This year marks the 12th Kennedy Ballpark Tour and 18th ballpark! For our trip this year, we headed north to Cincinnati, with a detour to Louisville. We are slowly but steadily filling in our poster.
Day 1 (Thursday, June 29th): Traveling to Louisville, KY
This year's destinations were within driving distance, so instead of flying like in years past, we drove the 7ish hours northwest to Kentucky first and then to Ohio. We opted for a rental car, which we picked up on Wednesday evening. Boomer had the fun task of moving over the car seats so when it came time to leave on Thursday morning, we were all set up to hit the road (thanks, honey!) The "new car" was a big hit with the kids. We knocked out a good portion of the trip before lunchtime, when we stopped at a Kentucky Fried Chicken. It seemed fitting since we were in fact in Kentucky! We drove a little bit further to Versailles, KY where the Woodford Reserve Distillery is located. This stop was actually a spontaneous addition to our trip and not on the original itinerary. While we were driving, Boomer saw on his phone that they had a tasting at 3:15PM, so he snagged a ticket. We arrived around 3PM; the timing could not have been better. Emmy, Eli, and I played baseball in an open area on the grounds while Boomer did the tasting. Afterward he told me all about the aging process and the different flavors, but truly I would not have appreciated it like he did. It was for the best that the kids got some energy out before we finished the last hour of the drive. We had dinner at a restaurant near our hotel, Mark's Feed Store & BBQ. I didn't have many food recommendations for Louisville and relied on Trip Advisor for this casual, family friendly restaurant, which reminded us of Little Richard's back home. We settled into our hotel around 7:30PM after what had been a 12-hour day of travel. It felt good to be off the road and to rest up for the adventures ahead.
This year's destinations were within driving distance, so instead of flying like in years past, we drove the 7ish hours northwest to Kentucky first and then to Ohio. We opted for a rental car, which we picked up on Wednesday evening. Boomer had the fun task of moving over the car seats so when it came time to leave on Thursday morning, we were all set up to hit the road (thanks, honey!) The "new car" was a big hit with the kids. We knocked out a good portion of the trip before lunchtime, when we stopped at a Kentucky Fried Chicken. It seemed fitting since we were in fact in Kentucky! We drove a little bit further to Versailles, KY where the Woodford Reserve Distillery is located. This stop was actually a spontaneous addition to our trip and not on the original itinerary. While we were driving, Boomer saw on his phone that they had a tasting at 3:15PM, so he snagged a ticket. We arrived around 3PM; the timing could not have been better. Emmy, Eli, and I played baseball in an open area on the grounds while Boomer did the tasting. Afterward he told me all about the aging process and the different flavors, but truly I would not have appreciated it like he did. It was for the best that the kids got some energy out before we finished the last hour of the drive. We had dinner at a restaurant near our hotel, Mark's Feed Store & BBQ. I didn't have many food recommendations for Louisville and relied on Trip Advisor for this casual, family friendly restaurant, which reminded us of Little Richard's back home. We settled into our hotel around 7:30PM after what had been a 12-hour day of travel. It felt good to be off the road and to rest up for the adventures ahead.
Day 2 (Friday, June 30th): Louisville Slugger Factory and Churchill Downs
On our second day, we were sure to check out all the iconic Louisville trademarks: baseball bats and horse racing. In the morning, we caught a shuttle from our hotel to the Louisville Slugger Factory & Museum, where we had purchased tickets for the 9:30AM tour. Prior to the tour, Eli and Boomer posed for photos with authentic bats used by Ronald Acuna and Cal Ripken, Jr. - I'm not sure which of my boys was more excited! Although Emmy wasn't interested in posing before the tour, she found the perfect bat for her while we were going through the factory - a bright pink bat, no surprise there. It was very interesting to learn all about how the bats are made, from the forests in Pennsylvania to the MLB ballparks. After the tour, we checked out the batting cage, where Boomer got in a little BP. I caught a glimpse of high school Boomer up at the plate - not bad after 20 years! :) Emmy and Eli got to swing a little, too, in a smaller cage with a tee. Around 11:30AM, we took the shuttle back to our hotel and then drove to Churchill Downs, the legendary race track of the Kentucky Derby. It is only about 3 miles outside of the downtown and right next to the University of Louisville football stadium. We ate lunch at the Derby Cafe and splurged on a slice of Derby pie - yum! We spent some time in the museum, where the kids tried on fascinators and jockey gear. There was a racing simulator, which all THREE of my children enjoyed. Boomer may be too tall to be a jockey, but that didn't keep him from trying! Sadly all racing has been suspended temporarily until July due to a recent string of horse injuries, so our original plan to see actual races was not possible. Instead, we had a track tour at 2:30PM, which included a 360 video experience. We headed back to the downtown area for dinner at Sicilian Pizza & Pasta, before calling it a day. The kids were troopers to power through without naps, but we were all glad to put on pjs for our usual Friday movie night.
On our second day, we were sure to check out all the iconic Louisville trademarks: baseball bats and horse racing. In the morning, we caught a shuttle from our hotel to the Louisville Slugger Factory & Museum, where we had purchased tickets for the 9:30AM tour. Prior to the tour, Eli and Boomer posed for photos with authentic bats used by Ronald Acuna and Cal Ripken, Jr. - I'm not sure which of my boys was more excited! Although Emmy wasn't interested in posing before the tour, she found the perfect bat for her while we were going through the factory - a bright pink bat, no surprise there. It was very interesting to learn all about how the bats are made, from the forests in Pennsylvania to the MLB ballparks. After the tour, we checked out the batting cage, where Boomer got in a little BP. I caught a glimpse of high school Boomer up at the plate - not bad after 20 years! :) Emmy and Eli got to swing a little, too, in a smaller cage with a tee. Around 11:30AM, we took the shuttle back to our hotel and then drove to Churchill Downs, the legendary race track of the Kentucky Derby. It is only about 3 miles outside of the downtown and right next to the University of Louisville football stadium. We ate lunch at the Derby Cafe and splurged on a slice of Derby pie - yum! We spent some time in the museum, where the kids tried on fascinators and jockey gear. There was a racing simulator, which all THREE of my children enjoyed. Boomer may be too tall to be a jockey, but that didn't keep him from trying! Sadly all racing has been suspended temporarily until July due to a recent string of horse injuries, so our original plan to see actual races was not possible. Instead, we had a track tour at 2:30PM, which included a 360 video experience. We headed back to the downtown area for dinner at Sicilian Pizza & Pasta, before calling it a day. The kids were troopers to power through without naps, but we were all glad to put on pjs for our usual Friday movie night.
Day 3 (Saturday, July 1st): Cincinnati Reds' Game
The forecast for gameday was not looking so good. We left our hotel in Louisville around 9:30AM, crossing our fingers that we would be seeing some baseball that afternoon. Game time was set for 1:40PM, and it rained pretty hard for the entire 1 1/2 hour drive to Cincinnati. Amazingly, about 20 minutes outside of the city, the sky lightened up and the rain stopped. Even though I was armed and ready with ponchos, we didn't even have to use them, whew! Boomer navigated us to the convenient Fountain Square parking garage off of 5th Street, where we paid a steal of $8 for parking. From there, it was just a short 5-minute walk to the stadium. There was a lot of activity downtown; in addition to the ballgame, Taylor Swift was in Cincinnati that evening at the nearby Bengals stadium. Everywhere you looked there were Reds fans or concert goers in glitter and sequins, and in some cases, people in both! It made for a lively atmosphere. Boomer picked seats in the upper deck near the Family Zone, which had a play area and a batting cage. We've found that the higher seats under cover are best with the kids, and there was a comfortable breeze and an overhang to protect us from any sun or rain. Sadly the Reds lost 12-5 to the San Diego Padres, after the Padres had several homeruns in the 6th and 7th innings. Even though we are not Reds fans, it's sad to see the home team lose. After the game, we headed for a sweet treat at Graeter's, which was recommended by Boomer's friend, Marshall. The kids got strawberry ice cream with sprinkles, and Boomer and I got the Brown Butter Bourbon Pecan. We probably spoiled our appetite for dinner, but we had just enough room in our bellies for the famous Cincinnati 3-way, a dish consisting of spaghetti noodles, chili, and shredded cheese. We ate at Skyline Chili in Corryville near our hotel. Because of the concert, I had trouble finding a hotel in the downtown area, so we stayed close to the zoo, which would be convenient for the next day. Despite a very questionable forecast, the Kennedy Ballpark Tour checked off our 18th park - Great American Ball Park!
The forecast for gameday was not looking so good. We left our hotel in Louisville around 9:30AM, crossing our fingers that we would be seeing some baseball that afternoon. Game time was set for 1:40PM, and it rained pretty hard for the entire 1 1/2 hour drive to Cincinnati. Amazingly, about 20 minutes outside of the city, the sky lightened up and the rain stopped. Even though I was armed and ready with ponchos, we didn't even have to use them, whew! Boomer navigated us to the convenient Fountain Square parking garage off of 5th Street, where we paid a steal of $8 for parking. From there, it was just a short 5-minute walk to the stadium. There was a lot of activity downtown; in addition to the ballgame, Taylor Swift was in Cincinnati that evening at the nearby Bengals stadium. Everywhere you looked there were Reds fans or concert goers in glitter and sequins, and in some cases, people in both! It made for a lively atmosphere. Boomer picked seats in the upper deck near the Family Zone, which had a play area and a batting cage. We've found that the higher seats under cover are best with the kids, and there was a comfortable breeze and an overhang to protect us from any sun or rain. Sadly the Reds lost 12-5 to the San Diego Padres, after the Padres had several homeruns in the 6th and 7th innings. Even though we are not Reds fans, it's sad to see the home team lose. After the game, we headed for a sweet treat at Graeter's, which was recommended by Boomer's friend, Marshall. The kids got strawberry ice cream with sprinkles, and Boomer and I got the Brown Butter Bourbon Pecan. We probably spoiled our appetite for dinner, but we had just enough room in our bellies for the famous Cincinnati 3-way, a dish consisting of spaghetti noodles, chili, and shredded cheese. We ate at Skyline Chili in Corryville near our hotel. Because of the concert, I had trouble finding a hotel in the downtown area, so we stayed close to the zoo, which would be convenient for the next day. Despite a very questionable forecast, the Kennedy Ballpark Tour checked off our 18th park - Great American Ball Park!
Day 4 (Sunday, July 2nd): Cincinnati Zoo
For our second day in Cincinnati, we went to the Zoo! Since adding kids to the Kennedy Ballpark Tour, we have found that zoos are fun activities that everyone enjoys. (We've been to the Denver Zoo and the Dallas Aquarium!) When the weather was looking questionable on Saturday, I was worried that the game would be postponed until Sunday, and then we would have to choose between the game and the zoo, both of which we had already purchased tickets. Luckily, the weather cooperated, and we were able to follow our original itinerary. The zoo was less than 3 minutes from our hotel, and we were there when it opened at 10AM. We packed a cooler with some drinks and other snacks and used the stroller for the kids to take turns riding in. I hadn't looked at the map beforehand, but somehow we managed to navigate it smoothly as if we were locals! When we entered the zoo, we went to the left for the kangaroos first, which was an open exhibit with a designated path but no other barriers - we were so close to them! After leaving Roo Valley, we continued to the Reptile House, where we saw the Eyelash Viper, which Emmy declared her favorite snake. I let her take several pictures with my phone, so all the animal pictures are courtesy of her. There was a handler with a python snake, and to my surprise, she actually touched it. She was so brave! We then moved along through the gorillas, big cats, lemurs, rhino, and zebras. We stopped for lunch at the Base Camp Café. We then rode the Safari Train and finished out the second half of our day in Africa. Eli's favorite animal was the giraffes, and Emmy loved the elephants, which were the last animals we saw. Our last stop before exiting was the carousel, which we rode twice. We could not have asked for a better day. After a short rest at the hotel, we ventured back out for dinner. I had a recommendation for The Eagle, but even at 5:30PM, it was a long wait, so we walked a little further to a second recommendation, The Taste of Belgium in the Over-the-Rhine location. Emmy got the seasonal blueberry waffle, Eli the strawberries and cream, and Boomer and I got their specialty, chicken and waffles. For a back-up restaurant choice, it was a hit! We had to wait out a sudden storm, but in a break in the rain, we made it back to our hotel around 7:30PM.
For our second day in Cincinnati, we went to the Zoo! Since adding kids to the Kennedy Ballpark Tour, we have found that zoos are fun activities that everyone enjoys. (We've been to the Denver Zoo and the Dallas Aquarium!) When the weather was looking questionable on Saturday, I was worried that the game would be postponed until Sunday, and then we would have to choose between the game and the zoo, both of which we had already purchased tickets. Luckily, the weather cooperated, and we were able to follow our original itinerary. The zoo was less than 3 minutes from our hotel, and we were there when it opened at 10AM. We packed a cooler with some drinks and other snacks and used the stroller for the kids to take turns riding in. I hadn't looked at the map beforehand, but somehow we managed to navigate it smoothly as if we were locals! When we entered the zoo, we went to the left for the kangaroos first, which was an open exhibit with a designated path but no other barriers - we were so close to them! After leaving Roo Valley, we continued to the Reptile House, where we saw the Eyelash Viper, which Emmy declared her favorite snake. I let her take several pictures with my phone, so all the animal pictures are courtesy of her. There was a handler with a python snake, and to my surprise, she actually touched it. She was so brave! We then moved along through the gorillas, big cats, lemurs, rhino, and zebras. We stopped for lunch at the Base Camp Café. We then rode the Safari Train and finished out the second half of our day in Africa. Eli's favorite animal was the giraffes, and Emmy loved the elephants, which were the last animals we saw. Our last stop before exiting was the carousel, which we rode twice. We could not have asked for a better day. After a short rest at the hotel, we ventured back out for dinner. I had a recommendation for The Eagle, but even at 5:30PM, it was a long wait, so we walked a little further to a second recommendation, The Taste of Belgium in the Over-the-Rhine location. Emmy got the seasonal blueberry waffle, Eli the strawberries and cream, and Boomer and I got their specialty, chicken and waffles. For a back-up restaurant choice, it was a hit! We had to wait out a sudden storm, but in a break in the rain, we made it back to our hotel around 7:30PM.
Day 5 (Monday, July 3rd): Traveling Home
The drive home is never as fun as the drive there! We hit the road around 8:30AM and pulled in to our driveway around 4:30PM. We made two stops: one for lunch in West Virginia and one for gas/bathroom when we crossed into North Carolina. The kids were troopers during the long ride. They both took short naps before lunchtime. Otherwise they were awake, coloring, playing with the LeapFrog laptop, and keeping up a constant stream of chatter in the backseat.
Now that we have completed three summer trips as a family of 4, I love reflecting on each one. To think, Boomer and I started this tradition 13 years ago as newlyweds. The years have flown by, and Emmy and Eli are growing up so quickly! I snapped this photo of them sleeping with Emmy in her "princess bed" and Eli in a pack-n-play. Pretty soon we will need a hotel room with two queen beds, probably with the boys in one bed and the girls in the other. As the kids get bigger, each year has brought different challenges, but a different kind of fun and truly the best memories. I'm already looking forward to 2024!
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