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Most minor-league teams play from early April through early September, after which come several weeks of playoffs and championships. Tickets are generally available the day of the game, but for the best seats order ahead online or call the box office.
For detailed information on parks and destinations, and advice on planning your trip, consult Fodor's Baseball Vacations (Bruce Adams and Margaret Engel, Fodor's, 2002), which covers 117 ballparks—major- and minor-league—across the United States, with reviews of nearby restaurants, hotels, and sights.
KeySpan Park: Brooklyn Cyclones
(New York–Penn League; Single-A short-season)
1904 Surf Ave., Brooklyn, N.Y.; 718/449-8497;
www.brooklyncyclones.com; tickets from $5.
Thomas J. Dodd Memorial Stadium: Connecticut Defenders
(Eastern League; Double-A) 14 Stott Ave., Norwich, Conn.;
860/887-7962; www.ctdefenders.com; tickets from $5.
McCoy Stadium: Pawtucket Red Sox
(International League; Triple-A)
1 Ben Mondor Way, Pawtucket, R.I.; 401/724-7300;
www.pawsox.com; tickets from $6.
Campanelli Stadium: Brockton Rox
(Can-Am League; independent)
1 Feinberg Way, Brockton, Mass.; 508/559-7000;
www.brocktonrox.com; tickets from $4.
Hadlock Field: Portland Sea Dogs
(Eastern League; Double-A)
271 Park Ave., Portland, Maine; 207/874-9300; www.seadogs.com; tickets from $3 for children and seniors, from
$6 for adults.
Cape Cod Baseball League
Ten teams play 44 games between June and August at 10 parks around Cape Cod, most of them
at high schools, where families picnic and children race after foul balls. It's as casual,
as pure, and as exciting a version of baseball as exists nowadays. Best of all, it's free.
508/432-6909; www.capecodbaseball.org.
A highly subjective roundup of favorite minor-league ballparks—and their teams—across the country.
Harbor Park: Norfolk Tides
(International League; Triple-A)
Gorgeous, riverfront Harbor
Park opened in 1993. The Tides, a Mets affiliate and
traditionally a strong upper-echelon club, have faltered at
times, but the fans keep pouring in, not least for the
wide-open sight lines and pleasant views of downtown and
the Elizabeth River.
150 Park Ave., Norfolk, Va.; 757/622-2222; www.norfolktides.com; tickets from $8.50.
Fifth Third Field: Dayton Dragons
(Midwest League; Single-A)
Movie-mogul owners Peter Guber and Paul Schaeffer have
filled their handsome 7,230-seat, $22 million park with a
Hollywood back lot's worth of amusements, including a
senior citizens' singing troupe called, ahem, the
Retirement Village People. Oh, yeah, and the
Dragons—a Cincinnati Reds farm team—play
great ball.
220 N. Patterson Blvd., Dayton, Ohio; 937/228-2287;
www.daytondragons.com; tickets from $7.
Isotopes Park: Albuquerque Isotopes
(Pacific Coast League; Triple-A)
Both the Isotopes (a Florida Marlins affiliate)
and their stadium (a 12,700-seat retro park with quirky
Atomic Age design) debuted in 2003. Inside you'll find a
vast picnic area in left field, a grassy berm in right, and
a beautiful mountain vista beyond—and some pretty
great burritos, tacos, and churros at the concession stand.
(The brilliant team name, by the way, comes from a joke on
The Simpsons.)
1601 Avda. César Chavez SE, Albuquerque;
505/924-2255; www.albuquerquebaseball.com; tickets from
$5.
Raley Field: Sacramento River Cats
(Pacific Coast League; Triple-A)
The 14,400 seats at Raley Field, on the banks of the
Sacramento River, make it one of the largest stadiums in
the minors— and with fans this dedicated, they need
the space. California's capital went baseball-less for a
quarter-century before getting the Cats in 2000; since then
they've shattered minor-league attendance records. From the
infield, there are inspiring views of golden-arched Tower
Bridge and the city skyline beyond. And with comfortable
seating, affordable concessions, and a family-centric
crowd, Raley feels as intimate as any park half its size.
400 Ballpark Dr., West Sacramento, Calif.; 916/376-4700;
www.rivercats.com; tickets from $6.
Fenway Park
For any baseball fan traveling through New England, a stop at Fenway is essential. Hour-long
guided tours take you inside the press box, onto the hallowed Green Monster, and (if you're
lucky) out on the field itself.
Red Sox Ticket Office, 4 Yawkey Way, Boston; 617/226-6666; www.redsox.com;
adults $8, children under 14 $5; tours year-round.
Generations Touring Co. (888/415-9100; www.generationstouringcompany.com; $2,499 per adult, $2,199 per child under 12) is leading an East Coast baseball pilgrimage July 27 through August 2. You'll start with a Yankees game and then circle the bases from Cooperstown to Boston to Rhode Island— in a motor coach with a TV tuned to baseball movies.
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