Headed down to Florida for the Gulf Coast Classic this March with my boys. Been planning this trip since Christmas, so let me break down exactly how we pulled it off without losing our minds or wallets.
Getting Stuff Ready Before We Left
Checked tickets like five times – seriously, they email you mobile passes now but printers are backup lifesavers. Dug out our crappy foldable chairs from the garage too after last year’s bleacher butt disaster. Made the rookie mistake before of not checking bag policies though – this time measured our cooler perfectly (12x12x12 inches max, remember that).
Packed like survivalists:
- Mini sunblock tubes in every pocket – Florida sun don’t play
- Ziplocks for phones when thunderstorms hit
- Portable phone chargers heavier than my firstborn
- Actual printed maps because cell service dies in crowds
Surviving Gameday Chaos
Rolled up two hours early like smart cookies. Parked in Lot D ($25 cash only – brutal) since Uber drop-offs looked like ant piles. Pro tip: Gate 3 near left field had the shortest line while everyone else mobbed the main entrance. Grabbed pulled pork sandwiches immediately before the 500-person queue formed – tasted mid but beat paying stadium prices later.
Weather went psycho by the 3rd inning. Learned this lesson hard: Ponchos from dollar stores dissolve in rain. Upgraded to heavy-duty ones from the team store ($15 each – ouch). Our seats got soaked anyway so we bounced to the standing rails behind home plate where we saw a grand slam up close!
Making Memories Beyond Baseball
Between games on Saturday we skipped merch lines and hit the autograph zone. Actual secret: Kids get priority so we borrowed a neighbor’s 10-year-old to snag signatures. Felt shady but worked. Saw players chilling at the taco truck behind Field 2 later – got pics with no crowds because everyone else was glued to the main game.
Last day, our legs were jello from walking miles between fields. Found salvation in the roving beer carts (local IPA saved my sanity) and those massage guns they rented near first aid. Still feel like we only saw half the action though – next year’s mission: Rent a golf cart early!
Post-Trip Reality Check
Drove home sunburnt with hoarse voices and zero regrets. Final takeaways:
- Hotels double rates during Classic week – book six months out
- Carry only clear bags unless you enjoy arguing with security
- Split a condo kitchen saved more cash than eating out
- Wearing team jerseys = instant friend magnet in parking lots
Already scheming for 2026. Gotta beat our home run record next time – both on and off the field!