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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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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