Traveling the world may be out of reach for most college students, but I have an alternative plan for you. This plan may only appeal to baseball fans—but let's be honest, who doesn’t love baseball? (It is America’s greatest sport, you know.) So, why not travel to all 30 major leagues baseball stadiums? It's the perfect way to explore new states and cultures around the United States while cheering on your favorite team. (Note: You will need a passport to travel to Rogers Centre stadium in Toronto, Canada, for a Blue Jay's game.)
OK, so this can get pricey, but start by gathering up a group of friends, filling up your gas tank and heading out on a road trip to the stadiums surrounding your city. Luckily for me, I have at least five stadiums that I can visit that only take a few hours to get to. Once you get a taste of the game day atmosphere, you’ll want to experience it more and more often. The history at some of the ball parks is fascinating, the structures and layouts of other ball parks are genius and the views at a few of the ball parks are breathtaking.
Having a chance to sit in the stands at stadiums other than Citizens Bank Park (Go Phillies!) has become a high priority on my bucket list. Before traveling the world, I would love to check off these adventures from my bucket list. Here is a list of the ball parks I have already crossed off my list and some of the top ball parks I would love to see in the upcoming year.
1. Citizens Bank Park (Philadelphia, Pa.)
OK, so maybe I have been here far too many times—but what Philadelphia native hasn’t been? Whether you love baseball or hate it, you can’t deny that Phillies tailgates are second to none. Not only do we have the best tailgates, but we have also have the best fans. We stick with our team through thick and thin and don’t have a problem sticking up for our team if someone tries to put them down.
Other than the “Philadelphia attitude” that our fans love to show off, our stadium is pretty epic as well. Before heading to your seats, I would recommend taking a stroll down Ashburn Alley to pose for some pictures with the Phillie Phanatic, watch the pitcher’s warm up in the bullpen or grab a bucket of the legendary grab fries and the fan favorite $1 Hatfield dogs. Also, why not end your night with some game-winning fire works and the classic “High Hopes” sing along with Harry the K?
2. Fenway Park (Boston, Mass.)
Recently, I was able to attend a game at the famous Fenway Park. I’m swallowing my Philadelphia pride on this one by saying that Boston really knows how to hype up the atmosphere before a game. Taking a walk down Yawkey Way reminds me a lot of Mardi Gras. So, maybe I’ve never experienced Mardi Gras, but the schema most of us store in our heads of Mardi Gras is the best way I can describe the atmosphere at Fenway Park—out of this world.
People are walking on stilts through the crowds, bands are playing, people are dancing and everyone is having a good time. Once you head into the stadium, you will see the famous “Green Monster” in left field. (It looked much smaller than what I imagined, but it was still awesome nonetheless.) The stadium is interesting though. It doesn’t wrap all the way around the field in a full circle, you can’t get up to the upper deck seats without a ticket (I’m spoiled by my free roaming privileges at Citizens Bank Park) and the walkways to get to your seats are so narrow my dad was having trouble walking through them. It is the oldest baseball stadium in American, so what do you expect? I would definitely recommend visiting this park; it’s a classic.
3. AT&T Park (San Francisco, Calif.)
There’s so many reasons to visit this park other than the Giants' heart throb Hunter Pence! The backdrop of the San Francisco Bay will keep you believing that California is the most aesthetically beautiful location on the planet. The San Francisco Bay area, also known as McCovey Cove, sits so close to the stadium that a ball hit into the bay is called a “Splash Hit." If fans are lucky enough, they can catch a “Splash Hit” when ferries are transporting them to the park – talk about arriving in style!
Kayaks and boats are even permitted to take to the water on game days in hopes to catch a “Splash Hit.” OK, so other than obsessing over McCovey Cove, fans of all ages can release their inner child and slide down the famous Coca-Cola bottle in left field or hangout in the @Cafe. (Only California would have a social media café at a baseball stadium…) But let’s be honest, I would love to visit AT&T park to have the opportunity to not only spend three hours staring at Hunter Pence, but to also explore the city of San Francisco! The location of this stadium cannot be beat.
4. PNC Park (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
PNC Park is another park within a few hours of my hometown! I may be able to cross off the top ball parks on my list quicker than I thought. This stadium is the 24th smallest stadium out of all MLB stadiums. The advantage of this stadium being on the smaller side is that any seat is a good seat. You won’t have to worry about relying on the mega-tron to see which player is at bat because even “cheap seats” aren’t too far away from home plate—plus, even the “cheap seats” provide a spectacular view of the city. Though the fans are lacking loyalty, a game when the stadium is filled can get obnoxiously loud. (Being a Philadelphia sports fan, this is something I love.) As long as the team is winning, PNC is the place to be on game day for an overall great baseball experience.
5. Wrigley Field (Chicago, Ill.)
Quick note: my main reason for wanting to visit this ball park is to see my future husband, Shane Victorino, play. I am that die hard fan who will wear Victorino's Phillies jersey even though he was traded four years ago…oops.
This stadium would be on any other baseball fan’s list as well though! With the stadium being over 100 years old, it carries a lot of history, including its ivy-covered brick outfield wall, the iconic red marquee over the main entrance and the hand-turned scoreboard. It's also the last major league park to have lights installed for play after dark. The area surrounding the park is known as “Wrigleyville” and is occupied by bars, restaurants and residential streets.
One unique aspect of the park is “Wrigley Roof Tops." This is the name of the residential buildings which have bleachers or seating on them to view games. Until the 1980s, when formal seating was placed on these roof tops, fans would grab a lawn chair and would kick back and relax in hopes of earning a “W” so that they could sing along to “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” with the rest of the Cub's fans.
There is so much culture that lives in each of these stadiums that I cannot wait to experience—even if it is only for a three hour game. My love of baseball has given me the opportunity to travel and experience different cities throughout the United States. It has become a tradition within my family to visit at least one new baseball park each year. Slowly but surely I am making my way through my bucket list. Each year I will check off a new ball park until I have not only 30 check marks on my list, but also many stories and experiences to share with others. Thank you, baseball.
