TAG:Tampa Bay Rays

MLB Spring Training and an AMI Beach Vacation

So if you’re anything like us, you can’t wait for the day that baseball players report for MLB Spring Training. Finally, we can enjoy the sunshine, hot dogs and cold beer, and BASEBALL! And Florida is lucky enough to host the Grapefruit League, so there are plenty of teams and stadiums within a very short road trip of Anna Maria Island. Then why not enjoy a relaxing Anna Maria Beach Vacation along with an MLB Spring Training game? Let AMI Locals show you how.

Play ball! Spring Training begins in February.

Beginning in February, there are many Major League Baseball teams that come to Florida to play baseball in the mild Winter and warm Spring days that we enjoy here; such as the Pittsburgh Pirates, Boston Red Sox, Baltimore Orioles, and New York Yankees. We here at AMI Locals are ready to be your guide to planning a grand slam vacation!

First, take a look at the Grapefruit League Spring Training schedule and available tickets. Second, find your favorite MLB team and choose a game (or several!) that you’d like to attend. With this in mind, get your cheering section together and book one of our fabulous AMI Locals luxury vacation rental homes for your adventure. After all, we have a wide variety of homes available for any size group. Such as Just Beachy with 6 bedrooms, or Island Life with 3 bedrooms, all the way up to our 9 bedroom beauty Island Sol! When you are combining a beach vacation with a Spring Training game in the same trip, it’s bound to be a home run of fun!

Nearby Bradenton and Sarasota MLB Spring Training Stadiums

For example, Anna Maria Island is within a very short distance of two Spring Training fields. The Pittsburgh Pirates play at nearby LECOM Park in downtown Bradenton, an easy 20-minute drive from AMI. So be sure to head out for the game early and stop by one of our favorite breweries!
Additionally, The Baltimore Orioles’ Spring Training home is at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota. So it’s a fun way to spend an afternoon there! Afterwards, why not explore downtown Sarasota’s Main Street for shopping and happy hour while you are in the neighborhood?

• LECOM Park – 1611 9th St W, Bradenton, FL 34205
• Ed Smith Stadium – 2700 12th St, Sarasota, FL 34237

Tampa area MLB Spring Training Stadiums to visit

Then, about an hour away, you have the Bronx Bombers, The New York Yankees spending their Spring Training time at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa. Also, The Philadelphia Phillies play at Spectrum Field in Clearwater,  The Toronto Blue Jays at Dunedin Stadium in Dunedin, and The Detroit Tigers at Publix Field in Lakeland.

• Steinbrenner Field – 1 Steinbrenner Dr, Tampa, FL 33614
• Spectrum Field – 601 N Old Coachman Rd, Clearwater, FL 33765
• Dunedin Stadium – 373 Douglas Ave, Dunedin, FL 34698
• Publix Field – 2301 Lakeland Hills Blvd, Lakeland, FL 33805

Teams worth traveling a little further to see – The BoSox and beyond

Next up on the tour, the Tampa Bay Rays play at Charlotte Sports Park in Port Charlotte, about an hour and 15 minutes away. Our hometown Rays are always fun to watch! Unfortunately this year, the MLB Spring Training for our Tampa Bay Rays will be at Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex due to too much damage from Hurricane Ian to our home stadium.

• Charlotte Sports Park – 2300 El Jobean Rd, Port Charlotte, FL 33948
• Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex – 700 S Victory Way, Orlando, FL 34747

Then, you’ll hear Sweet Caroline playing when the Boston Red Sox win at JetBlue Park in Fort Myers, and the Minnesota Twins also take the field at Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers, about a 2 hour drive south of Anna Maria Island.

• JetBlue Park – 11500 Fenway South Drive, Fort Myers, FL 33913
• Hammond Stadium – 14100 6 Mile Cypress Pkwy, Fort Myers, FL 33912

Visit Orlando to see ATL

Finally, the Atlanta Braves play at Champion Stadium in Lake Buena Vista, just outside of Orlando, about 2 ½ – 3 hours from Anna Maria Island.

• Champion Stadium – ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, 700 S Victory Way, Kissimmee, FL 34747

Directions and destinations from Anna Maria Island to MLB Spring Training stadiums

To get from Anna Maria Island to these ballparks, you’ll first cross the Manatee Avenue Bridge. Then you will continue eastward on Manatee Avenue – and now you need to choose your destination: Bradenton/Sarasota, Tampa area, Port Charlotte, Fort Myers, or the Orlando area.
Before you leave the Island, search by the chosen ballpark’s address that we have provided above. Our favorite is Google Maps for turn-by-turn directions and time estimates.

So, whatcha waiting for? Pack your bathing suits and baseball gloves, buy your tickets, and call your AMI Locals to book your vacation rental home. Since the peanuts and Cracker Jack will be at the stadium, there’s no need to bring that from home! Batter up!

Sports + Beach Vacations

Combining Sporting Events and Beach Vacations

Combining Sporting Events and Beach Vacations? You’re probably wondering, is that really a thing? Combining sporting events and beach vacations might not be something you’ve ever thought of before; but, it can be done! Furthermore, sporting events and beach vacations makes for one amazing trip! So, let AMI Locals show you how to do it right!

The Tampa Bay Buccanneers

Since the NFL Season is right around the corner, let’s start with a look at our local team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This season, the Bucs have some great home games to play at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.

First and foremost, lets take a look at the schedule:

• September 16, 1pm vs. the Philadelphia Eagles  – tickets start at $125
• September 24, 8:15 vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers  – tickets start at $125
• October 21, 1pm vs. the Cleveland Browns – tickets start at $50
• November 11, 1pm vs. the Washington Redskins  – tickets start at $50
• November 25, 1pm vs. the San Francisco 49ers  – tickets start at $55
• December 2, 1pm vs. the Carolina Panthers  – tickets start at $50
• December 9, 1pm vs. the New Orleans Saints  – tickets start at $50
• December 30, 1pm vs. the Atlanta Falcons  – tickets start at $50

Now, look over these games, and figure out which sporting event works best with your beach vacation plans. Then, contact AMI Locals to help to plan your getaway around it!

Traveling to Anna Maria Island

So, who’s your home team? Are they listed above? If they’re headed this way when it’s snowy and cold at home why don’t you be the ultimate football fan and travel along?  Getting here is easy, and you have tons of options. Either drive down, or fly into the Sarasota or Tampa airport and rent a car. Or, get fancy and hire a car or limo to take you between your destinations.

For example, if you’re a Carolina Panthers’ fan, you can fly from Charlotte, North Carolina to Tampa on December 1st, 2018 roundtrip for about $230. Then, add on a week’s stay at one of our lovely 2-3 bedroom Anna Maria Luxury Vacation Rentals such as Island Time East for about $2,450. Combine it all, and boom, you have a fantastic sporting event and beach vacation planned for just under $3,000.

How to Get to the Buccaneers Stadium from Anna Maria Island

Here’s your game plan for game day when you’re combining sporting events and beach vacations! How do you get from here to there? Tampa is about 35 miles north of Anna Maria Island. An easy 1 hour drive, and it’s very scenic! Especially if you take the Sunshine Skyway Bridge.

First, you will need to take one of the bridges to the mainland, SR-64, or Cortez Road. From there you’ll hop on to I-275 N to cross the beautiful Sunshine Skyway bridge. Then, continue through St. Petersburg and then on to Tampa. The highways are easy to navigate and the exits to the stadium are clearly marked.

Parking and Tailgating at the Stadium

Parking is plentiful around the stadium, with 14 official parking lots just outside of the stadium. Furthermore, there are other parking facilities within easy walking distance. Remember to bring some cash to pay for parking! Most parking lots average around $25 per vehicle. With most people driving to the games, tailgating around the stadium is always fun. Because of that, make sure you bring some snacks and a favorite beverage or two. As a result, you’ll hang out and engage in some friendly rival team banter with the locals. After the tailgate, you’ll head into Raymond James Stadium for kickoff and the big game. Remember to #vacationlikealocal and take photos by the pirate ship, mate! Tag us @amilocals!

Other Professional and College Teams

Maybe NFL Football isn’t your thing. That’s fine, there are more options for comining sporting events and beach vacations. Instead, maybe MLB Baseball, College Football, NHL Hockey, or NBA Basketball is more your speed. Well, you’re in luck!

Within 45 minutes to 3 hours of Anna Maria Island, we have everything you need! Located 45 minutes away, we have the Tampa Bay Rays, with a season running from March-October. Also, there are some great NCAA College Football teams within 1-3 hours of Anna Maria Island. Those teams include the USF Bulls in Tampa, the UCF Knights in Orlando, and the Florida Gators in Gainesville. The NCAA College Football season runs from September until late November. The Tampa Bay Lightning are about an hour away in Tampa. Their season runs from September – April each season. Finally, the Orlando Magic, are located about 2 hours away from Anna Maria Island. This NBA team offers a great sporting event to attend from October – April each season. 

Why it’s the Best Option

When you’re combining sporting events and beach vacations you become the smartest fan in any stadium. Taking that one step further, when you’re combining sporting events and beach vacations on Anna Maria Island you become one of the smartest fans in the world. The convenience of our island, and it’s fantastic proximity to so many great sport events and venues, makes this the ideal vacation for all sports fans.

Tampa has hosted the NFL Superbowl, NCAA College Basketball Tournament for Men and Women; and, Orlando, Miami, Tampa, all have NCAA Football Bowl Games including the Orange Bowl. There is so much here, within a short drive away. Skip the crowds of the big city, and commute in for the event only. Spend the rest of your time relaxing at the beach. 

Plus, most sports occur during the Fall and Winter months. Fall on Anna Maria Island is an absolutely wonderful time of year to visit. Check out our recent AMI Locals blog post, FALL in love with Anna Maria, to get a little more insight into how we locals feel about the autumn months here on the Island. Spoiler alert: we love it!

 Just remember to wash off your game face paint before applying your sunscreen!