After taking a break from baseball last year, we were so excited to continue our Kennedy Ballpark Tour with a trip to Missouri! Our 2020 trip to Arizona has been postponed for now. We chose Missouri because it gave us the opportunity to go to two ballparks, and the flight was not quite as long for our first trip as a family of four. Here is a look back at the ballparks from years past:
Note: We have actually been to 13 ballparks. We have been to both of the Atlanta Braves' stadiums. Not pictured above is the Braves' new stadium, Truist Park, which we visited in October 2019.
Day 1 (Tuesday, June 15th): Flying to Missouri
Our travels began around 8AM when my parents picked us up to head to the airport. We have had some early flights over the years, but luckily this one wasn't one of them. In fact, each day of the vacation, we were able to let the kids wake up on their own, usually between 7:30AM and 8AM, which was so nice. Since we had some late evenings and missed naps, not setting an alarm in the morning helped us all get a little more rest. We flew out of Greensboro around 10:30AM, and after a 2-hour layover in Charlotte, we touched down in St. Louis around 3:30PM. We managed to pack everything in two carry-on suitcases and two bookbags. After each section of our travels, Boomer and I would say: "Two suitcases, two bookbags, two kids - check!" Another key travel necessity was the umbrella stroller. Eli rode in it most of the time. If we would stop to wait in line or take a bathroom break, he would say "Out! Out!" He would know soon enough if it was an "out" opportunity or if he would be staying strapped in for a little while longer. He was usually pretty patient, especially if his patience was rewarded with fruit snacks or Cheerios. Traveling with two kids was certainly different. In the airport, Boomer and I were on high alert among the crowds. Having Eli in the stroller eliminated at least one walker. It was very convenient to wheel him up to the gate and then put him back in when we were on the move again. Both kids loved the airport with its escalators, moving sidewalks, and of course all the planes. We had some BBQ for lunch in Charlotte before making the second longer flight to St. Louis (about 2 hours). While mask mandates have been lifted in most places, they are still required in the airport and other public transportation or ride shares (i.e. Ubers, Lyft). Emmy did a great job wearing her mask during these times. After we arrived in St. Louis, we made our way to our hotel, the Hampton Inn & Suites Downtown at the Arch, before venturing back out for dinner. We went to a place that was recommended to us for their burgers and milkshakes. It was called Bailey's Range, and it was delicious. Boomer had the Ballpark Burger on a pretzel bun, and I had the PB&J Burger that came topped with goat cheese and a tomato jam. We also ordered fries with their homemade ranch and beer cheese sauce, followed by a cinnamon milkshake. Yum! All the traveling plus a full belly made for a good night's sleep for all of us.
Day 2 (Wednesday, June 16th): St. Louis Cardinals' Game
On Wednesday, we had breakfast at the hotel and then made our way to the Cardinals' ballpark. Our hotel was conveniently located within easy walking distance from the stadium. There were great views of the Arch along the way, and we paused for a few photos. Just outside of the stadium, there are a few restaurants and bars that make up Ballpark Village. The game was at 12:15PM, and we were there when the gates opened around 11AM. Boomer had splurged on tickets in the club level of the Redbird Club, so even though the temperature was pushing 90 degrees, we were able to stay cool inside an enclosed, air-conditioned area behind our seats. We snagged a table to eat lunch: a hot dog for me and a brat for Boomer. We moved to our seats just before the game started. Luckily it wasn't too crowded, and we were able to spread out from the three seats that we had purchased. (Eli is still free and does not require a ticket.) The Cardinals played the Miami Marlins, and the game was 0-0 going into the 9th inning. In the bottom of the 9th, Yadi Molina hit a walk-off double to give the Cardinals a 1-0 win. It is always exciting to see a win for the home team!
We returned to our hotel around 4PM, and we decided to stay in for the rest of the evening. Emmy and I went swimming in the hotel pool, and then we ordered in from Sauce on the Side. We got the Meat Me in St. Louie calzone and the pepperoni basil Bite Sides, which were like pizza hushpuppies. We ate down in the hotel lobby and then turned in for the night. It was a successful day as the Kennedy Ballpark Tour checked off Busch Stadium!
Day 3 (Thursday, June 17th): The Arch, Riverboat Cruise, and Train Ride
Our two nights in St. Louis passed quickly. On Thursday, we checked out of our hotel, and we stowed our luggage there while we did a little more sightseeing. We walked through the Gateway Arch National Park and through the museum at the Visitor Center. It was very interesting to learn about the expansion to the west and the role that the city of St. Louis played. Unfortunately we did not get to do the tram to the top; tickets were sold out when I looked online the week before. Instead, I was able to get tickets for the riverboat cruise, which was a 1-hour boat ride along the Mississippi River. We have done a few other river cruises on other trips, and it is always a neat way to see the city. After the cruise, we had lunch right there at the dock at the Paddlewheel Cafe. Boomer had the fried catfish, and I had the shrimp po' boy with onion rings. So here comes the one mishap of the trip...(there's always at least one!)
After finishing lunch, we headed back to our hotel to pick up our bags and take an Uber to the Amtrak station. There was a slight mix-up, and Boomer accidentally entered in our destination as Union Station Hotel, which is different than the Amtrak Union Station. Luckily we weren't too far from the train station, but it was a hot 0.6 mile walk with a cranky four-year-old and all of our luggage. We still arrived in plenty of time, and we boarded the Amtrak with our spirits up again. However, we soon learned that there was a heat advisory in effect, and so instead of our 9:40PM arrival time to Kansas City, the train would be delayed due to a slower speed. Yikes, 9:40PM was already really late for our two kiddos! Boomer had downloaded two movies for Emmy, and we had lots of snacks to keep everyone happy. We also lucked out when one of the attendants opened a new car just as we walked up, so we got the four seats at the front that face each other, making a nice little cubby for our group of four. Eli napped for a portion of the trip at the beginning, and then both kids fell asleep at the end. Boomer and I agree that riding the train was a neat experience, but we wish there had not been a delay or that the trip had been earlier in the day. We finally pulled into Kansas City just before 11PM. We roused the kids and then schlepped to our new hotel. Whew! It felt good to be in our room safe and sound.
Day 4 (Friday, June 18th): Kansas City Royals' Game
With such a late night on Thursday, we all slept in a bit on Friday. We barely made it in time to catch breakfast at the hotel! After breakfast, we set out to explore Kansas City. Jennifer and Jeremy Helton, friends of Boomer's, recommended checking out the Crown Center Plaza, which was within walking distance from our hotel. There was a free "Under the Sea" play exhibit that the kids loved. I tried to get a picture of both kids, but I could only capture Eli's backside as he took off to explore. He is getting so fast! We then got some specialty popcorn from Topsy's and lunch from Fritz's; both were recommendations from the Heltons. Fritz's is a popular restaurant for kids, but even Boomer and I were mesmerized as we watched the food delivered to the table by a motorized train overhead. You placed your order by a telephone receiver at your booth, and then it would come to your table a few minutes later. So cool! After lunch, we went back to the hotel for naps. If we were going to have stamina for the game in the evening, we needed to rest up. We headed to the ballpark around 5PM. As soon as we were inside the gates, we took photos in front of the famous fountain feature in the outfield. (You can see the water just behind our feet.) Boomer purchased a pass ahead of time for Emmy to play in the Kids Outfield Experience, which included many things but most importantly, a carousel. Unfortunately we couldn't talk Emmy into running the bases or practicing pitching, but she sure loved the carousel. I rode once with her, and then she rode again by herself. Later when I asked Emmy what she liked riding the most on vacation: the plane, the boat, or the train - she said "the carousel!" Of course!
Game time was 7:15PM, and temperatures were in the upper 90s. It was hot! Boomer always does his research ahead of time to get seats in the best section, but even in the shade, it was hard to feel cool. We stayed in our seats until the 3rd inning, and then when the sun went down, we moved to the upper deck where we could spread out and get some air flow. There was a big crowd as the Royals were taking on the Red Sox. It was exciting as both teams had home runs. Around 9:15PM, we made the decision to head back to the hotel even though it was only the 5th inning. The kids were still happy, and we thought it best to leave before things took a turn. The Royals held on to the lead and won 5-3. We caught the tail end of the game back in our room with the kids already tucked in. And so the Kennedy Ballpark Tour completes the trip to Missouri with Kauffman Stadium.
Day 5 (Saturday, June 19th): Flying Home
The trip back to North Carolina was a smooth one. We checked out of our hotel around 10:30AM and departed the Kansas City airport around 1:30PM. We again had a layover in Charlotte, where we got back on Eastern Time, around 4:45PM. Grammy and Grandpa were there to pick us up in Greensboro just before 8PM. We did it - our first Kennedy Ballpark Tour as a family of four!
As with my other traveling posts, I'll end with a few of the things we learned when traveling with little ones. #1: SNACKS! It seemed like so much when I was packing, but the kids ate every single snack I packed. Also, since we stayed at hotels with complimentary breakfasts, I was sure to grab extra fresh fruit, yogurt, and milk to use throughout the day. Eli particularly liked the "Oot Ooops" - which became a popular snack for the rest of the trip. Anytime we would sense either kid getting a drop in energy or mood, we would have a snack on the ready. Sometimes they were healthy; sometimes they weren't....but they always seemed to do the trick!
I was pretty minimalistic in my packing, but I tried to bring a few things that I knew would provide entertainment. Emmy looooves to color, so I brought along crayons and a small coloring book or blank paper anywhere we went, even the baseball games and the riverboat ride.
Lastly, I've learned to spend the extra few dollars for the room with the "princess bed" aka the sofabed that can be turned around to face the wall. I also called ahead of time to request a pack-n-play, which we then covered with clean linens. Everyone slept very comfortably all four nights of our trip, and I think it is because the sleeping arrangements were most similar to those at home.
It was an absolutely wonderful trip, better than I imagined, and I am excited to begin thinking about our trip for next year. The Kennedy Ballpark Tour counts on!
