Out N’ About: Minor League Baseball Stadiums to Visit this Summer

 

At Thousand Trails, we enjoy baseball, the “great American pastime” just as much as you do! We’ve rounded up 8 awesome Minor League stadiums that are worth a visit this summer! Check ‘em out below.

AutoZone Park – Memphis, TX

AutoZone Park, home to the Memphis Redbirds, seats 10,000, and is a third the size of a major league park. This outdoor stadium opened on April 1, 2000 and offers great views from most seats. The ballpark serves as a host for other events like the New Orleans Voodoo Music Experience and was named the “2009 Minor League Ballpark of the Year” by Baseball America. AutoZone Park also has the largest videoboard in minor league baseball. At a massive 60 x 60 foot screen and weighing 20 tons, the 1.4 million pixels sit 13 stories above the field…Because you know what they say! Everything’s bigger in Texas. AutoZone Park is located an hour and a half from Cherokee Landing RV Campground.

Jackie Robinson Ballpark – Daytona Beach, FL

This stadium was originally opened in 1914 as Daytona City Island Ballpark. This stadium served as host to the first racially integrated game in baseball when Jackie Robinson took the field to represent the AAA Montreal Royals. There’s a statue commemorating the game located outside the south entrance of the stadium, and the stadium was renamed to Jackie Robinson Ballpark in 1989.

After serving as the home stadium for the Daytona Cubs for 22 years, the Cubs moved to Myrtle Beach SC, leaving an opening for the Cincinnati Reds, who rebranded their team to the Daytona Tortugas, and was named Best New Logo/Branding for 2015 by Ballpark Digest. 2016 marks only the second year that the Tortugas will have played at historic Jackie Robinson Ballpark. Jackie Robinson Ballpark is located just 20 minutes south of Sunshine Holiday Daytona.

Dell Diamond, Round Rock, TX

Dell Diamond in Round Rock, TX is home to the Round Rock Express, an affiliate of the Texas Rangers. This stadium is a minimal waste facility combining compost, recycling and trash programs. Even the concession stand items are made from environmentally friendly materials in an effort to make as small of an environmental impact as possible. There is also a “Fun Zone” for kids located in center field which features a “sport court”, a 26 ft high simulated rock wall, simulated pitching area, bungee trampoline, and a moonbounce. There are some fees for certain activities, but the Fun Zone is open during Express home games and closes at the first pitch of the 8th inning. Don’t miss having lunch or dinner pre or post game at The Salt Lick, the famous Austin BBQ joint, which now has a location in front of the Dell Diamond. Dell Diamond is located about an hour and a half from Colorado River RV Campground.

 

Joseph P. Riley Jr, Park, aka “The Joe”, Charleston, SC

Named for Charleston’s longest serving mayor and nicknamed, “the Joe,” Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park has earned the “South Atlantic League Playing Surface of the Year” in ‘08, ‘09, ‘12, ‘14. The Joe is home to the Charleston Riverdogs. Bill Murray holds a co-ownership position as the Director of Fun of the Charleston Riverdogs, and recently, new food items like boozy milkshakes and BBQ Brisket Ramen have been added to the menus alongside stadium classics, like boiled peanuts. The Joe is just over an hour and a half drive from The Oaks at Point South RV.

AT&T Field – Chattanooga, TN

With such a big name, AT&T field is actually one of the smaller stadiums on this list. With a capacity of only 6,362, the majority of  seats are along the first base line. This stadium also has somewhat of a quirky shape: the grandstand extends primarily along the first base line on the left side of the stadium ,and it is too close to highway US 27 so nothing could really be added there.

Careful, there’s no shade here, bring sunscreen and a hat, especially for those afternoon summer games. Take an escalator to the top of the hill where the stadium is situated. As you enter, you’ll pass underneath an archway with the greeting, “Welcome to Dodgertown.” The Lookouts have been an affiliate of the LA Dodgers since 2009.

Cheney Stadium – Tacoma, WA

Opened in 1960, Cheney Stadium underwent an historic transformation in 210 days in 2011. In addition to including new amenities, such as luxury suites, and a club/restaurant, there are club seats that are “closer than any other seat in any other ballpark across the nation.” The roof is made from Douglas Fir glulam beams, incorporating geographically relevant materials, which were an important part of construction. Cheney Stadium is a fun, clean stadium that has major league amenities with minor league charm.

If you purchase a general admission ticket, you are entitled to sit on the Right Field Berm, so bring a blanket and head out to the field! Just last year, the Tacoma Rainiers announced the plan to construct a whiffle ball diamond, which will be unveiled on opening day this year.

Cheney Stadium is located just an hour drive from Tall Chief RV & Camping Resort.

McCoy Stadium, Pawtucket, RI

McCoy Stadium is famous for being the place where the longest game in history was played. On April 18, 1981, the Pawtucket Red Sox played the Rochester Red Wings in an epically long game that was finally suspended after 32 innings at 4:09am on April 9, 1981. The game resumed again on June 23, 1981 and lasted a total of 33 innings.

There was a brief threat that the stadium would be closed and the PawSox lease will be up in 2020, and there were rumors of moving the team to Providence. So, visit this stadium while you still can! McCoy Stadium is located less than 60 minutes from Gateway to Cape Cod RV Campground.

Coca Cola Field, Buffalo, NY

Home of the Buffalo Bisons, Coca Cola Field is one of the largest parks in all of minor league baseball. With a seating capacity of 18,025, it’s also a popular venue to host large-scale events, like the National Buffalo Wing Festival on Labor Day Weekend, and various concerts and entertainment events within the stadium’s all-American atmosphere. If you visit Coca Cola Field, be sure to check out the Hall of Fame Room, which has plaques for all 94 of the Minor League Hall of Fame inductees. There are rotating exhibits here throughout the year.

What’s your favorite Minor League Baseball Stadium to visit in the summertime? Tell us in the comments!