It doesn’t take a rigorous Google search to learn that it was Ralph Waldo Emerson — rather than Yogi Berra — who insisted life is all about the journey, not the destination. Then again, ol’ Ralphie never spent a lazy summer day in the Dodger Stadium bleachers or gazed upon the Green Monster at Fenway Park.
Sure, they might go about it differently: There are those who enjoy tailing their hometown team on an extended road trip. Others spend life in the fast lane, trying to hit as many stadiums as they can in a short amount of time. Still, some prefer a more laid-back game plan.“It’s the allure of seeing things up close that we’re used to seeing from afar,” says author and passionate baseball lover Timothy Malcolm.
As a high schooler, Malcom visited Baltimore to catch a game at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, the retro facility that set a new standard for ballpark design when it opened in 1992. Soon, his journeys led to other legendary sites, including Chicago’s Wrigley Field and Boston’s Fenway Park, where Malcolm “nearly fainted” with excitement.
To that end, his travel guide suggests seven bite-sized regional trips and not only includes loads of venue intel — seating plans, parking info, etc. — but rundowns of local fan culture and tips on where to eat, drink and stay nearby. Of course, Malcolm has his favorites. His Top 10 ranking of major league ballparks, for example, gives major props to Oracle Park as San Francisco’s jewel by the Bay sits in third place, behind only Wrigley and Fenway.