Hardcore baseball fans know there’s no offseason — or no need to wait until the official start of the next season, anyway, to enjoy infield and outfield action during Major League Baseball Spring Training in Florida each year.
Come springtime in Florida (for baseball fans, that means late February to late March), five MLB teams head south to Tampa Bay for the sun — the New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies and Toronto Blue Jays among them.
Sun-seeking fans, too, fly south to enjoy Florida’s Grapefruit League games and all that the Tampa Bay area has to offer at the same time. Whether you’re a serious fan of one of the teams or just a lover of the sport in general, here’s how to make the most of your time in Tampa during spring training.
Where to Catch the Games Live
The action plays out at stadiums across the Tampa Bay area, including locations in Dunedin (the Toronto Blue Jays), Clearwater (the Philadelphia Phillies), Bradenton (the Pittsburgh Pirates) and Lakeland (the Detroit Tigers), as well as Tampa proper.
The biggest action is found where the New York Yankees take to the field each spring at their home away from home — Florida’s largest spring training field, George M. Steinbrenner Field, in Tampa. Down to the inch, Steinbrenner Field matches the exact dimensions of “The House That Ruth Built” (aka Yankee Stadium, circa 1923). And like every MLB fan who comes to Florida to cheer on their team during spring training, Yankee fans relish the chance to show their support in the sun.
Fans can purchase tickets to games by visiting the Florida Grapefruit League website, where schedules are also found.
And remember to pack your favorite baseball hat and sunscreen as you get ready to cheer on your team in the Sunshine State’s perfect springtime temperatures.
Festive Eats and Fun with Fellow Fans
The fun continues in Tampa outside of the games with the chance to enjoy fresh Florida eats, local craft beers and water views with your fellow spring training fans at locales across Tampa Bay.
For a hearty breakfast or lunch before the game, Toronto Blue Jays fans flock to Home Plate on the Trail in Dunedin, right near the Dunedin Stadium, where the homemade eats include Florida fare like shrimp burgers and lobster Benedicts.
Phillies fans in Clearwater make their way west from Spectrum Field after games to the beach side of town, where the famous grouper sandwiches at the beachfront hangout Frenchy’s Rockaway Grill await. Winter seems a long way off when you’re sipping a cold one with fellow fans — Gulf of Mexico views for miles and your toes in the sand.
LECOM Park in Bradenton is spring training grounds for the Pittsburgh Pirates. And right near the stadium, at the award-winning craft beer brewery Motorworks Brewing, you can toast the team with local beers like the citrus-spiked Pulp Friction IPA or varieties redolent with coconut and pineapple.
East of Tampa, in Lakeland, Detroit Tigers fans take in the games at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium. It’s a 10-minute drive south of the stadium to the atmospheric Harry’s Seafood Bar & Grille, where the New Orleans–inspired menu features fresh Florida grouper and other flopping fresh seafood.
And New York Yankees fans can fill up pre- or post-game with inexpensive and authentic Cuban eats at La Teresita, a short drive from the stadium, or join fellow sports fanatics for wings and frosty drafts at the WingHouse Bar & Grill, a classic sports bar setting.
Post-Game Plan? Break for the Beaches
No visit to Tampa Bay is complete without relaxing at the area’s beaches, considered among the most beautiful in the world for their powder-fine sand and clear, shallow waters.
Sunset is a real spectacle on Clearwater Beach, where the area around Pier 60 takes on a Key West vibe every evening, complete with street performers and craft vendors.
The Bradenton area is home to the spectacular beaches of quiet Anna Maria Island, where there are no chain restaurants in sight but you can raise a glass and look for the green flash at sunset at the waterfront Sandbar restaurant.
And when in Dunedin for spring training, visit one of the Gulf Coast’s few untouched islands (and one of Florida’s most pristine beaches!) at Caladesi Island State Park, accessed via a 20-minute boat ride with the Caladesi Connection Ferry, just west of Dunedin.
Spring training in inland Lakeland even has some quintessential Florida waterside appeal at pretty Lake Parker Park, where you can look for alligators and stroll the sun-splashed trails.
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