Taking Baseball Travel Tours to Miller Park
August 9, 2008 - Whenever we book any of our MLB Tours to include Chicago and Milwaukee, we plan it to stay in Chicago the whole time and to take a bus up to Milwaukee and back on the same day. It works out great because we don't have to move hotels and deal with getting situated a second time. Plus, it's only a 90 mile bus trip so it's an easy drive.

This escorted tour took us up to Miller Park with plenty of time to take in the sites of the stadium, batting practice, and of course, the tailgaters outside the stadium. Brewers fans know how to tailgate! We actually drove through a little rain on our trip up to the stadium. We didn't mind because we knew they would have the roof closed if it was bad outside. But shortly after batting practice, the skies cleared up and the sun came out so they opened the roof. Here's a photo of the roof opening. I didn't time it from start to finish, mainly because I had my face buried in a bratwurst covered with sauerkraut and the secret sauce that they serve at Miller Park, but I'm guessing that it took about 10 minutes to open it up.

If you haven't been to Miller Park, you should consider adding it to your list of sports vacations stops to be made. You'll be glad that you did. Bring the farmer's golf set, beer, brats and a grill and you'll fit right in! Maybe Bernie will let you go down his slide!

What Makes Baseball Vacation Packages Special?
Sometimes it's choosing the right tour operator who puts together sports travel packages that include some really cool features. But sometimes, the things that happen on the package tours can't be planned.

One of those unplanned events happened on our latest MLB tour when Josh Hamilton spent time signing autographs for fans along the third base line at Nationals Park. Josh became a favorite of ours last year when he made such a tremendous come back with the Cincinnati Reds. We hated to see the Reds trade him this past winter but it has been a trade that has worked out really well for both clubs.

The Reds received Edinson Volquez, who has just pitched lights out for them and leads the majors in ERA. The Rangers received Josh Hamilton who is a legitimate contender for baseball's coveted triple crown. And, it seems that the Rangers are doing everything they can to help support Josh's clean walk. Kudos to the Rangers ownership and management.

Here he is signing my son's baseball. Thanks for helping to make this baseball road trip special, Josh!

Baseball road trip begins with a swing and a miss!

June 5, 2008- Boston Red Sox VS Tampa Bay Rays

This was a game that every major MLB Tours group should have been at! It was probably the most exciting game that I have ever been to in my life.  We knew that there had been a run in the night before with Coco Crisp’s controversial slide into second base and were expecting some type of payback.  What we weren’t expecting was for it to happen so early in the game! James Shield was the starting pitcher for the Rays and Coco came up to bat in the second inning and was hit by the pitch in the thigh.  At first it appeared that Coco was just going to go to first base.  However, that was not the case Coco through his gear down and charged the pitcher’s mound. Starting an uproar in the crowd and on the field he was outnumbered to begin with but soon each team was on the field including the bullpen!  After the fight was broke up both Coco and Shield were ejected from the game. This was a great beginning to our MLB road trip!

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

One of the things that I love about our MLB tours is that we include some features that aren't on any other baseball travel tours available. One of those features is what we call our Big League Player Experience. It's where we bring in MLB players to meet the fans traveling with us, share stories about their playing careers, answer questions, and sign autographs and get pictures with the fans on our small group tours. It's an opportunity to get an inside look into baseball and meet some of the players that we've grown up watching.

Our upcoming trip to New York City is no exception. On this baseball trip, we're going to be joined by Art Shamsky, a member of the 1969 World Champion New York Mets. Here's an excerpt from his biography:

In 1965, Shamsky made the Cincinnati Reds and hit .260 as a backup outfielder. He batted .289 as a pinch-hitter that year. In 1966, despite getting only 272 plate appearances for the, Art was second on the team with 21 homers, trailing Deron Johnson by 3. He homered four times in four at-bats from August 12 through August 14, tying a Major League record. On August 12, Shamsky became the first player in Reds history to hit two extra-inning home runs in one game and the only player in Major League history to hit 3 home runs in a game and not be in the starting lineup. The bat that he used to hit the four home runs in a row is on display in Baseball's Hall of Fame. 

During the winter of 1967 Art was traded to the New York Mets and was part of the Miracle Mets that won the 1969 World Series. Art hit .300 that season and batted .537 with 7 hits in 13 at-bats against Atlanta in the National League Playoffs. The 1969 Mets are still recognized as one of the most remarkable stories ever in professional sports. After 13 years in pro baseball and with a World Series ring Art retired from baseball in 1973.

In his post baseball career, Art has been involved in numerous business endeavors and was a radio and television broadcaster that included the New York Mets in 1979, 1980 and 1981. In 2004 Art's popular book, "The Magnificent Seasons', was published.

To read more about Art Shamsky, click here to be taken to his website. Or, if you would like more information about other Big League Player Experiences offered on our baseball vacation packages, visit our website or give us a call!

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!

Manny Thanks!

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!!!

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 here to 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 at this 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!