Better Town for Baseball Trip

[KingModem]

My girlfriend and some other friends are planning to take a baseball trip this summer. We have it narrowed down to four choices.

We enjoy dive bars, karaoke, history, and a nice downtown setting, and of course beautiful outdoor baseball (we dont open an outdoor park in Minnesota until 2010, so we have to travel elsewhere to enjoy baseball in its finest form).

[Don Stugots]

Chicago or Boston

[KingModem]

Chicago or Boston

Already hit both parks in Chicago and Fenway. We are looking to cross some off the list, and the polled cities are still remaining.

[Doogie]

Why not just come to NY?? We have two brand new fucking stadiums and everything else you are looking for on your checklist...

[JerseyRich]

My girlfriend and some other friends are planning to take a baseball trip this summer. We have it narrowed down to four choices.

We enjoy dive bars, karaoke, history, and a nice downtown setting, and of course beautiful outdoor baseball (we dont open an outdoor park in Minnesota until 2010, so we have to travel elsewhere to enjoy baseball in its finest form).


Something tells me that even in 2010 you won't be enjoying baseball in its finest form.

[Aggie]

I picked Seattle because it's the prettiest city on your list. Who wants to go to Ohio, Missouri or Pennsylvania?

[Freitag]

Chicago or Boston

I'm inclined to agree, but the stadiums there are old as hell.

Baltimore's Inner Harbor is nice, but there's a lot of issues in the surrounding areas.

What about San Diego?

[TjM]

Seattle has a nice stadium. Plus Pitt is a shithole

[drjoek]

Safeco always looks pretty sweet on TV
Seattle is a fun city

Id vote Seattle if given those choices

[led37zep]

Why San Francisco isn't on your list is crazy talk.

You can even time it right and do a day game in San Fran and a night game in Oakland.

[razorboy]

Seattle is a great city, but it's a shit place to watch baseball. St. Louis is a great place to watch baseball, but it's a shit city. Cincy and Pitt sort of combine the worst of both worlds.

[Don Stugots]

Why not just come to NY?? We have two brand new fucking stadiums and everything else you are looking for on your checklist...

fuck those two corp. scum stadiums.

[Freitag]

BTW, Seattle's stadium is a retractable roof, so you're not guaranteed indoor baseball.

Out of the stadiums in your list, I would go with PNC. I've never been, but I'm a little familiar with the area.

Again, I'd push for San Diego. Gas light district.

[led37zep]

Safeco always looks pretty sweet on TV
Seattle is a fun city

Id vote Seattle if given those choices

Safeco has this huge retractable roof looming in right field. Its distracting as hell.

http://www.dumbo.ai.kyutech.ac.jp/teigo/image/SafecoField.jpg

[disneyspy]

theres a cool midwest R&F.net beer and a ballgame in milwaukee in july

[Don Stugots]

I'm inclined to agree, but the stadiums there are old as hell.

Baltimore's Inner Harbor is nice, but there's a lot of issues in the surrounding areas.

What about San Diego?

Perfect picks. I love San Diego but is baseball very popular there?

[TjM]

I guess you need to go to say you've been but unless you have good seats (Read not the 3 cm by 3cm wooden POS seats) Fenway sucks. It's one of the most uncomfortable places I've been to. Even now I'll turn down tix and just watch them on NESN instead

[drjoek]

theres a cool midwest R&F.net beer and a ballgame in milwaukee in july

Will you be back to work by then?

[Fallon]

Only park I've been too in Fenway. Plan on making a trip to Baltimore in September this season.

[disneyspy]

Will you be back to work by then?

if it ever quits snowin,ya

[ChrisTheCop]

I picked Seattle because it's the prettiest city on your list. Who wants to go to Ohio, Missouri or Pennsylvania?

I'm inclined to agree with Aggie. I just thought it would be cool to hang out in Seattle.
If you wanted the best baseball game, your chances are better in St Louis.
If you werent bringing the girlfriend, I'd recommend Ohio.
And unless you enjoy steel or pickles, theres no real reason to visit Pittsburgh.

But definitely reconsider adding Boston or NY...in that order.

[A.J.]

This is a little old but ESPN rated the ballparks. (http://espn.go.com/page2/s/ballparks/pncpark.html)

I would give a nod to DC's new Nationals Stadium as the place is great and there's obviously lots to do in the city.

[sarsbusdriver]

I've been to all those stadiums(Riverfront not Great American in Cincy) and have to say that PNC is my favorite of them all. This coming from a Cardinals fan in North Jersey

Pittsburgh is an underrated(Sorry Ronnie B) city. Cool bars. Great people. Lots of bridges. If you go be sure to check out the Andy Warhol Museum a block away from PNC Field.

Plus it's a short drive to the Jake in Cleveland.

[Fezticle98]

This is a little old but ESPN rated the ballparks. (http://espn.go.com/page2/s/ballparks/pncpark.html)

I would give a nod to DC's new Nationals Stadium as the place is great and there's obviously lots to do in the city.

And tickets will remain plentiful and cheap, as the team is sure to suck again this year. Very good place to watch a game, without a lot of the stupid gimmicks of some of the newer stadia.

I will add Wrigley Field and Miller Park to my list this year.

Go with Seattle.

[KingModem]

Seattle is the best city of the list, hands down. But the other ballparks look so sweet!
Thanks for all the suggestions.

[A.J.]

I picked Seattle because it's the prettiest city on your list. Who wants to go to Ohio, Missouri or Pennsylvania?

No love for Arlington? It's a nice park and you get to party in Dallas or Ft. Worth at Billy Bob's!

[KingModem]

Something tells me that even in 2010 you won't be enjoying baseball in its finest form.

Somehow I cant see how baseball in Minneapolis with a down-to-earth, affordable, and continuously competitive team with three World Series championships isn't somewhat attractive.

[KingModem]

No love for Arlington? It's a nice park and you get to party in Dallas or Ft. Worth at Billy Bob's!

Dallas in June? Sounds toasty...

[Freitag]

This summer, Liz and I would like to hit the following -

Camden Yards
New Yankee Stadium
Citi Field
Citizens Bank
The Nats' stadium

I'm trying to convince her to go to PNC. No luck so far.

[Freitag]

Somehow I cant see how baseball in Minneapolis with a down-to-earth, affordable, and continuously competitive team with three World Series championships isn't somewhat attractive.

Get back to me when you're in an open-air stadium in April.

[Fezticle98]

Dock Ellis found San Diego to be the best city of all for a baseball trip.

[KingModem]

Dock Ellis found San Diego to be the best city of all for a baseball trip.

I was able to catch a game there a couple years ago, and it was magnificent.

[weekapaugjz]

i haven't been to games in any of those cities, but have been to pittsburgh and st. louis and both are fun cities. my brother went to several games at PNC park in pittsburgh last summer and told me it was the best stadium he has ever been to.

[TheMojoPin]

If this is really about the baseball and the Piates are playing decent teams when you're in town, hands down you should go to Pittsburgh. PNC is far and away the best baseball stadium I've ever been to and the experience is amazing. There's nowhere else better to watch a ballgame.

[TheWalkingDead]

San Diego was fun. Bars, Beach, Downtown all within blocks of each other. The city only cares about the Chargers, or when they play the Dodgers.

[Aggie]

No love for Arlington? It's a nice park and you get to party in Dallas or Ft. Worth at Billy Bob's!

It's just too damn hot! I like the stadium and atmosphere but it's really sticky.

[epo]

Get back to me when you're in an open-air stadium in April.

I'll never understand why Minnesota didn't buy a retractable roof for that new stadium. Of course I never understood why they voted for Jesse Ventura to be their governor.....

[KingModem]

I'll never understand why Minnesota didn't buy a retractable roof for that new stadium. Of course I never understood why they voted for Jesse Ventura to be their governor.....

We dont want it. We dont want a dome anymore. Retractable or not. Also, paying for it with city tax dollars downtown, the roof would have killed the stadium deal.

Plus, with snow coming in early April, it will eventually lead to some doubleheaders, and we have all heard from our parents how AWESOME double headers were at the Met.

[King Hippos Bandaid]

Cincy rocks, great town and gr8 park

PNC was nice, loved the Sushi and Outback, boring tailgate and bar scene

Safeco sounds dull, Seattle ewwwww

I have not been to the new Busch Stadium


Favorite Wrigley/Fenway

Worst Shea/Marlins) thank god Citi Field is here

[foodcourtdruide]

I don't know why NY isn't on your list? You're between Boston and Philly and you have two brand new stadiums about an hour away from one another.

NY is an insanely baseball town. If you come towards September and either the Mets or Yankees are in contention it's pretty amazing.

[epo]

We dont want it. We dont want a dome anymore. Retractable or not. Also, paying for it with city tax dollars downtown, the roof would have killed the stadium deal.

Plus, with snow coming in early April, it will eventually lead to some doubleheaders, and we have all heard from our parents how AWESOME double headers were at the Met.

You kids must really hate the Metrodome.

[KingModem]

I don't know why NY isn't on your list? You're between Boston and Philly and you have two brand new stadiums about an hour away from one another.

NY is an insanely baseball town. If you come towards September and either the Mets or Yankees are in contention it's pretty amazing.

Been to NYC 5 times in the last 2 years. Time for something different

[KingModem]

You kids must really hate the Metrodome.

Come over for the Brewers series, you will see how sad and disheartening it is.

[epo]

Come over for the Brewers series, you will see how sad and disheartening it is.

Ohhh....I've been there and the assessment of "shithole" seems fair to me.

I'm just a fan of the retractable roof for baseball and open air stadium for football equation. Baseball really is nicer as a fan when I know I'm going to see a game, rather than fucking around with rainouts...and yet you get the joy of an open roof a majority of the time.

[KingModem]

Ohhh....I've been there and the assessment of "shithole" seems fair to me.

I'm just a fan of the retractable roof for baseball and open air stadium for football equation. Baseball really is nicer as a fan when I know I'm going to see a game, rather than fucking around with rainouts...and yet you get the joy of an open roof a majority of the time.

I gotta say, I made it over for the Twins Brewers series last year in Milwaukee, and it was a great time. The tailgating was more like a frat house lawn than i figured it would be, but the stadium was beautiful. This sounds very feminine, but the monotonous colors of the Metrodome, versus the colorful and vibrant Miller Park, it literally changes your mood.

Of course, during the floods of central Wisconsin last year, it took us well over 9 hours to get to Milwaukee from Mpls, which was absurd.

[K.C.]

St. Louis....bar none.

Stay downtown right near the stadium; take a cab up to Soulard...there's some fantastic bars and restaurants there...in the other direction is Laclede's Landing...more great bars and restaurants, and a few casinos.

You're right around the Arch, and a couple miles from the Bud factory (I hate Bud, but the factory tour is impressive, and they give you free beer).

It'll be even better if they get Ballpark Village done in time for the All-Star Break.

The stadium is gorgeous, and the fans are great (which as a Phillies fan, made me like the episode of the Simpsons where Homer goes to Amish country...'I can be as big a jerk as I want...and NO ONE can stop me!'

[foodcourtdruide]

Been to NYC 5 times in the last 2 years. Time for something different

Ah, agreed! Out of curiousity, what was your impression of it as a baseball town?

[cougarjake13]

i voted cincy b/c then you could also go to cleve and pitt which arent that far from cincy


i did this back in 2004

drove out to cincy, missed griffeys 500 hr by 2 games, then went up to cleve, then on way back to ny stopped off at pitt

[A.J.]

I'll never understand why Minnesota didn't buy a retractable roof for that new stadium. Of course I never understood why they voted for Jesse Ventura to be their governor.....

Or Al Franken to be their Senator?

[FezsAssistant]

As I've never been to any of those places, I'd personally like to go to Seattle.
Seems like a cool area. I want to go to Portland and Seattle sometime.
Anthony Bourdain's Pacific NW show got me more interested.

[sailor]

I picked Seattle because it's the prettiest city on your list. Who wants to go to Ohio, Missouri or Pennsylvania?

pitt is supposedly a completely different place than in yesteryear. very cosmopolitan and artsy. granted, i haven't been there since the last year of the old ballpark.

[K.C.]

For definite this year, I'm hitting the new Yankee Stadium and Nationals Park in May. And then Pittsburgh in August/September.

99% sure I'll check out Citi Field, although I'm not sure when.

And then I'm plotting one more trip for a weekend series. I'm entertaining Detroit, Milwaukee, Minnesota, or Cincinnati.

I'd love to go back to St. Louis again this year, but I have to keep hitting some different parks. The only way I think I'd go back is if I make the drive to Kansas City one of the days I'm out there to see the Royals as well.

[Gvac]

Great American Ballpark on the banks of the Ohio river.

Go see the world's oldest professional baseball team.

[TheMojoPin]

the world's oldest professional baseball team.

They sure play like they are.

[drjoek]

They sure play like they are.

But Griffey Jr is gone

[TheMojoPin]

But Griffey Jr is gone

But Dusty Baker is still there.

[drjoek]

But Dusty Baker is still there.


Right field?

[TheMojoPin]

He is everywhere.

[sailor]

Go see the world's oldest professional baseball team.

you're as bad as hippo with these softballs.

[Dave's Cackle]

Can't go wrong with PNC Park and Busch Stadium during the summer.

[epo]

Can't go wrong with PNC Park and Busch Stadium during the summer.

Sitting at that bland-as-fuck Busch Stadium III that close to the Mississippi River.

Yea...just want I want on a hot summer night.

[bigredd]

I can only speak for St. Louis recently but the new park is sweet and the joints around it are nice. You can get everything from the dive bar to a nice meal within walking distance of your hotel. You could also go for a 2fer with Chicage being perfectly within dirving distance. Good times. I wish I new how to put pictures up.

[meanmrbill]

My girlfriend and some other friends are planning to take a baseball trip this summer. We have it narrowed down to four choices.

We enjoy dive bars, karaoke, history, and a nice downtown setting, and of course beautiful outdoor baseball (we dont open an outdoor park in Minnesota until 2010, so we have to travel elsewhere to enjoy baseball in its finest form).


Haha....I always laugh when people call Pittsburgh a shit town. It certainly isn't New York or Boston but it has it's own charm. There are lots of cool bars in the South Side and Oakland sections of town. Plus, there is a large student population with the University of Pittsburgh and Duquesne University being in the Oakland section.

PNC Park is beautiful!! A cool place to see a baseball game. The team sucks but it doesn't matter, the atmosphere is great.

[TripleSkeet]

I think it would help out more if you actually posted the ballparks youve already been to.

You said both Chicago ones and Fenway (In my opinion the best baseball experience in the game) but what others have you crossed off your list?

Its just that there are so many other ones out there better then the 4 you mentioned both in baseball experience and fun towns.

- Philly
- San Diego
- San Fran
- Washington
- Baltimore
- Arizona

Just to name a few.

Me and a bunch of my friends are planning an August trip up to Citi field and we plan on bringing one of these...
http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/7/37360357.jpg (http://img259.imageshack.us/my.php?image=37360357.jpg)

and one of these...
http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/2858/92991994.jpg (http://img23.imageshack.us/my.php?image=92991994.jpg)

[KingModem]

I think it would help out more if you actually posted the ballparks youve already been to.

You said both Chicago ones and Fenway (In my opinion the best baseball experience in the game) but what others have you crossed off your list?

Its just that there are so many other ones out there better then the 4 you mentioned both in baseball experience and fun towns.

- Philly
- San Diego
- San Fran
- Washington
- Baltimore
- Arizona

Just to name a few.

Me and a bunch of my friends are planning an August trip up to Citi field and we plan on bringing one of these...
http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/7/37360357.jpg (http://img259.imageshack.us/my.php?image=37360357.jpg)

and one of these...
http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/2858/92991994.jpg (http://img23.imageshack.us/my.php?image=92991994.jpg)

Ive done:
Chicago - Wrigley
Chicago - Comiskey (US Cell)
Milwaukee - Miller Park
Minneapolis - Metrodome (about 30 times a year)
Denver - Coors Field
San Diego - Petco Park
Houston - Minute Maid Park (was Enron Field)
Atlanta - Turner Field
New York - Old Yankee Stadium
New York - Citi Field
Boston - Fenway
Philadelphia - Citizen Bank Park

The towns that I listed where cities where I haven't spent much time, as I travel quite a bit for work and have got to experience quite a bit.

[KingModem]

Haha....I always laugh when people call Pittsburgh a shit town. It certainly isn't New York or Boston but it has it's own charm. There are lots of cool bars in the South Side and Oakland sections of town. Plus, there is a large student population with the University of Pittsburgh and Duquesne University being in the Oakland section.

PNC Park is beautiful!! A cool place to see a baseball game. The team sucks but it doesn't matter, the atmosphere is great.

Very nice review!

[KingModem]

Opening Day in Minnesota (March, 2008)
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e209/christopher_walsh82/openingday2008-2.jpg
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e209/christopher_walsh82/openingday2008-1.jpg

[Snoogans]

Opening Day in Minnesota (March, 2008)
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e209/christopher_walsh82/openingday2008-2.jpg
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e209/christopher_walsh82/openingday2008-1.jpg

man, the fun its gonna be playin in your new OPEN AIR STADIUM

[K.C.]

I can only speak for St. Louis recently but the new park is sweet and the joints around it are nice. You can get everything from the dive bar to a nice meal within walking distance of your hotel. You could also go for a 2fer with Chicage being perfectly within dirving distance. Good times. I wish I new how to put pictures up.

It's all about Soulard in St. Louiis.

[weekapaugjz]

Opening Day in Minnesota (March, 2008)
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e209/christopher_walsh82/openingday2008-2.jpg
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e209/christopher_walsh82/openingday2008-1.jpg

and people piss on buffalo because of the snow. its a beautiful 50 degree day here.

[underdog]

and people piss on buffalo because of the snow. its a beautiful 50 degree day here.

People piss on Buffalo because it sucks.

[led37zep]

I'm flying out to San Fran tomorrow for Opening Day on Tuesday. You want a point by point breakdown of things do to there?

Oh wait...this might have just been my way of bragging about going to Opening Day.


But I'll say it again....San Francisco should be on your list of road trips.

[A.J.]

I'm flying out to San Fran tomorrow for Opening Day on Tuesday. You want a point by point breakdown of things do to there?

Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair.