Mapping the path

Charlotte, NC

Our day begins with a visit to the NASCAR Hall of Fame, a stunning museum for racing fans in Uptown Charlotte. We then cover a lot of ground in Uptown and surrounding neighborhoods on a Charlotte Segway Tour.

Gastonia Honey Hunters

Dad and I travel just west of Charlotte to Gastonia, NC, home of the Gastonia Honey Hunters, a new member of the Atlantic League -- considered to be the top independent pro league in the country. They take on their new in-state rivals, the High Point Rockers.

Charlotte Knights

We take our seats at Truist Field for an afternoon game with the Charlotte Knights -- the Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox -- and to admire one of the finest views in Minor League baseball. Today's opponent is the Durham Bulls, with top pitching prospect Shane Baz.

Kannapolis

Cannon Ballers

For our night game, we travel to see the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers, the Low-A White Sox affiliate. The new team plays in a new ballpark that reflects the Cannon Ballers’ circus theme for a fun and festive atmosphere.

Winston-Salem Dash

It’s a hot Sunday at Truist Stadium as the Winston-Salem Dash, the High-A White Sox affiliate, play as their Copa de la Diversión alter egos, the Winston-Salem Rayados. They play Fenómenos Enmascarados del Valle de Hudson.

Greensboro Off Day

We spend the morning at Guilford Courthouse National Military Park, a Revolutionary War battlefield. Next, we head downtown to the International Civil Rights Center & Museum (site of the Greensboro sit-ins). We finish with an amazing lunch at Dame’s Chicken & Waffles.

Piedmont Triad, NC

We spend the day pinballing through sights in Winston-Salem (Historic Bethabara Park, Reynolda House, Old Salem), High Point (Truist Point, home of the High Point Rockers; World’s Largest Chest of Drawers), and Greensboro (Greensboro History Museum) — known collectively as the Piedmont Triad.

Greensboro

Grasshoppers

The Hoppers, the Pirates High-A affiliate, face their playoff rival, the Hudson Valley Renegades (Yankees affiliate), in a game that ends with the heroics of Pirates #4 prospect, Nick Gonzales.

Raleigh, NC

Dad and I travel to Raleigh to visit the North Carolina State Capitol and the excellent North Carolina History Museum. After lunch at the Side Street Restaurant, we take in the North Carolina Museum of Art before heading east to our game in Zebulon.

Carolina Mudcats

We continue through Raleigh to Zebulon, NC, home of Five County Stadium and the Carolina Mudcats, the Low-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. Mudcats catcher Darrien Miller hits three homers, including a grand slam, to beat the Delmarva Shorebirds (Orioles affiliate).

Kinston, NC

We make our way through the tobacco fields of eastern North Carolina to Fleming Stadium in Wilson, home of the Wilson Tobs and the North Carolina Baseball Hall of Fame. Then it’s on to Kinston to see the Civil War ironclad CSS Neuse and other sights before an early dinner at famed restaurant Chef & the Farmer.

Down East Wood Ducks

We visit Grainger Stadium, built in 1949 and home to the Down East Wood Ducks, the Rangers’ Low-A affiliate. The Woodies take on the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers after finishing a make-up game that is in progress as we arrive.

Fayetteville, NC

We admire Fayetteville’s Market House (1838) before touring the Museum of the Cape Fear. We make a necessary stop at Fowler’s BBQ, then visit the Airborne & Special Ops Museum, North Carolina Veterans Park, and the Cape Fear Botanical Garden.

Fayetteville Woodpeckers

Dad and I enjoy a big night with the Fayetteville Woodpeckers, the Low-A affiliate of the Houston Astros. I get a tour of Segra Stadium and pick up a Beer Bat, and the home crowd gets fireworks after a come-from-behind victory over the Augusta GreenJackets.

Myrtle Beach, SC

After an inevitable breakfast at a Waffle House, We head straight for the South Carolina coast and Myrtle Beach. We walk the pier at Myrtle Beach State Park and stroll the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk before engaging in an intense duel at Captain Hook’s Adventure Golf, one of several dozen mini-golf venues in town.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

We spend a fine evening at TicketReturn.com Field seeing the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, the Low-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. The Pelicans wear special jerseys to celebrate Recovery Awareness as they face the Indians affiliate, the Lynchburg Hillcats.

Columbia, SC

Dad and I arrive in Columbia, the state capital of South Carolina, and are immediately rewarded by the excellent Columbia Museum of Art. After lunch at the bustling Di Prato’s, we take in some history at the South Carolina State Museum before snapping a few shots of the State Capitol Building.

Columbia Fireflies

We head to Segra Park, home of the Columbia Fireflies, the Low-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. They face the Charleston RiverDogs, a White Sox affiliate on the verge of clinching a playoff spot to top off a historic season.

Congaree to Charleston

We begin at the beautiful Congaree National Park, then make it to Charleston for lunch at Hymans Half Shell. We shop at the Historic Charleston City Market (1790s), then make a few stops along Charleston Harbor and the South of Broad district and its collection of beautiful, historic homes.

More Time in Charleston

The Gibbes Museum of Art starts off our full day in Charleston. We have lunch on the water at Fleet Landing, then learn about the local human and natural history at The Charleston Museum. Next we drive past several other sights, including the Old Slave Mart Museum and Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon.

Charleston RiverDogs

We dodge the rain at Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park and see the Charleston RiverDogs, the Low-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays. The RiverDogs would go on to win their first Minor League title in almost 100 years. Tonight, they host the Myrtle Beach Pelicans.

Augusta GreenJackets

Dad and I cross into Georgia to visit the hometown of James Brown and Woodrow Wilson. We take the Augusta Riverwalk to the Morris Museum of Art. But we a rainout across the Savannah River in North Augusta, SC, home of the Augusta GreenJackets.

Asheville, NC

We travel to the Blue Ridge Mountains in western North Carolina to Asheville, driving through Downtown and the River Arts District before lunch at BBQ legend 12 Bones Smokehouse. We finish with a long afternoon at the lavish Biltmore Estate.

Asheville Tourists

We see the Asheville Tourists, the High-A affiliate of the Houston Astros, at McCormick Field, a ballpark built in 1924 that has hosted Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Lou Gehrig, Jackie Robinson, and many more baseball greats. Their opponent: The Rome Braves.

Hickory, NC

The Burns boys take a side Burns trip further into the Blue Ridge Mountains to Burnside, NC, which celebrates North Carolinian and hero of the War of 1812, Otway Burns. We then head to the Hickory Aviation Museum and its fine collection of aircraft. We finish with a trip to the Hickory Museum of Art.

Hickory Crawdads

Dad and I visit L.P. Frans Stadium to see the Hickory Crawdads, the High-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers. It's a Copa de la Diversión night, so the Crawdads play as Llamas de Hickory, and the visiting Greenville Drive play as Ranas de Rio (River Frogs). Plus, fireworks and a birthday!

Durham Bulls

On the 20th anniversary of 9/11, we finish our grand tour with a doubleheader and the Durham Bulls, the Tampa Bay Rays’ Triple-A affiliate and the most famous team in Minor League baseball. We see tributes, battles between police and firefighters, and Ripken the Bat Dog!