Ultimate Baseball
Road Trip Blog

Topics: Red Sox, Boston, New York, Yankees, testimonials, Yankee Stadium, hall of fame, Cooperstown, Baseball

Topics: stadium tours, New York, baseball trips, baseball stadiums, big league tours, testimonials, hall of fame

June 21, 2011 - What East Coast baseball tour could be complete without a stop in Cooperstown, NY, the home of the National Baseball Hall of Fame? We loaded up our motor coach early on Thursday morning and headed upstate to the wonderful little village nestled in by Lake Otsego.

Invariably around the third hour of our trip, someone asks the question, "Why is the Hall of Fame out here in the middle of no where?" Which, frankly, after making the trip several times myself, I think is a fair question.

Sources state that "according to an interview conducted in 1906 by the Mills Commission, nearby resident Abner Graves attributed the game's invention to his deceased friend, Abner Doubleday. Graves stated that Doubleday invented baseball on a cow pasture within the village in 1839."

I have also heard that early versions of the lemon peel-style baseball were found in a trunk owned by Doubleday in Cooperstown. (The picture to the left is a modern day recreation of those versions that you can purchase today from Leather Head Sports.)

So because of the credit given by Graves and the articles found in Cooperstown, it has been considered the birthplace of baseball and is therefore the home of the Hall of Fame. That doesn't change the fact that it's still a tough place to get to but it's definitely worth the trip.

The exhibit that was new to me that I enjoyed the most this year was the Viva Baseball exhibit. It's a dedication to the impact that Latin American baseball and ballplayers have had on the Major Leagues.

The section had information about great Latino members of the Hall such as Roberto Clemente, Orlando Cepeda, Juan Marichel, and Tony Perez as well as many modern day players like Adrian Gonzalez, Albert Pujols, David Ortiz, and Johann Santana.

The exhibit is a great recognition of the impact that Latino players have had and will continue to have on the great game of baseball.

As you plan your family tours or look for baseball vacation packages, fans of all ages would enjoy a trip to the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown to experience the rich history the game has to offer.

Topics: New York, hall of fame, Cooperstown, Baseball

June 16, 2011 - When you are in Cooperstown, eventually you are going to have to get something to eat. There are several options along Main Street, many of them offering traditional American pub fare that will be pleasing to the masses of visitors to the Hall and families with young kids playing in tournaments in the Village.

But after spending several hours in the Hall with groups of 9-12 year olds, I was ready for a quite place to hang out, eat some fine food, and enjoy the slower pace of Cooperstown with the locals. Fortunately, I knew just the place - Alex & Ika Restaurant.

The Alex & Ika Restaurant is located at 149 Main Street. But while it has a Main Street address, its entrance is down an alley and a little way off the beaten path. Not exactly the place that families looking for a quick bite will go but exactly what I was looking for.

Just as the review from Conde Nast Traveler suggests, "A delightful bistro. The menu is brief but the offerings are creative and delicious." Well-known chef and TV hostess, Rachael Ray says, "It's one of the best lunches in town. Don't miss the Fingerling Fries!"

Since I was on my own and had a few things that I wanted to get done, the manager, Sabrina, suggested that I sit at the bar. She also reccommended the fish tacos which were out of this world. I could have kept plates of those coming all afternoon! (Thanks for being such a great hostess, Sabrina!!)

Cooperstown is also home to a microbrewery called Ommegang. Alex & Ika carried their Hennepin beer which was quite tasty. A fantastic way to unwind with the locals! I also learned that the brewery hosts concerts with greats like Steve Earle, the Avett Brothers, and Kenny Loggins making appearances. You can bet that we'll be comparing their concert calendar to the MLB schedules next year as we plan our baseball road trips!

As you make your way around the country on your sports travels, make sure to find these local gems that will make your vacations unique and memorable.

Topics: baseball road trips, sports travel and tours, hall of fame, Cooperstown

May 10, 2011 - Looking for a baseball tour to please the pickiest baseball fan you know? Look no further. This tour is a baseball aficionado’s dream tour – six stadiums and the Hall of Fame in one trip. The longest of our 2011 MLB road trips begins in Philadelphia where we'll see the Phillies host the Cubs at Citizens Bank Park. Then it's off to Baltimore to see the Rays and Orioles at the first of the retro ballparks, Camden Yards.

We'll take a stadium tour of Orioles Park and visit the Babe Ruth Birthplace Museum before heading to Washington D.C. There our guests will have the rest of the day and all of Monday to explore our nation's capitol. We'll then catch the Cardinals at Nationals Park with a view of the Capitol building in the distance.

We'll then part for New York City, where we'll spend three nights, catch games at Yankee Stadium, Citi Field, make a day run up to Cooperstown, and take in some sights in the Big Apple. We're staying right in the heart of Manhattan so our travelers will get to enjoy every minute of being in the city.

Our final day will consist of a trip to Boston to see the Brewers play at historic Fenway Park. This is a tour that you don’t want to miss! You can learn more about this and all of our 2011 baseball road trips by visiting us at BigLeagueTours.com.

Saturday, June 11 - Cubs @ Phillies, 4:10 PM
Sunday, June 12 - Rays @ Orioles, 1:35 PM
Monday, June 13 - Free Day in DC
Tuesday, June 14 - Cardinals @ Nationals, 7:05 PM
Wednesday, June 15 - Rangers @ Yankees, 7:05 PM
Thursday, June 16 - Cooperstown, All Day
Friday, June 17 - Angels @ Mets, 7:10 PM
Saturday, June 18 - Brewers @ Red Sox, 1:10 PM

Topics: Red Sox, Boston, Orioles, Baltimore, big league tours, Yankees, Yankee Stadium, Nationals Park, hall of fame, Baseball, Mets, Oriole Park

December 17, 2009 - We'll begin one of our most popular tour vacations at our hotel in Midtown Manhattan. We'll head out to tour Yankee Stadium early afternoon and then head back that evening to see the Yankees play the Astros. Saturday we'll trek up to Cooperstown for the day at the National Baseball Hall of Fame. We'll grab dinner in Cooperstown and then head to Boston. Sunday, we'll take in the Phillies and Red Sox and, if the schedule allows, we'll take a stadium tour of Fenway Park.

The hotel is provided Sunday night after the Red Sox game as part of the package. You also have the option of coming into New York City early or staying later in Boston so let us customize your sports travel packages for you.

This baseball vacation package promises to be a great time. For more details on this baseball tour and our other MLB Tours, visit BigLeagueTours.com.

Topics: Red Sox, Boston, Phillies, baseball tours, Fenway Park, big league tours, MLB tours, Yankees, Yankee Stadium, hall of fame, Cooperstown

December 17, 2009 - East Coast 1 is the granddaddy of our baseball vacation packages. The tour package includes 6 games in 6 different baseball stadiums, a free day to explore New York City, a day at the National Baseball Hall of Fame, a player appearance, and baseball stadium tours at some of baseball's most hallowed halls.

We'll begin in Baltimore, making the hotel there our home base for a few days. We'll have a kickoff reception at the hotel on Saturday night. On Sunday morning, we'll head to Nationals Park for an afternoon game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Nationals. Monday, we'll drive up to Philadelphia to see the Padres and Phillies. Tuesday, we'll take a stadium tour of Orioles Park and see the Yankees and Orioles play.

On Wednesday, we'll board the motor coach and head up to New York City, our home base for the next three nights. We'll go to Citi Field to see the Mets host the Padres. Thursday, you'll have the day on your own to shop 5th Avenue, take escorted tours of the city's sites, or to stroll through Central Park.

Friday we'll tour Yankee Stadium and see the Yankees play the Astros. Saturday we'll trek up to Cooperstown for the day at the National Baseball Hall of Fame. We'll grab dinner in Cooperstown and then head to Boston. Sunday, we'll take in the Phillies and Red Sox and, if the schedule allows, we'll take a stadium tour of Fenway Park.

The hotel is provided Sunday night after the Red Sox game as part of the package. You also have the option of coming into Baltimore early or staying later in Boston so let us customize your sports vacations for you.

This premier sports travel package promises to be a great time. For more details on this baseball tour and our other MLB Tours, visit BigLeagueTours.com.

Topics: stadium tours, Citi Field, Orioles, sports travel and tours, New York, Baltimore, Fenway Park, big league tours, MLB tours, sports vacation, Yankees, Nationals Park, Reds, hall of fame, Cooperstown, Mets, Oriole Park

May 8, 2009, Cooperstown, NY - Have you heard the phrase "I'd rather be lucky than good anyday"? Well, today was one of those lucky days. While walking through the Hall of Fame, I overheard one of the employees mention that Rickey Henderson was conducting a press conference in the plaque room. How lucky is that? We happen to be at the Hall of Fame when one of this year's inductees is taking his first tour of the Hall!

We always include ways to get closer to, or inside the game of baseball on all of our baseball road trips: cool stuff like escorted tours of baseball stadiums, private meet & greets with current and former MLB players, and gaining special access to the stadiums. It's also special when we are fortunate enough to have events like this occur.

Topics: baseball road trips, baseball stadiums, hall of fame, Cooperstown

May 8, 2009, Cooperstown, NY - Ah, yes. The Village of Cooperstown. An incredible contrast to the hustle and bustle of New York City. Cooperstown is on a completely different pace - relaxed, historic, reflective. And one that our travelers always enjoy on our baseball vacation packages after leaving a major U.S. city.

This trip was no different. We arrived at the Inn around 11AM and then headed over to the Hall of Fame. This time of year the Hall closes at 5PM so we wanted to give everyone as much time there as we could. There's always so much to see there that it can be information overload. I've been through the Hall many times and always find something new that I haven't seen before.

One of the things I always enjoy reading are the quotes from folks around the game. This might be hard to read in a photo but it's funny to see how many phrases we use in everyday life that can be attributed to baseball - let's get in in the ballpark, step up to the plate, and we're in the big league now.

Another quote that I loved is in the Hank Aaron exhibit. Pitcher Curt Simmons is quoted as saying, "Trying to throw a fastball by Henry Aaron is like trying to sneak a sunrise past a rooster." How awesome is that!

Topics: New York, baseball vacation package, hall of fame, Cooperstown

Topics: Red Sox, Boston, sports travel and tours, New York, Fenway Park, Yankee Stadium, hall of fame, Cooperstown