Fenway Park

Fenway Park
Boston, MA
Summer 2011
http//www.redsox.mlb.com/
Game Day Atmosphere: Unbelievable!  Red Sox Nation is everywhere! We were in different parts of the city on game-day and the amount of shirts, hats, jerseys, etc. that we saw was amazing!  Of course, you must partake and wear your Red Sox gear to feel part of it!
Stay: In downtown Boston.  There are some nice hotels in the city that are close to everything.  Lots of families and tourists.
View: Incredible! Fenway Park opened in 1912 and is the oldest MLB ballpark.  When you see the Green Monster and sea of Red Sox Nation pouring in to the stadium it is a step back in history, which goes hand-in-hand with the entire Boston experience.
Arrive: Take the subway and get off at Kenmore Station, but allow plenty of time.  Boston was unique from other major city subway systems in that there would be "subway traffic" and we would be at a complete stop for several minutes.
Concessions: Get an Italian Sausage dressed with onions and peppers.  These folks know how to prepare food at Fenway.  Pizza, pretzels, and dogs were also very good.
Not advertised: Yawkey Way, the street outside of Fenway Park, is closed 2-3 hours prior to first pitch on game days and is a must visit.  There are street performers, food vendors, a huge Red Sox store, and many other sights.  It is located outside Fenway Park between home plate and left field.
Not in the box score: Seeing MLB history is just amazing.  Knowing that Babe Ruth, Ted Williams (look for the famous and only red seat in the outfield where Williams hit the longest home run at Fenway Park at 502 feet), Carl Yastrzemski, and Carlton Fisk (most know the right field pole is named The Pesky Pole, but the left field foul pole is named The Fisk Pole for the infamous home run Fisk waved fair in the 1975 World Series) played here takes your breath away.
Final Box: St. Boston Red Sox 13 Kansas City Royals 9
Attendance: 37,460 Time: 3:52

Yankee Stadium

Yankee Stadium
New York (Bronx), NY
Summer 2011
http//www.yankees.mlb.com/
Game Day Atmosphere: Amazing anywhere you are in the city.  People are wearing Yankees attire just about everywhere you go. 
Stay: In Manhattan.  You don't want to stay in the Bronx unless you know someone and stay at their house.
View: The view of the Bronx is not very exciting, but you are in Yankee Stadium.
Arrive: Take one of the many subway trains to 161st street/Yankee Stadium.  Lots of people take the subway to get to the game and there are plenty of people to ask if you need directions.
Concessions: Disappointed with the food at Yankee Stadium.  Overpriced and not very good.  You can't go wrong with a Nathan's Famous hot dog though.
Not advertised: Arrive very early to visit Monument Park beyond Center Field.  Although the park stays open until 45 minutes prior to game time, plan on arriving at least an hour and a half prior to first pitch or you won't get in to visit Monument Park.
Not in the box score: At the very top of the 1st inning, watch and listen for the fans in right field.  They will chant the Yankee position players (except for pitcher and catcher) and continue chanting until the Yankee player acknowledges the fans.  Nick Swisher is quite a character in the outfield and usually does something unique for the fans.
Final Box: Oakland Athletics 4, New York Yankees 3
Attendance: 46,188 Time: 3:45

Citi Field

Citi Field
New York (Queens), NY

Summer 2011

http//www.mets.mlb.com/

Game Day Atmosphere: Not the same as the Yankees, but still you're in NYC and the fans love their sports teams here.
Stay: In Manhattan, I wouldn't stay in Queens unless you knew someone and stayed at their house.
View: The ballpark itself is beautiful, but there is really no scenery beyond. The coolest thing is probably seeing all of the airplanes take off from nearby LaGuardia airport during the entire game.
Arrive: Take the "7" train (subway) from Manhattan. It runs every few minutes and will only cost you $4.50 roundtrip.
Concessions: Some of the best we've seen. Many, many options for all ages. You can dress your dog with lots of options. Of course, I recommend a Nathan's Famous hot dog.
Not advertised: The Mets have their "Big Apple" that will pop up if the home team slams a home run during the game. Unfortunately, we did not get to see the famous icon during the game. However, the Mets have the original Big Apple outside the stadium from Shea Stadium (their previous stadium from the 1960's) where you can view and take pics.
Not in the box score: Albert Pujols, from the visiting St. Louis Cardinals, hit a home run bomb in the first inning. It was a 9-pitch at-bat that was quite a battle.
Final Box: St. Louis Cardinals 6, New York Mets 2
Attendance: 37,416 Time: 2:07

Oriole Park at Camden Yards

Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Baltimore, MD
Summer 2011
http//www.orioles.mlb.com/Game Day Atmosphere: You really wouldn't know there was a ballgame in Baltimore except for the very heavy following of the "Fenway Park South" faithful Boston Red Sox fans who made the trek down from Boston for the series vs the Orioles. It doesn't help that the Orioles were currently in last place in their division and have had quite a hard time in recent years fielding a winning ball club.
Stay: Close to the Inner Harbor area. Baltimore isn't the nicest or cleanest city in the U.S. However, the Inner Harbor area is beautiful and worth the extra pennies for a safe stay.
View: Camden Yards was the "first of the new" ballparks escaping the cookie-cutter multi-use stadiums. They've done a wonderful job incorporating the old with the new. Perfect example is the old warehouse just beyond right field and a view of the city just beyond center.
Arrive: Walk from the Inner Harbor area. It's just a short walk and many families will accompany your walk to and from the game.
Concessions: Typical ballpark food. Hot dogs, pretzels, pizza, burgers, etc. Nothing too fancy, but the vendors seemed to be more visible than other parks during the game.
Not advertised: The Orioles mark the longest home run balls hit at Camden Yards beyond right field out of the stadium by placing a brass baseball marker in the concrete with the player's name, distance, and date.
Not in the box score: The O's fans will belt out "O" during the final verse of The Star Spangled Banner.
Final Box: Baltimore Orioles 6 Boston Red Sox 2
Attendance: 32,314 Time2:37

How to plan for a baseball trip top 10 list

1. Decide where you want to go, new part of the country, places you've always wanted to go, maybe knock 2 birds out with 1 stone approach.
2. Check the MLB schedule and when the home city will be in town, this is not always as easy as you think!
3. Map out home cities with teams' schedules and make sure they synnchronize so you'll see the teams when you are in those cities...in other words don't go to NYC if Yankees and Mets are not both at home within 2 weeks of each other...pick another place to go or another time to go if possible.
4. Plan where you will stay (Hotel for us, will you walk to stadium, drive, cab, public transit, what's the best area for families/kids...near ballpark or no?)
5. Leave enough travel time for the unexpected (traffic, detours, weather, etc.)
6. How long will you stay in each city? (We stayed longer in cities such as Chicago, Wash D.C., San Diego, etc. that have lots to do...we stayed shorter in Milwaukee, Detroit, Cincinnati, etc.)
7. Buy your tickets on-line thru the MLB team site if possible, saves you money rather than going on StubHub, Vertex tickets, or other sites that will jack up prices. Don't risk buying at the stadium, you may not sit with your family.
8. Decide on other things you want to do in the home city...any other site-seeing, things you must do while you are there?
9. Take lots of photos! These stadiums are so very different, enjoy the unique qualities of each.
10. Buy a souvenir from each stadium, either a different trinket from each place or something of the same from each place (we buy a baseball from each stadium)

Have fun! This is America's Past-time!