Spring is here, and with it comes one of America's most beloved pastimes: watching baseball at a ballpark. Whether it's a major or minor league baseball game, attending a game in the spring, summer or fall can make for a super fun afternoon or evening. It's a very American thing to go to a local ballpark, get some hot dogs or your favorite ballpark food and watch your favorite team duke it out against an opponent. Even for those who don't like baseball, there's so much fun stuff to do during a game, including people watching, checking out team merch, trying different foods or even participating in fun games or trivia.
Long before spring, teams prep for the new season. Pitchers and catchers reported as early as Feb. 9 for spring training this season, so as they say, the early bird gets the worm. It's also a fun vacation for people to travel to Florida to check out teams at their spring training facilities. We know spring training is over, but we couldn't help but give credit where credit was due to these amazing facilities, since they were highlighted by USA Today as the best of the best.
Fort Myers Ballpark Honored
The experts at USA Today have released their roster of the spring training ballparks in America, as part of their 10 Best series. This series has experts picking spots for which to vote, and then readers voting for their favorites.
One iconic Fort Myers spot made the cut, and that's JetBlue Park at Fenway South, located at 11500 Fenway South Drive, coming in at No. 8. JetBlue is the main training home of the Boston Red Sox's training facility. "During a visit to JetBlue Park at Fenway South, guests can admire design flourishes like the replica of Fenway Park's iconic Green Monster, while a signature sloping roof is in place over the stands to help beat the heat," USA Today notes.
Several other Florida spring training facilities made the cut, too. Coming in at No. 10 on USA Today's list was CoolToday Park in the Venice area, which is home to the Atlanta Braves' spring training. This facility seats around 8,000 visitors and offers an on-site tiki bar. A popular Tampa-area spot, BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Florida, made the cut at No. 6. "Just west of Tampa Bay, BayCare Ballpark serves as both the spring training base for the Philadelphia Phillies and the year-round home for the Clearwater Threshers," USA Today notes. This facility seats around 7,300 in the stadium, as well as 1,500 in the grass seating area.
There are a couple other Florida facilities towards the top of the list, coming in at No. 3 is Clover Park in Port St. Lucie, Florida. The New York Mets train there, and visitors can check out everything from an on-site bourbon bar to year-round fireworks.
Finally, the beloved Charlotte Sports Park, which is located in Port Charlotte, Florida, came in at No. 2. This spot is home field for the Tampa Bay Rays' spring training activities. If you head there, you'll be able to experience the park's baseball boardwalk, family-friendly kids play area, upgraded concession stands and a special team store, according to their website. The facility was built in 1987, and the main stadium went through a renovation that was finished in January 2009. How great is it to see Florida so high up on this tally?
George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, where the the New York Yankees train, didn't make the cut. Every year, the Yankees offer their "Spring Training Experience," which lets visitors go behind the scenes at the park and allows them to get a photo and autograph with a former and current Yankee, which kids love. Another one that fell short was Clover Park in Port St. Lucie, Florida, which is the spring training home of the New York Mets. The Mets have been doing their spring training there since the 1988 season, according to their website, moving from their longtime spring training home of Al Lang Field in St. Petersburg.
