Dream Fields

By Laura Koss-Feder

The beckoning American road. The diverse panorama of American cities. The excitement of the great American sport. Alan Salomon is devoted to them all. And so, nearly every summer for the past 20 years, Salomon, 62, a divorced free-lance writer from Memphis, Tenn., has taken off for a week or two on a baseball road trip. Usually tracking his beloved St. Louis Cardinals, he drives by himself to as many as 15 games in different stadiums in a particular region of the country. When he isn't munching on hot dogs and rooting for his team, he takes time to sightsee, try out new restaurants and hook up with local friends. "I have a passion for baseball that keeps me going back each year," he says. "I love taking in the grand old stadiums, getting a feel for the new ones and just connecting with other old-time fans like myself."

Road trippers such as Salomon who follow their favorite major or minor league baseball team--or just enjoy the color and variety of new destinations and stadiums--are becoming a more frequent sight at games across the country. The number of people 50 or older who go stadium hopping is growing 10% to 20% a year, says Jeff Wills, vice president of marketing for Roadtrips Inc., a sports-travel company based in Winnipeg, Man. His company arranges regional multicity baseball trips to the 30 major league North American parks.

Such jaunts take these sports lovers back to the glory days of baseball's legendary players--and to their own youth. "The fans in this age group are reminded of a simpler time in their lives," says Laurel Prieb, vice president of marketing for the Milwaukee Brewers. "There's just such a romance to baseball that makes this kind of vacation especially appealing."

In addition, the anxious aftermath of Sept. 11, coupled with a poor economy, has made inexpensive driving trips more attractive. "Nowadays especially, baseball trips are a relatively cheap, safe way to have a unique kind of experience you will never forget," says Margaret Engel, co-author of the recent edition of Fodor's Baseball Vacations (Random House).

Road trips, with plenty of time in the car together, also give baby boomers the chance to strengthen and renew relationships with siblings, spouses, kids and grandchildren. "These vacations are a real family affair," says Michael Veeck of Charleston, S.C., who is a co-owner of six minor league teams and a consultant to the Detroit Tigers. He is anticipating a 50% rise this season over last year in the number of people 50 or older taking road trips to the minor league parks.

For Jerry Daly, 58, who runs his own public-relations firm in Herndon, Va., a first-time, week-long road trip this year to baseball stadiums in Boston, Pittsburgh, Baltimore and New York City will be a way of sharing a love for the game and spending some time with his brother Larry, 61, an Evansville, Ind., lawyer. The brothers used to take their father on a trip every year for his birthday. After their father died two years ago, the two discussed doing some kind of annual outing as a way to remain close. When Jerry gave his brother a book listing every baseball stadium in the country, an idea was born. "Our goal is to go to every major league baseball stadium in the country, a few at a time each summer," Jerry says. "It's a chance to drink a little beer, enjoy the game and stay close--especially since our dad is not here anymore."

Burt Rosenberg, 61, will be observing a family tradition when he takes a Northeast baseball trip this summer with his son Leonard, 35. The two busy Chicago lawyers have been taking a father-son vacation of some kind since Leonard was in high school. This year's trip was inspired by one a decade ago, when they flew to California and took a West Coast baseball road trip for five days. "Our trip to California took me back to my days when my father brought me to Comiskey Park to see games," Rosenberg says. "It was a constant high being with my son at the ballpark, and I want to relive that special feeling again."

Some stadium hoppers value it as a way to bond with friends. Caetinna McGary, 76, a retired food-service director, has made the love of her hometown Cincinnati Reds and desire to follow the team the cornerstone of her social life. After being widowed in 1963, McGary joined the Rosie Reds--a national organization of female Reds fans--as a way to meet friends in a comfortable setting. Since 1967, she has taken more than 60 baseball bus trips to both spring training and in-season games with as many as 50 friends at a time. Through her years of devotion to the team, McGary has become more than a fan. "My trips have allowed me to really get to know the players. The Reds are almost like extended family to me," she says. "I've baby-sat for Pete Rose's children, gone to Johnny Bench's first wedding and partied at [Reds owner] Marge Schott's estate."

For her baseball jaunts, McGary turned to specialists. Provident Travel of Cincinnati arranges all-inclusive motor-coach baseball trips of as many as 10 days to see the Reds play in various stadiums. A seven-day trip costs $1,650 a person. Provident also takes travelers--anywhere from 50 to 200 at a time--on one-week baseball cruises where they get to hobnob with their favorite Reds players. The price tag: $1,825 a person. These costs are in line with what do-it-yourself trippers end up paying. Free-lance writer Salomon's typical expenses for a two-week trip--including accommodations at moderately priced hotels, gasoline, meals in and out of the stadium, baseball tickets and general sightseeing--are $2,000 to $2,500.

How can you plan your baseball expedition? Start by selecting an area of the country you want to visit that has parks within about two to four hours of one another so the driving stays manageable. Schedule games with enough time in between to relax, refresh and do some sightseeing. Travel writer Engel suggests two days in each city. Log on to websites like www.mlb.com and search through baseball magazines to find game schedules. It is often possible to obtain tickets for many major league teams and just about all minor league teams several days in advance by calling a team's box office or a local ticket outlet. Even so, you want to plot your course and book your hotel stays at least two weeks in advance in minor league towns, three weeks for the major league cities, Engel says.

Contact convention and visitors bureaus to obtain hotel information and city maps. When researching hotels, try to find those within your budget that are in walking distance of the stadiums. Some hotel chains will even offer packages that include accommodations and baseball tickets. Concierges can assist in obtaining tickets, and some can even help you get behind-the-scenes stadium tours, says Laura Bates, vice president of resorts and leisure travel for Marriott International. An insider's tip from Engel: contact your team's office to find out at which hotels the team stays in various cities. "You may catch an up-close glimpse of a favorite player in the hotel lobby, and you may be able to get a fan discount at these hotels," she says.

The planning can get intricate. But baseball aficionados wouldn't trade their road trips for anything. "Seeing the monuments to greats like [Babe] Ruth and [Lou] Gehrig at Yankee Stadium is a slice of history at its very, very best," Salomon says. "Couple this with the freedom to get in my car and leave when I want to, and I have the perfect vacation."