JazzTrax Baseball Train Excursion 2006
Beginning July 21st in New Orleans
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| FRIDAY, JULY 21st |
ARRIVAL IN NEW ORLEANS
Most will fly in, but some choose the Train.
Everyone makes their own arrangements to Get to New Orleans to begin the JazzTrax Train, and Getting Home from St. Louis at trip’s end. Be as expedient as you wish, or as creative as your heart desires. Host Art Good and his son while based in Southern California, will not touch an airplane. Departing Palm Springs Amtrak Station (which sits in the desert sand along Interstate 10 just east of Los Angeles) on board The Southwest Chief and arriving in New Orleans late afternoon this Friday.
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FRIDAY, SAT, SUN
JULY 21, 22, 23 |
FRENCH QUARTER...NEW ORLEANS
The JazzTrax Baseball Train begins with a full, fun, eventful weekend in the world famous French Quarter of New Orleans. We are investigating Bourbon Street’s famous jazz/blues club scene and what the House of Blues there within the French Quarter, has on tap that weekend in live entertainment. Some have questioned going to New Orleans post Hurricane Katrina. The French Quarter sits on the highest point of the city and was not flooded. Not only is this tourist section alive, it is Already cookin’ again. And what better way to lend our little bit of support than to spend our tourism dollars in New Orleans.
Our New Orleans hotel, Hotel Monteleone, is in the French Quarter.
We can walk to everything. Fabulous dining, shops, clubs and the being Fixed up for re-opening next fall, SuperDome.
Then on Sunday Night we’re off to our first of 7 ballparks. The home of the New Orleans Zephyrs. The minor league affiliate of the Washington Nationals. Their opponent is that night is the Albuquerque Isotopes (affiliate of the Florida Marlins). We’ve already learned they are called the Zephyrs because they moved here from Denver.
Bring your bathing suit TO THE GAME cause we rented the Right Field Swimming Pool. We’ll be eating, drinking, swimming and watching the game from the POOL and if we’re lucky a home run or 2 will land on us In the Pool.
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| MONDAY, JULY 24th |
TRAIN TO MEMPHIS
We expect some of you ladies to board the train with beads around your neck! This 8 hour ride takes us up through Louisiana, into Mississippi, Finally in Tennessee and into downtown Memphis. Like most all our hotels, we’re right downtown at the elegant Peabody Hotel, within walking of the ballpark, the shops, and we think the Mississippi River. BOOK EARLY to obtain a private sleeper car compartment on this train ride. Order a drink, shut your door, take a nap, watch the American South go by outside.
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| TUESDAY, JULY 25TH |
MEMPHIS
The day is yours, BEALE STREET is nearby.
We will have details set for an optional day at Elvis Presley’s Graceland Mansion, just outside town. Have your bags packed before the game. After our 2nd minor league game at the Red Birds Downtown Stadium (can you tell they’re a farm club of the St. Louis Cardinals….versus the Salt Lake Stingers, franchise of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim), we board Amtrak’s "The City of New Orleans" again, but this time for an overnight ride on the rails to Chicago.
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TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY
OVERNIGHT ON BOARD TRAIN TO CHICAGO
In the dining car round ll p.m. it will be our first Unplugged Concert on board the train. Chicago Guitarist Nick Colionne will be on board for This special Baseball Train moment in time. Private Sleeper Car Compartments are limited. BOOK NOW to obtain Your own private little bedroom on the train. When you awake, we’ll be Pulling into Chicago.
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| WEDNESDAY, JULY 26th |
CHICAGO
One of the secrets to a truly fulfilling train trip is consecutive overnight Stays in major cities. We check into the historic Knickerbocker Hotel, For 3 straight nights. Hang everything up. Get ready for My Kind of Town. You’ll have plenty of time for some of the best shopping in the world. World famous Michigan Avenue’s MAGNIFICENT MILE is just a couple blocks away. Or a jog down LakeShore Drive along Lake Michigan, just l block away.
Upon arrival at the Knick, we’ll board a bus to Comiskey Park.
Actually now named U.S. Cellular Field. It’s the home of the current World Series Champion, Chicago White Sox. An afternoon game versus their arch divisional rivals, the Minnesota Twins.
We’re checkin’ to see if we can get the White Sox or the Cubs to have Guitarist Nick Colionne perform a National Anthem. Nick has a couple of Chicago Jazz Clubs he wants us to check out. With Wednesday being an Afternoon game and Friday being a completely free day and night in Chicago, we’ll find out who is booked and what else is goin’ on in town Our nights here.
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| THURSDAY, JULY 27th |
CHICAGO
Thursday presents lots of time for tours and such. Perhaps a tour of Soldier Field where the Bears play, or the Arena of the Chicago Bulls. Or to the top of the John Hancock Tower. But be ready for night cause Cubs tickets aren’t easy to get. We’re off to Wrigley Field where again A Divisional archrival is the opponent. The St. Louis Cardinals. We see the Cardinals home and away on our train excursion as we do with The World Champion White Sox. Ever been to the Teddy Bear across the Street from Wrigley?
Cubs versus St. Louis Cardinals
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| FRIDAY, JULY 28th |
CHICAGO
Friday is a free day and night and Chicago has some of the world’s finest Museums. The Museum of Science and Industry was a childhood favorite of host Art Good who grew up 3 hours drive away in Indiana.
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| SATURDAY, JULY 29th |
TRAIN TO MILWAUKEE
Back on board the train. This time it’s Amtrak’s Hiawatha and we’re headed north from Chicago’s Union Station, to Milwaukee. It’s a short 90 minute trip. We’ll be into our downtown Milwaukee hotel by mid afternoon. The Wyndham Hotel, right downtown, walking distance to the city’s shopping district, a short jog to Lake Michigan.
And off to the new Miller Park, one of the gem’s of today’s major league ballparks. Remember, the Commisioner of Baseball used to own the Brewers. Afterwards, perhaps off The Safe House, a James Bond flavored Spy Bar near the hotel. Takes a secret password for the wall to open to get in., but it’s one of the worst kept secrets around Milwaukee. Careful of the couch that suddenly drops through the floor to the room beneath. And don’t pick your nose or scratch any embarrassing parts while waiting to get in, cause everyone at the bar is watching you make a fool of yourself on closed circuit tv.
Once inside, there's a plethora of spy-cy fun. If your mission is eating, the Safe House offers various entrees with recipes born out of Bond movies. Dessert options, also known as mission de-briefings, include an edible gadget of chocolate and mint-chocolate chip that arrives with the fuse lit.
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| SUNDAY, JULY 30th |
TRAIN TO KANSAS CITY
Back on board the train, we’ll slide into Chicago’s Union Station to board Amtrak’s Sunset Limitted, and joining us will be another star of smooth jazz. Saxophonist Warren Hill Unplugged on board somewhere between Chicago and Kansas City, on the train, en route as America passes by outside, through Illinois, into Iowa, finally into Missouri.
Upon arrival at Union Station in Kansas City we’ll witness one of the true train stations out of the past. Almost defying description, it is huge, it is elegant. Kansas City’s train station is the definition of travelling into the past. We then check into the quaint Sheraton Suites in the most famous Collection of shops, restaurants, hotels and businesses in Kansas City,
The Country Club Plaza. Modern in it’s collection of most famous names, but "old" in its décor. The origins of this Plaza go back to the earliest 19th century in one of the oldest town’s of the Wild Wild West. We’ll walk to a multitude of shopping and dining options.
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| MONDAY, JULY 31st |
This might be the day to visit the Truman Presidential Library in neighboring Independence, Missouri. One of ll Presidential Libraries.
After a free day to take in perhaps one of K.C.’s famous Kansas City Barbecue Restaurants, we’re off to see the Kansas City Royals. Kaufman Stadium, when built round 1974 was baseball’s most modern architectural delight with its shooting water fountains in right field. It celebrated a World Series championship right there in 1985. The Royals will be hosting the World Series Champion White Sox.
Royals versus World Champion Chicago White Sox
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| TUESDAY, AUG. 1st |
Our train does not depart till mid afternoon.
Time to take in the Jazz Museum and Negro League Baseball Museum which sit next to one another. When we board our final train that afternoon, out the windows we’ll witness some of America’s finest scenery. The rolling hills of middle Missouri. Rolling then into David Sanborn’s hometown, near as well to Where Bob James grew up.
From the train we’ll taxi over to the Millenium Hotel, right in the heart of downtown St. Louis. Might want to find a sports bar upon arrival like Dan Dierdorf’s.
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| WEDNESDAY, AUG. 2nd |
Depending on which side your hotel room is on, you’ll perhaps literally be looking down into the brand new Busch Stadium, or over the Mississippi River. Your feet can literally take you over to the edge of the river we’ll be seeing for the 3rd time on this trip. Take the tiny gondola cage, inside the Famous Archway to the West, to the very top for an incredible view over the entire city, and eastward into Illinois, and the accompanying underground museum. Walk a little further to dip your hand into the Mississippi or visit a Riverboat. Or take in the International Bowling Hall of Fame, adjacent to the ballpark.
You’ll want to arrive early for the ballgame and it won’t take you long.
It’s 1 block from the hotel. Everybody in St. Louis wears RED to every Cardinal game. A sea of Red. Wear any other color and you will stand out. We are splurging on our final night of baseball with a Suite. It’s the first year of brand new Busch Stadium. Art Good will show you the brick with his and Austin’s name on it in the walkway. Each Suite themed. We’ll let you know which one we get. The Albert Pujols Suite. Mark McGuire Suite. Dizzy Dean Suite. Stan Musial Suite. Jack Buck Suite. Or maybe the 20 Game Winners Suite. 1987 N.L. Champions Suite or the 1928 National League Champions Suite. And filled with memorabilia to match the name on the suite inside. Final Night’s gonna be a Party. Oh, and they play the Phillies.
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| THURSDAY, AUG. 3rd |
If you’re a memorabilia collector like Art, you’ll have already sent home Some of the Jerseys, Caps, Bats & Balls, Beer Mugs and such you’ve Purchased at all the 7 Ballparks, Major and Minor visited over this Most memorable of summer trips. And some Train memorabilia from Amtrak as well.
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THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND ON THIS TRIP
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THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND ON THIS TRIP
This is a boutique trip. Giant buses do not pick up and take us everywhere. This also means everyone gets to mingle throughout with Art, and the special smooth jazz artists on board.
Hotels in each city have been chosen because of their easy, walking location to great shopping, and easy quick taxi service to each Train Station. Taxi from Train Station to Hotel and Hotel to Train Station is NOT included in group price. The group will gather together at departure and arrival times so travel is clear, and still together. Usually 2 couples will share a cab and split the short cab cost.
Please bring moderate luggage and please have all suitcases on rollers.
Do not plan to carry your luggage. Make plans to ROLL your luggage.
Internet Access is not guaranteed, but more and more hotels have Wireless Internet Access either in all hotel rooms, or in common areas, like the lobby. Except on board the train, if you are carrying a laptop, you should have fairly consistent, easy access for e-mail and such.
To the ballpark we have various modes of transportation from our hotels. In New Orleans we’ll share cabs the short distance to the Zephyrs home field (don’t forget to bring your swimsuit). In Memphis & St. Louis the ballparks are almost literally, across the street.
In K.C. bus shuttles go directly from the Country Club Plaza where we are staying to the just outside the city Royals Stadium. In Milwaukee city trolley service goes straight from downtown to Miller Park.
Full Family’s and Children of all ages are welcome.
Invite another Couple to join you. Or another Single.
But BOOK NOW to ensure those private sleeper car compartments,
Tickets to Wrigley Field, and to guarantee you’ll be in the private party suite at brand new Busch Stadium in St. Louis.
In Chicago we have chartered a bus for the White Sox afternoon game.
We will take the El, or short taxi ride to Wrigley.
We have designed our hotel locations for easy, non complicated walking
Or short taxi between train station, ballpark, and shopping considerations.
Bring some comfy walking shoes and all luggage on ROLLERS.
We have set up great ideas for the extras, with directions and details, Many of which the group can do together or separately, realizing many who travel like some independence to be also apart from the group. These extra’s are not included in the package price, and are optional Activities. We will also add restaurant and GREAT BARS tips as we Approach summer.
Package includes All Hotels, All Game Tickets, All Train, some transportation (not all), and 2 Unplugged on board the train concerts By our stars of smooth jazz guests. Unplugged on the train is very informal because of limitations of concert space. Probably in the train
Dining car.
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*Specific Hotels within Listed Cities are subject to change
Most Hotels Expected to have High Speed Internet Connection
Most Hotels Expected to have Pools and Work-Out Facilities
ELISA AT PLAZA TRAVEL IS NOW ACCEPTING BOOKINGS.
818-713-1175 • elisa@plazatravel.com SPACE IS LIMITTED…..
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