Spring Training trip booked

[HurricaneDavid]

Today I booked my flight to go see Spring Training in early March.  I'll get to see 6 games - 3/7 @ NYM in Port St. Lucie, 3/8-3/11 vs. TOR, NYM, WAS, and PHI in Kissimmee, and 3/12 @ LAD in Vero Beach.

My question for the Spring Training veteran visitors is: How much stuff is there to do besides watching the games?  A game only takes up 3 out of 24 hours in the day... are there practices that fans can watch?  Anything else baseball related?

[The Gaffer]

Braves play at Disney Wide World of Sports.

Tigers play at Lakeland, not too far away.

Could catch two games a day if you plan it right.

[Andyzipp]

Drinking beer can take up a lot of time.

And spring training games rarely go three hours.  Usually they're closer to 2.

[HurricaneDavid]

Quote:
Braves play at Disney Wide World of Sports.

Tigers play at Lakeland, not too far away.

Could catch two games a day if you plan it right.

Yeah I knew about those two... unfortunately all the start times are 1PM.

[jaklewein]

Quote:
Drinking beer can take up a lot of time.

And spring training games rarely go three hours.  Usually they're closer to 2.

Exactly.

[jaklewein]

Quote:

Quote:
Braves play at Disney Wide World of Sports.

Tigers play at Lakeland, not too far away.

Could catch two games a day if you plan it right.

Yeah I knew about those two... unfortunately all the start times are 1PM.

There's usually one night game a day on the STraining schedule.  About 50% of the time that night game will be in South Florida, but beyond that, you should be able to make a night game about every other night if you so choose.

As for other options...

There's also, Disney World, Sea World & plenty of golf courses.  I've went to STraining 10 out of the last 12 years and have always wanted to go to Medieval Times, but of course have never found the time to go.

Practices are also fun...they made it a rule a couple years ago that outsiders can only spectate on days where the Astros are playing an away game.  You will see mostly minor league practices and scrimmages with a handful of MLB guys (those not making the trip for the day's game) sprinkled in.  I enjoy going...usually attend one or two practices during my week long stay every year...staying for maybe an hour...or two depending on my plans later in the day.

[JRStros]

Go over the Winter Haven, the Indians practice is more "open" to the public, hours before every game.  Plus, it's easy to sneak your own beers into the Indians outfield picnic area.

The Big Bamboo, closed by hurricane damage, has now been burned by bums sleeping there, so go by there and have a brown bag in the parking lot.

Golfing is always an option, plenty of relatively cheap public courses all around.

We're hoping to be there the weekend of the 17-19th.  God-willing, I'll be carrying around our 1 month old Astro fan.

[HudsonHawk]

Quote:

Yeah I knew about those two... unfortunately all the start times are 1PM.

You could go to my grandmother's house in Lakeland.  She'll probably need the grass cut and the awnings scrubbed.

[JimR]

why would you want to do anything else?

Astros practices require a pass. others may not. some night games in Florida but not many.

for me, the ST days are simple:
wake up
exercise
breakfast
ballpark
home
dinner
March Madness basketball on TV
sleep
repeat the process

[HudsonHawk]

Quote:
why would you want to do anything else?

Astros practices require a pass. others may not. some night games in Florida but not many.

for me, the ST days are simple:
wake up
exercise
breakfast
ballpark
home
dinner
March Madness basketball on TV
sleep
repeat the process

Yeah, but at your age, aren't you eating dinner at like 2:00 in the afternoon?

[JimR]

at 2 pm, that likely is a ballpark hot dog

[BudGirl]

Quote:
at 2 pm, that likely is a ballpark hot dog

Are you going to Florida or Arizona this year?

[David in Jackson]

Quote:
why would you want to do anything else?

Astros practices require a pass. others may not. some night games in Florida but not many.

for me, the ST days are simple:
wake up
exercise
breakfast
ballpark
home
dinner
March Madness basketball on TV
sleep
repeat the process

That's me exactly!  Always have breakfast at Denny's near the ballpark.  I have been lucky enough to see some night games (usually at Disney, once the Dodgers at Vero Beach) but night games are rare, so there's the NCAA tournament.

It's weird switching back from the relaxed pace and feel of fice hours at the ballpark for ST to 2-hours of intense tournament action, but it's still fun.

[JimR]

Arizona

[David in Jackson]

Quote:
Go over the Winter Haven, the Indians practice is more "open" to the public, hours before every game.  Plus, it's easy to sneak your own beers into the Indians outfield picnic area.

The Big Bamboo, closed by hurricane damage, has now been burned by bums sleeping there, so go by there and have a brown bag in the parking lot.

Golfing is always an option, plenty of relatively cheap public courses all around.

We're hoping to be there the weekend of the 17-19th.  God-willing, I'll be carrying around our 1 month old Astro fan.

Winter Haven, along with Vero Beach, is one of the last old-time ST parks.  It's days may be numbered, so check it out if you can.

[Ty in Tampa]

The Big Bamboo, closed by hurricane damage, has now been burned by bums sleeping there, so go by there and have a brown bag in the parking lot.

Why does this happen to classy joints like 'the Boo' when there are dumps like Bennigans on every fucking corner?

[EmirOfSchmoe]

If your into Hawaiian shirts, you could stock up like Dierker used to do down there.

[Jose Cruz III]

Quote:
Today I booked my flight to go see Spring Training in early March.  I'll get to see 6 games - 3/7 @ NYM in Port St. Lucie, 3/8-3/11 vs. TOR, NYM, WAS, and PHI in Kissimmee, and 3/12 @ LAD in Vero Beach.

My question for the Spring Training veteran visitors is: How much stuff is there to do besides watching the games?  A game only takes up 3 out of 24 hours in the day... are there practices that fans can watch?  Anything else baseball related?

Dude the ballpark experience lasts longer than 2 hours. If you get there early enough for morning work outs sometimes you can have conversation with the players, get them to sign things, etc. But one thing you could do that is relatively cheap, if you like to do it, is fish down there. There is some great fishing in the lakes around central Florida.