Where you been?

The combination of my job and baseball has been an absolute blessing for my travelin' jones. We've been to Seattle, St. Pete, Evansville, Waco, Irvine, Sacramento, Bali, India, Malaysia, Japan, Okinawa, Guam, Thailand.....and of course all parts of Korea. Mixing baseball with other familial interests has been the best part of all of this. We love it!!

It's like that commercial for the hotels, I've been everywhere man!

When son was younger, our travels were mostly in FL, but that was ok, it is a BIG state. We have been to every beach, east and west coast. Even baseball in Key West.
This year was a busy one, from the cornfields of Nebraska toteh beach at Cape Cod! I live about 40 miles from famous Miami Beach, have not been there in years, but this year, we went for baseball.
I do have to admit, of all the places we have been for baseball, Clemson South Carolina is our favorite.
My husband and I gave up a trip to Ireland this past year, ahh, it was more important to head to SC to watch Clemson play FSU! And last year on our cruise, I had to call in for game results!
Our vacations have always included baseball. And I suppose they will continue to include baseball. I remember the first year of college, we told people we were gong away for the weekend, to Tallahassee to watch baseball, they thought we were crazy!
One thing I wanted to do this year was go to the games off campus, but tough going from 70-80 degrees to 30 something during season.
While on the road to Omaha, we decided that if by chance son ever makes it to the show, we are giving it all up for an RV! While driving to stadium to stadium, we'll stop to visit other places (not baseball related) along the way! LOL
Well, we parents can have our dreams too!

This year I've gone to watch baseball in Surprise Arizona,Idaho Falls Idaho, Orem Utah, Burlington Iowa and South Bend Indiana.
I've driven to and though parts of this country I never would have seen and met many wonderful people I never would have known if it hadn't been for baseball.

.
Last summer added Bellingham Wash to my list and passed through most of Western Washington and Oregon on the way...

Part of the beauty is that the baseball, and the opportunity to watch the boys, made EVERYWHERE the best place and every vacation the best vacation.

Can honestly say that a couple days in BAKERSFIELD, CA, staying at a motel six and watching a few ball games with other parents in 110 degrees was easily as fun and as satisfying, as any vacation anywhere...

IMW (In my world) it's the great people, the pride in quiet support, the friendships, the growth of the boys, and yes, the drama that made the things so much fun.

44
.

Justbaseball,
Sometime's I wonder the same thing, Have we spent to much time doing baseball related activaties.
There is such a short time frame in the summer to chase baseball around the country.
And then the money involved for airline's, hotel's, car rental, food. ect.
It's hard to find the time for a Normal vacation.
Has it been worth it? YES
Has it been Fun? YES
Would I do it again? YES

It's easier for my wife and I, We only have one kid.
I can't imagine how the family's with more than one child cope.
In one year my son has visited for baseball reason's (SanFrancisco, LasVegas, LosAngales, Pheonix, Tuscan, Pensicola, Atlanta, Ft.Myer's, SanDiego, Long Beach,
Australia, and Japan.).
This year was the first time the wife and I did not go on all the trip's. We made some, But thought that it would be good for son to be on his own a little while. A chance to grow up and face the world a little on his own.

Do these trip's make him a better baseball Player.
I don't know.
I know it's a life experiance.
And if that make's him a better person.
Than it was worth it.

Am I the only one, But did you not take your kid Snow Boarding for fear of them breaking there Arm just before baseball season??? LOL. EH

With four kids who all play either travel baseball or softball, the place we go to the most is crazy!!!

quote:

Originally posted by play baseball:
With four kids who all play either travel baseball or softball, the place we go to the most is crazy!!!

How is everything?

Justbaseball,

Great post. We took a trip to Curacao for my husband's 50th thinking ok a nonbaseball trip only to find it a hotbed for LL baseball....loved that place!!!!!!

Most of our travel has been regional except to Del Rey for a Bucky Dent Camp (age 11) Omaha for a CWS tourney (age 15) and then the biggest trip outside of the region was to Cooperstown (age 12) for the Dreamspark Tournament. It turned out to be one of the best baseball trips/vacations ever.......

As the years pass and my boys get older my parents continue to ask me if we regret spending our summers with baseball trips vs family vacations and I always answer the same: baseball and family vacations are one in the same and we have no regrets!................

quote:

Seattle, St. Pete, Evansville, Waco, Irvine, Sacramento, Bali, India, Malaysia, Japan, Okinawa, Guam, Thailand.....and of course all parts of Korea.

Hard to best Krak on this one for pure frequent flyer miles!

quote:

Do these trip's make him a better baseball Player.
I don't know.
I know it's a life experiance.
And if that make's him a better person.
Than it was worth it.

Yep.

Now, while I have enjoyed all the trips so far...what I REALLY want to do is be like TPM and JB and take my next family baseball vacation in....

OMAHA!


44
.

JustBB, (Johnny Cash said it best IMO)

I was totin' my travel bag,
Along the dusty Winnemucca road
When along came a semi
With a high and canvas covered load
"If you're going to Winnemucca, Mack
With me you can ride."
So I climbed into the cab
And then I settled down inside
He asked me if I'd seen a "ballfield"
With so much dust and sand
And I said,
"Listen, Bud I've traveled every road in this here land."

I've been everywhere, man
I've been everywhere, man
'Cross the deserts bare, man
I've breathed the mountain air, man
Of travel, I've had my share, man
I've been everywhere.

Been to Reno, Chicago, Fargo, Minnesota,
Buffalo, Toronto, Winslow, Sarasota,
Wichita, Tulsa, Ottawa, Oklahoma,
Tampa, Panama, Mattawa, La Paloma,
Bangor, Baltimore, Salvador, Amarillo,
Tocopilla, Barranquilla, and Padilla, I'm a killer.


Boston, Charleston, Dayton, Louisiana,
Washington, Houston, Kingston, Texarkana,
Monterey, Ferriday, Santa Fe, Tallapoosa
Glen Rock, Black Rock, Little Rock, Oskaloosa,
Tennessee, Hennessey, Chicopee, Spirit Lake,
Grand Lake, Devil's Lake, Crater Lake, for Pete's sake;


Louisville, Nashville, Knoxville, Ombabika,
Shefferville, Jacksonville, Waterville, Costa Rica,
Pittsfield, Springfield, Bakersfield, Shreveport,
Hackensack, Cadillac, Fond Du Lac, Davenport,
Idaho, Jellicoe, Argentina, Diamontina,
Pasadena, Catalina, see what I mean, sir;


Pittsburgh, Parkersburg, Gravellburg, Colorado,
Ellensburg, Rexburg, Vicksburg, Eldorado,
Larrimore, Atmore, Haverstraw, Chattanika,
Chaska, Nebraska, Alaska, Opelika,
Baraboo, Waterloo, Kalamazoo, Kansas City,
Sioux City, Cedar City, Dodge City, what a pity;

I've been everywhere, man
I've been everywhere, man
'Cross the deserts bare, man
I've breathed the mountain air, man
Of travel, I've had my share, man

Our baseball circle of travel has expanded steadily over the years. When our sons were little they only played locally, so all of our family vacations were non baseball trips.

In middle school our baseball travels expanded throughout the city, then the state. By the end of high school we made a few out of state trips with summer ball. In college our trips were regional and I personally loved the games in Lousianna...can't beat the food and the fans. By the time our oldest reached the pros we were traveling coast to coast to see him play...from Oregon to Connecticut. One summer we even bought a small RV and followed him around the northeast for a month.

We have had a ton of fun traveling to ball games, but I personally am glad we took some time for non baseball vacations when they were growing up. Those were extra special family times and are their favoirte memories.

PS. My two personal favorite baseball trips were both to CA. One was to San Francisco when our son showed us the city on an off day. What a beautiful place! The second was to LA last September when he was first called up. He put us up at the team hotel and we lived like royalty. I especially enjoyed sitting in the lobby watching all of the players come and go. I'll never forget it!

OB,
I highly recommend Omaha as a family trip for anyone who loves college baseball, or just baseball for that matter. Mine went twice before he was a participant and always talked about it as just an awesome experience.
It's nothing we expected, that I can assure you! The carnival atmosphere mixed in with baseball, the friendly midwest folks, downtown Omaha was a pleasant surprise.

I highly recommend the opening ceremonies, free to the public.

California, Massachusetts, Michigan, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, North Carolina, Arkansas, Missouri, Texas Louisiana, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Tennessee.
Ahhh the memories ----

I'll never forget:
The best “away” place to play baseball? Has to be Mississippi State University.
Hottest place? LSU’s Alex Box Stadium and Baylor Univ. in Waco, TX
Coldest place? Early season games at the University of Kentucky.
Nicest complex? Auburn University
Most Unique? Arc Park in Texas with their bar and game room .
Best “away” fans? Mississippi State
Prettiest State? North Carolina
Most home cooking umpires? Bill Hood and Hammond, Louisiana
Weirdest fans? University of Georgia and Florida State University

Compared to some, we didn't travel much.

North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, (and lately Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Canada ... son played in Holland, but we didn't go)

But I think we've been on every back road in the Southeast and have eaten at about half of the greasy spoons.

Fried balony sandwich anyone.

My 12yo has had the most interesting experience. 29 states and counting as a result of playing or watching his brother play. I hadn't been to 10 different states by age 30. Great memories and a great experience for a young man to see these great United States.

TPM - Let's not go there again!!

Baseball has taken us from Paducah to Ashland in KY, as well as to Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, West Virginia, and Florida. My kids have been to Cooperstown, but without me. Perhaps not the exotic locals that some of my friends have had the opportunity to visit, but I wouldn't trade one of my baseball memories for a trip to any place in the world!

Almost all of our family vacations involve watching baseball.

Since we live in the "Land of the Dome" (Metrodome), every summer when the boys were young we would drive or fly to another state to watch "real outdoor" MLB baseball for a week. Milwaukee, Chicago, St. Louis, Kansas City, Denver ... I'm missing 1 or 2, and we went to several of these twice. Sammy Sosa has hit a bunch of home runs (just for us) every year we've seen him, home or away.

More recently, our biggest annual family trip is to Florida to watch our oldest play college baseball while the snow is still on the ground at home. How great is that to enjoy a day of baseball in the sunshine and then watch the weatherr-r-brr-r-r report from up north! Of course we take in a few Twins games in Fort Myers while we are there.

Oh by the way, WIN TWINS!!!

Julie

California, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee (all three state, I think and I like the pace in Kingsport) Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Nebraska, Missouri, North Carolina.

And, ARC Park, too, Fungo!

quote:

I've driven to and though parts of this country I never would have seen and met many wonderful people I never would have known if it hadn't been for baseball.