2014 Southwest and Sunbelt Baseball Tours, Part II

Posted by Glenn Dunlap on Fri, May 23, 2014 @ 03:35 PM

Our Southwest and Sunbelt Tours took us next to Arlington, Texas, home of Globe Life Ballpark and the Texas Rangers. Rangers Ballpark is known for the unique view of the offices in the outfield, where blending work and fun would be easy to do 81 days out of the year! (Come to think of it...why aren't our offices there???)Rangers Ballpark, Bacon on a Stick, stadium tours

You've seen lots of pictures of ballparks, even Rangers Ballpark. But have you seen bacon on a stick? I didn't thinkGreat seats on our baseball tour at Rangers Ballpark so... Well, now you have. I didn't know that could be done! If you're a meat lover, there are lots of great food selections at this stadium.

Looks like the seats in the lower levels are named by the season ticket holders (?). Reminded me of those terrible four-person "cells" or "cubicles" at Shea Stadium that were named and had metal rails around

them. However the names at this stadium were right on the seats themselves. Here's a shot of my seat. Seems like someone's a fan of Talledega Nights? I expected the seats on either side to be Walker and Texas Ranger...

We really enjoyed the game. It was close the whole night and the fans were really engaged. To top it off, we saw the Rangers put up a couple of runs in the bottom of the night, including a two-out, walk-off hit off of Fernando Rodney. (MLB Game Summary)

More about this combination of baseball tours to come!

Topics: baseball road trips, sports vacation, Rangers Ballpark

2014 Southwest and Sunbelt Baseball Tours

Posted by Glenn Dunlap on Fri, May 23, 2014 @ 12:52 PM

Our touring season kicked off in April with our Southwest and Sunbelt Tours. Although different in a few ways, the tour itineraries overlapped in Dallas and Houston. The Southwest TourChase Field from the seats on our baseball tour included Phoenix, Dallas (Arlington), Houston and Denver while the Sunbelt Tour included Dallas (Arlington), Houston, Miami, Tampa and Atlanta. We had guests from California, New York, and states in between. 

One reason we planned this tour so early in the season was to beat the heat, hoping to see the roofs open in the domed stadiums. We had pretty good luck all across our tour. We had a beautiful night in Phoenix at Chase Field. The night didn't go so well for Bronson Arroyo and the Diamondbacks, but our fans had a great time, nonetheless. (MLB Game Summary)

We've hosted tours in Phoenix at different times in the baseball season. When it's 110 degrees, you're thankful for the roof and air conditioning. But we love to see baseball outdoors, don't you? We enjoyed being at Chase Field with the roof open. It was a much better experience. We highly recommend going early or late in the season in hopes of seeing the roof open. 

Topics: Chase Field, baseball road trips, baseball travel

Time is running out to book your early season baseball tour!

Posted by Doug Lawson on Tue, Jan 21, 2014 @ 09:15 PM

There is still time to book your early season tour and get 5% off the regular price on selected tours. But, hurry, all of the early season tour specials will end on Jan. 31, and we will be closing the reservations for our Sunbelt and Southwest Tours on Feb. 1. 

When you travel with Big League Tours you will sit in some of the best seats in the ballpark, stay in the finest hotels, have time to explore the sites and enjoy spending time with a former Major Leaguer during our Big League Player Experience*. No other tour company does all of that. I hope you will join us on Big League Tours luxury baseball experience in 2014. 

Our April and May Tour specials are good until January 31. Use coupon code EARLY when booking to get your discount. Here's the link to our Early Season Tour Specials:

Early Season Tour Specials

Call or email with any questions. 

 

*minimum number of travelers required

 

Topics: baseball road trips, baseball tours, baseball travel, baseball vacation package, baseball vacation, baseball road trip, baseball tour

New Discounts on Sunbelt/Southwest Baseball Tours

Posted by Doug Lawson on Fri, Dec 20, 2013 @ 10:22 AM
Coors Field from Press Box

We are offering new discounts on two of our early season tours. Book by Dec. 31 and get $100 off per person on our Southwest and Sunbelt Tours. Both tours will give you the chance to escape the cold weather and catch games under the warmth of the spring sunshine. Links to both tours are below. Use discount code SPRING when booking your tour.

Southwest: April 15-19, 2014

Sunbelt: April 16-22, 2014

Our $150 off per person on our 7-8 night tours continues through Dec. 31 as well. Use code HOLIDAY to get your discount. Here's a link to our blog that has all the info on this promotion. BIG LEAGUE TOURS HOLIDAY PROMOTION

* Not valid with any other offer or discount. Discount is only available on the tours listed above. No prior sales. Offer ends Dec. 31, 2013.

Topics: Rangers, baseball road trips, baseball games, baseball stadiums, baseball vacation package, baseball vacation, baseball road trip, baseball tour, Rangers Ballpark

Holiday Savings Up To $600 Off Select Baseball Tours

Posted by Doug Lawson on Tue, Dec 17, 2013 @ 12:15 PM


santa_baseball2What's the perfect holiday gift for you and all the baseball fans in your life? It's a trip that will give you a lifetime of memories with Big League Tours. When you travel with BLT, you will sit in the best seats, stay in luxury hotels, get the chance to meet with a former major league player, get special ballpark access, and have time to enjoy the cities you visit. No other tour company does all that. Only Big League Tours. 

HOLIDAY SPECIALSave $150* off per person on select 7 & 8 night tours. That's $600 off for four guests sharing a room. Use discount code HOLIDAY when booking to get the discounts. Links to the discounted tours are below. But, book soon. This offer is only good until Dec. 31. 

West Coast: May 6-14, 2014

California Gold: May 6-13, 2014

East Coast: May 16-24, 2014

West Coast: June 18-25, 2014

California Gold: May 6-13, 2014

East Coast: June 28 - July 6, 2014

East Coast: August 1-9, 2014

Call or email with any questions. Have a great Holiday Season and I hope you will join us on a baseball tour in 2014.

* Not valid with any other offer or discount. Discount is only available on the tours listed above. No prior sales. Offer ends Dec. 31, 2013.

 

Topics: baseball vacations, baseball road trips, baseball trips, baseball games, baseball tours, baseball travel, baseball vacation package, baseball hall of fame, baseball vacation, baseball road trip, baseball tour, big league tours

Special Offer this week on our West Coast Baseball Tours

Posted by Doug Lawson on Mon, Dec 02, 2013 @ 10:19 PM

Book your luxury baseball tour on the West Coast and get an extra room night FREE. Sign Up Now to get both the extra room night and our 5% off special for early bookings. This special is good through Dec. 7 and is only for new bookings on the tours listed below. So book soon.  

You can choose from any of our Full West Coast, California Gold, Southern California, or Baseball on the Bay Tours. Click the link below to see all our tours that will visit the West Coast.

2014 West Coast Baseball Tours

Don't forget- SAVE 5% when you book any of our 2014 tour packages before Dec. 15. Click the link below to go to the Main Tour Page.

Take Me To BigLeagueTours.com

Please let us know if you have any questions. 

Topics: Dodgers, baseball road trips, baseball trips, baseball tours, baseball travel, baseball vacation package, baseball vacation, baseball tour, big league tours, AT&T Park, Angel Stadium, Dodger Stadium, A's, Angels

Tips for Planning your Baseball Tour

Posted by Doug Lawson on Mon, Nov 18, 2013 @ 12:21 PM
Download our Top 10 Planning Tips to help plan your 2014 Baseball Vacation. We have included tips for choosing your tour, plus some ideas for making the most of your time on the road. We put this list together based on our experience offering baseball vacation packages and guiding baseball fans through the USA . Whether you have already purchased your tour, or are considering purchasing a baseball tour, these tips are for you. Just click the link below and enter your name/email address to have access to the Top 10 Tips. 

Top 10 Planning Tips

Our early booking special continues through Dec. 15. Book by Dec. 15 and save 5% off your tour package. Just use discount code EARLY when booking your tour.


 

 

 

Topics: baseball road trips, baseball trips, baseball games, baseball tours, baseball travel, baseball vacation package, baseball vacation, baseball road trip, baseball tour, ballpark tours

Reasons to Book Your Baseball Tour Early

Posted by Doug Lawson on Thu, Nov 07, 2013 @ 01:40 PM
The response to our 2014 tour announcement has been tremendous. ManyVIP Batting Practice Experience at Fenway fans have been checking out our website, downloading brochures, sending in questions, and booking their luxury baseball vacations. If you haven't selected your tour yet, here are some reasons to book early.
  • Secure your spot on the tour you really want at the time you want to do it. We never know what tours will fill up. By booking early, you will make sure to see the ballparks and cities on your bucket list.
  • You can start shopping for flights now. Many of the travel websites have "alerts" that will let you know when flights go down in price so you can get the best deal. Here's some info on sites with fare alerts NBC News Article
  • You will SAVE 5% OFF the total price of your tour. Book your tour by Dec. 15 and you will get our Early Bird Discount. Just use discount code EARLY when completing your reservation.
Here's the link to the 2014 Tour Page. Make sure to scroll down once you are on the page to see all the tours.
I hope you will join us on a luxury baseball vacation in 2014. Please call or email with any questions.

 

Topics: baseball road trips, baseball vacation package, baseball hall of fame, baseball vacation, baseball road trip, baseball tour, big league tours, hall of fame

A Sneak Peek at our 2014 West Coast Tour June

Posted by Doug Lawson on Thu, Oct 10, 2013 @ 10:23 AM
West Coast Luxury Baseball Tour

Our 2014 season is really starting to come together. Glenn and I have been scouring the MLB schedules to find the best combinations of games and stadiums for our tour packages. We are really excited about our West Coast Tour in June. It features the Rangers and Red Sox on the road, and we were able to add Seattle on the last day of the tour for a "FULL" West Coast experience.  

We are offering the tour in condensed versions, too. You can choose the California Gold, Southern California, or Baseball on the Bay, if you want a shorter vacation.  

Here are the links to the tour pages for all of the West Coast Tours in June. This is a special Sneak Peek for the fans in our database. These pages are not available to the general public, so you will have to get to them through these links. Thanks for taking a look.

2014 Full West Coast Tour June

2014 California Gold Tour June

2014 Southern California June

2014 Baseball on the Bay Tour June 

All of these tours are available for purchase right now. So if you would like to join us, just click the PURCHASE THIS TOUR button on the webpage.

If you have problems navigating, or have any questions, please feel free to call or email me.

Catch you later!

Topics: baseball road trips, baseball tours, baseball road trip, AT&T Park, Angel Stadium, Dodger Stadium, PETCO Park, Safeco Field, MLB road trips, San Diego, Oakland, Angels, Coliseum

Trip to Marlins Ballpark

Posted by Glenn Dunlap on Tue, Sep 03, 2013 @ 09:22 AM

The new Marlins Ballpark was opened in 2012. It was the first new Major League ballpark since the Twins' new facility, Target Field, opened in April 2012 in Minneapolis. If you had ever gone to a Marlins game at Dolphin Stadium, you knew it would be great if the team had a facility that was dedicated to baseball. 

Marlins Ballpark exterior

Unlike Dolphin Stadium, which is right off the interstate and very easy to get in and out of, Marlins Ballpark is tucked into a neighborhood that makes it harder to get in and out of the game. For this visit, we were headed to the ballpark not as a group tour, but just as a family tour. We paid for stadium parking in advance, which at least eliminated our concern about where to park. It didn't help us get out any faster, though. 

The outside of the ballpark is very space-age looking. The columns in this picture support the roof when they open up the stadium. There was a threat of thunderstorms when we were there so they kept the roof closed. 

View of Marlins Ballpark

Inside, the park carries the sites and sounds of Miami throughout - Latin-influenced and very colorful. Even the smells in the stadium were different than others because of the wide range of food offerings. 

My overall impression? It's a much needed improvement over Dolphin Stadium to see a baseball game. My opinion is undoubtedly tainted in that I don't like watching baseball games under a roof. I understand the reason for it, but I think it kills the atmosphere of a game that's supposed to be played out doors. (My opinion is the same of all dome or retractable roof stadiums in the Majors...)

What could have helped? If the roof would have been open, I'm sure it would have influenced my opinion. If the ballpark had been built in a neighborhood that either grew up with it (think Fenway Park or Wrigley Field) or had developed around it (think Coors Field or Camden Yards), then it could have been a better experience. (Once you go in doors, though, it doesn't really matter.) The locals will tell you that fielding a better team would make all the difference in the world. I can't blame them...

Without any new ballparks under construction anywhere in the Majors, Marlins Ballpark will remain the newest park for the next several years. If you're planning to make a trek to Miami for a game, my suggestion would be to go at night (hoping the roof will be open), choose an opponent with a large road following (so there will at least be somebody's fans in attendance), and give yourself plenty of time to get in and out of the ballpark. 

Topics: baseball vacations, Marlins, Marlins Ballpark, Miami, baseball road trips, family tours