Planning A Minor League Road Trip
Tips on How to Follow Your Favorite Minor-League Team Away from Home
Unless you're specifically trying to go for seeing the countryside, the smart traveler - baseball or otherwise - favors the interstate. Simply put, it's faster, there are more places to stop to eat and/or refuel, and should you happen to break down, you're in a better position to get help. Not to mention, most minor-league teams are located within a few miles from the interstate, and some (e.g. The Frederick Keys) are located right next to the highway.
Consider The Dominant Travel Pattern
Is the road venue near the ocean? Then don't even think about trying travel on Friday afternoon to catch a Friday night game, unless of course, you like sitting in traffic. Consider a Saturday night game in that situation instead. Likewise, if you're interested in catching a Sunday afternoon game, make sure you're not among the throngs coming home from their weekend destinations. The exception: 4pm or later starts, which are designed to avoid the worst of the 5-8pm weekend rush hour.
Parking
It's a small detail, but an often get overlooked when you're planning. For the more popular teams, forget about cost in favor of availability. If you're healthy enough to walk, consider the benefits of parking away from the stadium to save money first, and time second as you walk past the folks inching out the parking lot. Unless...
Promotions
...it's a fireworks night. Sure, that may mean a big crowd, but it also ensures a sizable portion of folks staying put while you make your way to your car and out towards either your home or your motel room. The promotions calendar may be used both ways: getting the giveaways you want, or avoiding the folks who care more about the promotion than the game (e.g. bobbleheads). Which brings us to...
Midweek Day Games
A general rule of thumb: These will be populated (dominated) by school groups and/or daycare centers, and they will sit in the cheap seats. These are moneymakers in the minors, but unfortunately, most venues often fewer employees working, making concessions a near impossibility and long lines a certainty. Advice: Eat before or after the game, and order the largest drink possible before you sit down to watch.
Where To Stay
This is often a matter of personal taste, but for folks interested insaving a few bucks, consider renting a motel room that's not near the ballpark, but rather along the way to/from your destination. This is especially true for the teams located near the larger cities or tourist attractions. This also enables you to check in before the game and get settled, or, reduce your travel time the next day - especially when you're heading home the next day.
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