Baseball Spring Training in Florida

[Sinestro]

I'm going to be in Florida for a couple of days. Has anyone ever been to Spring training games in Florida? Any tips? Is parking free? Do I have to get tix in advance or can I just get it the day of the game? And I see that some of them have an all you-can-eat ticket/section. What is that about?

I'm looking to maybe checking out the Yankees, Braves or Astros provided that they have home games when I'm there.



I was also planning on checking out the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Orlando Magic but their game is the same night so I'm leaning towards the Magic.

[TripleSkeet]

Do yourself a favor and drive to Clearwater to check out the Phillies.

[JohnGacysCrawlSpace]

Do yourself a favor and drive to Clearwater to check out the Phillies.

Hell yeah! :clap:

[razorboy]

For parking, I'd recommend paying the $5-10 for stadium parking. If you know the area well enough you can usually find free parking, but some of the neighborhoods the ballparks are in can get pretty dicey pretty quickly.

You're better off to buy tickets a little in advance if you have specific games you want to see. 8 times out of 10 you can walk up and find seats but high profile matchups will sell out, and randomly on a nice day it seems like 7,000 people decide to call in sick at once and show up at a game. It's nothing for me to drive the 30 minutes back home, but for someone visiting I'd imagine it would be pretty frustrating. A lot of the stadiums have berm seating tickets that handle walk up overflow for crowded games, though.

As for the all you can eat, most of the stadiums have a restaurant sponsored club section that has some food deal included in the admission. I can't recommend it because I've never had it. I have favorite local restaurants and bars around most of the parks.

I'd lean towards a Lightning game only because I'm a bigger hockey fan and the drive between Tampa and Orlando is more often than not a nightmare. The new Amway is a gorgeous arena though, and well worth seeing.

[TheGameHHH]

I'll also be down there checking out the Yankees on March 25th and 26th, any help would be appreciated for tips in the Tampa area

[razorboy]

I'll also be down there checking out the Yankees on March 25th and 26th, any help would be appreciated for tips in the Tampa area

What area are you staying in?

[spoon]

Interesting this thread pops up and so many of us will be down there in snow bird land.

I'll be in the Orlando area and taking in a Mets @ Braves game in early March. Any tips or ideas here? Thanks Florida peeps.

[disneyspy]

Interesting this thread pops up and so many of us will be down there in snow bird land.

I'll be in the Orlando area and taking in a Mets @ Braves game in early March. Any tips or ideas here? Thanks Florida peeps.

you going to see them at disney?

get there an hour and a half before so you dont have to park in the boonies and the braves players in the 90s were super great at giving autographs and fuckin around with fans so hang out in their area

[spoon]

you going to see them at disney?

get there an hour and a half before so you dont have to park in the boonies and the braves players in the 90s were super great at giving autographs and fuckin around with fans so hang out in their area

HAAAATE disney, I'm there for a business meeting. And yah, by hate disney I mean it both ways...the way you swing.

[zildjian361]

Interesting this thread pops up and so many of us will be down there in snow bird land.

I'll be in the Orlando area and taking in a Mets @ Braves game in early March. Any tips or ideas here? Thanks Florida peeps.

Mets at leats your in florida:laugh:

[cougarjake13]

I'm going to be in Florida for a couple of days. Has anyone ever been to Spring training games in Florida? Any tips? Is parking free? Do I have to get tix in advance or can I just get it the day of the game? And I see that some of them have an all you-can-eat ticket/section. What is that about?

I'm looking to maybe checking out the Yankees, Braves or Astros provided that they have home games when I'm there.



I was also planning on checking out the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Orlando Magic but their game is the same night so I'm leaning towards the Magic.



yankees pretty much sell out real quick and with the way the phillies have been playing the last few years they';; prob be pretty close to sell out as well

[Sinestro]

yankees pretty much sell out real quick and with the way the phillies have been playing the last few years they';; prob be pretty close to sell out as well

Damn! I was planning on seeing the Braves vs. the Phillies at Disney or Yanks vs. Rays.

how about Astros vs. Rays?

I was just planning to show up on the day of the game but from what everyone is saying I should get the tix in advance.

[Crispy123]

Interesting this thread pops up and so many of us will be down there in snow bird land.

I'll be in the Orlando area and taking in a Mets @ Braves game in early March. Any tips or ideas here? Thanks Florida peeps.

tip: skip it and go to Daytona Beach bike week.

[spoon]

Been there and did it back in college. Unfortunately it won't be a real option at a work meeting.

[cougarjake13]

Damn! I was planning on seeing the Braves vs. the Phillies at Disney or Yanks vs. Rays.

how about Astros vs. Rays?

I was just planning to show up on the day of the game but from what everyone is saying I should get the tix in advance.



at disney you might have a shot

and ive been hearing that theres still tix available for phillies home games in clw so i might have been wrong

yanks always sell out but they might have some tix here and there or try stub hub


i cant imagine the astros selling out so u culd be good there if its in kissimmee

rays are now in port charlotte so its a bit further of a drive





id get tix in advance just to make sure

[cougarjake13]

I'll also be down there checking out the Yankees on March 25th and 26th, any help would be appreciated for tips in the Tampa area

what kinda help u looking for ??

[Pittsburgh]

Cheap tickets available on Stubhub for Yankees, Phils, and Boston playing in Bradenton against the Pirates. Close to Tampa and Sarasota. Not a bad field to see a game.
Ill be there the end of march for a few games.

[TheGameHHH]

what kinda help u looking for ??



Fun bars, some good but inexpensive eats, things like that

[Sinestro]

Fun bars, some good but inexpensive eats, things like that

don't forget strip clubs.

[cougarjake13]

Fun bars, some good but inexpensive eats, things like that

well you got the downtown stuff in ybor channelside and downtown st pete if youre looking for that kind of bar scene


id def go to macdintons in south tampa .... cool bar

[Sinestro]

How about Detroit? Are they worth watching in Lakeland? I think their playing the Twins.

How is the Seminole Hardrock Casino? Is it worth going to? Do they have table games?


Thanks

[zildjian361]

YANKS PHILLIES 1PM ON YES :clap::drunk::smoke:

[cougarjake13]

already a thread

[Sinestro]

How did you all make out?? And what games did you see?

[TheGameHHH]

I still havent gone yet, flying in to Tampa thursday night. catching the friday night and saturday games

[cougarjake13]

I still havent gone yet, flying in to Tampa thursday night. catching the friday night and saturday games

kinda late in the game no ??

[spoon]

I was able to see the Mets get TROUNCED, even if just spring training, by the Braves 12-0 two Saturdays back. Cool facility overall (Braves ST home), but completely disneyfied. The place was pretty much packed too, as there was a track event at one of their other "wide world of sports" fields, not to mention a kids cheerleader contest as well. It was incredibly disgusting to see what parents and that "sport" thinks is appropriate for 10 year olds.

Oh and the food SUCKED there. Outside of peanuts, seriously stay away. Think amusement park food prepared and served by grey haired ladies for grey haired ladies.

[spoon]

kinda late in the game no ??

Actually, he'll get to see a lot more of the MLB ready players at this point.

[disneyspy]

I was able to see the Mets get TROUNCED, even if just spring training, by the Braves 12-0 two Saturdays back. Cool facility overall (Braves ST home), but completely disneyfied. The place was pretty much packed too, as there was a track event at one of their other "wide world of sports" fields, not to mention a kids cheerleader contest as well. It was incredibly disgusting to see what parents and that "sport" thinks is appropriate for 10 year olds.

Oh and the food SUCKED there. Outside of peanuts, seriously stay away. Think amusement park food prepared and served by grey haired ladies for grey haired ladies.

you shouldve gone to the sports grill,expensive but tasty

[TheGameHHH]

Actually, he'll get to see a lot more of the MLB ready players at this point.

exactly. we had the option to go two weeks ago and i chose later instead for the reason you just stated.

[TheGameHHH]

I also booked a reservation for Bern's Steakhouse in Tampa for saturday night

[spoon]

you shouldve gone to the sports grill,expensive but tasty

Hey thanks for the timely advice tardyspy!

[spoon]

Yet I was in the area for almost a week on business so I got in plenty of good eats and golf. Didn't play awful either. As would be expected since I hardly get out any more and this was the first for the 2011 season! The alligator factor is interesting to say the least. It was a little cold out so they seemingly were always in the water but all over at one of the courses I played. It's a good factor for me I guess bc I never put it in the drink or even near with water all over the courses. Only once did I end up even close. Still, I didn't even make the 80's, but didn't hit trip digits either. No complaints here.

[disneyspy]

Hey thanks for the timely advice tardyspy!

i went back in the thread where i was going to give you some tips but then you were a dick so i was like fuck that guy,i hope he eats shitty vendor food while he's there and gets the squirts,you did get the squirts didnt you?

[spoon]

i went back in the thread where i was going to give you some tips but then you were a dick so i was like fuck that guy,i hope he eats shitty vendor food while he's there and gets the squirts,you did get the squirts didnt you?

Being that I was served by your past flings, I smelled shit all day that's for sure. Do you wear the same diapers as your grey haired women/men?

[disneyspy]

Being that I was served by your past flings, I smelled shit all day that's for sure. Do you wear the same diapers as your grey haired women/men?

you smelled shit all day,you did have the squirts,ewww poopy pants spoon

[spoon]

you smelled shit all day,you did have the squirts,ewww poopy pants spoon

This is what I smelled. I called it Snowbirdblend.

http://redstatebluestate.mlblogs.com/old%20people%20baseball.jpg

[cougarjake13]

I also booked a reservation for Bern's Steakhouse in Tampa for saturday night

its not really all that

[cougarjake13]

Actually, he'll get to see a lot more of the MLB ready players at this point.

thats true

[TheGameHHH]

its not really all that

for the amount of money i believe im going to pay it better be. i also want a tour of their wine cellar

[cougarjake13]

for the amount of money i believe im going to pay it better be. i also want a tour of their wine cellar

ive gone


the kitchen tour and wine tour are nice but brief and not earth shattering


food isnt worth the price tag


but thats just my opinion

[mdr55]

Got my tix to watch the Marlins vs. Yankees at Tampa in March. I'm looking to get Braves tix but they're higher than other team parks which I think its cuz its Disney. Is it worth checking out.

Also may get tix to Tampa vs. Islanders too

[mdr55]

I just ordered tix for pirates vs. Phillies, and Miami vs. Yankees. Any tips you all can give me? Is parking free or is there a parking fee. How early should I get to stadium. Etc. Thanks.