Tag Archives: Sports

PLANNING A SPORTS FAN VACATION

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I live in the Midwest so we’re used to seasons. And…any sports fan knows the change of sesaons means the change in sports played too.

We decided to explore a City of Champions – Pittsburgh, PA – just for its sports.

Take a Guided Tour

After a short (1 to 2 hour) tour you have the lay of the land. 

Use Shuttles

Many big sports cities offer shuttle service to/from nearby hotels or major attractions right to the front door (or dock) of the sports arena/field.

Gateway Clipper tours and shuttles on the river

Go to Games

Pro Baseball/Hockey/Soccer games often have tickets available for a fair price.

Heinz Field pregame activities

Go Behind the Scenes

Take a stadium tour or attend a training camp.

Try to Find Sports History

Usually it isn’t hard to find a local museum with plenty of local sports history memorabilia.

Pick Lodging and Dining

With a local flare or within a short walk/shuttle to games.

Some of our favs:

Marriott Pittsburgh City Center – The official hotel of the Pittsburgh Penguins is right next to the Consol Center (home of Penguins NHL Hockey). Uptown flair. Take their shuttle to the games or the Strip. Within 6-8 blocks of most downtown shopping/dining.

Cambria Suites Pittsburgh at Consol Energy Center. Friendliest shuttle drivers ever. Lots of sports fans stay here.

Pamelas Diner crepe pancakes
Pamelas Diner crowded

THE STRIP! Blocks of pure Pittsburgh. Along the Allegheny River just northeast of Downtown is the mile-long stretch known as The Strip District. Here, industrial and warehouse spaces have been reclaimed to support a bustling marketplace. During the day, this area serves as Pittsburgh’s most popular market district, offering the freshest foodstuffs, including enticing polish, irish, italian, and greek smells wafting from the door fronts and dozens of street and store vendors selling much “BLACK AND GOLD”. (the Strip: pg 305 of KIDS LOVE PENNSYLVANIA)

For those of you following along by means of KIDS LOVE PENNSYLVANIA, pages 291 thru 313 .  We promise, with our books as your base we give you all the help you need to plan any daytrips – even the Sports fanatic kind!

Downtown Fun in Indy

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I recently traveled to Indianapolis, Indiana with a youth baseball team. Since we knew we’d have time each day to check out the city’s attractions, we decided to plan some side trips within a short distance from our downtown hotel.

SUGGESTED LODGING:

SPRINGHILL SUITES BY MARRIOTT DOWNTOWN

Springhill Suites is located on a beautiful seven-acre site overlooking White River State Park and adjacent to the Convention Center. The downtown is located directly across from the Eiteljorg Museum, Indiana State Museum, the NCAA Hall of Champions, the historic Canal with miles of jogging/biking trails as well as just a 4 min. drive to the Indianapolis Zoo. With upgraded WiFi, guests appreciate the complimentary, new breakfast buffet served daily and the mini frig & microwave in every room. Ideally suited for families (and teen boys) with suites 25% larger than other traditional downtown Indianapolis hotel rooms, they also offer an indoor heated pool, activity kits for kids and even rentable board games and Wii! 

  • Here’s a suggested itinerary for your next sports-themed trip to Indianapolis…

INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY: (pg 27 of Kids Love Indiana) Although recognized as a sports capital and home of the world’s largest single-day sporting event – the Indy 500, visitors will find there is a surprise around every turn…literally! We happened to visit on a day where they were not conducting Track Tours. Instead, time trials for a vintage car race were going on and we watched from the observers grassy mounds on the infield. The roar of the cars whizzing around the track in brightly shined color made our day!

INDIANAPOLIS ZOO: (pg 29 Kids Love Indiana) World’s Most Important Zoo Exhibit: International Orangutan Center. www.indyzoo.com. Features eight orangs that interact with visitors! through computer games or a 40 foot high tram ride along the recreated natural habitat of the Hutan Trail. Nightly, an orang climbs to the Beacon of Hope and flips on a light that can be seen from downtown Indy! Amazing, creative space!

NCAA HALL OF CHAMPIONS: (pg 23 Kids Love Indiana) www.ncaahallofchampions.org. Because we LIKE most college sports but LOVE baseball, we spent most of the time in that area. Mom (me) earned some cool points on the basketball half court though…made the same shot Michael Jordan did to win for Tarheels as a freshman.

Indy is at your service! You will quickly discover that Hoosier Hospitality is not a statement, but a lifestyle. Notoriously nice, helpful people are everywhere to assist you in planning and implementing a successful tour. http://www.visitindy.com and www.kidslovetravel.com/kids_love_indiana.htm. 

INDIANA FAMILY TRAVEL GUIDE

COME SOAR WITH ZIPZONE CANOPY TOURS

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ZipZone Canopy Tours (http://zipzonetours.com) in Columbus, Ohio, invites you to experience an adventure-filled zip lining tour—the only tour in central Ohio…right outside of the big city!

We recently tried this tour, now celebrating its first anniversary, and loved it!

Looking for something to do with your adventuresome kids or picky teens? This is an adventure in the woods on the north side of metropolitan Columbus. But it’s really a mild adventure…you can ride basic or you can ride a little crazy…but it’s your choice!

During the two-hour tour you’ll walk across sky bridges, zip from platform to platform and glide over ravines and streams as you experience Columbus’ natural landscape in a way you never would have imagined.

No special skills, training or equipment are needed to enjoy ZipZone as the highest-quality gear and professionally trained guides help navigate and facilitate every zip.

They guide you through a hands free tour while you soar through the treetops in this old growth forest (the guides move your ropes and brake you so you have freedom to enjoy the ride).

Your teens will want to try the rented the gopro video camera to record their experience. We tried some of the progressive challenges suggested by the guides. Hands free- walking backwards on the bridge, zipping backwards, cannonball style or 360!

If you read TripAdvisor reviews, you will soon realize many were anxious at first but, after the first zip, they catch the thrill.

Final Words: Best features were: Perfect length of trip (just under 2 hours, more is just too much) and Hands-Free zipping (ability to move into different styles of zipping and watch the natural beauty flash by). “Wow!”, “Sweet!”, “Best zips ever!” were the words spoken by my teens on the trip. Makes this Mama Duck happy when my teens “love” something :-).

More details: 7925 North High Street; Columbus (Worthington), OH 43235 on the grounds of Camp Mary Orton. 855-Lets-Zip.

Tours last roughly 2 hours and are available for Ages 7 to 91 (really, ask about the 91-yr old grandma).

Tours are $69 per person on the weekend (FRI, SAT, SUN) and $64 per person on weekdays (MON-THURS).

If you have a group of 8, you can save $10 per person!  Use coupon code GROUP to get the discount.  Call the office for groups of more than 8.  614-847-9477.

TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALLPARK…

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Here are some recent baseball park visit articles I’ve come across that share that Americana passion for baseball and kid’s fun:

Best major-league baseball parks for kids: http://www.mercurynews.com/travel-headlines/ci_21055578/family-travel-best-major-league-baseball-parks-kids

Touring Oriole Park at Camden Yards: http://creativlei.com/2012/touring-oriole-park-at-camden-yards/

Two ballparks /tours to add to the mix:

KIDS LOVE OHIO – page 176 – CLEVELAND INDIANS – Progressive Field.

www.indians.com. Tours (small fee) include Kidsland, a press box, a suite, a dugout, a fun video…all lasts about one hour (Monday-Saturday 10am-2pm, some summer sundays).

KIDS LOVE PENNSYLVANIA – PAGE 291 – PITTSBURGH PIRATES –

www.pirateball.com PNC Park. On game nights the city closes the Roberto Clemente Bridge to vehicles so street performers, vendors and pedestrians swarm the area – everyone decked out in black and gold attire. The concessions at the park are upscale fair food and many are grilled to order. Primanti is a must if you want Steel City, hold it with two hands, kinda food.