. We've been on many tours where they herd you through the park at break-neck speeds without your chance to really enjoy the moment.
When we got up Friday morning, you could sense the excitement building throughout the city. We wanted to get in the mix of things as early as we could so we headed down to 16th street to grab an early lunch amidst all of the restaurants and shops. You could hear live music all over town. News trucks were setup capturing footage of fans in the city. It seemed as though everyone was heading to the game.
There's a section of Denver near Coors Field that is called the Lower Downtown (or LoDo). This part of town used to be warehouses and factories. But with the development around the stadium, it's now restaurants, bars, condos, and office space. Needless to say, this section of town was hopping.
I fully expected this Opening Day to be high energy, higher than most since the team is celebrating its National League Championship. The ceremonies contained the typical player introductions, flag presentation, balloon release and military flyover. The NL Championship trophy was unveiled on the first base line but the pennant wasn't raised. That element seemed unceremonious to me. Then again, maybe I had built it up to be something that it wasn't supposed to be.
Coors Field did live up to its expectations, however. We sat behind the Rockies dugout and really enjoyed the view of the game. One thing that we noticed is how friendly the Rockies fans are. Everyone around us was very talkative and much to share about the city and their team.
Unfortunately, the Rockies' home opener was spoiled by the Diamondbacks. Micah Owings had a great outing. It seemed like he kept the Rockies off-balance for most of the game. The only real mistake he made was the home run that he gave up to Todd Helton. The game ended 8-1 in favor of the Diamondbacks.
Today we're off for a baseball stadium tour to see all the behind the scenes elements of the ballpark. Tonight's game is set to feature Jeff Francis for the Rockies and Brandon Webb for the Diamondbacks. Should be exciting. Then again...a day at the ballpark is always better than sorting out an inbox...
Recently the Washington Post posted an inside look into the new Nationals Park that's set to open this evening with the (U.S.) opening game. Click hereto get a virtual baseball stadium tour. You can see the dugout, clubhouse and many other places within the park. Also, follow the video links and you'll get virtual escorted tours through many of the different sections of the ball park.
If you are planning a baseball road trip this summer, this would be a ballpark to include on one of your MLB Tours. Have questions about putting your baseball vacation package together? Check out our website for some suggestions or drop us a note. We would be glad to help you with information to plan your trip!
This photo appeared in the New York Times. You can see the complete story atthis link.
Okay. With a couple of games that counted under our belts now, it's time to think seriously about MLB tours for the summer. A visit to Yankee Stadium is top of mind for most fans. If you've never been, this is your last shot.
I'm most excited about our 7 day, 6 night baseball trip that we're offering this year. We're starting in Baltimore and going to see games at Orioles Park, the New Nationals Park, Citizens Bank Park, Yankee Stadium, Shea Stadium and Fenway Park. We're also taking stadium tours at Yankee Stadium and Fenway Park.
Tell us where you are headed this year. We would love to hear about any baseball road trips that you have planned!
Doesn't this seem to be the toughest time of year? Spring hasn't exactly sprung yet, DST throws off your sleep rhythms, and baseball has been just out of reach for what seems to be an eternity. And this year is riddled with its own oddities.
Teams have picked up from their normal Spring Training sites to play across the country or across the globe. This was also the last year for Dodgertown in Vero Beach, where the Dodgers have been for 61 years. To top it off, this year's "Opening Day" is in Japan.
Admittedly, I'm having a difficult time getting excited about that last point. I understand why MLB is trying to encourage the globalization baseball. Why not? When you are riding high on the greatest number of visitors to games and baseball stadiums ever, why not try to capitalize on the popularity? I would prefer that it would be through exhibition games in the off season with the regular season played at home.
But maybe that's just me. Maybe it's just my attitude this time of year. I'm sure that I'll forget all about it in 9 days when the first pitch is thrown at home and my TV and XM radio have baseball games on them everyday. I'm sure that as soon as I'm on one of my baseball trips that I won't even be thinking of the off season.
If you are trying to choose a baseball vacation package for your family vacation, you might want to consider some of the differences between a package tour and a custom tour.
Custom tours offer you the most flexibility when choosing everything about your trip from the dates, to the location, to the accommodations and transportation. You can also choose how many baseball games you'll see, where your seats will be located, and if you'll include any extras like stadium tours.
There can be some downsides to a custom trip. First of all, the cost can be much more expensive than package trips since you won't be getting the benefit of group purchasing. Second, if you are traveling in unknown cities, you typically won't have the benefit of a host since most custom tours are not escorted tours. And finally, the travel between cities will likely mean that you are doing the driving yourself.
Package tours, on the other hand, offer a lesser amount of flexibility. The dates are set, the location and itineraries are set, and the prices are typically set.
The benefits are that you can typically find a tour that will contain all or most of what you are looking for and you'll get the benefit of group purchasing. In addition, most packages will be escorted tours, eliminating the worry of being in a city that you are unfamiliar with.
Many baseball vacation packages will also include features that you wouldn't likely be able to do or afford on your own. Taking private baseball stadium tours is one example of something very affordable on a group tour. Another feature could be special chances to meet with MLB players.
So if you're planning a baseball vacation this summer, consider whether a package tour or a custom tour is right for your family.
This is the last year to see a game at the current Yankee Stadium. Fans from all across the world are making their first or final trek to The House That Ruth Built. One of the best ways to see this and other baseball stadiums is to take the stadium tours that are offered by the teams.
The teams typically offer these tours on an individual basis, where you'll get grouped with other individuals, or you can typically book a private group tour.
Take a look at this video that was shot on a tour of Yankee Stadium. Fans gain access to the press box, Monument Park, the field, and Yankees dugout. Some tours are allowed access to the Yankees clubhouse, too.
We are hosting a few tours in New York City this summer and will be touring Yankee Stadium two times. I can't wait to get back out there again!
Posted Thursday, February 28, 2008 by
Glenn Dunlap
I hate group travel. This admission will seem odd coming from a guy who owns a baseball travel / tour operator business - but it's true. I don't like being told that I only have one hour to see this or an hour to do that. I like flexibility in my schedule to do what I want.
Some baseball vacation packages will give you that flexibility and give you an opportunity to do things that you might not be able to do on your own. For instance, traveling by motor coach can get you to places more easily than trying to drive there on your own. (Have you been to Cooperstown? It's really close to...nothing!)
Groups can also arrange for private baseball stadium tours, on-field time at the stadiums, or meet & greets with baseball players. The cost of these events on your own might be difficult to do.
Most group tours are escorted tours. This gives you someone with local knowledge to guide you throughout your trip. Where should we eat dinner? How long will it take us to get to a certain site? Etc. All things that should make your trip more enjoyable.
And finally, package tours should provide you with the convenience of getting a unique trip with one phone call. You won't have to track down hotel reservations in a city you don't know, tickets in a stadium you don't know, transportation, and on and on.
There can be many advantages for taking the trips that will even make them enjoyable for a guy like me, who hates group tours - except ours...
"We
really hated leaving 
Part of the attraction of MLB road trips is to see the stadiums. While it was raining most of the time we were there, we were still able to walk around and see quite a bit of the stadium. In fact, it was quite nice. Most of the fans stayed away from Shea so we were able to check it out without fighting a large crowd. We essentially turned the time into our own baseball stadium tour. In addition, you could clearly see the new stadium, Citi Field, from inside the old ballpark. Here are some of the folks from our group. That's Citi Field in the background.
