Notes, Quotes & Smart Remarks
Sightseeing and shopping plans are always tentative and can be affected by late games, rain delays, road construction, etc.
You are allowed one large suitcase per person plus a small carry-on. Be sure to have a name tag with address on your luggage; please print clearly. You are responsible for handling your own luggage to and from motel rooms. At the time of night we arrive, you will get settled in your room much more quickly this way.
Laundry facilities may be available at some of the hotels, but because of the pace of the tour you may want to bring enough clothing so that you would not have to do laundry. For the most part these are warm weather tours requiring light clothing.
You may bring a small cooler (six-pack capacity) if it fits in your seat area, but not in the aisle, please. We do not have room for large coolers in the storage area of the bus.
For those who enjoy alcoholic beverages, please remember that we want to maintain a family atmosphere on the bus at all times. Please be considerate of everyone on the tour. We have a great time, but loud, obnoxious behavior is not tolerated. If drinking is the main focus of your vacation, this is not the tour for you. We have not had a problem in the past, and, with everyone’s cooperation, we won’t this year either.
No smoking on the bus. We will make frequent stops.
The rooming list and hotel telephone numbers will be sent no later than three weeks before departure.
This is a fast-paced tour. We do not spend a lot of time around the pool at motels. We are often in late and out early, but we will see more and do more in the span of a few days than you may have ever done in a short time before. Many previous tour participants have indicated they were pleasantly surprised at all the non-baseball features of the trip.
I’m often asked if there are age limits for youngsters going on the tours, or how a senior citizen would handle a trip. For youngsters it’s more a matter of maturity than age. Children should be able to handle motor coach rides without going up and down the aisles disturbing the other passengers. Senior citizens need to be able to walk a reasonable distance. It is not always possible to drop and pick-up right next to the stadiums; also the ability to walk a few blocks will make sightseeing in the various cities more enjoyable.
If you are an American citizen going on a trip that includes Canada (Toronto), you will need a passport. Nearly all the businesses you encounter will accept American money, but for the best exchange rate you should go to your bank to pick up Canadian spending money or use a credit card. Most Canadian businesses also accept credit cards for which you will be billed at exchange rate on the day the charge is posted.
For those of you who will start the tour in La Crosse, and will need overnight lodging, I suggest our departure site, Country Inn & Suites of La Crosse. It is suggested you call early, as La Crosse hosts many baseball tournaments and motels fill up in a hurry.
I will include a map with the rooming list for those who start in La Crosse. You may leave your car at the Country Inn & Suites at your own risk. Parking is FREE.
I order the game tickets as early as possible and get the best seats available. The location of the seats will vary from club to club depending on their season ticket base, day of the week, whom they’re playing, time of the season and how they treat groups.
The plan is for at least 8 hours at each motel, but certain circumstances discussed earlier could shorten that time somewhat on a night or two. The vast majority of our past participants have indicated they would sacrifice a little sleep to see the planned attractions.
Tipping of escort(s), bus driver or any step-on guide is your individual choice (the escorts are volunteers, not paid employees.) If you feel that you have been treated particularly well by any or all of these people you may want to tip them. Please don’t pass the hat. Instead, place your tip in an envelope with your name on it, and give it personally to the person(s) you would like to reward for a job well done.
Thanks for joining us and have a great time!
