There’s just something about going to a professional baseball game. If I watch on tv, I’m asleep in ten minutes. Take me to a game, and I am completely invested. JD and I have said for years how we want to visit every MLB park in our lifetimes. Due to time, money, and LIFE, we’re up to 8 out of 30. Not too shabby.

We are Minnesota Twins fans, with myself being a secondary St. Louis Cardinals fan so those are the parks we’ve visited the most.

The Twins were playing the Cardinals opening weekend this season, so we hopped in the car and drove to St. Louis back in March. Busch Stadium is about 4 1/2 hours from Albia. We arrived early and took advantage of the play area in the family pavilion, which was the perfect way to burn energy after sitting in the car.

We let the kids know ahead of time that if they wanted souvenirs, they’d need to use their own money. Both girls chose to take advantage of the Build-a-Bear at the stadium and made this Pokémon character. Riggs went more traditional and purchased a miniature bat and ball.

You’re probably thinking that taking a family of 5 to a MLB game is expensive, so here is how we saved money for this trip:
*No overnight stay. As soon as the game was over, we made the trek home. Our kids do really well on long car trips as long as they have their tablets and snacks.
*Pre-plan ballpark purchases. Ahead of time, we said everyone was to get a hot dog for lunch or something just as cost-friendly. Guests can also bring in small, soft-sided coolers as well as empty water bottles so we brought in a few snacks and took advantage of the water refill stations.
*Pack a cooler. Our family tries to stick to the “no buying things at rest stops” rule. We pack all our snacks and drinks ahead of time. We also packed food for dinner on the drive home.
*Limit on souvenirs. Again, the kids had to use their own money for this, but we only allotted them to spend a certain amount. JD and I skipped this for ourselves.

If you have visited, what is your favorite thing about Busch Stadium? -M