Dahday's Guide To Visiting Tampa (Yankees) and Clearwater (Phillies) For Spring Training

For a baseball fan in February, there is no better sentence to read than “pitchers and catchers report…”

Just around the corner spring is near. Soon enough, we will flip on a local sports channel and see the guys playing The Great Game in sunny weather conditions down in Florida or Arizona.

The more hardcore among us even head down to Florida to take in spring ballgames and sunny weather. For fans of either the New York Yankees or the Philadelphia Phillies, visiting Florida can be a double play as both the Bombers’ home in Tampa and the Fightins’ home in Clearwater sit just a short drive on Gulf to Bay Boulevard from each other.

If you have never been down there or going this spring for the first time, here are Dahday’s tips on things to do:

Spring Training in Tampa, FL (Yankees) | Spring Training in Clearwater, FL (Phillies)

Spring Training in Tampa, FL (Yankees)

The Yankees’ spring training facility sits just steps from Tampa International Airport and Raymond James Stadium, the home of the NFL’s Buccaneers.

A photo posted by Elise Eldracher (@eliseeldracher) on Feb 18, 2016 at 4:19pm PST

In the ballpark, the hottest tickets are always matchups against the Phillies, which take place on Thursday afternoon, March 3 and Sunday afternoon, March 13, and the rival Boston Red Sox, which play Saturday afternoon, March 5. The 2015 AL East Champion Toronto Blue Jays visit on March 10 and 16. Plus this year, the New York Mets come west from Port St. Lucie to play in Tampa on Tuesday, March 22.

If you are in Tampa by March 3, check out the SheBelieves Cup at Raymond James Stadium that evening. This round robin pits the U.S. Women’s National Team vs. England in the night’s second match.

Ybor City
So the reviews on Ybor City are split.

On the one hand, the Jose Martí statue and the Ybor City Museum are cool stops to make for sure. There are countless cigar bars and places to eat with inside and outside seating.

On the other hand, people say stuff gets “ratchet” there at night. Some locals say this without even being prompted, like “hey, man, don’t be there after sundown.” So you make the call. The Ritz Ybor hosts Melanie Martinez and Machine Gun Kelly in early March, in case you are looking for a show.

Downtown Tampa
Head downtown and you will see the pretty yachts lining the bay, Amalie Arena and the best of the restaurant scene. If you are in town the second weekend in March, try to check out the annual Gasparilla Music Festival, which this year features Erykah Badu, Talib Kweli, Pirulo Y La Tribu and a slate of other artists.

Oh, by the way, there is a Major League Baseball team that reps the area, but the Tampa Bay Rays play at The Trop in St. Petersburg. Still, while downtown, you can check out the Rays Team Store.

Spring Training in Clearwater, FL (Phillies)

The Phillies’ home away from home is Bright House Field, a cozy ballpark right off Highway 19. This spring, game highlights include the annual Yankees matchups on March 6 and 29, the Pittsburgh Pirates on March 8 and 18 and the Houston Astros on March 3, 20 and 30.
Inside the ballpark, Frenchy’s is the sought-after picnic area ticket where you can get picnic food and beer along the left field line. Just outside the ballpark, Lenny’s  provides a cozy place where Philly fans can eat some eggs, pancakes and even scrapple.

You also can visit Clearwater’s original Hooters, which is located a short drive from the ballpark.

Clearwater Beach
Florida’s answer to “The Shore,” Clearwater Beach is home to both high-end hotels and motor lodge-style motels, all a short walk to the beach, restaurants and bars.If you are looking for more family friendly options, check out Clearwater Marine Aquarium, the home of Winter, the inspiration for the Dolphin Tale movies.

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