Changes to June West Coast Baseball Tours

Posted by Doug Lawson on Mon, Jan 06, 2014 @ 12:45 PM

Big League Tours at Dodger StadiumMajor League Baseball has updated several of the game times for the 2014 season. One of those game times has necessitated a change in our June tours on the West Coast. We have changed the start dates (and reduced the price) for the West Coast June, California Gold June, and So. California June tours. Just click the links below to see the new info and pricing.

West Coast: June 18-25, 2014

California Gold: June 18-24, 2014

Southern Cal: June 18-21, 2014

We continue to add game times and other itinerary items to our 2014 tour web pages as they become available. The online brochures are not yet updated, but will be soon. Please check out the website to see if there is new information on your favorite tour. Here's the link:

Take Me To BigLeagueTours.com

Please let me know if you have any questions. I look forward to having you join us in 2014 on a luxury baseball tour.

 

 

Topics: west coast baseball tour, baseball tours, baseball travel, baseball vacation package, baseball vacation, baseball tour, ballpark tours, big league tours

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

Soak up the California Sun on our West Coast Tours

Posted by Doug Lawson on Wed, Oct 30, 2013 @ 01:20 PM

Our West Coast Tours are some of the most popular every year. In 2014, we are adding some new variations that include 3, 4, 7, & 8 night vacations, and we're offering them in two different months. You can select the Full West Coast Tour, the California Gold Tour, the Southern Cal Tour, or the Baseball on the Bay Tour. Below are the links to all of our tours out West next season. Don't forget- book by Dec. 15th and get 5% off. Use discount code EARLY when booking your tours. 

West Coast: May 6-14, 2014

Southern Cal: June 18-21, 2014

Southern Cal: May 6-10, 2014

Baseball on the Bay: May 10-13, 2014

West Coast: June 18-25, 2014

California Gold: June 18-24, 2014

Southern Cal: June 18-21, 2014

Bay Area: June 21-24, 2014

Please feel free to call or email with any questions.

 

 

Topics: Dodgers, San Francisco, Seattle, baseball tours, baseball stadiums, baseball vacation package, baseball road trip, ballpark tours, big league tours, AT&T Park, Angel Stadium, Dodger Stadium, Safeco Field, Giants, A's, Angels

Special offer and Info on our Chi/Mil Baseball Tour

Posted by Doug Lawson on Tue, Apr 23, 2013 @ 11:02 AM

BLT at Wrigley FieldOur Chicago/Milwaukee Tour is a great way to enjoy the Big League Tours luxury baseball tour experience over a long weekend.

We will start this tour on Friday with a visit to US Cellular Field for a special, behind the scenes tour with former White Sox slugger Ron Kittle.  Then, you'll have lower level seats for the A's vs. White Sox at 7:10PM.

On Saturday, we will travel to Miller Park for the Phillies @ Brewers at 6:15PM.  You will have time before the game to check out all the tailgaters and the great food available inside the ballpark.

Our last day in Chicago will take us to historic Wrigley Field for Pirates @ Cubs 1:20PM.  We will get to Wrigley early so you can explore Wrigleyville and the pre-game action around the stadium.  As always, you will sit close to the field in the hard-to-get, lower level seats.

We have selected one of the finest hotels for our guests. Our tour hotel is the historic Palmer House Hilton in downtown Chicago.  You will love this beautiful, luxury hotel and its proximity to many of the attractions.

BOOK THIS TOUR BEFORE MAY 5 AND GET $125 OFF PER PERSON!!

Click the link for all the info- CHICAGO MILWAUKEE TOUR INFO


Topics: Miller Park, baseball road trips, baseball travel, baseball vacation package, baseball vacation, baseball road trip, ballpark tours, Wrigley Field, big league tours, Chicago, U.S. Cellular Field, Baseball, Cubs

Changes to our Big Apple 2 and NYC Destination 4 Baseball Tours

Posted by Doug Lawson on Wed, Apr 17, 2013 @ 02:34 PM
Big League Tours in New York

We've made some changes to our Big Apple Tour 2 and New York Destination Tour 4 in August. It was necessary for us to move the start date of both tours to Aug. 20 based on the game times for the Yankees and Mets. Other game details, schedules, and pricing have also changed. If you are interested in these tours, please click on the links below to get all the new info.

Big Apple Tour 2 NEW INFO

New York Destination Tour 4 NEW INFO

If you would like an updated brochure for either of these tours, just click the brochure button on the webpages.

Please call or email with any questions.


Topics: baseball vacations, baseball road trips, New York, baseball trips, baseball games, baseball tours, baseball stadiums, baseball travel, baseball vacation package, baseball hall of fame, baseball vacation, baseball road trip, baseball tour, ballpark tours, Yankees, Yankee Stadium, New York City

Baseball Tour Videos On Line

Posted by Doug Lawson on Thu, Nov 15, 2012 @ 11:13 AM

Glenn and I spent Monday making informational videos for the website. We thought it would be a good idea to discuss all the aspects of our baseball tours in a video format. That way, prospective customers can get a better sense of our baseball vacation packages and who we are. I think they turned out pretty good. It's amazing what you can do with an Ipad and IMovie. We tried to go through the basic itinerary of each tour, and discuss some of the Big League Tours differences. We also took some time to talk about some of our favorite ballparks, like Yankee Stadium, Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, AT&T Ballpark, and PNC Park. We're no Redford and Newman, but I think the informal videos will help fans make a decision as to which baseball tour they want to join.

The last tour video we shot was for the Big Apple Tour 2. It was late in the day, and we got a little loose with it. So, no offense to our Mets and Yankees fans, but we posted it anyway. I put it here too, so go ahead and take a look. It's all in fun. Go to the website too, to check out the other videos. We would appreciate any feedback you might have. 


 


Topics: Citi Field, baseball road trips, baseball stadiums, baseball vacation package, baseball vacation, baseball road trip, baseball tour, ballpark tours, big league tours, Yankee Stadium, New York City

Our 2013 Luxury Baseball Tours

Posted by Doug Lawson on Sat, Oct 27, 2012 @ 03:11 PM

Big League Tours Group

They're ready!  We are excited to reveal our 2013 Season Tour Packages to our fans.  We have all your favorites like the Hall of Fame Tours, West Coast Tours, and the Midwest Tours; but we've also added Southwest, Southeast and Windy City tours to our schedule.  Plus, NEW for this year are our Destination Tours and Getaway Day Tours for guests who want a shorter Big League Tours adventure.  Click below to go directly to the Big League Tours website:

BIG LEAGUE TOURS 2013 SCHEDULE

EARLY BOOKING PROMOTIONBook your 2013 Tour before Nov.21, 2012 and receive 5% off your total package price. Just use the coupon code "Early Bird" when booking your tour. 

 Please call (866) 619-1748 with any questions. 

 

Topics: baseball vacations, Luxury baseball, baseball road trips, baseball trips, baseball tours, baseball stadiums, baseball travel, baseball vacation package, ballpark tours, big league tours, MLB tours, group tours, family tours, MLB road trips, Baseball

Big League Tours travel season in 31 photos- Midwest and HoF Tours

Posted by Kayla Wininger on Thu, Sep 27, 2012 @ 04:08 PM

Since joining the Big League Tours crew in early summer, I've had the amazing opportunity to lead two tours. The first time I was the co-pilot with Martha Ellen in Chicago/Milwaukee and the second I was flying solo with the group in New York, Boston and Cooperstown. 

As the 2012 MLB season wraps up, I thought this would be a great time to share some of my favorite pictures from the trips this summer (I also threw in a few from the corporate outing we hosted). My iPhone is my best friend and I love snapping shots of absolutely anything and everything! FYI- My iPhone is far from professional so ignore some of the blurry stuff and just imagine the great times everyone was having!

Join me while I recount the amazing people I've met and wonderful places I've been thanks to Big League Tours.

There will be plenty of photos to come next year so stay tuned, hopefully your face will even be featured in a few! Sign up for our 2013 Tours and be the first to recieve the schedule once it's released!

Follow us on Facebook (Big League Tours), Instagram (BigLeagueTours) and Twitter (@BigLeagueTours) to view our other photos!

Music: Sweet Caroline- Glee Cast

Topics: Red Sox, Boston, Citi Field, Milwaukee, Yawkey Way, east coast baseball tour, baseball stadiums, ballpark tours, Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, Yankees, Brewers, Chicago, Yankee Stadium, Reds, Great American Ball Park, company outing, hall of fame, Cooperstown, Baseball, Cubs, ballparks

Navigating New York City 101—Baseball Vacation Style

Posted by Kayla Wininger on Tue, Sep 25, 2012 @ 12:39 PM

We know one thing about people who purchase a Big League Tours package, they love to travel! Something else we know; travelling the world can’t even prepare you for what New York City will throw your way. With two ballparks and countless other baseball attractions, it’s crucial to make sure you know the best way to explore the city before you head out on your own.  

Here’s the run down of “Navigating NYC 101”:

Using public transportation is a MUST:

Ride the subway at least once!

manhattan

When you first enter a station you’ll want to purchase a MetroCard from a self-service machine. Fares are (as of 9/25/12) $2.25 each way and usually allow you to switch lines without paying another fee, just make sure you don’t exit the station. I would recommend a minimum of $5 every time you add money to your card in case of an emergency. MTA is the subway system in NYC and the fastest way to get from point A to B. 

Once you get your card, enter the turnstiles by sliding your card through the machine, look at the image on the machine so you know which way to place your card. After you swipe the card, you’re remaining balance will show on a small screen and you can now enter through the turnstiles.

Now that you’re inside you’ll look for the colored circles with the number or letter of the line you want to take. Subway lines are color-coded depending on where they go and you’ll want to pay close attention to if the signs say “Uptown” or “Downtown”.  Uptown heads north and Downtown south. If you aren’t travelling to Queens or Brooklyn, these are the main things you’ll need to know about directions. If you accidently get on the wrong train, exit at the next stop and consult a map on how to get back to where you were. 

Subway doors close quickly so make sure you’re ready when the train arrives. 

NOTE: If you have an iPhone, maps will provide you with which line you should travel to get to your destination. 

yankee stadium

Directions to Yankee Stadium from the Grand Hyatt Hotel

-Walk to Grand Central Terminal on 42nd Street

-Take the 4 Subway towards Woodlawn (Uptown)

-Exit at 161st Street/Yankee Stadium

-Walk 500ft. to Yankee Stadium

Note: Returning you'll take the 4 (downtown) to Grand Central Terminal/42nd Street 

Hail your first cab in NYC.

You’ll see cabs everywhere you look; it really is just like the movies! Be aggressive because they’ll take advantage of tourists without thinking twice!

So here’s how it works… Cabs with their lights on are available, just step off the sidewalk, stick out your arm, and they will come. Hailing a cab from a sidewalk may make them think you’re unsure. Be aggressive and you shouldn’t have a problem. 

When giving your location to the driver, it’s important that you seem very sure of where you’re going so they don’t try and take you the long way. 

For example, say you’re trying to spend your afternoon at the Bergino Baseball Clubhouse to grab a few souvenirs. Try this:

I’m headed to 11th Street between University Place and Broadway.

This way the driver knows that you know exactly where you want to go.

Throw on your walking shoes.

Walking in New York City is the best way to take in the sights as you travel to your destination. It also gives you some time to people watch. The concierge desk always has great directions but don’t forget to grab a map just in case you end up somewhere you hadn’t planned on!

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So there you have it. My main suggestions for exploring NYC like you've been there a dozen times. They may seem simple but it’s easy to get lost in a city of more than 8 million people. New York City has an endless amount of baseball destinations outside the stadium; take advantage of them without getting lost!

Check back in the next few weeks to see a list of our 2013 Tours and get signed up for the trip of a lifetime in one of America’s most exciting cities!

Topics: baseball vacations, Citi Field, travel, New York, east coast baseball tour, ballpark tours, Yankees, Yankee Stadium, New York City, Baseball

Baseball and Koala Bears

Posted by Kayla Wininger on Mon, Aug 13, 2012 @ 10:37 AM

I headed to the East Coast for my first Big League Tours adventure, flying solo! Although I could have spent days enjoying the city, it was down to business when the wheels hit the ground at Boston Logan.  enway will always hold a special place in my heart since it was the first Major League Baseball game I ever attended. I was glad to be back and start sharing what I knew about the stadium with our guests!

IMG 3476After meeting BLT Host and permanent Boston resident, Mike G. for some secrets of Fenway and a little confidence boost, it was time to hit the hotel and meet my guinea pigs!  I’m thrilled to say that my first ever tour group couldn’t have been more fantastic. Within the first five minutes, the Australian’s had the whole group rolling with laughter while comparing their accents to the Texans on the trip.

We quickly learned that we’d be helping each other a lot over the next week as most of the group learned how to ride a metro system! Once we made it to Fenway the group was off exploring the stadium and checking out one of the best gift stores in MLB.  Secret #1 that I discovered, the Bleacher Bar is a must! Enjoy a cheap (for a sporting event) beer while watching batting practice from the outfield!

Secret #2 of the trip, be selective when you try to escape the heat in the Yankee Stadium gift shop, they aren’t all air-conditioned! I’m not sure what he was doing, but the weather god wasn’t looking down on us in New York. With temperatures in the 100’s on Wednesdays and 60’s on Friday at Citi Field, I thought I was back in Indiana’s crazy weather.

The heat and rain couldn’t keep our die-hard fans away, especially the Lantz’s who had seen every stadium in the country prior to the addition of six more. With a tour of Yankee Stadium and private meet and greet with 1969 World Series Champion, Art Shamsky, they were thrilled to see more than just a game.

IMG 3537 resized 600

Outside of the scheduled events, our group became very close and spent most of our free day exploring New York City together. With a trip to Lombardi’s Pizza, the first coal oven pizza place in the United States, and then the World Trade Center Memorial, the off time was definitely used for more than testing the pillows in the hotel room. 

There were definitely lessons learned on my first tour and one of those was how quickly a group of strangers can turn into a temporary family.  We even added a few family members, thanks to the Aussie’s who gave us stuffed koalas as a souvenier! I couldn’t have asked for a better group to share my first trip with, hopefully it won’t be the last time we’ll be seeing each other!

Topics: Red Sox, Citi Field, New York, ballpark tours, Fenway Park, MLB tours, sports vacation, Yankees, Yankee Stadium, hall of fame, Mets