I am heading to the Sarasota area for Spring Training for a week for the first time. Will be going to the following stadiums

1 & 2. Fort Myers - Red Sox and Twins
3. Port Charlotte - Rays
4. Sarasota - Orioles
5. Bradenton - Pirates

Any advice / feedback on these stadiums. Have been to the Rays for FCL games. How are each stadiums?

It will be early Spring Training so I dont expect to see a lot of regulars.

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I did Spring Training for the 1st time last year, so my experience is minimal. I got to the O's & Rays. I very much liked each park. I really liked the outfield boardwalk the Rays have. The stadium itself is in the middle of nowhere, so we didn't do anything else in Port Charlotte. As an O's fan, my opinion of Ed Smith Stadium is probably biased, but I thought it really looked great. I hear before the O's remodeled that it was a dump. Ever usher, concession worker, & team rep I encountered was extremely friendly & helpful.

Ive been on the outside of Ed Smith as my Dad works for Sarasota County and we drove up there one of the times I was visiting. It was definitely a dump before it got renovated. Looks great from the outside.

Will be going to a Blue Jays @ O's game there - I'll be rooting for a tie as I am a Red Sox fan...

I have been to Charlotte Sports Park for a Florida State League game so will be interested in seeing the difference between that and Spring Training (ie the Boardwalk being opened). Sox play at the Rays the day I am going. Im hoping 1 of the days that I don't go to a game to find that you can go in the morning and walk around the various practice fields too. I watched a Gulf Coast League game last year at CSP and was the only fan there - benches were shorter than needed so the spillover sat in the bleachers with me behind home plate. Sat talking to UL Washington for part of the game.

Sounds like a great trip! Just curious, what made you choose Florida over Arizona?

I chose Florida as my parents live near Pt Charlotte and I am a Red Sox fan so Jet Blue Park is at the top of my list.

Just bought my tickets for the March 6 game against the Pirates at the Red Sox in Jet Blue Park. 1st Row of the Bleachers in RF. Not my first choice but only ones available...

From what I've heard you'll love JetBlue Park (Red Sox)- it's supposed to be a smaller version of Fenway Park with the dimensions and wall height identical to Boston. I've been to McKechnie Field in Bradenton- it's in a sleepy part of Bradenton. A great place to enjoy the sunshine and let the day pass by :)

Enjoy your trip!

I'm actually debating making a trip over to the west coast of FL for some spring training games this spring. I'm deciding if I'm going to use my vacation days from work for Spring Training road trip or to travel to games during the regular season.

I'm on the east coast of Florida, so all my Spring Training/FSL experience has been on the east coast, though I'm hoping to make it to the west coast for some FSL games over the summer on weekend trips. And even though I'm not a Red Sox fan (I do like them better than the Yankees) I'd really like to see JetBlue Park, I've heard great things about it.

Just bought my tickets for the Phillies @ Rays game on March 8. Bought Field Box tickets near 3B for the game. Hopefully its not too hot that day as I was second-guessing myself that I should have bought tickets in the shade...Oh well, thats what cold beer and water is for.

My Mom just surprised me with tickets for that Sunday in Pt Charlotte of the Red Sox vs Rays. Going to be a fun trip for sure.

That early in March shouldn't be too hot, and you should get a breeze off the gulf. But then, I am a Florida native, so hot may be more subjective for me.

*waves hello to Jon*

This makes me thankful that I'm a Cactus Leaguer. So much easier to get around to more games/stadiums. We have 4 games/4 stadiums planned in 4 days this year and at worst I think we have an hour drive.

FL for Spring Training will happen some year though...

About time you signed up for this site!

Most of the drives down here are about an hour as well. Longest would be 3-4.

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