Vacations Blog

They have fall in England, too.

School is in session, football is on TV and leaves are starting to fall.  It would appear that autumn is upon us, and all that it entails.

Fall is one of my four favorite seasons.  In fact, it may be my overall favorite.  The days are cooler and the nights are crisp.  Outside every window is a canvas of color.

There are darker beers in the fridge and heartier meals on the table.  Ballparks are filled with dreams of pennants.

Get out and see it! This land is your land, and it is beautiful this time of year.

Ah, school in session fall.

For more family-friendly travel photos visit DeliciousBaby’s Photo Fridays.

Photo by KJHughes

Take America’s romance of the baseball movie, throw in The Dude and bring some sexy back and what do you have?

You have Open Road, the latest movie from Anchor Bay Entertainment.  The film stars Jeff Bridges, Justin Timberlake, Kate Mara, Harry Dean Stanton, Lyle Lovett and Mary Steenburgen and it centers on a theme that we often promote here: journey over destination.

Hence, open road. Read More »

The scoreboard at Wrigley Field

Personally, I’m not an avid baseball fan. I like the game pretty well, but not well enough to follow any particular team, even my local Diamondbacks (though I sure was proud when they won the World Series several years back). I like going to the games and watching them live – I like to crowd-watch and nosh on ballpark hot dogs and eight dollar cups of beer. Watching games on TV is just, well, kind of boring to me. The beer’s cheaper, though.

I wrote in my last blog post that I recently visited my friend Heather in Northwestern Indiana. Now, Heather is verging on OBSESSED, she’s such a Cubs fan. She watches any game she doesn’t go to on TV, while simultaneously listening to the game on the radio to get every angle. She goes to as many of their games as she can; even – GASP – driving all the way to Milwaukee to watch the Brewers at home against the visiting Cubs. She risked life and limb on that little jaunt – there’s quite a rivalry going on between the teams. I don’t pretend to understand all the why’s and wherefore’s and history behind said rivalry. There’s something about a curse and a goat and… I got lost after that.

Read More »

“Fenway Park, in Boston, is a lyric little bandbox of a ballpark. Everything is painted green and seems in curiously sharp focus, like the inside of an old-fashioned peeping-type Easter egg. It was built in 1912 and rebuilt in 1934, and offers, as do most Boston artifacts, a compromise between Man’s Euclidean determinations and Nature’s beguiling irregularities. Its right field is one of the deepest in the American League, while its left field is the shortest; the high left-field wall, three hundred and fifteen feet from home plate along the foul line, virtually thrusts its surface at right-handed hitters.”

–John Updike, “Hub Fans Bid Kid Adieu” (The New Yorker, October 22, 1960)

Fenway Park

Should you find yourself in Boston between April and October, a trip to Fenway Park is as much a requirement, nay a moral imperative, as walking the Freedom Trail, visiting the USS Constitution or sampling the fare at Ye Olde Union Oyster House. Regardless of your allegiances, Fenway Park remains a link to baseball’s storied past.

Fenway Park opened on April 20, 1912 and other than some additions over its 97-year history — the seats atop the Green Monster for example — the park is essentially unchanged and remains baseball’s oldest active ballpark. However, much like Chicago’s Wrigley Field, Fenway’s age does present some challenges as both parks have many obstructed view seats because of pillars supporting the upper deck. But, to much of Red Sox Nation, these seats, although a nuissance at times and the subject of much derision, are crucial to the park’s overall charm. Most “fans” have, at one time or another, found themselves craning their necks to the left or right to follow a play.

The Green Monster

In addition to the obstructed view seats, Fenway is home to many other quirky features that contribute to the park’s character. The Green Monster, soaring 37′ into the air, is both tempting and taunting to right-handed hitters, and is home to a manually-operated scoreboard. A little bit of trivia: on the scoreboard in Morse code are the initials of Thomas A. Yawkey and Jean R. Yawkey, who owned the Red Sox for some 60 years, 1933-1993. “Williamsburg” is the bullpen area located in front of the right-center field bleachers built for the benefit of Ted Williams (of whom Updike was writing in that article, by the way) to enable him to hit more home runs since it is some 23 feet closer than the bleacher wall. Speaking of The Splendid Splinter, the Lone Red Seat in the right field bleachers marks the spot of the longest measurable home run in Fenway, hit by Williams in 1946 and measured at an impressive 502 feet. Finally, not so much a quirk but a tradition, Neil Diamond’s classic, “Sweet Caroline,” can also be heard before the start of the bottom of the 8th inning. It started as a simple superstition when the Sox were ahead, but became a staple when new management took over in 2002.

If you’re looking for some pre- or post-game refreshments, the area around Fenway Park is loaded with good food and good beer. Boston Beer Works is a favorite of microbrew fans, with 16 beers on tap and located just across the street from Fenway. The Cask ‘N Flagon, whose sign you can see just over The Green Monster, is home to hundreds of black-and-white photos of Red Sox greats, walls lined with HD TVs and some of the coldest beer in Boston**. A new favorite of ours, The Bleacher Bar, lies beneath the bleachers in center field and has a garage-door-sized window looking directly onto the field. For those looking for more late-night entertainment, Lansdowne Street is loaded with clubs and bars: BIll’s Bar, Avalon, Axis and House of Blues are just a few of your choices.

Just a word of caution if you do decide to try and catch a game: Fenway Park currently holds the record for most consecutive sold-out games so make sure you check their web site for ticket availability. For those of you with an adventrous streak, there are plenty of scalpers in the area but buyer beware as scalping tickets is cough frowned upon cough by the local constabulary.

**It technically might not be the coldest, but it is when the temp reaches the upper 90s and you’ve spent four hours in the bleachers.

If you’re planning a trip, check out flights to Boston.

America's Favorite Pastime

I’m not really a baseball fan, never have been.  I played just about every sport you could imagine while growing up.  (Well, except for hockey.  I grew up in Louisiana where ice is something used for tea not a venue for athletic competition.)  Anyway, I played most sports growing up but never really got into baseball.  Maybe it was my horrible lack of hand-eye coordination or the fact that dirt clods were easier to throw than baseballs.  Maybe I don’t really care for Cracker Jacks.

Turns out, you don’t necessarily need to love the game of baseball or Cracker Jacks in order to have a fun-filled family outing at the ball park.

The Columbus Clippers, the AAA affiliate of the Cleveland Indians, christened their sparkly new stadium just over 2 weeks ago on April 18.  Huntington Park, located in the Arena District of downtown Columbus at the corners of Neil Avenue and Nationwide still smells new.  Or maybe that was the wings from Rooster’s.  Of course it could have been the smoked kielbasa or grilled panini sandwiches.

Huntington Park Home of the Columbus Clippers

Yep, they’ve hired an executive chef to oversee food preparations and the menu is superb.  It’s not your standard ballpark fare.  Other menu items include veggie subs, hummus platters and veggie wraps for non-meat eaters; carved sandwiches for meat lovers; and peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches and applesauce for young children.¹ There are also favorite local restaurants and food vendors operating kiosks throughout the stadium.  (City Barbeque, Elevator Brewing Company, Tim Horton’s, Donato’s Pizza and Bob Evans to name a few.)  Oh and the Rooster’s I mentioned earlier…part of the 3 story left field tower with roof-top bleacher seating.  Very Wrigley Field-esque.  (I’m told it’s there, I didn’t go up myself as I have this issue with heights.)

Don’t let all this talk of gourmet food and local restaurants worry you.  There’s still plenty of popcorn, peanuts and yes even Cracker Jacks to be found.  Oh, and Dime a Dog nights will still be held on selected Mondays throughout the season.  Make sure to check the promotions schedule.

Huntington Park and the Columbus Clippers

What really makes an outing to Huntington Park such a great experience though, is the price.  Box seating is available for $12 in advance ($15 day of), Reserved seats $10 adults and $7 seniors and children 12 and under, and Assigned Bleacher Seating or General Admission Lawn seating is available for $6 adults and $3 seniors and children.  Even with the exorbitant fees and handling charges by TicketMaster I was able to take myself and all five kids to a game for $30 bucks.  Now that’s a deal anywhere!

Parking is available almost anywhere downtown and within a 10 minute walk of Huntington Park.  Most of the parking garages will charge $3 to park unless there are other downtown events occurring concurrently.  (Say that three times fast!)  We actually parked directly across the street from the ballpark and paid just $10–still a bargain.

The next time you happen to be vacationing Columbus and need to fill an evening, or two, make sure to check the Clippers’ schedule.  The food is great and smells just as good as the shiny new stadium.   A Clippers game at the new Huntington Park makes for an ideal family outing–even more so when your team wins!

Clippers Win! Clippers Win!

¹Quoted text from Tracy Turner of the Columbus Dispatch.  All photos by Ed Lamaze.

I would never suggest you need kids to visit the zoo.  In fact, while recently visiting the Reid Park Zoo during our latest Tucson vacation (get there before it’s HOT!) I overheard one guest ask another why there were so many kids at the zoo, which just goes to show that you don’t have to be smart to visit one either.  Anyone can visit the zoo!

The Reid Park Zoo in Tucson, Arizona isn’t the biggest or fanciest zoo you’ll ever visit (unless it’s the only zoo you ever visit), but it’s just big enough and what it lacks in exotic animals it more than makes up for in quaint ambiance and friendly staff.

The zoo is located within a large park that offers spring-training baseball and concerts under the stars.  It’s a quick drive from everything you need to complete your day, whether it be food, shopping or a place to catch a few winks- that Tucson sun can wipe out the best of us.

The Reid Park Zoo is affordable, too:

Admission Fees
$6.00 adults ages 15-61
$4.00 seniors ages 62 and over
$2.00 children ages 2-14
FREE for children under 2 years
Reserved school groups $0.50 per child
FREE for members.

The kids had a blast.  There are interactive exhibits and walk-through aviaries and places to get wet.  Who doesn’t love that?

Wherever your journeys take you, a trip to the zoo is a good way to make a lasting memory for the entire family.

Photos: Whit Honea

Do you hear that sound?  Do you smell that smell?  Do you see that long slow line of traffic ahead of you on the 101?  Oh yeah, that means Dodger Stadium Opening Day is coming up – Monday April 13, 2009.  Getting tickets to the event is tricky, but the Dodger corporation is trying to make it easier for Joe Baseball Fan to get them by registering here.

Even if you don’t make it to Opening Day, the fact that it’s coming means you have months of baseball stadium goodness opportunities ahead of you.  Los Angeles may not have much in the way of football, and Lakers tickets might be completely out of the question for most people, but there’s always Dodger Stadium.  As locals will tell you, getting there is no joke.  The famous Los Angeles traffic snafu is made worse every time there’s a game, so luckily there are traffic and entry tips on the team’s website.

Not being a huge baseball fan myself, I go for the excitement – the roar of the crowd, the music, the expensive beer and snacks .  This will be the year our family brings our two young sons to their first professional baseball game, so I’m psyching myself up and breaking out some insider tips from last year’s 50th anniversary PR movement, courtesy of Dodgers Ambassador Corey Eisner.

TOP THREE PLACES TO SCORE AN AUTOGRAPH

The stadium gates open two hours before the game, giving your family a chance to enjoy the sights and sounds of the ballpark. There are three great places around the ballpark where you can bring the kids to get autographs.

1. Out behind the centerfield wall there is an area known to fans as Autograph Alley. Each game, a Dodger Legend signs autographs for youngsters and adults alike. All you have to do is hop in line and you will receive the autograph of Dodger greats such as Ron Cey, Bobby Castillo, or Tommy Davis. The Alley gives fans of all ages a chance to converse about Dodger history and start their autograph collections.
2. Also out in centerfield, Dodger fans have the opportunity no other fans have, they can step out onto the warning track. At Chavez Ravine, fans can walk out onto the dirt, behind a blocked off area, and enjoy batting practice with the big leaguers. Make sure you bring your baseball gloves, as home runs fly into the area during batting practice, giving your kids a great opportunity to catch an official Major League baseball.
3. Another great place to start your child’s autograph collection is on the field level at aisle 27A. All children are allowed to come down next to the Dodgers dugout where they have the opportunity to get autographs from current Dodger superstars. The key to autograph success is to come early!

Between each inning there are bloopers, highlights, and interactive games that appear on the Dodgervision scoreboard to entertain the fans. Also, feel free to pick up a Dodgers Magazine which includes a scorecard so that you can teach your kids all about baseball.  Attending a Dodger game over the summer is a great activity and something your family can get excited about together. If you can’t make it to a game, go for a behind the scenes tour.

For discounted tickets visit the E-saver page on the Dodgers website. Promotions change almost weekly with different discounts on tickets. Also, children 3 and under are free!

[photos courtesy of Dodgers.com]

It’s not true that nobody walks in L.A.  Sure, the city is spread out over an area bigger than some small states, but best way to see it is to find a popular spot and get out of the car.  You can’t get the sounds, smells, and sense of a city from inside a metal box.  Luckily, you don’t have to go it alone, wandering the city aimlessly.  Several companies and organizations offer guided walking tours of notable places in Los Angeles.  If you take one of them, you’ll learn more than Joe Tourist cruising down Sunset in his rented Chrysler Sebring Convertible, inevitably stuck in traffic, watching as you stroll by.

Get right down to the source at El Pueblo De Los Angeles – the place where the city was founded in 1779.  Docents will take you on a free 50 minute tour in the heart of the city, close to Union Station and Walt Disney Concert Hall.  Tours run Tuesday through Saturday at 10AM and noon, a good way to kill time in between other sightseeing stops.

Founder’s Plaque [photo courtesy of El Pueblo de los Angeles]

So yeah, yeah, I know you’re not headed to Los Angeles just for the history, you’re headed to HOLLYWOOD, baby!  There’s a few walking tours for that too.

The Backpacker Behind the Scenes Walking Tour takes only 1 hour and 15 minutes, brings you inside some of the more iconic Hollywood sites like Grauman’s Chinese Theater and Hollywood and Highland (home of the Academy Awards ceremony and the American Idol finals), and features wireless headsets so you can hear the tour guide over the din of the masses and the inevitable traffic.  Tours operate several times daily and prices start at $21.99 for adults, less for children 9-15, and infants are free.

Hollywood & Highland [photo courtesy of The Backpacker]

Backpacker’s Rival, the Redline Tour, offers a similar “Behind the Scenes” tour with the same hot spots and wireless headsets, but this one touts “legendary gossip” and an adult price tag that is $2 cheaper.

Grauman’s Chinese Theater [photo courtesy of redlinetours.com]

For a closer look at modern Hollywood, the one that’s all about business, take the NBC Studios tour in Burbank.  This tour is just over an hour and takes you around the stages where the television shows are taped, and kids can see themselves flying in a Superman scene.  This website also tells you how to get tickets to an NBC show taping.

For an all-day immersive Hollywood experience splurge on the Sony Pictures Studios Hollywood Walking Tour With LA & Beverly Hills Movie Stars’ Homes Tour (Minibus/Walking) from All Los Angeles Tours.  That title must be why the price tag is so high.  Oh, and the fact that you are on this tour for 8 hours (bring snacks!) and you also get to rest on the bus.  Operates Monday through Friday with courtesy pickups from most major LA area hotels.  The tour includes a mozy around the Sony studio lot, a drive-by of major stars’ homes, an hour at Grauman’s Chinese Theater and a chance to grab some lunch (not included) and then the basic Hollywood walking tour as offered by the other vendors above.  I hope you get a good tour guide, because you’ll be spending all day with that person!  Tickets are $74.99 for adults, and this tour is not recommended for very young children.

[photo courtesy of sony studios . com]

But you went on vacation to get away from the television, right?  The Los Angeles Conservancy offers a family-friendly walking tour of Union Station.  It is 45 minutes long and geared toward children 7-11, but does NOT include running amok on a train.  Rats.  Fourth Saturday of the month at 11:00 AM, tickets are $5 and $10.  The Conservancy also offers several other walking tours around downtown Los Angeles.

Union Station [photo courtesy of iNeTours.com]

If you’re getting familiar with downtown, check out this interactive guide to downtown Los Angeles by the University of Southern California.  Click on an area of the map and it gives you more detail with major landmarks, and click on one of those for a gorgeous photo.  Use this as a study guide before your trip and you’ll recognize the landmarks when you get there.

Walt Disney Concert Hall [photo courtesy of J. Mapes]

For the baseball fans, Dodgers Stadium offers an inside look for only $10 and $15.  The 90-minute tour takes you onto the field, into the Dodger dugout and The Dugout Club, the training center, and the press box.  This is something you wouldn’t get by just attending a baseball game.

[photo courtesy of dodgers.com]