2013 MLB TRIP, Advice needed

Hi guys. I'm looking at planning a trip to the states maybe for the 2013 MLB season. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Is it possible to book a package with tickets or maybe all (flights, hotel, tickets) separate. Not sure how best to do it. How far in advance are schedules available etc...

Book everything separate mate. The schedule comes out around the turn of the year I think?

Depending on what teams you want to see the cheapest way would be to book a return flight to one city new York for example go to see the mets/Yankees then go to Boston or Philli on the train or bus or if you want to go to specific games an internal flight, chicago for example with two teams there end up back in new York when you've done what you want maybe time it to see the team you didnt see when you arrived and fly home.

Not saying that's the only way but that's how I'd do it, combining baseball with seeing various cities. Depends on your budget really and how long you want to go for.

You got any specific teams in mind or just want to catch some games?

I follow the Red Sox but not sure I would want to stay in Boston. I like the idea of a trip to New York. Hopefully catch a BOS@NYY series but I just enjoy watching the game so would happily watch the Yankees or Mets as well.

I'm going to New York at the end of the month. I took a fairly expensive option of buying tickets through stub hub - but you get to choose your seats - I figured that it might be the only chance I get to go there so what the heck.

With the size of the NY stadiums tickets are often available throughout the year (not the best seats of course), but I'd recommend booking as early as possible in the season i.e as soon as single tix go on sale (i.e April).

Overall I'd say go with Stub hub - great seats make a difference - stay out of the top decks if at all possible. Why not have a trial 'choose' on their website - you can go through the motions without having to input your details or pay. You can then go on a virtual stadium site to see the view from your seat.

Yankees

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=v...ddhUe9UnMcJwzvg

Mets

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=v...Ck2eBtTIs3q9ywQ

Red Sox

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=v...hZKkUM-GHMEG61A

As a result of advice here I've also booked a day to Philly for $72.00 on the train - so that's very doable -same with Boston, there's a great luxury bus that does a 2hour run between the cities

I would however recommend Boston as destination to anyone - great city. Fenway is a must do for anyone.


Other thing I'd recommend if you stay in NY and travelling out is not an option is to check out one of the affiliate teams - Staten Island Yankees for example (great view of Manhattan from the ballpark) or even the Atlantic league teams on Long Island

So many teams - so little time!


Rob

Or the Brooklyn cyclones at coney island

I'd go with stub hub too I usually buy through them rather than the official website, it's mainly season ticket holders selling their seats and all guaranteed etc. if its not a big game seats are often cheaper on there than face value anyway in my experience.

I find planning the trip is almost as good as going, but that's just me lol

Draft schedules come out late in the year/turn of the year, and firmed up February/March time.

I always book everything myself. I have a spreadsheet of the whole season this year, so I can plan my multi-city trips. You can download each team's home schedule from mlb.com - so I have a script that does that and then combines it all into a single spreadsheet (anybody want the 2012 season spreadsheet? PM me)

The advantage of flying from the UK to/from Boston is that it's pretty much the shortest flight. You could always travel by train from Boston - it's one of the few real passenger lines in the USA. You could visit Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington DC.

If you find the prices for Yankees games are too steep for you, try to catch them playing at Baltimore - you can get great club seats for $50 and it'll pretty much be a Yankees crowd anyway. OTOH, part of the reason to visit Yankee Stadium is to see the stadium and monuments (typically, you need to get there 90-120 minutes before 1st pitch for Monument Park access)

I've bought tickets on Stubhub, but found them sometimes more expensive than just buying them from the team. They are official ticket resellers, so purchases there should be completely safe. Some clubs still handle their own season ticket reselling, so always check with the teams as well.

I usualy book my flight and hotel together with Expedia and most of the time works out cheaper. I dont know if this is still the case, but if you fly with United to a non hub destination say for instance to San Diego via Houston and return via Washington or Chicago, they used to let you stop over at those locations without an extra charge. Being an Athletics fan i never book my tickets in advance and just get them on the day, but if i catch a Giants game i book them through Ticketmaster. Go for the west coast.

Dont suppose anyone already planning a trip wants to take me? :-)

I would if I didn't have to take the missus

If you've no one to go with go on your own, you'll have a great time, can't split the hotels cost wise but apart from that it's the only draw back. You can go and spend time doing whatever you like without having to take what anyone else wants to do into account. Loads of people travel on their own don't let it put you off

Do you usually travel by yourself, Rob?

I'm thinking of taking a trip over and visiting six ballparks on the East Coast next Summer. The thing is, I'll most likely be travelling alone and am a little aprehensive about safety etc. in some of the cities.

In your experience, how expensive is accommodation and where do you find the best deals? I have a friend in Philly so I'm sure I'll have a place to crash there, but everywhere else I'll have to book a hotel. I'll be on placement next year and plan on saving as much as I can, but the less I can spend the better. Also, how often do you stay in each city if you're doing a multi-city trip?

Mex. I usualy travel alone on my baseball trips to the bay area and normally stay in San Francisco, but last september decided to stay at the Days inn near the coliseum. Yes the area can be dodgy, but if you use common sense like you would in any major city in the UK you are fine. Hotels do sting single travellers, but i paid £30 a night including a continental breakfast. The cost of direct flights to San Francisco and 5 nights hotel was £650 which i thought was ok.

I got to choose my seats when I went to Citi Field last year, and I booked through the Mets website.

I went to Atlanta on my own a couple of years ago to watch a few games and really enjoyed it. There are a lot of advantages, you can do everything you want and don’t have to take anyone else’s feelings into account. During the day you can see what tourist stuff you want, go where you want to eat, etc. The freedom is quite liberating!

At the games you soon get chatting to people sat near you, they love the accent and being a “Brit” watching baseball is a great conversation starter. There is always public transport available to get to games and I always felt safe, as mentioned in a previous reply you just apply the same sense you would in a British city at night.

I'd have no hesitation going back to NYC or Boston on my own either if i didnt have a missues who would insist on coming.

Alex. Totaly agree with your comments on Boston. I felt safe day and night walking to Fenway from Back Bay area and on using the metro. Never seen any major problems on the BART/MUNI or Caltrain in the bay area except for the odd drunk down and out who are dealt with quickly by the transit police.

I'm delighted to hear of a few members going to various ballparks on their own. I would definitely consider making a trip myself & feel it could be handiest to head on my own. My sister has gone to various athletics events on her own & she's always gotten on fine too.

Like both acletiger & Alexthebrave said common sense goes a long way. I'd say there's still plenty to do on your own and is still very enjoyable. From what I've seen also there always appears to be a pretty friendly atmosphere at the ballparks so you would probably get chatting to fellow baseball fans like the guys say.

Overall guys you'd be very positive towards making a trip on your own? It sounds great.