Sports Travel and Tours Offers Trip in June 2020

HATFIELD, MASS—Baseball fans who like to travel can watch the St. Louis Cardinals take on the Chicago Cubs in London this summer on a trip with Sports Travel and Tours from Thursday, June 11 to Monday, June 15.

The adventure kicks off with a reception and Ump’s Eye View talk with retired MLB umpire Al Clark. After 26 years behind the plate, Clark entertains fans with stories—such as what it was like to officiate at Nolan Ryan’s 300th win or Cal Ripken’s record-breaker.

Travelers will stay at the Hard Rock Hotel London at Hyde Park, featuring memorabilia and artwork in every bedroom that pays tribute to former residents such as Jimi Hendrix, Diana Ross, Bob Dylan, and Buddy Holly. The hotel is also a short walk from shopping on Oxford Street, which is an option on Friday through Sunday, when guests will have leisure time to explore outside of attending the two matchups at the former Olympic Stadium. 

Travelers who want to explore even further afield will be pleased that everyone will receive a ticket for a hop-on, hop-off sightseeing bus as well as an Oyster Card to access London’s trains.

“We plan for a lot of free time, which allows everyone to do what they want with these passes,” Clark said. A concierge who runs his own tour company in London will help in planning destinations.

For baseball fans, Clarke said, there is arguably no greater rivalry than the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. Last July, Sports Travel and Tours took fans to experience that match-up in London, and, on the same day, viewed a Vincent van Gogh exhibition at the Tate Britain Art Museum.

Clark, a retired American league and Major League Baseball umpire who frequently has a role on Sports Travel and Tours trips as a speaker or guide, led last year’s baseball in London adventure. He said fans had a diverse experience that included taking in all London has to offer and dining on authentic pub food like fish and chips and shepherd’s pie.

Though MLB games have been played in Mexico, Puerto Rico and even Japan, last year marked the first time the bases were run across the Atlantic; 38 Sports Travel and Tours guests witnessed the occasion. 

Clark is excited about June’s pairing of the Cardinals and Cubs. “Sports Travel and Tours President Jay Smith leaves no stone unturned when it comes to providing for the traveler,” Clark said. “Whenever he sees something new that could enhance a baseball fan’s experience, Jay will research it and make it happen.”

Last year’s trip was memorable, Clark said. 

“It was absolutely tremendous to go to London to see the Yankees and the Red Sox play at a venue other than Yankee Stadium or Fenway Park,” he said. “It was just so different. It was exciting for the fans and for Americans living in London, who got to see the best baseball rivalry in the country—outside the country.”

Learn more about Baseball in London: Cubs and Cardinals.

Learn more about Sports Travel and Tours.

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Honor recognizes over 20 years of dedication

HATFIELD—The National Tour Association (NTA) recently presented Jay Smith, founder of Sports Travel and Tours, with the 2019 Bob Everidge Lifetime Achievement Award for dedication to the organization’s mission for over 20 years.

At NTA’s annual conference, called Travel Exchange, in Fort Worth, Texas, on Dec. 12, Smith accepted the honor from NTA President Pam Inman. Inman said Smith has served as a volunteer, a member of the organization, a member of the NTA board of directors, and as board vice-chair and chair.

“Jay’s first NTA convention was in 2000 in Salt Lake City,” Inman said. “He has been active, engaging, and leading ever since. He is a positive powerhouse of support. I’m proud to call him my friend.” 

Smith was first elected to the NTA board in 2012. He was vice-chair in 2016 and chair in 2017. “He continues to be actively involved today as a sponsor and volunteer and as a member,” Inman said, adding that Smith sits on the NTA Nominating Committee and the Owner’s Network.

NTA is the leading business-building association for professionals serving customers traveling to, from, and within North America. In accepting his award, Smith said that the professionals he has met as part of the network have helped him grow and develop as a business person in the industry.

“This is as humbling a moment as I could ever have in my lifetime,” he said. 

Smith founded Sports Travel and Tours in 1996, offering tours to baseball games initially and then expanding to include other sports trips in a wider range of venues, including Cuba, London, and Japan.

Support from his staff and his wife, Carol, allowed him to dedicate time to the NTA and its goals. Fellow NTA members helped support the board in achieving those goals. “This is a group award,” he told the crowd of NTA members. “If it wasn’t for all of you on this team, we wouldn’t have been hitting any home runs. We would have been striking out.” 

NTA acts as a dedicated advocate on behalf of its members and the tourism industry at large. Active with policymakers in Congress and the administration, the association coordinates with its partners on a number of key legislative issues. It’s governed by a volunteer board of directors, which is advised by volunteer committees. 

During Smith’s tenure as chair of the NTA board, the organization was focused on a number of policy priorities, including specialty travel markets in countries including India and China, travel between Cuba and the United States, and funding for the National Park Service Centennial.

Smith is active in Tourism Cares and Travel Alliance Partners, two industry-focused organizations, and Sports Travel and Tours has been the official travel company of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum since 2007. 

For more information, visit NTAonline.com or www.sportstravelandtours.com.

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I write blogs for Sports Travel and Tours of Hatfield, Massachusetts, to promote the trips it organizes to sporting events of all kinds. This blog focused on the upcoming Tournament of the Roses Parade. 

As a longtime tour guide, John Werner has seen firsthand how Sports Travel and Tours’ trips bring together people of all ages and walks of life. At the end of 2017, the travel firm in Hatfield, Massachusetts, brought three generations of his family together for the Rose Bowl Parade, marking the first time John has traveled with us as a guest.

“I traveled with my brother Daniel, my 13-year-old daughter Elizabeth, and my 83-year-old mother, Henrietta, who had been dreaming for years about going to Pasadena and seeing the Tournament of Roses Parade live,” says John, of Newark, Delaware. “There was something for all three generations to love over the course of a full, four-day agenda.”

Whether your partner in travel is 16 or 60, one of Sports Travel and Tours six travel packages to see the Rose Bowl or the renowned parade is the perfect way to ring in 2020.

John selected a four-day trip for his family, adding on an extra day to visit with relatives on the West Coast. Not only did John want to help his mother check seeing the Rose Bowl Parade in person off her bucket list, but he wanted to bring his family’s East Coast and West Coast halves together.

The football game wasn’t on their to-do list, but John said the parade and witnessing volunteers’ float-building efforts on New Year’s Eve was awe-inspiring. “We strolled through the pre-parade float barns, where volunteers were working on 10 or 12 floats,” he recounts. “They were decorating them with real flowers and seeds. It was so interesting to watch the process. Every little rose bud and every seed had to be glued in place. It’s truly painstaking when you realize the size of these floats.”

Being surrounded by the flowers’ fragrance and bounty of colors, especially in December, was particularly enjoyable for John’s mother and daughter. And viewing the floats mid-construction made seeing the finished products on New Year’s Day 2018, surrounded by a crowd of about one million people, even more meaningful.

The sight was only the beginning of the trip’s New Year’s Eve activities, though. In that one day before the start of 2018, John and his family also enjoyed a buffet lunch in a gorgeous banquet room aboard the Queen Mary, a retired ocean liner docked on Long Beach. And they visited an aquarium and ventured out on an hour-long harbor cruise. 

After the Tournament of Roses Parade on New Year’s Day, activities included a visit to The Huntington, which is home to a library, historic art displays, and botanical gardens.

Having been a tour guide with Sports Travel and Tours since 1999, going on a trip as a guest for the first and only time—at least thus far—was new experience for John. Though he says he is indeed biased, he raves about the firm’s trip planning.

“My mother, who was using a wheelchair at that point, was very anxious about traveling,” John says. “But the staff at Sports Travel and Tours spent time talking to her by phone about how the arrangements would work, providing a calming voice that wasn’t her son’s. All the planning was right on the button.”

This year’s three travel packages that include upper-level, end-zone tickets to the Rose Bowl itself, as well as the Tournament of Roses Parade, are:

Rose Bowl Parade and Game: Four-Day Package. From Dec. 30 to Jan. 2, catch the pre-parade float barn tour, enjoy a sightseeing tour of Hollywood, visit Los Angeles’ historic farmers market, and see Beverly Hills by motorcoach.

Rose Bowl Parade and Game: Five-Day Los Angeles Package. From Dec. 29 to Jan. 2, visit the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica, tour the studios of Paramount Pictures, see galleries dedicated to moviemaking at the new Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, and tour The Huntington.

Rose Bowl Parade and Game: Five-Day Long Beach Package. From Dec. 29 to Jan. 2, enjoy the shopping, dining and beautiful scenes of the Belmont Shore, tour the studios at Warner Bros., dine aboard the Queen Mary, and visit The Huntington.

This year’s three travel packages for only the Tournament of Roses Parade are: 

Rose Bowl Parade: Four-Day Classic Experience.  From Dec. 30 to Jan. 2, choose between a tour of Warner Bros. and Hollywood, a visit to Catalina Island or a luncheon at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library; feast during a backyard barbecue; celebrate New Year’s Eve in a “Monte Carlo” style casino; and watch a movie under the stars.

Rose Bowl Parade: Five-Day Deluxe Experience. From Dec. 29 to Jan. 2, enjoy all the luxuries of the four-day trip, plus witness the pre-parade float decorating and squish your toes in the sand at Santa Monica Beach.

Rose Bowl Parade: Six-Day Platinum Experience. From Dec. 29 to Jan. 3, enjoy all the luxuries of the five-day trip, plus a post-parade showcase of floats and a farewell dinner cruise on the Newport Beach harbor.

Contact me if I can help showcase your programs or services by interviewing your customers.

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I write blogs for Sports Travel and Tours’ website. The firm, based in Hatfield, Massachusetts, plans all kinds of adventures for baseball and football fans—and sports fans of all kinds, really. I help to promote those trips by telling stories about them. I feature travelers, tour guides, and trip attractions. Recently, after sending out a press release about Sports Travel and Tours’ upcoming trip to Cuba, the company president, Jay Smith, was invited to submit a blog on what it’s like to travel to Cuba these days. I helped him pen this post, which went live on GoNomad.com in August. 

By Jay Smith, President, Sports Travel and Tours

While some people may think traveling to Cuba is unsafe, and others believe it is now off-limits given changes made by the Trump administration, I am able to tell you with certainty that the country is safe—and accessible. Cuba is a tremendous place to visit for the history, culture, and ambience. The countryside is beautiful. And the Cuban people are welcoming. They want us—and need us—there.

Booking a trip to Cuba has gotten slightly more complicated with the Trump administration’s elimination of a travel designation created by President Obama. If you understand the new designation, however, there is really no difference to speak about.

You can’t just go to Cuba to visit the beach. There are 11 authorized categories that are available to Americans interested in traveling there. You must have an intended purpose. For individuals, the former People to People category allowed travelers to visit and experience Cuban history or to have an educational Cuban experience. That designation has been eliminated by the Trump administration.  

If you want to travel to Cuba now, though, all you need do is check the box for the Support for the Cuban People category, which allows travel to Cuba if guests maintain a full schedule of activities that do not directly support the Cuban government. For example, you can’t stay in a government-run hotel or watch a concert if the band is paid for by the government, but you can stay at Airbnbs or eat at privately-owned restaurants, called paladars.

Trump is trying to put the squeeze on the Cuban government while allowing Americans to support the Cuban people themselves. Don’t worry, though, no one at the airport or in Cuba will be asking to see your trip itinerary.

We at Sports Travel and Tours in Hatfield, Massachusetts, have a trip to Cuba coming up in the fall. Because it was planned before changes were made to the travel regulations in June, we are grandfathered under the People to People category. 

If you like baseball and exploring other countries, you might consider one of our packages. Our trip to Cuba begins Monday, November 4 and runs through Sunday, November 10. To register, visit http://www.sportstravelandtours.com/WebPackage.asp?PackID=19GCUBA.

We plan to explore the country’s incredible history and culture, as we did on a trip we took there in 2016. Our travelers were inspired by the Cuban people, who are eager to show guests around the land they love and take great pride in.

“It was one of the most amazing things I’ve ever done, and I’ve traveled all around the world,” said Chuck Carter of Spokane, Washington. “I thought I knew all about Cuba’s government and economy, but when I got there, it was so different from what I had in mind. We found warm, friendly people who were excited to see Americans come to their country. I was certainly surprised, in a good way.”

“Seeing Cuba was really the highlight,” agreed Jeffrey Grossman of Redmond, Washington, who traveled with his son, Seth. “It was less about the baseball and more the experience of visiting this country that has been off limits my entire life.”

When Sports Travel and Tours heads to Cuba again this fall, guests will have full bellies, with stops at El Aljibe, renowned for its 62-year-old secret recipe for roast chicken, and the luxurious La Guarida, Havana’s most well-known paladar, to name a few. Under the wing of tour guide Louis “Edgar” Perez Gonzalez, guests will learn about everything from the Cuban school system to military service to religion.

Trip highlights include a visit to Muraleando, a neglected neighborhood turned community art project; a tour of Ernest Hemingway’s home, Finca Vigia, featuring original furniture, artwork, and personal memorabilia; a walking tour of Havana’s historic squares, with breathtaking colonial architecture; and a stop at Palmar Junco Stadium, said to be the oldest continual use baseball stadium in the world, dating back to 1874.

Cuba won’t be a place where tourists can be glued to their phones, sending every photo through social media within seconds. Internet is not easily accessible, though there are hotspots where phone and tablet users will congregate. Instead, a trip to Cuba is a time to disconnect with technology and reconnect with this beautiful country’s past and the people of its present.

Our travelers will see that Cuban life is quite different from our own in many ways. A good job might pay $20 per month; a surgeon, or the best baseball players, might make $40 a month. But the people are granted stipends for food, and residents don’t pay for housing or medical care. 

Whether you prefer to travel alone or with a company like ours, do remember that—if nothing else—Cuba is safe. Support the Cuban people. Travel there, and explore a country that will take you back to the 1950s.

If you have been invited to submit a story about your business to a local newspaper, a blog, magazine, or trade publication, I’d be happy to help you write it. Contact me.

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Sports Travel and Tours offers Flexible Independent Travel options

HATFIELD, MASS—Whether they root for the Seattle Seahawks or the New York Giants when autumn rolls around, Sports Travel and Tours has tailored sports trips that will fit each fan. With its Gridiron Getaways, the team, date, place, seating, and hotel accommodations are all the fan’s call.

For those who want to track the Dallas Cowboys, for example, there are eight home games at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and eight away games. That means there are 16 chances to see this powerhouse team as it celebrates its 60th season in the NFL. The Lone Star State takes its football seriously, and Sports Travel and Tours specializes in bringing the sport’s biggest fans to Arlington for unforgettable experiences.

The first of the home games start Monday, Sept. 16, pitting the Cowboys against the Giants. Picture hundreds of cheering fans and the blue and silver star at the 50-yard line. Participants can choose where they want to sit, and the sports travel agency based out of Hatfield, Massachusetts, will make it happen.

All of Sports Travel and Tours’ Gridiron Getaways offer three ticket choices: value, moderate, or premium. Value tickets typically involve seating in the end zone, while moderate tickets seat fans near the football field’s corners or in the upper level. Lastly, premium tickets offer lower-level, sideline seats between the 25-yard lines.

Each Gridiron Getaway also provides optional hotel bookings with standard, moderate, or deluxe hotels.

Sports Travel and Tours can customize a trip to suit any preference. The Gridiron Getaways travel packages are easily planned through the Flexible Independent Travel (FIT) program. Here’s how it works: Participants choose how much they want to spend, and travel coordinators arrange accommodations, tickets, and transportation to fit the budget.

There is no need to peruse all the travel sites to get the best deal on a hotel or to chart out an itinerary to maximize every minute. Sports Travel and Tours can take care of the details, so a sports vacation is as relaxing and stress-free as possible.

All Gridiron Getaways include a trip souvenir and 24-hour trip assistance, and there are several optional add-ons, including a car rental with unlimited mileage; tickets to other sporting events; sideline, lower-level, and club ticket upgrades; tickets to see theater performances or concerts; and sightseeing/city tours.

Dallas Cowboys games run through Dec. 30, but these football excursions are also available for any American Football Conference or National Football Conference team.

Learn more about Sports Travel and Tours’ Gridiron Getaways.

Learn more about Sports Travel and Tours.

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Hatfield-based firm is the official travel company of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum

HATFIELD—As the days start to grow longer once again, many sports fans set their sights on the upcoming baseball season, mapping out how to get to the most anticipated match-ups and crossing stadiums off their bucket lists. That’s where Sports Travel and Tours enters the picture.

The Hatfield-based company regularly offers baseball trips from June to August, including several travel packages that take guests to witness the annual Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Cooperstown, N.Y.

“Sports Travel and Tours takes the hassle out of travel,” Sports Travel and Tours President Jay Smith said. “All hotel accommodations, transportation and scheduling are taken care of, leaving the guest to focus on having a good time and making memories that last a lifetime.”

Smith founded Sports Travel and Tours in 1996. Its mission is to offer trip options to sports fans so they can attend games and other events across the United States and Canada. Smith and his staff have successfully worked with tens of thousands of travelers while fulfilling dreams and “bucket lists” worldwide.

Sports Travel and Tours has been the official travel company of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum since 2007. The firm celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2016.

Sports Travel and Tours offers trips for baseball fans that take them to all 30 major league stadiums as well as many minor league stadiums. The company also has its own Stadium Hall of Fame to honor travelers who make it to all 30 parks. There is an induction ceremony for them at Cooperstown every four years; the next one will be in 2021.

Baseball isn’t the only sport fans can take in through the company’s travel packages. Sports Travel and Tours offers themed excursions for fans of basketball, football, golf, hockey, horse racing, rodeo and soccer.

While many of the company’s travel packages feature destinations within the United States, Sports Travel and Tours has also branched out to offer international travel packages, including a March trip to Japan that features tickets to baseball games and sumo wrestling matches, and a football-themed trip to Dublin, Ireland, in August 2020.

Then there’s the Flexible Independent Travel (FIT) program, which allows travelers to customize a self-guided getaway to fit their budget, time and interests. All of Sports Travel and Tours’ offerings support a goal of helping travelers see any game, at any place, at any time.

“Our staff makes this happen through hard work, commitment to excellence and a strong desire to please our customers through whatever means necessary,” Smith said. “We love sports and the challenge of putting you together with whatever sporting event you may be interested in.”

For more information about Sports Travel and Tours, visit the company’s website at sportstravelandtours.com or call 800-662-4424.

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Sports Travel and Tours of Hatfield has served as the official licensed travel company for the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum for 12 years

HATFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS—Several years after launching Sports Travel and Tours, Jay Smith took a group of baseball fans to the induction ceremony at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum for the first time. He had 15 travelers. No one at the Hall of Fame knew his name or had familiarity with his Hatfield-based business.

Smith was determined to change that scenario.

Seeing the opportunity to collaborate with the acclaimed organization, he brought his idea to its leadership. “I remember seeing that we were a round peg and a round hole,” Smith said. “A perfect fit. I went to the guy who was then the director of sales, and I said, ‘I’m not leaving this planet until Sports Travel and Tours is the official travel company of the Hall of Fame.”

It took a few years, but Smith finally won the hall’s leaders over. In June 2007, Sports Travel and Tours was named the official licensed travel company for the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.

Since then, when the phone sounds at Sports Travel and Tours and the ring has a particular sound, staff knows the call is coming in from 888-310-HALL, the only dedicated line that the Hall of Fame offers to anyone interested in a baseball travel package.

In today’s online era, there are also multiple links directly from the Hall of Fame site to Sports Travel and Tours’ induction packages.

What the Hall of Fame gets out of the arrangement is vastly increased memberships, Smith said, as well as efficient, organized and convenient access for guests. “You have people who love baseball. We take them to stadiums and make their travel easier,” Smith said.

Last year, Sports Travel and Tours took roughly 1,000 fans to the Hall of Fame; they experienced all the perks the partnership now offers, such as skirting interminably long lines to get in the museum and VIP seating at the induction ceremony for certain programs.  

This year, the business is offering 10 different packages, from the most basic Induction Weekend–Base Hit package to nine other selections that offer increasing add-ons to enhance the experience of getting out to see the six 2019 inductees. Mariano Rivera, Major League Baseball’s all-time leader in saves, pitchers Mike Mussina and the late Roy Halladay, and designated hitter / third baseman Edgar Martinez, were all elected by the Baseball Writers, while Lee Smith and Harold Baines were elected via the Today’s Game Committee.

Smith said his staff meets quarterly on the telephone with staff from the Hall of Fame. In a call February, the partnership was renewed for four more years. “I thanked them for continuing the partnership,” he said. “One of their vice presidents said, ‘Jay, you guys outshine every other official licensee that we work with. You’re not even in the same ballpark as anyone else. You rise so far above.”

Sean Gahagan, the vice president of retail merchandising and licensing at the Hall of Fame, said the biggest positive in working with Sports Travel and Tours is the total commitment to excellent customer service.

“Sports Travel and Tours goes above and beyond, paying attention to the smallest details to ensure that our visitors have a great experience on their trip to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum,” Gahagan said. “Every member of the Sports Travel and Tours staff has a passion for what they do. You can tell they really love their work, and it shows in the way they treat their customers.”

Smith said Sports Travel and Tours continually tries to improve its programming and services.

For instance, in years past, VIP seating was not offered as part of any package deal. Now, Sports Travel and Tours can choose between packages that include the VIP section seats—near players’ families and team dignitaries—or those in the general seating area.

Sports Travel and Tours arrives at the Hall of Fame a few days in advance to set up 500-800 chairs on the field where the induction takes place. “We are the only company that is permitted to do that,” Smith said. “Everyone else generally sets up behind us.”

Also, all travelers with Sports Travel and Tours receive a lanyard that allows access to an alternate entrance to the museum, which means they can avoid waiting an hour or two in line to buy a ticket.

Our travelers also arrive by bus and get dropped off in front of the museum; individuals must park in a lot several miles away and wait for the shuttle into Cooperstown.

In the first year of the Hall of Fame partnership, Smith said the numbers jumped up near to 1,000 travelers, but that was because two iconic players were inducted that year—Tony Gwynn and Cal Ripken Jr. In the years following, the numbers were closer to 100 to 200. “Now, we are consistently upwards of 700 to 1,000 per year, depending on who the inductees are,” Smith said.

He adds that 700 people are already registered for the induction in 2020, even though the players won’t be announced until next year, and there is no programming yet.

“The partnership has opened doors for us,” Smith said.

He adds that the recognition his team received in February, and fulfilling the organization’s mission, means more to him than the increased sales. “Yes, there is a financial reward, but it’s a fascinating feeling to take travelers to the Hall of Fame and know you were a part of fueling someone’s passion. We’re hitting people in their souls. We bring joy to people.”

Fred White, of Temecula, Calif., and his wife, Kathy, appreciate the convenience of traveling with Sports Travel and Tours and have been on many adventures, including multiple induction ceremonies.

Over the years, the Whites have met sports stars—like former San Diego Padres pitcher Randy Jones and his wife, Marie Stassi, whom they spoke with in Cooperstown about his baseball career and battle with throat cancer—and they’ve also come to know the travel company’s guides.

“The thing that really catches me off guard is the knowledge of the guides,” White said, adding, “The staff make us feel welcome and like a part of the organization. That’s something you don’t find very often.”

Learn more about Sports Travel and Tours.

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HATFIELD, MASS—July marks the return of what Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred called “a five-day celebration of the greatest game in the world,” and Cleveland is proud to be the host of the magic for the first time since 1997.

Sports Travel and Tours, a sports travel agency based out of Hatfield, Massachusetts, is equally as proud to offer tickets to the action that is the 2019 All-Star Game on July 9, visiting Indians territory after a four-year streak of All-Star Games in National League cities. Momentous occasions call for momentous travel packages, and that’s exactly what Sports Travel and Tours has in mind with its Baseball All Star Game – Four Day Package.

Guests arrive on Sunday, July 7 and check into the Drury Plaza Hotel Cleveland Downtown, a full-service hotel within walking distance of Progressive Field and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s seven floors of ever-changing exhibits. Completely renovated, the hotel offers an indoor pool and whirlpool, a 24-hour fitness center, free soda and popcorn, free breakfasts, and a daily 5:30 kick-back, featuring a rotating menu of hot food and cold beverages.

When Monday rolls around, so does the most-hyped baseball event in the world: the All-Star FanFest. Travelers get a one-day admission to the Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland, also within walking distance of the hotel, and they have the chance to meet MLB legends and get free autographs and give-aways.

Next, it’s off to Progressive Field for the All-Star Workout and Home Run Derby, where Sports Travel and Tours fans can settle into upper level outfield seating. Monday’s festivities serve as a taste of those to come on Tuesday, when fans return to the Indians’ home base for the official All-Star Game.

Cleveland is well-known as the host city for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Sports Travel and Tours wants to make sure fans can check the destination off their bucket lists and has included admission to the museum in its All-Star Game travel package. Check out its vast collection of rock and roll news, artist interviews, and performance notes.

With all the stops on Sports Travel and Tours’ itinerary within walking distance of the hotel, getting around is a breeze. Still, should guests have any questions on what Cleveland has to offer or what’s in store for them, 24-hour trip assistance is just one phone call away.

Travelers depart from Cleveland on Wednesday, July 10, but if four days of baseball—and Cleveland—aren’t enough, Sports Travel and Tours offers an optional add-on that gives you an extra night’s stay at the Drury Plaza Hotel Cleveland Downtown on Saturday.

Travelers who opt for that longer stay get tickets to both the All-Star Futures Game—an exhibition game at which a team of Minor League Baseball prospects from the United States competes against a team of prospects from other countries—and the Legends & Celebrity Softball Game on Sunday.

As its name implies, the Legends & Celebrity game welcomes actors and actresses, musicians and other stars to the playing field, including some who have sports backgrounds of their own. Last year’s game at Miami’s Marlins Park, for example, featured actress Dascha Polanco of “Orange is the New Black” and actor Michael Cudlitz of “The Walking Dead.”

Learn more about the Baseball All Star Game – Four Day Package.

Learn more about Sports Travel and Tours.

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HATFIELD, MASS—When Stephanie London was five years old, she could be found with her dad on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, cheering on the Milwaukee Braves, notepad and pencil in hand. “He taught me how to keep score, what to pay attention to,” remembered London, who now lives in a suburb of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. “We watched things like which way the second baseman was going, if the shortstop has his hands on his knees, and we paid attention to the base runners.”

At baseball games around the country now, London still keeps score the way her dad taught her, marking down an “H” if there’s a hit, and a “K” if a player strikes out. No, it’s not the official way, but it helps London pay attention and reminds her of her dad, who died when she was 17.

Baseball inspired London to travel over the past 22 years, since she first learned about Sports Travel and Tours, a sports travel agency based in Hatfield, Massachusetts, through an ad in a sports publication. The sport keeps her on the move to destinations such as London, where London will land for this year’s Baseball in London: Yankees and Red Sox travel package.

“I’ve been to London twice before, but I didn’t see enough,” said London, who is also embarking on the Cultural Highlights of Japan with Baseball & Sumo tour in March and the Major Minor Northeast tour in June. “The addition of baseball will make this next trip even more interesting.”

London started traveling with Sports Travel and Tours in 1997, participating in the East Coast Classic. She always takes at least one trip with Sports Travel and Tours each year and was proud to be inducted into the Sports Travel and Tours Stadium Hall of Fame in 2001—the very first induction—for checking all 30 major league ballparks off her bucket list.

“They let me go first at the induction ceremony because I was the only woman there,” she remembered. “I always say I was the first inductee into the Stadium Hall of Fame.”

London attends the Sports Travel and Tours Stadium Hall of Fame induction ceremony every four years to support other travelers who have met the 30-ballpark goal, many of whom have become close friends. “Many of us have gone to all the major league ballparks, so now we’re working on visiting the minor league ones,” she said, noting she’s been to smaller stadiums in places like Oregon, Maine, and Alabama on Sports Travel and Tours trips.

Sports Travel and Tours selection of international travel packages helps keep things fresh for London, too; this is her first year going abroad with Sports Travel and Tours.

Michael Coldesina, manager of travel industry accounts at Sports Travel and Tours who helped shape the London trip, said the travel package features everything people want to see most.

“The trip comes with a London pass, which allows you pre-paid admission to over 80 different sites and attractions in London and the greater London area,” he said. “Many of those places will have a fast-pass entrance to skirt long lines. You also get a travel card to travel on the subway, buses and trains.”

On Thursday, June 27, guests arrive in London and check into the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel London – Westminster. The hotel is located within walking distance to many main attractions like the Houses of Parliament and the theater district, and floor-to-ceiling windows allow you to take advantage of the sights from the comfort of your room at the end of a long day. The hotel will also provide an English breakfast each morning.

Guests can meet their fellow travelers at our trip reception Thursday evening before a Friday spent sightseeing. Later in the evening, take a leisurely stroll down to the London Eye Pier and hop on a boat for a four-hour cruise on the River Thames. A DJ will provide musical entertainment while you enjoy breathtaking views of London and a complimentary beverage. A mystery baseball celebrity will also make an appearance.

There’s more time to explore on Saturday and Sunday, but there’s also two games between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees. The travel package includes 200-level seats for both games at London Stadium.

“This trip brings together baseball’s biggest rivals,” Coldesina said. “A lot of people are really excited about the rivalry and about the opportunity to go to London.”

Coldesina said that when the Sports Travel and Tours staff found out that the Yankees and Red Sox would face off in London, staff saw the opportunity to offer their guests something exciting. He said, though, that this chance will likely not be the last because many major sports leagues are expanding their reach internationally.

“The NFL is doing the same thing,” Coldesina said. “In 2007, they started offering one game in London each season, and now they offer three. They want to get to the point where they’re offering a full round of NFL games. That’s 16 games.”

Baseball in London travelers will wrap up the trip on Monday, July 1, but Coldesina said many will opt to add pre-trip and/or post-trip hotel nights onto their stay. Travelers who need help figuring out where they want to go during their leisure time can seek advice from the local guide at the daily hospitality desk in the hotel lobby.

Learn more about the Baseball in London: Yankees and Red Sox travel package.

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The post Don’t Miss Baseball’s Greatest Rivals as They Face Off in London appeared first on Beetle Press.

Sports Travel and Tours offers travel packages to the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum for its 2019 Induction Ceremonies

HATFIELD, MASS—The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum has announced four inductees for 2019, including the first to be elected by a unanimous vote of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.

The four latest inductees join two that were chosen in December 2018 by the 16-member Today’s Game Era Committee. Their picks were Harold Baines and Lee Smith.

If you’re a diehard fan of any of these six players, you’re probably already thinking about how you’re going to get to the Sunday, July 21 induction ceremony. Sports Travel and Tours, a sports travel agency based in Hatfield, Massachusetts, has got you covered, offering 10 different travel packages so you can customize your weekend to fit your budget, schedule and interests.

Sports Travel and Tours’ selection of travel packages starts with the Induction Weekend – Base Hit package, and the nine other selections offer add-ons that enhance the experience of getting out to see these four 2019 inductees: Mariano Rivera, Major League Baseball’s all-time leader in saves, who was named on all 425 ballots cast in the 2019 Hall of Fame voting; pitchers Mike Mussina and the late Roy Halladay; and designated hitter / third baseman Edgar Martinez.

Rivera, 49, spent all 19 of his major-league seasons with the New York Yankees. He played a key role in earning the team five World Series championships and set career records in saves and games finished. A 13-time All-Star, Rivera was the last player to wear uniform Number 42, which was retired in honor of Jackie Robinson in 1997.

Mussina, 50, played 18 combined seasons with the Yankees and the Baltimore Orioles and finished with 270 wins and a .638 winning percentage. At 39, he became the oldest pitcher to record a 20-victory season for the first time.

Halladay was killed piloting an aircraft in 2017 at the age of 40. He played for the Toronto Blue Jays and the Philadelphia Phillies. He will be the sixth player elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame posthumously. Among pitchers active since 1998, Halladay’s 67 complete games are the most in the majors, 13 more than runner-up Randy Johnson.

Martinez, 56, won batting titles in 1992 and 1995 with the Seattle Mariners, the only team he played on for over 18 seasons. He ranks as the Mariners’ all-time leader in runs, runs batted in, doubles, walks, extra-base hits and total bases.

Smith and Baines both debuted in Chicago during the 1980 season. Smith began with the Cubs and went on to record 478 saves while Baines started out with the White Sox and had 2,866 hits. Smith held the major league record for saves when he retired.

Whether you’re a fan of one of these stellar players or you simply want to experience an induction ceremony, Sports Travel and Tours has the trip for you.

With the Base Hit package, guests arrive in Albany on Friday, July 19 for an evening trip reception at the Hampton Inn & Suites Albany-Downtown, where you will stay for two nights.

Saturday’s festivities include watching the presentation of the Ford C. Frick and J.G. Taylor Spink awards at historic Doubleday Field, and seeing the Parade of Legends make its way through downtown Cooperstown. See current Hall of Famers and the 2019 class of inductees in the flesh!

This year’s award winners have already been announced, with Philadelphia native Jayson Stark earning the J.G. Taylor Spink Award for his contributions to baseball writing. Stark has covered sports for the Providence Journal, the Philadelphia Inquirer, ESPN, The Athletic, the MLB Network and Stadium TV. The 43rd Ford C. Frick Award is being given to Al Helfer, a mainstay in broadcast booths across the country for four decades and the play-by-play voice of Mutual’s Game of the Day.

The travel package includes admission to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum on both Saturday and Sunday. Learn about baseball’s past and beginnings through the museum’s three-story timeline that features just under 40,000 three-dimensional items, three million books and documents and 500,000 photographs. The museum’s Plaque Gallery serves as the centerpiece, commemorating the sport’s finest players, managers, umpires and executives.

The induction ceremony will be held on Sunday, with sports fans gathering at the Clark Sports Center. It will be followed by a boxed lunch, and Sports Travel and Tours has daily breakfasts covered, too. As always, travel from the airport to the hotel and to all events is included, along with a Baseball Hall of Fame membership, a trip souvenir and 24-hour trip assistance.

One of the optional trip add-ons is “Ump’s Eye View: An Inside Look into Baseball,” featuring retired major league umpire Al Clark. Hear about baseball’s behind-the-scenes world and ask questions during Clark’s presentation at the Hall of Fame’s Bullpen Theater.

Other travel packages include:

• Induction Weekend – Extra Innings, which adds another night’s hotel stay and admission to the Legends of the Game Roundtable, where the Hall of Fame’s new inductees will reminisce with fans at Doubleday Field.
• Induction Weekend – Bases Loaded, which has all the features of Induction Weekend – Extra Winnings, but with admission to Clark’s “Ump’s Eve View” presentation factored in. Plus, guests receive upgraded seating at the induction ceremony, nestled in with the media, players’ families and major league VIPs.
• Induction Weekend – Infield, combining all the features of the Base Hit package but upgrading guests’ hotel accommodations to the Albany Marriott. This package also includes admission to “Ump’s Eye View” and upgraded induction ceremony seating.
• Induction Weekend – Home Run, which includes all the features of Infield while adding another night’s hotel stay and admission to the Legends of the Game Roundtable. Guests also receive a baseball signed by one member of the Hall of Fame’s incoming class.
• Induction Weekend – Grand Slam, which shifts the hotel once again, this time to the Courtyard by Marriott Oneonta Cooperstown Area (for a three-night stay). This package has a little bit of everything, building off the Base Hit package with admission to “Ump’s Eye View” and the Legends of the Game Roundtable, plus upgraded induction ceremony seating and a private program at the Baseball Hall of Fame called Artifact Spotlight, where guests can get an up-close look at artifacts not currently on display. As with the Home Run package, guests get a signed baseball, too.
• Induction Weekend – Base Hit Casino, which—as the name implies—is equivalent to the Base Hit package but with accommodations at Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, N.Y. Guests also receive a $40 free play coupon, per night, to be used at the casino.
• Induction Weekend – Extra Innings Casino, which adds another night’s stay and admission to the Legends of the Game Roundtable onto the Base Hit Casino package.
• Induction Weekend – Infield Casino, adding upgraded induction ceremony seating onto the Base Hit Casino package.
• And lastly, Induction Plus, a six-day travel package that builds on the Base Hit but offers different hotel accommodations, with admission to the Legends of the Game Roundtable and “Ump’s Eye View,” along with three days spent exploring New York City and enjoying two Yankees’ games.

To learn more about Sports Travel and Tours’ induction weekend travel packages or to book a trip, call 800-662-4424.

Learn more about Sports Travel and Tours.

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