By the time my husband, Lee, had turned 25, he had watched a game in just three Major League Baseball (MLB) stadiums – Kansas City, Houston and Arlington, Texas. That makes it even more impressive that in the next 18 years he would manage to complete his goal of seeing a game in every city with an MLB team.
Although he is a lifelong baseball fan, he grew up in a family that rarely traveled. After college he started to travel for work, and he realized he could often squeeze in a game. It helped that I also liked traveling and going to baseball games. We married when we were both 27 years old and started planning at least one trip a year around seeing a new stadium.
Lee notched No. 30 in 2014, when a monthlong road trip from Kansas to Maine included a detour to Rogers Centre, the domed home of the Toronto Blue Jays. I have just one ballpark left to visit – the Cleveland Guardians’ Progressive Field – to also be able to say I’ve seen a game in every city with a major league team. The quest will continue indefinitely for both of us, however, with teams building new ballparks or in some cases moving to new cities.
Sure, there have been people who have made it to all 30 current MLB stadiums faster – you can logistically hit them all in one season, especially with access to a private airplane – but for us it wasn’t about rushing to home plate, instead a slow jog around the bases so we could enjoy the journey. That includes seeing legendary players and performances, discovering history within ballpark museums and monuments, witnessing the traditions each team’s fans keep alive and sampling local flavors at the concession stands.
Chicago’s Wrigley Field during 2019 visit. (courtesy photo)
We’ve experienced chapulines, toasted grasshoppers served in four-ounce cups with savory chili-lime salt seasoning at a Seattle Mariners home game, enjoyed a Chicken & Waffle Cone with mashed potatoes & honey mustard drizzle in Houston, and split among four people the crazy Atlanta Braves concoction known as burgerizza: a 20-ounce burger patty sandwiched between two 8-inch pepperoni pizzas.
We saw St. Louis Cardinal Mark McGwire put on a batting practice exhibition (higher elevation and lower air density) at Coors Field in Denver, Colorado, and register home run No. 35 on the way to 65 in 1999. Twice, we’ve orchestrated seeing two ballgames at two different stadiums in the same day: a day game at the Cubs followed by a White Sox night game in Chicago and in New York, a daytime Yankees game followed by an evening at the Mets’ Citi Field.
Eventually, meeting in a different baseball city became an annual reunion with fellow baseball-loving friends who had moved halfway across the country from our home in Kansas. Our 16th trip with these friends will be to Washington, D.C., in August.
Ready to start adding new stadiums to your logbook? Opening day was March 28 and the regular season concludes Sept. 29. Here are suggestions on choosing where to go among the MLB’s 30 clubs.
Choose One of Our Favorite Ballparks
First, let’s admit that a list like this is entirely subjective, influenced by teams you grew up rooting for or largely based on personal experience at the ballpark, such as seeing a great game and favorable weather conditions. Here are our top six favorite still-active stadiums, west to east.
Oracle Park, San Francisco: From nearby San Carlos Airport (SQL) or Metropolitan Oakland International Airport (OAK), head to the home of the San Francisco Giants. The stadium opened in 2000 with an outfield perfectly framing San Francisco Bay. Besides the incredible views, we loved the upscale food options (including some using ingredients grown at the in-park garden beds you can tour), artwork, historical displays and interactive play areas for all ages.
Coors Field, Denver: Land at Centennial Airport (APA) or Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport (BJC), then head to downtown Denver for a Colorado Rockies game. Spend some time on the upper right-field deck for mesmerizing views of the Rocky Mountains. There’s plenty to see within the ballpark, too: The SandLot Brewery, which opened in 1995 as the first brewery inside an MLB ballpark, one row of purple seats in the upper sections marking 1 mile above sea level and food options ranging from a food court to Helton Burger Shack.
Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City: There’s some movement to relocate the Kansas City Royals to a downtown stadium, but for now you’ll head 10 miles from Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport (MKC). Known as “The K,” it’s been home to the Royals since 1973. Beautifully illuminated fountains dance just beyond the outfield fence, a massive crown tops the center-field scoreboard and there’s plenty of craft beer and barbecue. Don’t miss the free 7,000-square-foot Hall of Fame Museum with multimedia exhibits on baseball history as well as Royals artifacts.
Wrigley Field, Chicago: Chicago Executive Airport (PWK), Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) and Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) are among the places to land for a trip to see the Chicago Cubs. The ballpark first opened in 1914 and is among the country’s iconic stadiums with an amazing list of historic moments. Take your photo in front of the main entry marquee and walk around the outside of the park to see statues of four Cubs legends. Take in the history displays throughout the stadium, notice the ivy-covered brick outfield walls and watch the manual scoreboard update throughout the game. Have a Chicago-style hot dog or an Italian beef sandwich. Be sure to sing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame,” the now widespread tradition during the seventh inning stretch that started here in 1982.
Fenway Park, Boston: Norwood Memorial Airport (OWD) is about 20 miles from the home of the Boston Red Sox since 1912. It feels magical being in the country’s oldest MLB park, and both the stadium and the surrounding neighborhood are brimming with history and personality. Give yourself time for Jersey Street and the rest of the pregame experience before heading inside to see the Green Monster, Fenway’s iconic 37-foot-tall and 240-feet-wide left-field wall. Better yet, schedule one of their tours for a guided history lesson and behind-the-scenes access.
Yankee Stadium, New York City: Even non-New York Yankees fans like us couldn’t resist visiting the old ballpark as well as the new Yankee Stadium that opened in 2009. The stadium celebrates the 27-time World Series champions’ storied history. Monument Park, in center field, recognizes legends who have played there; plan accordingly as it closes 45 minutes before first pitch. The free New York Yankees Museum is also inside the park and is open until the end of the eighth inning. Among the general aviation airports close to the metro area are Essex County Airport (CDW), Westchester County Airport (HPN) and Linden Airport (LDJ).
See the Superstars
Another way to choose which stadiums to visit is to plan on seeing the generational talent currently playing. Catch these superstars, most of whom are considered likely future Hall of Famers, at home or on the road:
Shohei Ohtani has been called a once in a century baseball player because the 29-year-old is a rare two-way player, dominating as a pitcher and a hitter. He signed a league-record $700 million contract in the offseason to become a Los Angeles Dodger.
Three-time National League Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw is 56 strikeouts from reaching 3,000 for his career, which he has spent with the Dodgers. He would be just the 20th pitcher to strike out 3,000 batters and the third to reach the milestone while playing for only one team. The left-hander had surgery in the offseason so keep an eye on when he’ll return to the mound.
Zack Greinke is another active pitcher on the 3,000-strikeout watch list. The American League Cy Young Award winner has struck out 2,979 batters. He’s a free agent and hasn’t yet come to terms with a team for 2024 at our press deadline.
Two active pitchers have hit the 3,000 strikeout mark and are a good bet to watch on the mound: Max Scherzer of the Texas Rangers and Justin Verlander of the Houston Astros. They are two of only four pitchers in Major League history to win multiple World Series championships, receive multiple Cy Young Awards, throw multiple no-hitters and earn multiple All-Star selections. Both are entering the 2024 season recovering from injuries but should be in the rotation soon.
If it’s hitting you’re interested in seeing, among the best still swinging is Mike Trout, center fielder for the Los Angeles Angels. He’s an 11-time MLB All-Star, three-time American League Most Valuable Player, nine-time winner of the Silver Slugger Award and considered a future Hall of Famer.
Pick an MLB special event
In addition to flying to see a game at one of the above stadiums, here are several special dates on the 2024 MLB schedule to consider.
June 20: MLB at Rickwood Field is a special regular season game between the St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants. It is part of Juneteenth celebrations and happens at the country’s oldest professional baseball park, Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama, the former home of the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro Leagues.
July 12-16: The 94th MLB All-Star Game and festivities are at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.
Aug. 18: The MLB Little League Classic features the New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers playing at Historic Bowman Field in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, in the evening, after Little League World Series games during the day.
Late October: MLB World Series