Does anyone out there go to any of the Spring Training games?
I like to go to a couple games a year (I have the luxury of living in Florida...well it's only really a luxury in March. Any other time and we are plagued with terrible drivers, tourists, retired person, and expensive housing market).
I'd love to go, but until graduation don't really have the money to fund it. I'll get there at some point though, and probably more than once. It sounds like a great environment.
I can relate to both of you (having grown up in Northern IL and graduating only a couple of years ago).
If you get the chance, I'd highly recommend making the trip.
Here's my ranking of Spring Training Venues I have been to over the past couple of years:
3) Washington Nationals - Viera, Fl
Really pretty unimpressive. The traffic to the game was horrible. The park itself is similar to any random minor league park (i.e. a bunch of metal bleachers all over). Also, it's the Nationals.
2) Houston Astros - Kissimmee, FL
This was the first spring training game I went to. My memory of the game has faded a bit. I do remember having to park out in a field next to the park (no parking lot). The seats were pretty decent, but we were directly in the sun. So, it got really hot (as it tends to do in FL). The park is also kind of out in the middle of nowhere (equidistance from Disney and the ocean).
1) Detroit Tigers - Lakeland, FL
The most memorable thing is the beauty of the park. A really gorgeous park. It mostly has the plastic fold down seats (metal bleachers are also around for the cheap seats. It also has the "sit in the outfield option." Where you get to sit out in a field past the left field fence. The park is pretty small and the seats are really close to the action. An additional high point is the fact that the Tigers have a pretty good team and some good youngsters coming up. The parking is a little confusing (poor parking lot design). The number of food places is limited (due to the smallness of the park). The surrounding city doesn't have much going on (it's right in between Tampa and Orlando. Everyone just goes to one of the larger cities to party on the weekends).
This year, I'm going to see another game in Lakeland (Tigers Vs. Astros) and I'm also going to see a game in Winter Haven, FL (Indians). I'll let you know my thoughts of the Winter Haven park (I've heard it is the smallest and gets you the closest to the action).
