Pack your baseball glove, team shirt and cap, and plan your spring boating to coincide with spring training!
Boat owners who enjoy multiple pastimes sometimes have difficulty choosing which activity to pursue when schedules conflict. Both boating and baseball, for example, are enjoyed during the summer months, and season ticket holders are reluctant to miss out on home games.
However, if you’re a boat owner in Florida whose favorite baseball team is one of the 15 that train in Florida’s Grapefruit League, you can get an early start on the season and boat to within just a few miles of most of the ball fields used for spring training. Even if your team’s spring training ball field is in the Orlando, Florida, area—for the Atlanta Braves, Detroit Tigers and Houston Astros—the team will play as a visitor at one of the fields on the coast.
This handy B&B (boating and baseball) guide for your favorite teams provides their spring training parks in Florida and two marina options and how far from the ball park they’re located—some are even within walking distance! For complete game schedules, park and ticket information go to springtrainingonline.com.
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BAL-Baltimore Orioles
- Ed Smith Stadium, 2700 12th St. (12th St. & Tuttle Ave.), Sarasota, FL 34237
- MARINAS: MARINA JACK-3 miles; 2 Marina Plaza, Sarasota, FL 34236; (941) 365-4232; marinajacks.com; LONGBOAT KEY CLUB MOORINGS-10.2 miles; 2630 Harbourside Drive, Longboat Key, FL 34228; (941) 383-8383; longboatkeymarina.com
BOS-Boston Red Sox
- JetBlue Park at Fenway South, 11581 Daniels Parkway, Fort Myers, FL 33913
- MARINAS: FORT MYERS YACHT BASIN-12.7 miles; 1300 Lee Street, Fort Myers, FL 33901; (239) 321-7080; cityftmyers.com; LEGACY HARBOUR MARINA-14.7 miles; 2044 West First Street, Fort Myers, FL 33901; (239) 461-0775; legacyharbourmarina.com
MIN-Minnesota Twins
- Hammond Stadium, 14100 Six Miles Cypress Pkwy., Fort Myers, FL 33912
- MARINAS: THE MARINA AT EDISON FORD-10.4 miles; 2360 West 1st Street, Fort Myers, FL 33901; (239) 245-7320; marinaedisonford.com (take a tour of the Edison and Ford Winter Estates); MARINEMAX FORT MYERS @ DEEP LAGOON-12 miles, 14030 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers, FL 33919; (239) 481-8200; marinemax.com/stores/southeast/fort-myers
MIA-Miami Marlins and STL-St. Louis Cardinals
- Roger Dean Stadium, 4751 Main Street, Jupiter, FL 33458
- MARINAS: LOGGERHEAD MARINA-2.9 miles; 2700 Donald Ross Road, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410; LEGACY HARBOUR MARINA (888) LOGGER2 or (561) 627-6358; loggerheadjupiter.com; BLUFFS MARINA-5.7 miles; 1320 Tidal Pointe Blvd., Jupiter, FL 33477; (561) 627-6688; thebluffsmarina.com
NYM-New York Mets
- Tradition Field, 525 NW Peacock Blvd., Port St. Lucie, FL 34986
- MARINAS: LOGGERHEAD MARINA-STUART-15.8 miles; 955 NW Flagler Ave., Stuart, FL 34994; (888) LOGGER2 or (772) 692-4400; loggerheadstuart.com; FORT PIERCE CITY MARINA-16.5 miles; 1 Avenue A, Fort Pierce, FL 34950; (772) 464-1245; fortpiercecitymarina.com
NYY-New York Yankees
- Steinbrenner Field, 1 Steinbrenner Drive, Tampa, FL 33614
- MARINAS: TAMPA MARRIOTT WATERSIDE HOTEL & MARINA-5.7 miles; 700 South Florida Avenue, Tampa, FL 33602; (813) 221-4900; marriott.com; MARJORIE PARK MARINA-6.4 miles; 97 Columbia Drive, Tampa, FL 33606; (813) 259-1604; tampagov.net
PHI-Philadelphia Phillies
- Bright House Field, 601 Old Coachman Road, Clearwater, FL 33765
- MARINAS: CLEARWATER BEACH MARINA-7 miles; 25 Causeway Blvd., Clearwater, FL 33767; (727) 462-6954; myclearwatermarina.com; BAREFOOT BAY RESORT & MARINA-7.1 miles; 401 East Shore Drive, Clearwater Beach, FL 33767; (727) 447-3316; barefootbayresort.com
PIT-Pittsburgh Pirates
- McKenchnie Field, 1611 9th Street West (17th Avenue West & 9th Street West), Bradenton, FL 34208
- MARINAS: TWIN DOLPHIN MARINA-1 mile; 1000 1st Avenue West; Bradenton, FL 34205; (941) 747-8300; twindolphinmarina.com; RIVIERA DUNES MARINA RESORT- 2.9 miles; 102 Riviera Dunes Way, Palmetto, FL 34221; (941) 981-5330; rdmarina.com
TB-Tampa Bay Rays
- Charlotte Sports Park, 2300 El Jobean Road, Port Charlotte, FL 33948
- MARINAS: LAISHLEY PARK MUNICIPAL MARINA-11.6 miles; 120 Laishley Ct., Punta Gorda, FL 33950; (941) 575-0142; laishleymarina.com; FISHERMAN’S VILLAGE YACHT BASIN-12.7 miles; 1200 W Retta Esplanade Suite 57A, Punta Gorda, FL 33950; (941) 639-8721; fishville.com/marina
TOR-Toronto Blue Jays
- Florida Auto Exchange Stadium, 373 Douglas Ave., Dunedin, FL 34698
- MARINAS: DUNEDIN MUNICIPAL MARINA-less than 1 mile; 51 Main St #1, Dunedin, FL 34698; (727) 298-3030; dunedingov.com; MARKER 1 MARINA-3.8 miles; 343 Causeway Boulevard, Dunedin, FL 34698; (727) 733-9324; marker1marina.com
WAS-Washington Nationals
- Space Coast Stadium, 5800 Stadium Parkway, Melbourne, FL 32940
- MARINAS:COCOA VILLAGE MARINA-8 miles; 90 Delannoy Avenue, Cocoa, FL 32952; (321) 632-5445; cocoavillagemarina.com; EAU GALLIE YACHT BASIN-13.9 miles; 587 Young Street, Melbourne, FL 32935; (321) 242-6577; eaugallieyachtbasin.com
By Liz Pasch, Southern Boating February 2015