There are no two ways about it: Covid-19 has put a damper on America’s pastime. With team owners and players squabbling over profit-sharing, there’s no telling whether Major League Baseball will be back in 2020, or what form it will take when it arrives.
Still, even if things look bleak for baseball fans right now, the sport will undoubtedly come back at some point, and it will be a welcome distraction. Assuming it’s back in full swing next summer, maybe you’d want to consider taking a car trip to visit some of America’s most famous ballparks.
Here are some compelling reasons why this is a trip every true baseball fan should take at least once.
You Can Reconnect with Friends
Some people are hesitant to take long road trips. The NHTSA recently stated that large truck fatalities had hit their highest level in 29 years, and you’ll have to share the road with these bruisers. As long as you practice defensive driving and give them their space, though, you should be fine.
Setting that issue aside, a trip to some MLB parks can give you a chance to reconnect with friends. Maybe you want to bring some of your buddies along on the road trip that you haven’t spent time with in a while. It could be that you want to visit your pals in some of the cities with major league franchises.
On a road trip, you can reconnect with friends from a previous work situation, high school, college, or maybe they’re some old neighbors with whom you had lost touch.
You Can Enjoy Some Family Time
If others in your family love Major League Baseball, this can be an opportunity to spend some bonding time with them as well.
Maybe it’s a spouse, a son or daughter, or one of your parents who appreciates baseball. You can split the driving chores with them, and you can reminisce about old times on your way to some new adventures.
You Can See Some Historic Ballparks
If you’re a genuine baseball fan, then you know that the ballparks in which teams play the game have their own personalities. What baseball fan wouldn’t like to sit atop the Green Monster at Fenway Park, or get within touching distance of the ivy at Wrigley Field? The new Yankee Stadium in the Bronx might not have quite the history of the old version, but it’s still the Cathedral of Yankee Baseball.
You can plan out the drive so that you hit the most famous baseball venues or swing by some lesser-known ones. Even if you stuck exclusively to California, you could visit Dodger Stadium in Chavez Ravine, Petco Park in San Diego, and beautiful Oracle Park by the bay, that the Giants call home.
You Can Try Some Amazing Ballpark Food
The culinary delights you can find at major league parks extend far beyond peanuts and Cracker Jacks at this point. The LA Dodger Dog might be the most famous hot dog around, but you can get fancier than that if you’re so inclined.
How do toasted grasshoppers smothered in zesty citrus seasoning sound? You can enjoy them at Safeco Field in Seattle. Maybe you’d prefer a vegan Sriracha brat at Target Field in Minnesota.
The spicy chicken sandwich at David Chang’s Fuku at Citi Field in Queens is worth mentioning. And let’s not forget the jerk chicken nachos or the crab sandwich that you can only get at San Francisco Giant games.
You Can Check Out Parts of the Country You’ve Never Seen Before
On top of all this, you can see parts of the country where you might never have ventured before. Part of what’s so amazing about America is the sheer diversity of the regions from one coast to the other. There are deserts, forests, swamps, and everything in between.
You can take detours to marvel at California’s majestic redwoods, or stroll through the unspoiled Pacific Northwest wilderness. You can make the trip about baseball, but still, find the time to see some of the natural and human-made wonders that every state has to offer.
It’s discouraging how slowly sports have returned in the face of the pandemic, but this black cloud that has descended on every sports fan will dissipate in time. Baseball will likely return in 2021 if it doesn’t this year, so start planning for an amazing adventure that will make you fall in love with the game all over again.