We searched the internet and found the Lakeland Tigers who are affliliated to the Detroit Tigers. Best seats in the house were $7 each. It was only a 20 minute journey to get there. We didn’t expect much as it was a local team.

As we drew nearer the stadium it was more like some of the Premier Football League Grounds. What amazed us first was the massive car park they had. We arrived about an hour before the game started and got some food and drink. There are always offers depending on what night you go.

The stadium was half empty when we found our seats. But unfortunately on the first nght it started raining so they pulled on the covers (much like Wimbledon) and we waited but the game got put off. We were given a rain check for our ticket and came back the next evening when they were playing a double header against the same team. By the way they play each other about 7 times in a row and play about 160 games per year.

The follwoing night was different and we saw the whole game completed. In between innings there were little competitions for the kids and some adults who wanted to take part.

It was a real family atmosphere, nothing like out football matches at home. Everyone was made welcome the players spoke to the supporters and it was a really enjoyable evening. Make sure you check a game out!

Once we started to look into it we got more and more excited about the event. It turned out that the Tampa Bay Rays were playing the Detroit Tigers on the second Saturday of our stay. There were tickets available and they seemed a bargain at $11 each. We booked online and arranged to collect the tickets at the gate – all of this was very easily done.

The Tampa Bay stadium was a very easy drive from our villa in Kissimmee and we easily found free parking a short walk away. The atmosphere even before we entered the stadium was really exciting and as we did enter the vast dome, we were stunned by the size, the noise and the colours of the venue. We arrived there at about 6pm and the game was due to begin at 7pm. If there was one downside to the whole evening, the food wasn’t great so we were glad we had spent the day in St Pete first and gone to one of our favourite restaurants there.

Long before the game was due to begin we were entertained by music, colourful characters doing all sorts of crazy things in the seating area, and watching the players warming up. When the game finally got underway we were hooked from the first minute. The game lasted a long time, compared to the sports we are used to in the UK, but there were plenty of breaks with small elements of entertainment thrown in. The whole atmosphere was fun, lively and very, very family friendly. The game was over by about 10pm and we strolled back to our car and were home at our villa, tired and exhilarated, by 11.30.

All in all we felt the evening was excellent value for money, fun for all the family and definitely something we will do again when we are in Florida this year.

One of the treats if you were up for making the effort was to visit the coast.  Of course Cocoa Beach, Melbourne Beach and the world famous Daytona Beach were always the favourites due to the close proximity and ease of driving.  Clearwater was the only real option on the Gulf coast and despite the beautiful beaches, idyllic sunsets and super relaxed laid back atmosphere it always seemed to be much more of a beach excursion than a chance to really sample and enjoy the Florida culture.

It was just like this for our family that was before we discovered that Tampa Bay had a baseball team and wait for it… the Tropicana indoor dome stadium (the locals call it the Trop) was only minutes away from the beaches of St Petersburg, Pass-a-Grille and Fort De Soto State Park. What is so special about this stadium is that the temperature inside is always comfortable at a fresh 76oF. So before or after the beach, afternoon or evening it is always a pleasant environment to spend a few hours. For years now we have visited the beaches left around 6pm and been in the stadium enjoying a beer, hot dog or nachos in plenty of time for first pitch. 

For anyone has never attended a game it is an American institution and for a miserly 10 dollars you can usually find a seat in 302 section with a perfect view of all the action.  Talking of action there is always plenty of it, from the spectacle of the National Anthem through to the end of the game there is always something happening.  My wife hates sports, of every kind, but she is happy to sit 3 hours in this superb family friendly arena.  Everyone participates and the coverage on the huge screens encourage even first timers to feel part of the family. Throughout the season the innovative team at the Tampa Bay Rays organise free giveaways, family days, kids base running and even Saturday night concerts after the game. 

For years this has been a pleasure for us but when we are next in Florida we will enjoy the pleasure even more knowing we will be watching the team that made it all the way to the world series final in the 2008/2009 season.

Whilst there is no doubt these attractions on their own are enough to fill even the most demanding of vacations, there is so much more to do.  Many of the options are described elsewhere within these articles, and help make Central Florida the ‘vacation capital of the world’.

But many visitors also choose to catch up on the professional sport on offer - why not take a day away from the parks, relax in the comfort of your own private pool (well, having visited this site, you weren’t thinking of staying in a hotel room, were you?) - and take a couple of hours to watch the professionals.  Some of the sport on offer is at the highest level - here are just a few ideas.

Baseball

The all American game - sometimes a mystery to visitors from Europe, but well worth a visit to see the action.  Spring Training is the time to see the world’s top players in action, as many teams take advantage of the great Florida climate for their spring training.  The Atlanta Braves are regular visitors to Disney’s Wide World of Sports (at the time of writing, they are scheduled for their eleventh consecutive year of spring training in March 2008).  But there is so much more than training - there are full scale matches against other top teams, played out in front of a packed stadium.  And the competition is of the highest level, as players seek to prove they are worth a contract for the coming season.

Basketball

Central Florida also plays host to top level basketball - the Orlando Magic play their home games between October and April at the Amway Arena, just north of Downtown Orlando adjacent to the I-4 Interstate.  There are often several matches a week, but tickets sell out quickly.

Ice Hockey

A little further afield to see top notch ice hockey.  The Tampa Bay Lightning can be seen at The St Pete Times Forum in Tampa, a little more than an hours drive from the Disney area.  The season runs from October to April, and the excitement of an ice hockey fixture is a great way to finish a day relaxing on the wonderful Gulf Coast beaches.  Again, sort out your match tickets in advance, as these matches often play to sell out crowds.

So there’s a few thoughts - but there’s many more!  Sport in Central Florida is big business.