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Not surprisingly, this is a great book for the family that loves baseball. The authors set out with their 8-year-old daughter, 5-year-old son, and a worthy goal: "to help families plan realistic trips that include baseball." To that end, they traveled over 50,000 miles and cheered on over 110 major- and minor-league teams, from the Durham Bulls to the Bronx Bombers. They then divided the best stadiums they saw, as well as the best hotels, restaurants, and attractions that surround them, into 30 long-weekend trips spanning the entire country.
The book is also a great resource for any family that doesn't want to spend their vacation trudging a well-worn path from monument to state park to fast-food restaurant. The authors have high standards for what a family vacation should be, and for what kids should see and do when they travel. Fortunately, they also have a reasonable understanding of what you can expect your kids to sit through. The supplementary attractions and restaurants that accompany the ballpark listings reveal this--they favor down-home diners over chains, living history over moribund museums, the authentic over the synthetic. If you don't know much about baseball, or haven't traveled much with children, the book makes an excellent cribsheet. But even if you've taken the brood to Cooperstown and back a dozen times, you're likely to learn something new.
Like a trip to the ballpark, the family vacation isn't so much about where you go or what you do, but the people you do it with. Traveling, or going to a game, can bring families together in a special way--why else would we put up with the hassle? This guide reflects a wonderful awareness of that fact, and a willingness to make the most of it. Not just a digest of ballparks, the book is a celebration of that other national pastime, the family vacation. As both, it is a stirring success. --Andrew Nieland
Product Description
Baseball Vacations34 Unforgettable Family Trips to 110 of America's Most Fan-Friendly Minor League and Classic Major League Ballparks
"Jam-packed with suggestions in a user-friendly format that guides the reader to the diamond-shaped heart of America." -- David Lynch, The Cedar Rapids Gazette
"One of the finest travel books of the season...a terrific selection of the best baseball around the country." - Everett Potter, The New York Times News Service
Want to know which team has the funniest mascot? Which ballpark has the best contests for fans? Which stadiums serve loganberry juice, buck-a-bone BBQ, and buttermilk pie? And what you can do before and after the game? (How about whitewater rafting, rollercoastering, listening to live country music, or riding the steepest passenger railway in the world?) The authors cover the Baseball Hall of Fame and travel from the Cape Cod Leagues to California's Rancho Cucamonga. The fresh, lively anecdotes and compelling baseball lore that fill every chapter are sure to amuse -- even if the family favorite doesn't win.
To help you create years of great ballpark vacations, the Adams family, parents, and children tell all:
How to get foul balls, collect autographs, and save money on ticketsFamily-friendly diners, cafeterias, and restaurantsWhere the visiting team staysWhere to sit, where to park, what to eatThe best giveaways and contests
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