Twin Cities Getting Pumped about Target Field

Posted by Big League Tours on Mon, Jan 16, 2012 @ 05:00 PM
One of our greatest joys is to visit baseball stadiums in their inaugural seasons. We've been able to do this for the new Busch Stadium, Nationals Park, Citi Field and Yankee Stadium. This year, we're heading up to Target Field in the Twin Cities on one of our early MLB tours to see the Twins in their brand new ballpark. Columnist Rick Shefchik writes today on TwinCities.com about the increase in demand to visit Minnesota on group travel tours this year.

Here are a few excerpts:

Frank Miles of Jacksonville, Ala., is a stadium counter. A 76-year-old baseball fanatic, Miles has been in every major league ballpark — except Target Field.

Like hundreds of other baseball stadium tourists around the country, Miles will check Target Field, the brand-new Twins ballpark, off his list this summer. He loves the old classics like Fenway Park and Wrigley Field, but he likes the new ones, too, including recently opened PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Busch Stadium in St. Louis and Citi Field in New York.

"I've seen 'em all, every major league ballpark — all the new ones, except this one," Miles said. "I've not heard much about it, but I'll be there this year on a tour." 

Glenn Dunlap, owner of Big League Tours in Indianapolis, said he'll be bringing a group into Minneapolis this summer for the first time in his company's five years of operation.

"The Metrodome was not much of an attraction," said Dunlap of the Twins' former home. "We didn't have a lot of demand from baseball fans to come up to the Metrodome."

Increased tourism to Minneapolis for Twins games is bound to have a positive effect on surrounding businesses. As Dunlap points out, baseball is only part of the lure for ballpark tourists. They like to come early, stay late and thoroughly explore what the ballpark and the city have to offer.

"People are interested in the walleye-on-a-stick and the s'mores they're offering there (at Target Field)," Dunlap said. "State Fair food — that's great. It's part of what people enjoy about visiting different stadiums — the influences on local food and what's in and around the park.

"Target could be a great park. The part that makes a ballpark interesting is what the city does around it. Look at a Coors Field, right in the heart of Denver. That was in a district they've since built up around it, and it has become a great destination spot for the city."

Conversely, Dunlap said, Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., is in an area that needs to be developed.

"They've got a long way to go before people will go hang out there," Dunlap said. "It's what's around Target Field, what's welcoming to baseball fans, not just Twins fans.

Want to visit the new Target Field on one of our baseball vacation packages? Click here for details about this tour and all of our sports travel packages. You'll be glad you did!

Topics: Minnesota, baseball tours, Twins, Target Field, Minneapolis, MLB road trips

Twin Cities Getting Pumped about Target Field

Posted by Big League Tours on Tue, Nov 22, 2011 @ 10:45 PM
April 11, 2010 - One of our greatest joys is to visit baseball stadiums in their inaugural seasons. We've been able to do this for the new Busch Stadium, Nationals Park, Citi Field and Yankee Stadium. This year, we're heading up to Target Field in the Twin Cities on one of our early MLB tours to see the Twins in their brand new ballpark. Columnist Rick Shefchik writes today on TwinCities.com about the increase in demand to visit Minnesota on group travel tours this year.

Here are a few excerpts:

Frank Miles of Jacksonville, Ala., is a stadium counter. A 76-year-old baseball fanatic, Miles has been in every major league ballpark — except Target Field.

Like hundreds of other baseball stadium tourists around the country, Miles will check Target Field, the brand-new Twins ballpark, off his list this summer. He loves the old classics like Fenway Park and Wrigley Field, but he likes the new ones, too, including recently opened PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Busch Stadium in St. Louis and Citi Field in New York.

"I've seen 'em all, every major league ballpark — all the new ones, except this one," Miles said. "I've not heard much about it, but I'll be there this year on a tour." 

Glenn Dunlap, owner of Big League Tours in Indianapolis, said he'll be bringing a group into Minneapolis this summer for the first time in his company's five years of operation.

"The Metrodome was not much of an attraction," said Dunlap of the Twins' former home. "We didn't have a lot of demand from baseball fans to come up to the Metrodome."

Increased tourism to Minneapolis for Twins games is bound to have a positive effect on surrounding businesses. As Dunlap points out, baseball is only part of the lure for ballpark tourists. They like to come early, stay late and thoroughly explore what the ballpark and the city have to offer.

"People are interested in the walleye-on-a-stick and the s'mores they're offering there (at Target Field)," Dunlap said. "State Fair food — that's great. It's part of what people enjoy about visiting different stadiums — the influences on local food and what's in and around the park.

"Target could be a great park. The part that makes a ballpark interesting is what the city does around it. Look at a Coors Field, right in the heart of Denver. That was in a district they've since built up around it, and it has become a great destination spot for the city."

Conversely, Dunlap said, Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., is in an area that needs to be developed.

"They've got a long way to go before people will go hang out there," Dunlap said. "It's what's around Target Field, what's welcoming to baseball fans, not just Twins fans.

Want to visit the new Target Field on one of our baseball vacation packages? Click here for details about this tour and all of our sports travel packages. You'll be glad you did!

Topics: sports travel and tours, baseball vacation package, Fenway Park, PNC Park, Pirates, MLB tours, Busch Stadium, Cardinals, Yankee Stadium, Nationals Park, Twins, Target Field, Minneapolis

2010 Baseball Trip Feature - Midwest 1

Posted by Big League Tours on Tue, Nov 22, 2011 @ 06:15 PM
December 16, 2009 - As interesting as it is to visit the historic ballparks throughout the big leagues, it's always Miller Parkexciting to check out a new baseball stadium. 2009 offered us two new parks in New York City with Citi Field and Yankee Stadium. 2010 will bring us an open air ballpark in a town that's grown accustomed to a dome.

We'll begin our tour in Minneapolis for a game at the new Target Field. From Minneapolis, we'll head to Milwaukee for a game at Miller Park and some tailgating with the great Brewers fans who really know how to party. After we've had our fill of sausages, we'll head to Chicago for some Windy City baseball.

Once there, we'll head to Wrigley Field to see the classic rivalry of the Cardinals and Cubs. You'll then have a free day to explore the city - take in a museum, shop till you drop, or hang out at your favorite places to eat (cheeburger cheeburger, anyone?). We'll wrap up this trip by visiting US Cellular to see Josh Hamilton and his Rangers take on the White Sox.

To see more about this and other MLB Tours being offered by Big League Tours, visit our website now to get all the details.

Topics: Citi Field, Milwaukee, Miller Park, New York, baseball stadiums, Wrigley Field, big league tours, MLB tours, Brewers, Chicago, Yankee Stadium, Target Field, Minneapolis

Twins New Baseball Stadium in 2010

Posted by Big League Tours on Sun, Nov 20, 2011 @ 04:00 PM

Are you a Minnesota Twins fan? 
Whether you answered yes or no many people still want to see all the baseball stadiums including the Metrodome.  Since 2009 is the last season for the Metrodome, you might want to think about getting your baseball travel tours all set in place. 

Big League Tours will be visiting the Twin Cities in May on our Midwest 2 trip where the Twins will be taking on the Boston Red Sox. On this baseball road trip we will also be catching a White Sox game and Cubs game in the windy city and catching a Brewers game at Miller Park. It'll be a great chance to catch some great ball in the Midwest. 

Check out what the Twins new stadium, Target Field, will look like in 2010. 


Topics: stadium tours, baseball stadiums, baseball travel, Twins, Target Field, Minneapolis