By Josh:
A few years ago I started taking trips to Seattle to just watch an entire series of the Mariners. A few times I would have a retreat all by myself and other times my wife and I would have little mini vacations doing this. I quickly discovered that one day of baseball doesn’t even compare to a few days of baseball and so recently I’ve really been thinking about what types of baseball trips I could do in the Northwest. I’ve already written up a West Coast MLB trip, but I wanted to focus in on a smaller area to both highlight baseball in the northwest and because with less traveling it could be a little bit cheaper.
The first trip I came up with in the Northwest is the I-5 Trip. Did you realize that from Eugene, OR to Everett, WA there are 5 minor league teams, 2 West Coast Wood bat league teams and the Seattle Mariners? So if I had a few days off and was going to do a trip this summer along I-5 in the Northwest here is what it would look like.
My goal for every baseball trip, whether its spring training or a trip in the northwest is to minimize cost while maximizing baseball. So as I was looking at the schedules of all the teams within my range, a week in July jumps out as being a great opportunity for a trip like this.
On July 22nd I would start by making my way to Longview, WA to watch a Cowlitz Black Bears game. The Black Bears play at Story Field which is the home baseball stadium of Lower Columbia Community College. The stadium isn’t going to wow you but even the worst seat in the stadium is still better than any seat at a Mariners game, cheaper to. I would recommend getting to Longview early enough so that you can swing by Nipps and get a hamburger (best little burger place in southwest Washington).
On July 23rd I would make my way up to Tacoma, WA early because they have an 11:30 start time that day. This is perfect because once you enjoy a game at the beautiful Cheney Stadium you can drive up to Seattle and catch an evening game with the Mariners.
July 24th would be similar to the previous day except I would start off at the early game in Seattle and move down to Tacoma for the late game. I love finding days that I can get to two games. It reminds me a lot of spring training where most every day you can catch two games.
July 25th would be the final day I spend in the Seattle area for games by catching an Everett AquaSox game. Having watched 4 games of the top two levels for the Mariners it can be exciting to watch guys who are just starting out and dreaming of making it to Triple-A and the Major League levels.
July 26th would include a few hours of driving to get back to Oregon but that wouldn’t stop me from swinging down to Corvallis for a Knights game. The Knights play on the Oregon State baseball field which is designed almost perfectly for evening games because the sun is blocked just right along the first base seats. No sunburn but you still stay comfortable and you get to watch a game.
July 27th I would make my way north just a little bit from my home to watch a game at the brand new Hillsboro stadium. With the 2013 season being the inaugural season for the Hillsboro Hops, originally the Yakima Bears, my goal is to catch as many games as possible there. A new stadium with a new fan base always makes games a little more exciting.
July 28th would be the final day of the trip and I would finish it at one of my favorite stadiums in the Northwest. I would catch the Eugene Emeralds game. The Emeralds play at PK Park which is the home stadium of the University of Oregon baseball team. Not only is the stadium beautiful but it is also a great place to get autographs. I made my first trip here last season and instantly fell in love with the atmosphere.
Recap
So for this trip it would be a total of 7 days and 9 games. Whether you live in the Salem area like me or up in the Seattle area you can save money on motel rooms by returning home for games that are close to you. I would have only needed 3 nights of motel, and I would go cheap like Motel 6, which makes gas, tickets and food the main bulk of my expenses. Not bad for a baseball vacation in the northwest.
If you are maximizing your dollar, why 2 Mariner games, even if the schedule warrants it. You could see better baseball at most American Legion fields in the sound. Although seeing the other team might be worth it….
When my dad used to umpire I loved watching American Legion games. The games went quick and they normally played double headers. I wouldn’t be opposed to doing that but finding schedules for games is a little bit harder to find.