Family Tours Enjoy  Fireworks

When starting out at U.S. Cellular on Midwest 1 everyone was pumped and ready for the festivities and games to begin.  For an added bonus the White Sox put on a firework show and added some music for a great effect. It was a wonderful display probably one of the best I had ever seen up until that point in my life.  They had big boomers and small shooting fireworks that lasted for a very long time.  They did a wonderful job timing the fireworks with the music and just did a fantastic job. 

On Midwest 2 the next place to give us a firework show was Pittsburgh and I have to say this was my favorite of all times.  Not only did they have a firework show for all their fans, but they had REO Speedwagon come in and play.  All the lights went down in the stadium and off to the right the fireworks started going off.  Then the next thing you know REO Speedwagon is on stage playing in front of you in the infield.  They put on an amazing show and just when we thought it was over the fireworks started again and then back to REO.  This back and forth went on for over an hour.  So, not only did the fans get to see a MLB game but they also got to see a live concert and firework show.  This was one of the best things i have ever seen a stadium do for their fans I was absolutely blown away. 

The next night in Cincinnati they had a firework show also.  It was no concert and firework show, but they did an amazing job.  These were some of the biggest boomers that I had ever seen or heard.  They were such a loud boom they made you shake and jump right out of your seat.  Midwest 1 and 2 had many great aspects, but nothing better than fireworks in the summer while enjoying Americas favorite past time.

Group Travel Tours Make Their Way To See The Brewers

 On Saturday the Big League Tours group headed out to Milwaukee for the day to see the Brewers take on the Washington Nationals.  If you have never been to Miller Park you should definitely put that on your list of things to do.  I'm not sure if I'm really a dome kind of person, but they make up for that in many other ways.  As our group tour made its way to the parking lot our guests were amazed with how many people were in the parking lot tailgating before the game.  Going to Milwaukee a couple of hours before the gates open is a great time everyone is barbecuing, playing yard games, etc. the usual tailgating lineup.  Miller Park is also a great place for family tours to go they have an amazing area for kids to play and burn off some energy before the game.  The Brewers had a perfect game where hey defeated the Nationals 6-0.  Ben Sheets pitched a complete game on Saturday giving the Brewers a lopsided victory.  To check out official scoring please click here.

Sports Vacations in St. Louis
Having been a lifelong Cincinnati Reds fan, I have never been a fan of the Cardinals. However, I have to give credit to the Cardinals organization, the city of St. Louis, and the Cardinals fans - going to a game at Busch Stadium is a great time. The stadium has a great atmosphere, is very appealing aesthetically, and allows fans to experience baseball the way that it should be enjoyed.

Here's a photo of former Cardinal, So Taguchi signing autographs prior to the game. So was a St. Louis fan favorite and received a standing ovation when he pinch hit during the game.

It's a great place to visit if you are going to plan family tours, small group tours, or sports tours of any size. Watch for the tours that we offer next year that include games in St. Louis or with the Cardinals on the road. You'll enjoy great seats, great accommodations, and great baseball. We hope you'll join us!

Baseball Travel Tour Heads to Philly
Saturday, June 21, 2008 - After a day of site seeing in Washington DC, we loaded up the bus to head up to Philadelphia. This time, our package tour called for us to see the game in Philly, to load back onto the bus and to head on in to New York City to spend three nights in the Big Apple.

We arrived at the ballpark in Philadelphia and were reasonably impressed with what the city has done for its sports franchises. All of their professional teams had facilities within a half mile of each other with easy parking and walking and what appeared to be reasonable security, too.

Citizens Bank Park has a few features that it shares with other parks. The concourse areas along the base lines reminded us of the New Busch Stadium. The outfield concourse felt like Coors Field. It was very party-like with vendors, restaurants and shops, and places to hang out and catch the game.

We visited the center field viewing area which is pretty unique to the Bank. It's a standing room only section that was well occupied and, contrary to what you might think, fans were really engaged in the game. It was a great view of the park with the exception of the walls blocking the view of the action in center field. It was such a gorgeous night that we decided to hang out up there for a while. The team only sells SRO tickets on the nights of sell outs but this would be a really fun place to hand out with friends or to go if you are on family tours or small group tours.

We were impressed with Citizens Bank Park. It was very well done and had a great atmosphere. At this point the baseball road trip was half way over - 3 games down, 3 to go. Next stop, New York City.

There have recently been a number of airlines that have filed bankruptcy or have been forced to stop flying leaving travelers stranded or unable to leave. Learning that your flights have been canceled and that your airline is no longer in business can not only be a nuisance but it can also be costly as well. So as we swing into the height of the sports vacation season, travelers should question whether or not travel insurance is right for them. There are a couple of things to keep in mind as you plan your summer baseball road trips.

Paying By Credit Card
Consumer protection laws allow you to dispute charges on your credit card for up to 60 days. This is a useful tool if you've been charged expenses within two months of your trip. It won't, however, provide you any relief from expenses incurred 61 days or longer from your trip. In addition, it won't assist you with additional expenses that you will incur as a result of a delay, such as extra nights at a hotel, meals, etc.

Travel Insurance
Most travelers planning a trip with sports travel packages, purchase the trips much farther in advance than 60 days. Consumer protection laws won't be helpful in those instances. Travel insurance, on the other hand, can assist you by covering all aspects of your trip. If your flights are canceled or your airline files bankruptcy, trip insurance can cover the cost to replace the flight and additional expenses that you incur.

Travel insurance can also protect you from unforeseen events in your life that could prevent you from traveling. Consider an illness that affects you or a member of your family tour or small group tour. If travel insurance is in place, each member of the family or group could be reimbursed for their costs if they can't make the tour.

The price for travel insurance varies based on the cost of your package tour and the age of the travelers. For example, a traveler between the ages of 35-59 who purchases a trip for $1,500, would likely pay $70 - 75 for travel insurance. Not an expensive premium for the coverage it provides.

What About Rain Outs?
Since our tours revolve around baseball vacations, we're often asked if travel insurance covers rain outs. Unfortunately, the answer is no. Travel insurance can't guarantee that everything will happen as planned but can only guarantee that you'll get there and back.

MLB Tour Wrap-Up

The last event of our tour was on Saturday night when we took in the Diamondbacks and Rockies game at 6PM. We had incredible seats that were located three rows behind the Diamondbacks dugout. (This picture was taken from our seats as Todd Helton belted a home run into the right field seats.) The game was really close for a few innings but the Diamondbacks ultimately poured on the runs and put the game out of reach.

This was a fantastic baseball road trip. If anyone is planning a sports vacation or is specifically looking for a sports package that is a great fit for a family tour, Denver is a fantastic place to go. The city is crazy about its teams, has many things to offer the non-sports fans, offers a moderate climate all year round, and is filled with friendly folks everywhere you go. Transportation is easy to manage, whether you are driving or relying on public transportation. And the city is the micro-brew capital of the world!

This is one trip that we'll definitely offer every year. We can't wait to go back!

Fans of all sports are interested in traveling to see their sports played out, taking sports vacations at ever increasing rates. Part of the mobilization of fans is that the Internet has made it possible for fans to buy and sell tickets at every major venue, even up to "near last minute" travel planning. Also many travel sites have made the planning easier than ever.

However, many fans are looking for assistance when putting together their sports travel packages. Even with all the information available online, there can still be some guess work about where to stay in a particular city. I've had clients tell me their night mares about choosing hotels based on limited or no knowledge of the areas and feeling like they've put themselves in great danger.

One other key element is the location of the tickets to your sports event. If you've never been to a particular stadium or venue, you can make choices that you might regret once you're in the park.

Whether it's a small group tour, family tour, or something you plan to do on your own, you might consider seeking out some assistance to plan your next sports vacation by purchasing a sports package from a tour operator.

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.

Hi Baseball Fans!

I'm excited to offer up the first blog from Big League Tours, a blog that's related to all things baseball and baseball travel. You can expect to see posts about baseball road trips - what's new, things to consider, etc.

We'll offer up journals from the baseball trips that we host all across the big leagues. You'll be able to see photos of and quotes from our clients at the games, on the stadium tours, and on their family tours.

We'll also cover interesting information about the big league teams, the players, and the stadiums that we all want to see. After all, you know we love baseball to do what we do!!!

I hope you'll check back with us soon!