How to Attend MLB Spring Training in Florida

One of the defining rituals among serious baseball fans is the annual excursion to Florida to attend MLB spring training. Fans who can spare the time and expense often devote one to two weeks to this early dose of America's national pastime. Spring training trips are especially popular with the fans of teams like Boston and Minnesota. They trade winter weather for Florida's spring-break season.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Make the Most of Your Spring Training Trip

1. Schedule a weeklong trip to attend MLB spring training in Florida. You'll be able to see five or six games. That may be enough to make your travel expenses worthwhile, without overdosing on baseball that you get sick of before the regular season begins.
2. Select a week when your favorite team is playing at least four games at its "home" facility. Teams that train in Florida make regular two-hour bus trips across the state, from the Gulf coast to the Atlantic coast. Even in a comfortable rental car, you may want to avoid making more than one of these trips.
3. Make some rainy-day plans. Spring training rain outs are far from rare in Florida. Knowing in advance that you will use your first rainy day to go to Busch Gardens or the Ted Williams Museum may help you guard against letting your whole day become a washout.
4. Purchase or reserve game tickets, motel rooms and rental cars no later than mid-January to get the best rates.

Soak up the Baseball With the Sun

5. Build each day around the baseball game you will attend. You need to be fresh enough to focus on the game and see how your favorite players are doing.
6. Supplement the games with some quality beach time, good food at recommended restaurants and daily outdoor exercise. This will help ensure that you return home healthy and well rested.
7. Use the Spring Training Online website as a resource for game schedules, driving directions, and information about local attractions near your favorite team's spring training facility (see Resources below).

Tips & Warnings

• Bond with old buddies. Your spouse may want no part of it, but a trip to attend spring training in Florida could be a great opportunity to bond with best pals with whom you have not spent enough time over the years.
• Book a budget motel to keep from busting your budget. You probably won't spend a lot of time in the room anyway.
• MLB spring training occurs just as college students are congregating in Florida for spring break. The two cultures can clash or co-exist, but they do feature different activities and different notions of record-setting behavior. Sometimes, they even compete for the same hotel rooms, so plan ahead.
• Avoid dehydration in the Florida heat by drinking plenty of healthy fluids.