Participating in a Cooperstown baseball tournament is considered 'the big leagues' for little league players. Of course, the field is amazing and participants will be able to bond with their teammates and friends from around the country.
It's likely that the entire family will use this trip as a getaway from home. Lucky for everyone else, Cooperstown is a fascinating city with plenty to do for all ages.
This list of things to see, do, and experience in Cooperstown isn't limited to baseball lovers, though many activities are heavily influenced by the sport.
Keep reading for the 10 must-see attractions when visiting Cooperstown Dreams Park!
If traveling with a million children stresses you out, a trip to Pail Shop Vineyard might be just what you need! Believe it or not, this vineyard has been around far longer than the baseball field.
Pail Shop Vineyards grows cold varietal grapes and produces wine that is unmistakable in its New York style. The Vineyard also has events throughout the week, including Sangria at Sunset.
This function features live music as well as homemade (and delicious) sangria!
Yes, this is a baseball-themed activity... but have you ever been to a wax museum? The displays are life-like and there are plenty of opportunities for photos.
The museum includes a virtual reality batting cage and a baseball bloopers theater. Both of these features are attractive to even those who are tired of the sport.
This museum has been part of a functional farm since 1813. It has a long and complex history and is on a mission to educate people about rural Cooperstown.
During the summer, The Farmer's Museum offers plenty of mini-workshops as well as lectures and films. They also offer children's programs for a variety of ages.
Kids have the chance to learn through crafts, presentations, exploring, and discussion. This is ideal for siblings that aren't involved in a tournament!
The baseball player of the family will be staying in the bunkhouse. This leaves the rest of the family staying at other accommodations.
Why not rent a cabin and make the most of your stay in Cooperstown by squeezing in a mini-vacation. This state park has fishing, hiking, boating, and swimming available.
These activities might not be enough to keep you busy for the duration of a tournament, but it is a good start and a great break from the crowds.
The Fenimore Art Museum may be a bit smaller than those found in massive cities, but don't discount it because of size.
This museum has rotating art exhibits that change every few months. They also have full productions of plays throughout the summer, photography classes for teens, and clay sculpting for artists ages 4-8.
Fenimore Art Museum may be on a smaller scale but is perfect for a day trip for kids and parents who are uninterested in baseball.
Finding good food is quite easy in Cooperstown, but this restaurant is worth mentioning. It's likely you're traveling with a child or two that doesn't play baseball and will eventually get hungry.
It's also likely that you're not going to want to spend an arm and a leg on menu items they're not going to try, eat, or like. With this said, Cooperstown Back Alley Grille has great options for kids and adults.
If you enjoyed the vineyard suggestion from earlier, you'll also be enthused at this restaurant's drink selection!
For the history buff, Hyde Hall is a lovely attraction boasting plenty of interesting information. There is a paid 50-minute guided tour during which you will see a 50-room country house. You will also see two of the finest rooms built pre-1840 and original furnishings!
Hyde Hall is also said to be haunted by former residents. It was also featured on a ghost-hunting program in 2013.
Renting a kayak or canoe may not be considered an attraction, but during New York summers, who can resist being on a beautiful body of water?
There are a few companies that offer kayak and canoe rentals. There are also at least two places to use them including Goodyear Lake and Susquehanna River.
You won't run across major rapids or anything dangerous so it is a great activity for the entire family.
Get underground and explore some natural history with a tour of Howe Caverns! This attraction is perfect to help beat the heat and keep the entire family entertained.
The Howe Caverns offer more than just walking through a cave, though. There are high-adventure tours as well as mining for precious gems and gold. Anything found while mining is yours to keep, so that alone could be worth the trip!
This is probably the most famous attraction in the town and for good reason! It features players from the beginning of the sport as well as connects generations of players to the history of America's pastime.
The Baseball Hall of Fame can be enjoyed by everyone, but it has been said the best trips are done by the players and their families. Not all participants are as interested as others which can take away from the joy of it.
Another thought is just for dad and player(s) or a group of brothers to experience the bond of learning about their favorite sport.
It might seem that a family trip to Cooperstown, New York for a baseball tournament will be boring. This list of things to do proves otherwise.
For those that want to experience the town from an athlete's perspective, there is plenty to do. Though as you can see, there is plenty to do for those that want a break from the sport.
No matter how much or little love you have for the sport, you can rest assured that you and the family will have a great time. Of course, your favorite player will have the experience of a lifetime by competing in a Cooperstown baseball tournament.
You should be aware that while the family is out having fun, the sportsman will likely be trading plenty of pins. In order to be prepared for this aspect, check out our blog!
In recent years, youth baseball has been forced to compete with several other sports while trying to win over the hearts of kids everywhere. Basketball and football have become increasingly popular and have cut into the total number of kids playing Little League baseball.
However, baseball is still the most popular sport in the country as far as kids are concerned. A 2016 study showed that baseball and softball actually combined to be the most popular team sport that year. And it doesn't look like that's going to change anytime soon.
There are so many great reasons to sign your child up for youth baseball if you haven't done it already. Let's take a look at 8 of those reasons now.
It might not always look like it when you're sitting down and watching a game. But there are many movements that take place in youth baseball that will benefit your child's health.
From swinging a bat to throwing a ball to running around the bases, your child will be in motion all the time while playing baseball. This will get their heart rate going and help them build up their endurance. It will also help their muscles get stronger and make them more flexible.
Kids aren't born with good hand-eye coordination. They need to learn how to be coordinated, and playing youth baseball is one of the best ways for them to do it.
Just about every single aspect of playing baseball involves some level of coordination. Whether you're judging where a fly ball is going to land or keeping a close eye on a pitch coming towards the plate, you need to be able to demonstrate good coordination to be a successful baseball player.
Kids who play baseball at a young age are able to develop coordination skills that they can carry with them for the rest of their lives.
There are far too many kids today who spend their entire lives playing on electronics. And while there are some benefits to doing it, there is also a long list of negative effects that kids can suffer from if they spend too much time looking at a screen.
Some of these negative effects include:
It can feel almost impossible to get kids to put their electronics down these days. But offering them the opportunity to play youth baseball is one effective way to do it.
When kids grow up, they will likely need to be a part of a team every day at work. But unfortunately, many kids don't learn how to demonstrate teamwork when they're younger.
Baseball is a sport that requires teamwork during each and every inning. You need to be able to rely on others to do their job out on the field, and you also need to make sure you're reliable and your teammates can trust you to do your job.
From the moment your child starts playing baseball, their coach will preach about the values of teamwork and show your kid why teamwork is such a beneficial part of the game.
Not every kid is going to be a star Little League player. There will be some kids who, quite frankly, don't blossom into excellent players. But that doesn't mean they won't walk away from the game with something!
There are many kids who make lifelong friends by playing youth baseball for even just a few years. When your child plays baseball, he or she will need to communicate with others on and off the field. This will help them form strong bonds and will, in all likelihood, translate to them making good friends.
There are going to be times when your child wins in life. There are also going to be times when they lose. They need to know how to act in both scenarios, and more importantly, they need to know how to be good sports.
This is another thing your child isn't going to be able to learn without experiencing both winning and losing from a young age. Playing baseball will allow your child to see what the highs and lows of life feel like.
It will also give you the chance to talk to your child about showing good sportsmanship at all times. It will show you how your kid handles winning and losing and allow you to step in and speak about the importance of treating everyone with respect, regardless of whether you win or lose a game.
While youth baseball players will ultimately decide the outcomes of games, there will be several adults who will play a part in their success. Coaches and umpires will be at every game to help guide the way, and it will be important for kids to show the proper respect to these adults.
When your child plays baseball, he or she will need to learn how to listen to instructions from the coach. Your child will also have to learn how to listen to what umpires say and treat them respectfully, even if they make calls that don't go their way.
While all of the reasons listed here are important, this is really the most important one of all. Youth baseball can teach kids a lot about life. But at the end of the day, it's the fun that kids have that they will remember for a long time.
If your child doesn't have enough fun in their life, sign them up for baseball. It won't be long before they're having a great time every time they step on to the baseball diamond.
Do you want to make sure your child has as much fun as possible when they start playing baseball? You can do it by being a great Little League parent. You can also do it by providing your child with pins that will allow them to show off their love of the sport.
Contact us to check out the incredible pins we have in stock.
The baseball season kicked off a few weeks ago, and it still felt like winter. The neighbors son was in his first game and was supposed to snow that night.
Last week we finally started to see some warmer weather, the birds seemed to be singing again and the sun finally came out of hiding for more than a few minutes at a time. In the yard I saw some plants starting to peak out of the ground, so it finally feels like spring which means... IT IS BASEBALL SEASON!
Over these last few cold months we have been hard at work, bringing our years of expertise at making baseball pins, and building this site to showcase our talents. We plan to make this site strictly focused on baseball and want it to be a fun place to visit.
Keep on eye on it, and come back often. We have the blog which will contain various baseball articles and stories as well as some of the most recent pins we have designed. In addition to that, this year we had designed some stock pins to keep on hand to make sure anyone who waits until the last minutes can still get some pins for their child to trade.
Please do not wait to the last minute though. We are ready when you are to get started this season, and will be happy to work with you to create some new pins for the 2013 season. Just remember, the earlier you start working with us, the more time you have to narrow down the design choices and make everyone on the team happy. Also those who order early, will save money and have one less thing to worry about when the tournament comes around. This year, if you order by April 25th, you can save 10% off your order. Just mention you saw the deal on the new blog at baseballtradingpins.net. What are you waiting for? Lets get your artwork started today!