Throw your clan a curveball and plan a baseball adventure. Here are five spots where peanuts, popcorn and hot dogs are on the menu:
1. Cactus League, Scottsdale, Ariz. Every spring, this Southwestern vacation zone is abuzz as baseball fans flock to catch their favorite teams, including the Texas Rangers, warm up for the regular season.
The Arizona Diamondbacks and the Colorado Rockies get in the groove at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, where kids are sometimes allowed to run the bases after the game.
Watch the three-time World Series champion San Francisco Giants inside Scottsdale Stadium’s Charro Lodge, where you can catch the action from patio-style seating under the Arizona sun. Ask about free trolley rides and a wide range of packages designed to lure sports fans.
Contact: experiencescottsdale.com/event/spring-training
2. National Baseball Hall of Fame, Cooperstown, N.Y. This iconic sports shrine traces the history and cultural significance of the game through memorabilia and interactive exhibits. Youngsters under 12 and their families can visit the museum’s Sandlot Kids’ Clubhouse for interactive youth-focused experiences.
Overnights in the museum are also possible. Each year, during the last weekend in July, nearly 20,000 fans flock to Cooperstown for the Hall of Fame Induction ceremony.
Contact: baseballhall.org
3. Big League Tours: Are you a fan of Fenway? Have you been to Wrigley Field? If the mere thought makes you smile, a Big League Tour might be a perfect fit for your family. You’ll hang out with MLB players, get on the field, inside the dugouts and catch a batting practice.
Tours and vacation packages make it possible to hear the crack of the bat in your favorite cities or an entire region.
Contact: bigleaguetours.com
4. World of Little League Museum, South Williamsport, Pa. Founded in 1939, the Little League organization is proud to have “instilled leadership and character among those who participate,” and has provided the spark for many who have gone on to play in the big leagues.
In this museum — dedicated to the world’s largest organized youth sports program — you and your family will find plenty of mementos, interactive exhibits and immersive media offering compelling stories about the sport’s development and how it intertwined with American history.
Contact: www.littleleague.org/learn/museum.htm
5. Grapefruit League, Florida: Fifteen teams showcase their skills throughout the Sunshine State during spring training.
Catch the Houston Astros in action at Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee, where they’ve played ball since 1985. Astrophiles flock to the stadium — the smallest in the league — where they can linger in Autograph Alley before or after the game to catch a scribble and a photo op with their favorite players.
Fans can watch workouts and batting practice at no charge — even on game day. The family-friendly park also boasts a fenced-off playground in right field near the end of the grandstand where parents and kids can take a break from the action.
Contact: floridagrapefruitleague.com
