Yankee Stadium- The Bronx

I had the great honor of taking in a Yankees game at the old Yankee Stadium just a few short years before the new one was built! Yankee Stadium ranks right up there with Fenway Park as far as classic stadiums go! You can't get any more storied that this!

The Subway ride over to the Bronx was super fun because we knew that 90% of the people riding with us were going to be at the game. We got off the Subway and the Yankee buzz was all around us! I was excited!!

The New York Yankees were playing the Detroit Tigers, and although I despise the Yankees more than any other team in MLB, I just had to cheer for them this time! I knew I'd catch a lot of hell if I didn't! Those Yanks sure are hard-core! We had seats in the left-center bleacher seats, and they were amazing! We could see everything! The best part of sitting there was the fellow fans in our section. There were about 4 Yankee fans a few rows below us, and I could tell they were season ticket holders. During the game and before almost every pitch, they would make small dollar bets on if the next pitch would be a strike, ball, etc, and then the loser would actually pay up! It was a fun atmosphere all around, and each Yankee run felt, and sounded like they had just won the World Series! It was also fun seeing sports icons like Derek Jeter play! The Yankees ended up winning that game, which was good because I can't imagine the riots if the outcome had been different. Especially since they lost the night before vs. their hated rivals, the Boston Red Sox. The score the night before was like 17-3. Yikes!

Today, the new Yankee Stadium is in use, and the architects replicated the new one to look almost exactly like the old one, as to feel like you are still part of all the history. Even if you can't get to a game in Yankee Stadium, I would suggest at least taking some time out to go see Yankee Stadium. It'll be worth it, and you'll be very happy you did!

Prudential Building - Boston

Some of you are probably wondering why I would write about a building in Boston. Well, the Prudential Building happened to have an observation deck at the top, and I was eager to go up to the top.

At the top, you have a choice of if you want a headset for a walking tour, but we decided against it because there are plaques telling you what you are looking at, and it cost extra from what you pay to get in. The view from the top is amazing, but you don't need me to tell you that twice!

From the north, your gaze will head straight to the Charles River. The Charles River runs through Boston and is an amazing sight to see! The day we went, there were sailboats on the river, and they looked like they just fit! To the east, the John Hancock Building rules the sky. I'll note that at the base of the John Hancock Building, there is a very cool photo opportunity with the reflection of church steeple shining off the surface of that building. Click here to see the picture. Back up on the Prudential Building, just beyond the J.H.B. is the beautiful Boston Harbor.

A southern view will mostly show you residential areas of Boston. The whole time we were there, I couldn't get over the fact that a bunch of residential areas were nestled right in the heart of the city. This made me feel like I wasn't in a big city, rather a quaint one. I really liked this aspect of Boston.

The western view was one of my favorites. This view looked onto the freeway, and more importantly, Fenway Park! Our particular view of Fenway included a game being played! The Red Sox were playing a day game, and with the binocular apparatus to use, we could actually see the players running around on the field. That was cool for me to see!

Going to Boston, we had no idea there was going to be a birds-eye-view opportunity, but much to my surprise, there was! I am glad we heard about the Prudential Building, and as a knowledgable source, I will highly recommend it!

Tips on the Prudential Building:
-Use the price discounts to your advantage. There is a student discount if you show your ID, and I remember sneaking in with the discount (without actually having one) by saying that I was in between college and grad school and my new ID was being made. It's worth a shot. :) I've done this in other places in the past as well, with child age limits when I was older than what the cut-off age was, and I got in as a child.

Fenway Park - Boston

We were originally going to vitis the New England Sports Museum to get our sports fix in Boston, but in talking to a few other tourists, they said to get the whole experience and tour Fenway Park instead. I was sold!

I remember barely sleeping the night before with the thought of visiting one of the most storied Parks in MLB, home to the Boston Red Sox. I thought the ticket price for the tours would be through the roof, but they are only $9, very resonable for a family. Their tour guides are very knowledgable on Fenway, and the tour groups are small and intimate, promising the best experience!

The first stop on the tour was the concourse in right field. Up here, the tickets are drawn out of a lottery only. The few lucky ones get instant service, the ballpark grilling aroma, and of course a GREAT view! A unique fact to note was the bar on the concourse. This particular bar was made out of bowling alley lanes that were, in fact, under Fenway at one point...imagine taking in a ballgame AND bowling!! The second stop was just below the club level along the 3rd base line. Here we got a perfect view of the field, and of the skyline!

Along the way to our 3rd stop, we passed the Red Sox Hall of Fame where we got to meet baseball greats like Cy Young! The final 3rd stop destination: THE GREEN MONSTER! I capped that in trying to convey the enormity of it! For those who don't know, the Green Monster is the nickname of a 37 feet left field wall, and it has seating, again, only for people picked out of a lottery. Out of the yet again lucky winners of the lottery, those fans can only sit in those seats once in their lives. The Green Monster is a very sought-after area in baseball due to its targeted popularity for right-handed hitters!

Our final stop took us just behind home plate where the guide told us just how old Fenway is. Not only were we sitting in the oldest seats in baseball, but Fenway is also home to the oldest scoreboard as well. Between innings, a guy comes out of a tiny door with a step ladder and changes the score manually!

Our Fenway Tour was the most memorable activity I did in Boston. Maybe it's because I'm a huge baseball nut, or maybe it's because of the rich history. I do not know. Fenway sure outshined whatever it was that the New England Sports Museum had to offer, and I didn't even have to go there to know it!

I even had the honor of taking in a ballgame there. The Milwaukee Brewers were in Beantown, and there wasn't a chance we would miss it!

Tips on Fenway:
-If you are going to Fenway for any reason, take the subway. There is no parking around the park.