In July 2023, my dad and I embarked on our most ambitious baseball-themed road trip yet to see baseball games in 20 ballparks across the Mid-Atlantic in just 21 days, We would also see the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, and the home of the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, plus plenty of iconic sights along the way — art, history, natural places, and more.
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Bowie Baysox
Dad and I drive to Annapolis before heading to Prince George’s Stadium in Bowie, Maryland, to see the Double-A Bowie Baysox. Then we stop by Bowie’s Belair Mansion and enjoy a perfect dinner at José Andrés’ restaurant, Zaytinya, in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
I drive to Washington, D.C., to spend a day at the museums: the National Museum of American History and the National Gallery of Art, along with several other iconic sights on the National Mall.
Washington Nationals
With Dad recovering from a cold, I make a solo visit to Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., to see the Washington Nationals take on the Colorado Rockies.
Gettysburg to Harrisburg
Dad and I drive to Gettysburg National Military Park, commemorating the turning point in the American Civil War. We stop for lunch at Gettysburg Eddie’s, which celebrates local baseball Hall-of-Famer Eddie Plank. We finish in Harrisburg for a look at the state capitol building.
Harrisburg Senators
We drive to City Island, in the middle of the Susquehanna River, to see the Harrisburg Senators at FNB Field. The Double-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals faces off against the Altoona Curve.
Reading, Pennsylvania
We start the day with an unexpected setback before driving the Benjamin Franklin Highway to Reading, Pennsylvania, where we visit the Reading Pagoda on Mount Penn, the Ugly Oyster downtown for lunch, and the Reading Public Museum.
Reading Fightin Phils
Welcome to Baseballtown — FirstEnergy Stadium, home of the Reading Fightin’ Phils, the Double-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. Our visit is covered by the local news before a doubleheader with the Binghamton Rumble Ponies.
Allentown and Bethlehem
Dad and I travel to the Lehigh Valley to visit the industrial centers of Allentown and Bethlehem. We begin with the Allentown Art Museum, have lunch in Bethlehem at Café the Lodge, and then visit the National Museum of Industrial History on the site of a former steel-producing powerhouse.
Lehigh Valley IronPigs
We make one of our most anticipated stops: Coca-Cola Park and the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, a Minor League merchandising powerhouse and the Triple-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies
Somerset Patriots
We drive on to Somerset County in New Jersey to see the Somerset Patriots, the Double-A affiliate of the Yankees, as they host the Bowie Baysox.
New York City
Our busiest day of the trip: We drive to Jersey City to catch the ferry to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty, then head over to Manhattan to take a ride up to the One World Observatory. Next, we go over the Brooklyn Bridge toward Coney Island and our next game.
Brooklyn Cyclones
Our next stop is Maimonides Park in Coney Island — home to the High-A Brooklyn Cyclones — with roller-coaster views that make it one of the most unique ballpark experiences in the country.
New York Mets
We travel to Flushing, New York, for a quick trip to the New York Hall of Science before our day game with the New York Mets, where we see one of the greatest pitchers of our generation put in his final performance for the team.
Art in the Big Apple
Dad and I drive across the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge to Manhattan to take in as much art as humanly possible in a single day. We visit two world-class art museums, the venerable Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art. Our nourished souls are matched by nourished stomachs with lunch in between at Pazza Notte.
New York Yankees
We head to the Bronx and Yankee Stadium to see the most storied franchise in all of baseball, the New York Yankees, as they face the Tampa Bay Rays.
Jersey Shore
We head from New York City to the Jersey Shore, stopping at the old Keansburg Amusement Park before lunch on the coast at Rooney’s Oceanfront Restaurant in Long Branch, and a short drive through Ocean County Park in Lakewood.
Jersey Shore BlueClaws
We experience one of the more unique ballparks in Minor League Baseball at ShoreTown Ballpark, home of the Jersey Shore BlueClaws. We check out the mini golf and boardwalk games, join the radio broadcast, and throw out the first pitch!
Wilmington, Delaware
Dad and I cross the New Jersey Pine Barrens to Delaware, stopping in Wilmington for lunch and a visit to the Delaware History Museum.
Wilmington Blue Rocks
Dad and I make our way to Frawley Stadium in Wilmington, Delaware, to see the High-A Wilmington Blue Rocks host the Hudson Valley Renegades. And I get to throw out another first pitch!
Dover and Salisbury
We travel south to Dover Air Force Base for the Air Mobility Command Museum, then continue through chicken country to Salisbury, Maryland.
Delmarva Shorebirds
On Maryland Pride Night, Dad and I go to Perdue Stadium in Salisbury, Maryland, for a Single-A game between the Delmarva Shorebirds and the Lynchburg Hillcats.
Norfolk, Virginia
Hoping against hope to avoid a rainout, we cross the Chesapeake Bay to reach Norfolk, Virginia. After lunch in a former church built in 1873, Dad and I visit Nauticus to see the USS Wisconsin and the Hampton Roads Naval Museum. We finish at the outstanding Chrysler Museum of Art.
Norfolk Tides
With rain pouring down and a postponement likely, I make a solo Trip to Harbor Park Stadium, home of the Norfolk Tides, who would win the 2023 Triple-A National Championship.
Yorktown, Jamestown, Fredericksburg
Dad and I enjoy a day of historic sights in Virginia: victory for the American Revolution at Yorktown; the first permanent English colony in Jamestown; and the region of several key Civil War battles in and around Fredericksburg.
Fredericksburg Nationals
We head to Virginia Credit Union Stadium in Fredericksburg to see the Single-A Fredericksburg Nationals host the Salem Red Sox on Superman Night!
Aberdeen IronBirds
We drive to Baltimore to see Fort McHenry before continuing to Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen, Maryland, for a High-A tilt between the Aberdeen IronBirds and the Hickory Crawdads.
Philadelphia
Dad and I spend a day in the City of Brotherly Love, starting at Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell before seeing the Museum of the American Revolution. We pause for lunch at The Plough and the Stars and finish our sightseeing at the excellent Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Philadelphia Phillies
With a storm approaching, Dad and I head to Citizens Bank Ballpark, hoping to see a game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Washington Nationals.
The Delaware and the Hudson
Dad and I turn north to cross two major waterways. We start with the Delaware at Washington Crossing. After lunch nearby, we continue up to the Hudson River Valley, getting looks at Washington’s headquarters and the town of Beacon, New York.
Hudson Valley Renegades
Dad and I head to Heritage Financial Park in Dutchess County, New York, to catch the High-A Hudson Valley Renegades against the Jersey Shore BlueClaws.
Cooperstown
For the one off-day of our three-week journey, Dad and I drive to Cooperstown, New York, to pay homage to baseball at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. Afterward, we stop at nearby Doubleday Field for more baseball, then check out a few more sights around Cooperstown.
Scranton, Pennsylvania
We drive southwest from Cooperstown along the foothills of the Catskills to Scranton, Pennsylvania, “The Electric City,” where we stop by downtown before visiting the Steamtown National Historic Site and the Electric City Trolley Museum.
Dad and I head to PNC Field in Moosic, Pennsylvania, to see the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders — Triple-A affiliate of the New York Yankees — host the Syracuse Mets.
Williamsport and Altoona
Dad and I continue west to Williamsport, Pennsylvania, home of the Little League World Series and historic Bowman Field. We continue to Altoona, where we visit a popular spot for rail enthusiasts, Horseshoe Curve.
Altoona Curve
Our final Minor League game of the trip is with the Altoona Curve, the Double-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. They celebrate a local “delicacy,” appearing as the Altoona Pizzas.
Antietam and Frederick
We start our final day with a pleasant country drive before arriving at Antietam National Battlefield in Sharpsburg, Maryland, site of the bloodiest day in American history. We continue on to the city of Frederick, where we will catch our last ballgame of the trip.
Frederick Keys
Dad and I finish our 21-day baseball travel odyssey at Harry Grove Stadium in Frederick, Maryland, to see two former Minor League teams: the Frederick Keys and the State College Spikes of the MLB Draft League.