Take me out to the baaall game; take me out with the crooowd! Moms, dads, and kids have belted out that song at baseball games for 113 years. Baseball runs deep in America’s veins; Colorado’s Front Range offers plenty of opportunities to celebrate the sport.
Treat the Family to a Game
The Colorado Rockies
Coors Field resumed full capacity in late June, meaning this season’s games will feel much like those in memory. Bring a blanket for the family to hang out in the Rockpile, the stadium’s outfield picnic area. When the littles get the wiggles, head to Dinger’s playground or check out the tee-ball batting cage behind sections 105 to 109; free for kids age six and under. Unable to make a game? Call and ask about a family tour of the stadium.
Price: $7 to $140 game tickets; $12 adult, $9 child (age 12 and under) tours.
Location: 2001 Blake St., Denver
The Rocky Mountain Vibes
Catch the Rocky Mountain vibe with this minor league team, the Vibes, who play in the Pioneer Baseball League. Sitting at 6,531 feet above sea level, UCHealth Park is the highest pro ballpark in North America. Kids 12 and under can join the Mini Mallows Kid’s Club for perks like running the bases and posing for a family photo on the field after a Sunday game.
Price: $5 to $10 game tickets; $20 Mini Mallows Kid’s Club
Location: UCHealth Park, 4385 Tutt Blvd., Colorado Springs
The Denver Browns
For a truly local baseball experience, you’ve got to check out the Denver Browns, the winningest ball club in the ameteur Denver National Adult Baseball Association. Games are usually played on Sunday mornings. Dance to pre-game live performances by local bands and get a good laugh from family-friendly comedians. Kids are given free baseball cards.
Price: Free admission
Location: Locations vary
Catch a Piece of History
National Ballpark Museum
Just a baseball’s throw away from Coors Field, the National Ballpark Museum is the only one in America dedicated to the 14 original ballparks built from 1909 to 1923. Inside, you’ll find one-of-a-kind relics like colorful stadium seats, team pennants, jerseys, and new this year: huge stadium signs from two of America’s oldest ballparks.
Price: $10 adult, $5 senior, free age 16 and under
Location: 1940 Blake St., Denver
Hall of Legends
Catch a rare opportunity to see authentic memorabilia from American baseball’s greatest players. During MLB All-Star Week, the McGregor Square across from Coors Field will feature the jersey worn by Joe DiMaggio when he hit his last home run, Hank Aaron’s bat and glove, a program from Jackie Robinson’s color-barrier-breaking Major League debut in 1947, and more. Youth attending the exhibit will receive free baseball cards at the conclusion of their visit, while supplies last.
Price: $10
Location: McGregor Square, 1901 Wazee St., Denver
Go to Bat With a View
Gateway Park Fun Center
Gateway Park is home to Boulder’s only outdoor batting cages and has one of the best views of the Front Range. Choose from a variety of pitch speeds for both softball and baseball, and find go-kart racing and miniature golf, too.
Price: $2 per token (20 batting cage pitches)
Location: 4800 N. 28th St., Boulder
Cornerstone Park
Just south of Denver, Cornerstone Park features nine outdoor batting cages and three lighted baseball fields. There’s a snack stand, playgrounds, a splash park, and picnic tables.
Price: $1.75 to $2 for 16 pitches, $25 to $40 per hour cage rental
Location: 5098 S. Windermere, Littleton
Aurora Sports Park
Find the beautifully manicured 220-acre Aurora Sports Park just 12 miles east of Denver’s downtown. Take your pick of 12 baseball fields, 27 multi-use fields, four playgrounds, seven picnic shelters, and five concession stands.
Price: Contact Paul Smith at ptsmith@auroragov.org for more information, drop-in availability and rental rates.
Location: 19300 E. Colfax Ave., Aurora
Party Like a World Champ
Consider a baseball themed party in the backyard. Frost cookies and cupcakes to look like baseballs, or arrange blueberries or melon balls with pretzel sticks for a baseball and bat combo. Play a simple game with a Wiffle ball and bat with your guests. Purchase a new ball for all the guests to autograph as a memory for the birthday child.
—Steve Lemig is an Arvada-based writer, father, and founder of wilderdad.com.
