Catching Up on Some Blog Posts

Posted by Big League Tours on Wed, Nov 23, 2011 @ 02:30 AM
August 11, 2010 - Okay, gang. It's been a while since we've updated you with any blog posts about our MLB tours. Between planning and hosting the baseball trips and a few major events in our families, we've had a few things going on this summer!! So some of our blog posts might seem a little out of order based on when we offered the sports vacations but we wanted to tell you about those road trips, too.

Time to write! Here goes...

Topics: baseball road trips, baseball trips, MLB tours, sports vacation

Behind the Scenes Tour at Wrigley Field

Posted by Big League Tours on Wed, Nov 23, 2011 @ 01:45 AM
July 23, 2010 - Whenever our schedules allow, we try to include baseball stadium tours on our sports vacation packages. They are a great way for fans to see the stadiums in depth and get closer to the game they love.

Cubs clubhouse - photo taken on a stadium tour on a Big League Tours baseball roadtripOne tough ticket is a stadium tour at Wrigley Field. They don't typically offer tours when the team is in town, which is troublesome for us since we're typically there to see a game. However, it worked out for us on our latest of small group tours that we were able to get tickets.

People love Wrigley for its charm, the history, the ivy, the easy-going Cubs fans, and that your team has a better than average shot of winning when there... (Okay, sorry Cubs fans...)

Going behind-the-scenes only makes things more interesting for a fan. For instance, here's a shot from the Cubs clubhouse. In the days of over-sized everything in sports - from paychecks to hat sizes to forearms and biceps and to clubhouses - this is obviously one modest facility. No room for double lockers (or four for Mr. Bonds and his recliner). It's similar to the clubhouse at the old Yankee Stadium.

Pretty interesting to see their digs, isn't it?

Topics: stadium tours, baseball stadiums, Wrigley Field, sports vacation, group tours, Yankee Stadium, Cubs

How Does This Keep Happening??

Posted by Big League Tours on Wed, Nov 23, 2011 @ 01:15 AM
July 23, 2010 - I think it was Woody Allen who said that, "90% of life is just showing up." That certainly seems to be the case for my son. As we walked of the "El" and into Wrigley Field for the Sunday afternoon game between the Cubs and Cardinals, he was stopped by a young woman who asked if he would be interested in watching batting practice from the field. She was wearing a shirt that said Chevy on it so I asked if I had to buy a car or something to make it happen. After all, things like that just aren't free, are they?? She assured me that I didn't and gave everyone in our group passes to get down to that section with him.

Since it was a Sunday, and hotter than blue blazes, I didn't think either team would take batting practice. As it turns out, the Cardinals did. (This might have proven beneficial as they went on to crush the Cubs that day and Sir Albert hit three dingers himself...) A few of the Cardinals were also kind enough to visit the on-field section and sign autographs for the kids on the field. My son received signatures from Tony LaRussa, Mark McGwire, and Albert Pujols. He was pretty stoked about starting his day at the ballpark on the field.

There are never any assurance of events like this happening when you show up at the baseball stadium, but we've found that showing up early, whether it's on one of our baseball vacation packages or just one of our family tours, is key to being in the right place at the right time. It doesn't hurt to have on team gear and demonstrate that you are a true fan, either.

Feel free to share with us the cool things that have happened to you when at the ballpark! Many times those are the things that make your sports vacations truly memorable.

Topics: baseball stadiums, baseball vacation package, Wrigley Field, sports vacation, family tours, Cardinals, Cubs

Planning for Road Trips

Posted by Big League Tours on Tue, Nov 22, 2011 @ 11:00 PM
April 12, 2010 - USA Today recently printed an article, "How to Plan Your First Road Trip." The author provides nine pointers that would be a good idea for you to incorporate if you're taking family tours or sports vacations of any kind. Here's are the highlights:

Overview
The iconic road trip seems to be reserved for young people, heading out with a few buddies and nary a care in the world. But first road trips can occur at any age and can last from a couple of days to an entire summer. Planning any trip requires a little care and consideration, but in the case of a first road trip, it is especially important to be thorough and leave leeway for the unexpected.
  • Step 1 - Purchase roadside service insurance.
  • Step 2 - 
Bring your car in for a once-over.
  • Step 3
 - Keep a small kit of safety supplies with you.
  • Step 4
 - Buy a paper map.
  • Step 5
 - Make a list of places you want to see and prepare a realistic time line.
  • Step 6
 - Plan overnight stays.
  • Step 7 - 
Record a hefty playlist for your MP3 player.
  • Step 8
 - Keep a small cooler stocked with beverages and a couple of snacks.
  • Step 9 - 
Allow time for the unexpected.
This looks like a great list if you have time to do this on your own and you're interested in looking up all the details for your baseball road trips. But what occurs to me is that we've already done all this work for you at Big League Tours when you purchase one of our baseball vacation packages. That's one of the things our clients tell us they love the most - the fact that they can show up for the tour and everything is taken care of for them.

Topics: baseball road trips, baseball vacation package, big league tours, sports vacation, family tours

2010 Baseball Trip Feature - East Coast 1

Posted by Big League Tours on Tue, Nov 22, 2011 @ 06:45 PM
Orioles Park at Camden YardsDecember 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

Funny Photo From Yankee Stadium

Posted by Big League Tours on Tue, Nov 22, 2011 @ 05:15 PM

October 7, 2009 - My daughter has always enjoyed seeing the moon at night. As we sat in the New Yanmoonkee Stadium on one of our package tours earlier this summer, the clouds broke and the moon shone brightly. I decided to take a picture of it to share later with my 2-year-old. What I realized just after I snapped the shot is that the jumbotron added a pretty funny effect.

I think the young lady on the screen had just noticed herself but it appears she's pointing right at the moon. I hadn't thought of this photo until just now as I'm watching the Yankees and the Twins in the first game of the ALDS.

Do you have some photos from your baseball stadium tours, funny or otherwise, that you'd like to share with other baseball fans? We have the perfect place for you to do so, in our photo gallery at Big League Tours. Check out the Gallery and share your photos from your sports vacations.

Topics: baseball tours, big league tours, sports vacation, Yankees, Yankee Stadium, Twins

Midwest Baseball Tour Begins With Historic Event - A Perfect Game!!!

Posted by Big League Tours on Tue, Nov 22, 2011 @ 04:15 PM
July 24, 2009 - At Big League Tours, we like to think that all of the baseball road trips that we create will be memorable. And they are. However, the tour that we've just started might be one of the most memorable of all of our small group tours so far. The reason being? Admittedly, something completely out of our control...

This MLB road trip began yesterday like many of our tours, at the first of a few stadiums that we'll visit in a long weekend. This time we began at U.S. Cellular Field, home of the Chicago White Sox, for an afternoon game between the Sox and the Rays.

The Sox got on the board in a big way during the bottom of the second inning when Josh Fields hit a grand slam off of Scott Kazmir. After Buehrle polished off the Rays in the top of the third, my son pointed out that no Rays had reached base. Then after we thought about it, we realized that he had a perfect game going.

You could since the electricity building in the crowd after every out. When the Sox were set to take the field for the ninth inning, the crowd stood and chanted, "Buehrle...Buehrle...Buehrle..." until he charged onto the field and The Cell erupted with excitement.

If you've followed sports at all the last 24 hours, you've seen the catch that Dewayne Wise made to rob Gabe Kaplar of a home run. Click here to see the box scores and video clips of the game. What an unbelievable way to protect the perfecto. Needless to say, when the Sox recorded the final out sealing only the 18th perfect game in MLB history, the celebration began. The photo above shows Buehrle's teammates mobbing him after the game.

So with a grand slam and perfect game, this sports vacation package is off to a great start!

Topics: White Sox, Rays, baseball road trips, baseball stadiums, big league tours, sports vacation, Chicago, U.S. Cellular Field

MLB Road Trips Kick Off with East Coast 1 Tour

Posted by Big League Tours on Tue, Nov 22, 2011 @ 02:00 PM
May 7, 2009 - New York City
This is my favorite time of year. The baseball season is now in full swing, the weather gets to be a little more predictable, and teams are already jockeying within their divisions - a perfect timeThurman Munson's lockerfor a baseball road trip!

Today our East Coast 1 Tour began in New York City with a stadium tour of the Yankees' new home. What an impressive place! The tour starts in their museum that's inside the stadium. The museum has autographed baseballs from many of the Yankees players throughout history, stories about the different eras of the team, and interesting information about the stadium.

Here's a picture of one of my favorite items from the tour. As a catcher growing up in the 70's, I idolized catchers in the big leagues. Thurman Munson was one of the guys I loved to watch. We learned last year when we were in the Yankees clubhouse on one of our group tours that the Yankees had preserved Munson's locker since the day he died. No one had used it since. His locker was moved in tact to the new Yankee Stadium and is what you see pictured to the left.

Whether you are a Yankee fan or not, this baseball stadium needs to be on your "must see" list for one of your upcoming sports vacations. The team is such a storied franchise and they've presented their history well in the new venue.

Topics: baseball road trips, New York, sports vacation, Yankees, group tours, Yankee Stadium

A Few Tips For Being Prepared On A Big League Tours Trip

Posted by Big League Tours on Sun, Nov 20, 2011 @ 10:00 PM
December 2, 2008 - Have you purchased your small group tours for '09 and are ready for the excitement?  Have you ever went on a trip and forgot some little thing that you wish you hadn't?  It happens to a lot of us here are some simple ways to ease your travels while going on sports tours in '09.

Some tips for travelers heading on a tour with Big League Tours in '09:
  • Make a list of everything you want to take on the sports vacation
  • Pack rain gear; rain coat, umbrella etc.
  • Pack a set of warm clothes
  • Bring a mitt if you plan on being in the outfield during batting practice
  • Bring a baseball, hat, etc. we have meet and greets with players and alumni on most of our baseball vacation packages and they are always willing to sign memorabilia
  • Check and make sure your bag or book bag will be allowed in the stadium
  • Don't forget your camera

These are just a few reminders for what to bring while on sports vacations with Big League Tours.  We're always willing to answer questions so if your not sure about something ask us! If you haven't booked a trip with us yet check out our website.  We look forward to meeting you for the first time or seeing you again in 2009!

Topics: group travel, sports travel and tours, baseball tours, big league tours, sports vacation

Will CC Stay or Go?

Posted by Big League Tours on Sun, Nov 20, 2011 @ 01:00 PM
Will Your Sports Vacations Include CC Sabathia in 2009?

November 17, 2008 - As most of you know CC Sabathia, a free-agent, is up for grabs for the 2009 season.  Free-agent season opened on Friday with the biggest stories being the Yankees and Brewers both planning bids for Sabathia.  Milwaukee recently offered $100 million for five years to Sabathia, but the Yankees offered a $140 million for six years, a record offer for a pitcher. 

Many people feel the Yanks have plainly overbid. The Yankees are also planning to bid on A.J. Burnett and Derek Lowe.  Are the Brewers still in the running for Sabathia or will they lose him to the Yankees? Either way, CC is a lot of fun to watch in action. So whichever team he chooses, make sure that they are on one of your baseball road trips for 2009!

Topics: baseball road trips, big league tours, MLB tours, sports vacation, Yankees, Brewers