Best Minor League Baseball Stadiums

With the All-Star Break here, the boys of summer are in full swing—if you’re a baseball fan, you’re probably breathing a whole lot easier this time of year. But even if you’re not a follower of America’s Pastime, the sport has plenty to offer intrigued travelers of all stripes. If you’re interested in the glitz and muscle of the professional realm, major league stadiums can provide rich historical value and state-of-the-art technology in addition to the game’s drama. But if you’re a general fan of baseball, paying a visit to the minor leagues can give you a look at baseball in its purest form—players hustle on a stipend rather than a salary, and there’s a good chance you’ll see one of the game’s future stars. Autographs are easy to come by. Minor league owners will do whatever it takes to draw fans, which spells frequent promotions, ridiculous between-inning entertainment, great food selection and bizarre mascots. You’ll leave a scorecard full of names you’ve never heard of, but it’s one of the most affordable and pleasurable ways to spend a summer night out.


AutoZone Park
Memphis, TN

LOWDOWN: Sadly, many modern stadiums aren’t much more than glorified flood plains built on the outskirts of town. Autozone Park throws that trend under the bus. Erected in smack-dab downtown just minutes from the historic Beale Street, Autozone sports a classic brick look, an intimate view of the players and a splendid variety of food.
Home of the St. Louis Cardinals’ Triple-A affiliate, the Redbirds, Autozone Park doesn’t need its colleagues’ finicky gimmickry to attract a crowd (though it has its share of it, too). The stadium was modeled after classic parks like Fenway in Boston and Wrigley in Chicago, and to that end there’s nary a bad seat in the park. If you’re looking for a cheap place to snag a home run ball, bring a blanket to the left field Bluff area for a paltry $5 admission. The best seats top out around 20 bucks, and nearly every angle of action is visible, including a sexy snapshot of downtown Memphis. Regardless of where you sit, the video screen in center-right field is the largest in minor league baseball.
-Visitors rave about the park’s food selection, which can be encapsulated in its choice of hot dogs—traditional wieners are also joined by kosher and veggie dogs. Memphis’s trademark culinary fingerprints can be found on the fan favorite Barbeque Nachos.
-Autozone Park’s front office must have some sort of stake in the bobblehead industry, because their promotional schedule is flush with offers for the kitschy collectible. You can expect at least two per month, so new season ticket holders will have to make sure to keep some shelf (or closet) space clear. You can also bet on fireworks at least once a weekend, typically on Saturdays.
All in all, Autozone Park has the look of a classic major league park for minor league prices. It makes for a fine stop before a night out on Beale Street or as a family destination.

Dell Diamond
Round Rock, TX

LOWDOWN: Diehard baseball fans know it’s a tough task to convince agnostic friends or family to tag along for a game. Why waste a night watching swings and misses when you could be, say, rock climbing? Or swimming? Jumping on a trampoline? Enter Dell Diamond, the home of the Round Rock Express, where there’s so much to do you might forget there’s actually a baseball game going on.
- Named after its partial owner, Hall-of-Fame pitcher Nolan “The Express” Ryan, the typical beer, brats and baseball fare is all there. But Dell Diamond really wants to entertain you. If the Houston Astros-affiliated Triple-A squad fails to keep the attention of you or a loved one, you can pick up a pass to the recreation area, which features all the activities listed above—trampolines, a swimming pool, hot tub, climbing wall, basketball court, batting cage, and more. Seating is intimate and clear throughout the stadium; some seats behind home plate reside closer to the batter’s box than the pitcher’s mound itself, while affordable seating can be found in the 3,000-capacity grassy berm that stretches past the outfield walls.
- Texan pride is evident throughout the stadium—80% of materials used to build the park are from in-state businesses. Stop by Texadelphia, outside the grassy berm, to sample some fine Texas eateries. No worry if that’s not your gig—there’s a fantastic variety of food kiosks positioned all around the stadium offering anything from pizza to margaritas to funnel cakes.
As modern and fan-centric as Dell Diamond is, they haven’t lost sight of tradition, either: Fans have been known to “pass the hat” after a player hits a home run, a pre-World War II custom that gives donations to players who don’t make fat major-league salaries.

Bears and Eagles Riverfront Stadium
Neward, NJ

LOWDOWN: Newark admittedly isn’t the most appealing tourist destination, and attendance at Bear and Eagles Riverfront Stadium has taken a major hit over the past couple years. But we’ll be damned if its new owners aren’t doing everything in their power to try to attract visitors: Of all the independent league teams in America, the Bears reportedly boast the most former major league players ever assembled on one roster, as well as a clean, spacious ballpark with a view of the Manhattan skyline.
- This season, management took advantage of a frugal free agent market to sign fifteen former major-leaguers. Depending on how you look at it, it’s either the most talented group of players in the independent leagues or the biggest collection of has-beens and retreads ever assembled, including former All-Stars Keith Foulke and Armando Benitez and bad boys Carl Everett and Shawn Chacon (it’s worth a ticket price alone to catch a potential ego meltdown). Autograph seekers may have no easier chance to meet Expos great Tim Raines, the current Bears manager. Many of the guys are playing with the hopes they will be signed to major-league deals, so you can still expect some hustle despite their age.
- Bears and Eagles Stadium was built within the city, meaning some concessions had to be made to fit it in; luckily, this works to the fan’s advantage—the seating area is still spacious, there’s just less foul territory. That means a seat near the first or third base side gives ample opportunity to snag a souvenir ball. And tickets are dirt-cheap, topping out at ten bucks. Center field also offers a distant but clear view of downtown Manhattan.
There’s a light-rail system to and from the park, though many complain about long wait times. If that ain’t your gig, parking is affordable and easy around the stadium, usually peaking at around $5. In all, Bears and Eagles Stadium plays the affordable alternative to its perennially overpriced and over-dramatic major-league neighbors, the Yankees and Mets. It’s a great place to grab a dose of summer baseball with the family without getting gouged.

Touting Time: Brooklyn Nomad

What we've learned from the world of blogging: Text is fine, but words can never quite satisfy like a vivid image can. Most of our days are spent staring at black print on white backgrounds, and except for the occasional image of a potbelly shrinking into a glistening six-pack in 30 days, we've become even more starved for something to jog our corneas.

Enter the Brooklyn Nomad. Not only does the Nomad rid us of that eye-rotting black on white background, but he litters his site with some of the most visually appealing photos I've seen in the travelsphere. His most recent entry is a fine example of such pleasing accompaniment: In four frames, we get to see a flat circle in the ground morph into a sci-fi-style port-a-potty. Some posts exist for the sole reason of pleasing our weary eyes with one gorgeous photograph, such as this entry on the Portland Head Lighthouse in Maine. If you missed the fireworks on the Fourth of July, his montage of stills from the top displays in the U.S. stands as a pretty fantastic document.

But the Nomad site isn't just some excuse for a pretty photo album. Andrew, the site's editor, has been writing about travel for years for media outlets from MSN to the New York Times and all in between, so you can trust his voice has credence. Some musings err on the side of informative, humorous or plain bizarre travel news--for example, the story of a man taking off all of his clothes mid-flight stands right above big news that Southwest Airlines has debuted in New York City.

Other posts take extensive looks at the Nomads' most recent destinations, which are picked apart and documented to an almost ridiculous extent of completeness. Each photograph is captioned with insightful info, such as in his massive log of the Wieliczka Salt Mine in Poland or the mountain resort Zakopane. And the Nomad is a thrifty traveler, but he's not greedy about his eye for good deals. He scooped us on a new jetBlue Airlines promotion on Twitter, jetBlueCheeps, which scopes out airfares as low as $9 before taxes. You can expect updates in that realm often, as he seems pretty in tune to the travelsphere.

The Brooklyn Nomad's approach to travel blogging isn't anything revolutionary--catching news, uploading pictures, providing commentary--but a trustworthy voice and a visually appealing site will always be welcome to fellow travelers. And for that, Where I've Been salutes the Brooklyn Nomad. (pic above courtesy the Brooklyn Nomad)

Where I'll Be: Peru

Cheers, WIB faithful--it's Eddie the Lowly Intern reporting, and I'm manning the office at a pretty surreal period right now. I just got back from visiting family and friends for the holiday weekend, and needless to say I'm exhausted from going to barbecues and setting things on fire. And now, for today and Tuesday, all of my attention is pretty much focused toward my 10-day trek to Peru which starts this Wednesday. Yes, Peru. Still trying to figure out how it makes sense. You know, why not?

Not that this was some knee-jerk quarter-life crisis decision (completely). My girlfriend and I had our sights set on this kind of trip for many moons, but we're at that weird stage of adulthood where dream trips like this can actually become reality--if you're willing to go broke, of course--and it won't feel real until the first time I shamefully mispronounce the l's in "pollo" at the local eatery.

Peru has hosted countless empires and ethnic groups over the years that have contributed to a wholly patchwork population, weaving in both old and modern traditions to make one all its own. Peru could ably represent a mini-collection of all the ecosystems on Earth--jagged mountain ranges with snow, wildlife-rich rainforests, arid deserts and pristine beaches. With so much to see, it ain't easy focusing on the burdens of real life. Thankfully, Where I've Been is supportive of my self-indulgence, and I'm going to give a pre-trip de-briefing of the coming adventure. It'll be good for a laugh when I return and confirm I didn't know what I was talking about.

Days 1 & 2: Lima

Lima is the capital and main hub for Peru. It also has a bean named after it that I avoided like the plague as a child.

That, in two shameful sentences, constitutes the wealth of knowledge I've retained on Lima in all my years of existence.

I'm not particularly proud of this. But I'd be lying if I said it were my all-time anticipated go-to city--I haven't gotten the chance to extensively study the town and my father isn't Rick Steves. The benefit I take from this is that I don't have unhealthily high expectations to color my experience, so I can only leave impressed, right?

We're going to stop in at a hostel called Pay Pirux, which is right by the airport, and spend a portion of a day checking out the cityscape. It's noted to harbor a historic city center, and that will be the ultimate destination in our quick jaunt through town.

Days 3, 4, 5 - Huaraz

Huaraz is roughly 400 km north of Lima and an eight-hour bus ride, where we're going up both horizontally and vertically. It's a smaller town in high altitudes, characterized by its spot amidst the Andes mountains and Cordillera Blanca agricultural region. It's a stop along the Inca Trail, which features a wealth of ancient architecture and ruins, and the views offered during Huaraz treks are said to be breathtaking. I'm also looking forward to the evening festivities, as July is host to some of Peru's national celebrations.

Days 6, 7, 8, 9 - Huacachina

I'd never heard of sandboarding and I'd never heard of Huacachina, but virtually all friends and books I've consulted seem to think the small town of 115 represents some form of heaven on earth. Just outside Ica, Huacachina is a literal oasis, a tiny city erected around a lake that once hosted vacationing aristocrats but now is more fit for hippies and thrill-seekers. Sandboarding is the big draw, which is pretty much what it sounds like (snowboarding on sand), a sport developed on the city's massive enveloping dunes. My awkward disposition sets me up for failure on that front, so I'm looking forward to an extreme dune buggy ride. Someone on Wikitravel claims a fellow by the name of "Chupon" is the finest buggy-master in the town, and naturally I'm intrigued to find out what the lifestyle of a dune buggy master entails. And despite the supposedly inflated tourist-special prices of the town, I'm fixin' to pretend I'm worldly and sip some Peruvian wine produced by some of the local bodegas. It's what the ghosts of the aristocracy would want me to do (they probably wouldn't, actually, which is more incentive to sip).

Per usual, I'll be spreading the glory of WIB wherever and whenever possible along the way. I'll be reporting back with pictures, video, stories and miscellany I gathered from the trip, and I'm sure there will be much to take away from the mistakes I make. In the meantime, be sure to follow @whereivebeen on Twitter for all the latest from the HQ.

Eddie, Intern
Where I've Been

Explosions in the sky

If you look at summer in America as one long, hot, sticky timeline, kicking off with Memorial Day and ending with Labor Day, then you could probably consider the Fourth of July the climax: It's the centerpiece of the three holidays, where we celebrate some our most treasured pastimes-- lawn games, baseball, barbeque, and blowing things up. And not necessarily in that order.

Past Fourth celebrations with my family in St. Louis were once carefully organized events--appetizers coincide with running through a sprinkler while the baseball game blares through a radio somewhere; that's all followed by a game of washers, then dinner, and then my uncle's wholesale-bonanza-of-fireworks show that seemed to grow unhealthily each year. That's a fine itinerary for worried mothers, who can stave off imagery of stumpy fingers until late into the evening when a few beers might have taken the edge off. But no longer.

From the moment we pull into my grandparents' driveway, my brother, cousins and I giddily dig through the piles of cardboard and gunpowder, like some sort of psychotic children on Pyro Christmas. This is the one time a year where it's socially acceptable to set things on fire. "What does this one do? A monkey on a tricycle that has turbo rockets, huh. Emits showers of sparks? Great, who has the lighter?" Blame it on the "have-now" culture of the Internet, maybe, but we no longer find a discernible reason to schedule when our fleet of tricycle monkeys should meet their ultimate end. If there's a wick and a lighter, forget it--it's in smithereens.

Call it morally reprehensible, dangerous, stupid--it's all of those, actually--but fireworks time also brings out a unique unifying spirit. The childlike grins on my father and uncles' faces as they chase each other with Roman candles--that's freedom, and the forefathers themselves wouldn't have it any other way. Regardless of their fears, the mothers eventually set out lawn chairs to watch us set our testosterone into flight, and as long as we come out with our appendages intact, the balancing act between entertainment and utter terror usually tilts toward entertainment. Reckless risk of injury in favor of explosion is a synonym for patriotism. And this weekend, call me Patrick Henry.

When the sparks have flown and the last snakes and smoke bombs have met their maker... now what? There's a whole stretch of arid dead air space until Labor Day. So why not explore the massive world outside America? Where I've Been has teamed with Lufthansa to land a spectacular $100 off promotion for any flights booked until the end of the year. But you have to book by July 5th! So in between the potato salad and the burger, plan your next adventure with Lufthansa and Where I've Been!

Touting Time: On This Very Spot

There's something oddly universal about the desire to plant our feet where giants once did; if we're superstitious enough, maybe we think that walking in the same footsteps as John Lennon in Strawberry Fields will allow us to capture something magical like the Beatles did. Or perhaps our being there binds us to his music and circumstances more than we thought could happen.

Whatever the case, On This Very Spot recognizes this innate human desire, and they're doing all in their power to help us realize its possibilities. On This Very Spot compiles hundreds of landmarks throughout history, from historical events to death sites to film locations, and gives you a handy scorecard of why each spot is significant and how to get there.

Most travel guides might give you a rundown of some ruins on a historical site, and that's all fine and good. But how about the spot where Harry Potter boarded the Hogwarts Express? Or the exact place where the ice cream cone was invented? Or, if you're feeling particularly morbid or want to pay your respects, the hotel where Anna Nicole Smith died? They've collected a comprehensive rolodex for virtually any point of interest.

In a way it feels like it could morph into an obsessive read for hobbyists and celeb-o-philes, and the user-generated content platform may welcome such folks. But it seems like the the keepers of On This Very Spot enact good judgment, so hopefully it's a way's away from "Visit where Jennifer Aniston got her mocha latte a few days ago." There is plenty of valuable information for curious travelers organized simply and intuitively. The site's design is nothing flashy, which (sadly) almost makes it hard to trust before we click. But a quick peek at each entry shows a great deal of care went into accurate storytelling and pinpointing where to go, with the city's top airports, public transit and geography all mapped out alongside pictures of the site.

The left sidebar on the site groups events, people and places in a wide variety of categories, which is almost begging for an hour of click-throughs. Like a lazy day on Wikipedia, it can be a blast getting lost in different places and personalities, learning about countless triumphs and tragedies.

If you've always wanted to walk in the footsteps of legends, there's no shame in it--On This Very Spot wants you to know it's a fully human trait. And who knows--maybe the spot you're sitting in right now will soon merit an entry in the site's hallowed archives.

Don't forget to follow @whereivebeen on Twitter.

Touting Time: The Global Traveller

Here's a blog that has been chugging along under the radar: The Global Traveller. Since 2006, this site has been dispensing valuable tips and commentary on the travel industry. And just this year, they've kicked it into high gear with their new series, "How to Get To..."

It's simple in theory but it's massive in scope: The Global Traveller is breaking down the ways to visit the most treasured destinations, noting the airlines that fly there and the lowdown on the airports you'll have to encounter along the way. There's considerable knowledge to be gleaned from here, and the voice behind the writing seems to have a wide range of firsthand experience. Let's say you wanted to know about the easiest methods to travel to the deserts of Saudi Arabia. The guide comes from some serious know-how, which can be surmised from the first paragraph:

Saudi Arabia can be reached by ferry across the Red Sea, by land across most borders, or by air. Due to the great distances involved, bus travel to/from Riyadh or Jeddah and all neighbouring countries is long and slow. The trip between Dammam and Kuwait, Doha, Qatar or United Arab Emirates is comparatively much shorter. Visitors with evidence of having visited Israel are denied entry. There are no roads across the border with Oman (but travel via United Arab Emirates is fine), and the road across the Iraq border may or may not be open.

The Global Traveller has either made a few go-rounds of the Middle East or has done some extensive research on the subject; regardless, this is someone who knows what they're talking about, and the "How To Get To" guide is the ideal primer for someone looking to plant the seeds of a journey. At the end of each rundown of the relevant air carriers and stops, there's an extra handful of legitimately helpful tips--for example, did you know marketing companies offer cheap airfare package deals to Saudi Arabia during the season of the Hajj, the Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca?

While the How To Get To guides have been a considerable chunk of the Global Traveller's recent content, there's plenty else the site offers in between. To wit, the cautious among us will want to check out the site's update on the world swine flu pandemic. Every so often, TGT will put forth an extensive look at important tools for travel fiends, called "Flyer Tips." I found the bit on airline revenue management to be particularly enlightening as it hashes out the economics of why our flights cost what they do, and it gives a funny imagined conversation to set the scene (and highlight just how ridiculous the booking process is).

So if you have your sights set on world domination or just a quick jaunt across the pond, the Global Traveller provides the perfect launching pad.

Check out the Global Traveller on Twitter (@globtrav), and don't forget to add us too (@whereivebeen).

Touting Time: Simon Seeks

Where I've Been firmly believes in the concept of travel endorsed by familiar faces, which is the new foundation of our site. Guidebooks can be helpful, but there's something about attaching a name and picture to a chunk of advice rather than a brand name. And it looks like that's what the beta launch of Simon Seeks has in mind, too.

With a mantra of "Travel guides for you, by you," Simon Seeks gives anyone the platform to create and publish their own personalized travel guides however they see fit--and get paid for their work.

It sounds almost too good to be true, right? For one, since there are fewer barriers to entry than a typical travel guidebook, you might expect the quality of writing to be inferior. But just a quick browse through the content dashes this notion--take this guide on Chicago neighborhoods by Emma Sturgess, for example. It's simple but thorough, friendly but erudite--almost like a new resident learning the ins and outs of the area from a friendly neighbor. And frankly, that's the way it should be. Simon Seeks allows anyone to contribute to the site, but they also pledge a review process to ensure each guide is accurate and helpful.

Since we dig Emma's tone and style, we're interested in seeing what other hot spots she recommends. Thankfully, there's a handy snippet of her most recent works on the sidebar of the same article, as well as some relevant links if we want to learn more about Chicago neighborhoods. The site's interface is clean and inviting, allowing users to rate and add commentary to each guide. If we're finished checking out Emma's guides, the "Writers" tab on the top has a list of the travel experts, ranked by rating, and nearly all provide informed advice.

So what if you think you can outdo these experts? Then hop on board, pilgrim. For those unsure of their writing chops, they offer some helpful tips on getting your thoughts across clearly and concisely. And yes, you can get paid--Simon Seeks offers a commission-based program where income is accumulated from advertising click-throughs on your guide's page. If you're interested in the ins and outs and what-have-yous of the payout process, check out their Terms of Service.

Simon Seeks is new to the travelsphere, but it's hard not to like their mission: Advice for the people, by the people. Where I've Been commends them for a helpful site that is simple to use.

Don't forget to follow us on Twitter (@whereivebeen)!