National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Cooperstown, NY
The question that’s been on every baseball fan’s mind since last July has finally been answered. We know which iconic champs will be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in 2018. Let us introduce you—and take you to the ceremony.
The announcement was made on Jan. 24 that the Class of 2018 will include Chipper Jones of the Atlanta Braves, Jim Thome of the Cleveland Indians, Vladimir Guerrero of the Los Angeles Angels and Trevor Hoffman of the San Diego Padres.
Additionally, two modern-baseball-era electees, Jack Morris and Alan Trammell, who both made their big league debut with the Detroit Tigers in 1977, were announced in December 2017. The six will be inducted into the Hall of Fame on Sunday, July 29.
Also, the day before, a July 28 awards ceremony will recognize Bob Costas for his excellence in baseball broadcasting with the Ford C. Frick Award, and sportswriter Sheldon Ocker for his devoted coverage of the Cleveland Indians with the J.G. Taylor Spink Award.
Whether you’re one of the inductees’ biggest fans, a listener of Costas’ broadcasts, or a reader of Ocker’s articles, Sports Travel and Tours has the travel package you need to support your idol on his big day, with varying accommodations to suit your needs.
Induction Ceremony stage, Clark Sports Center, Cooperstown, NY
The standard Base Hit travel package includes accommodations at the Courtyard Albany Airport hotel for three days and two nights. Travelers can easily get to the hotel via a complementary shuttle service from the Albany International Airport.
Travelers will be welcomed to Cooperstown, N.Y., the birthplace of baseball and home of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, on Friday, July 27, with a trip reception. Meet and greet the host and your fellow baseball fans over dinner and non-alcoholic drinks, then rest up for the big induction weekend or explore the town.
Come Saturday, enjoy the awards presentation at historic Doubleday Field and see your favorite Hall of Famers, including this year’s inductees, march through downtown Cooperstown in the Parade of Legends.
Doubleday Field, Cooperstown, NY
Sunday’s induction ceremony at Clark Sports Center rounds out the weekend. And, of course, a trip to Cooperstown wouldn’t be complete without checking out the baseball museum and its nearly 40,000 three-dimensional items, three million books and documents, and 500,000 photographs. Experience the majesty of the museum’s centerpiece: the Hall of Fame plaque gallery.
Feeling like three days isn’t enough time? The Extra Innings trip might be for you, allowing you to stay in Cooperstown on Monday for the Legends of the Game Roundtable, while lodging at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites in Albany. The 2018 inductees will reminisce with fans about their favorite baseball memories.
Or, looking to upgrade your view for the induction ceremony? The Infield package offers all the features of the Base Hit package but with reserved seating in the same area as the media, players’ families and Major League VIPs, upgraded accommodations at the Albany Marriot, and an Ump’s Eye View talk with Al Clark on Friday night. Al, an umpire for 26 years, is eager to give fans an inside look at the sport.
The Home Run package allows travelers to take advantage of the assets from multiple packages. The four days of events offered through the Extra Innings trip get upgraded with infield-quality reserved seating, accommodations at the Albany Marriot and a seat at the table for Ump’s Eye View.
Or, last but certainly not least, if none of these trip packages are a good fit for you, check out the Grand Slam. This elite package includes all the features of the four-day Home Run trip, but travelers will stay at the Courtyard by Marriott Oneonta, just a half-hour from Cooperstown. And, when visiting the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, travelers will participate in a private program that offers an up-close look at artifacts not currently on display.
A very special gift comes with the Grand Slam: a baseball signed by a member of the 2018 class of Hall of Famers.
All trips include daily breakfasts, a box lunch on induction day, 24-hour trip assistance, a trip souvenir, round trip event transfers and a Hall of Fame membership that entitles travelers to a Memories and Dreams magazine subscription, a Hall of Fame yearbook and 10 percent off purchases at the museum store and online.
For those travelers looking to do some sightseeing outside of the baseball realm, day trips to the historic Saratoga Race Course and to Lake George are available as optional trip add-ons. Fans driving from the Cleveland/Detroit area have packages just for them, and Hall of Fame weekend/road trip combo packages cater to fans eager to work a game into their baseball-themed vacation.
With so many options to choose from, you’re just a click or a phone call away from making your induction weekend trip one that’s perfect for you and your family, and one you won’t soon forget!
Learn more about Sports Travel and Tours’ induction weekend travel packages.