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A tough combo to beat
Florida sunshine, spring baseball and golf
 Richard Drew / AP Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Jeff Kent signs autographs during baseball spring training at Dodgertown in Vero Beach, Fla., Thursday Feb. 23, 2006. |
Baseball's Spring Training somehow remains one of the last bargains in the gilded world of American professional sports.
It's no wonder, then, that baseball fans are traveling to Grapefruit League games in greater numbers than ever before. Nowhere else but spring training can Major League Baseball be enjoyed in small parks relatively unspoiled by commercialism. Nowhere but in Florida can spring baseball, beaches, theme parks and fishing be combined in a single vacation -- with golf.
If you're a baseball fan, this is one way to psyche yourself up for the regular season. Have a look at the new rosters. Talk to other fans in the grandstands. Apply your keen eye for baseball talent while your kids grab free autographs - all in a casual, unhurried way, without having to plunk down an obscene $6 for a hot dog or $30 for an outfield seat.
Even if the national pastime isn't your passion, you'll get a hell of a suntan. And Florida in spring offers a wealth of golfing opportunities to anyone looking to scrape the winter rust off their game. Superb golf courses and golf academies are commonplace in the state.
And while you're tuning up that creaky swing, you can go about the serious business of treating yourself and your family to fresh ocean seafood, prime steak, popular theme park rides and idyllic sandy beaches.
A Grapefruit League trip can take you on a journey from Florida's ocean coast to the interior to the Gulf shores. It's your choice: Be a Grapefruit League nomad or pick one or two spots to focus your activities. Since one of those activities is golf, we've compiled a listing of tourist sites, hotels, restaurants and golf courses for all 18 teams in the Grapefruit League.
ORIOLES
Fort Lauderdale Stadium
5301 NW 12th Ave.
Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Ticket info: (954) 523-3309
Best nearby golf options
Bonaventure Country Club
TPC at Heron Bay
Coral Ridge Country Club
Tee times: (800) 678-6171
Stay and play
Sitting right on the beach, the Westin Diplomat Resort and Spa (888-627-9057) is not only Greater Fort Lauderdale's biggest resort, but one of its most popular. Views of sunrises over the Atlantic Ocean will greet your day, and inside you'll be dazzled by the marble floors and art-deco feel. After a $75-million renovation, the Bonaventure Resort and Spa (954-389-3300) is scheduled to become the Wyndham Resort and Golden Door Spa in April and is making its move to be a top destination for couples and families.
Dining out
The Westin Diplomat (888-627-9057) has nine restaurants and lounges, from nightclub dancing to poolside grills, try the Westin's Hollywood Prime if you're looking for a good steak. If you're looking for sushi and great Japanese cuisine, try Sagami Japanese Restaurant (954-771-4447).
If you go
Quiet Waters Park (954-360-1315) is a ocean-themed amusement park that also includes fishing and camping. Beach Place (954-760-9570) offers several different restaurants and shops to visit. If you want a luxurious experience, one stop is the Diplomat Country Club (954-883-4000), with its 60-room hotel with tennis, an 18-hole golf course and spa. The tennis facility has 10 clay courts, six of them lighted. The 30,000-square-foot spa offers facial and body treatments, steam rooms and whirlpools.
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