****Stop #3 on the #MiLBRoundTripper: the Augusta (GA.) GreenJackets***
When the promotion of the Minor League game you’re attending starts with “Feed Your Face”, there are a few things that every parent must know.
Trust me, I learned them first-hand watching the Augusta GreenJackets tonight.
First, throw the diet out the window.
The concept of any all-you-can-eat night at a ballpark will relentlessly supply hot dogs and burgers to the little ones with the purchase of a game ticket. Everything else, like anything grilled or blackened, is off-limits.
The calorie counting will have to wait. If you’re looking for an excuse to deviate from the salad line for an evening, your local class A affiliate might be the perfect solution.
Next, survey the free items on the promotional menu and only tell your kids about those. I, unfortunately, made the mistake of explaining to my kids that they could get “anything on the menu” – only to recoil when the hot dog, hamburger and ice cream only rules were properly explained to me by a lovely lady with a deep southern draw behind the cash register.
Explaining to a hungry 4 year-old that they could not have the already-ordered nachos is just no fun!
Lastly, if ice cream is included and you have a child under 2 years-old, bring a back up outfit – for you and the baby!
The sight of the scoops of chocolate ice cream made my daughter so happy that she decided to, basically, take a bath in it. After two full bowls, Emersyn’s pretty, teal dress was redesigned with light brown spots. The chocolate polka-dots perfectly matched a long drip I caught on my previously clean, gray shorts.
Her 4 year-old brother, Everett, unwillingly became part of the fun when Emersyn threw a spoonful of ice cream onto his shirt as I tried to wrestle the plastic spoon from her resistant, clenched fists.
I’m telling you, if there is ice cream involved, take control of the spoon or take cover!
I learned these lessons the hard way tonight at Lake Olmstead Stadium in Augusta, Georgia.
A Day With Kids Spent in Augusta
For a sports nut like me, the first stop when arriving in Augusta was to visit The Masters – I wanted to see the famed Augusta National Golf Club.
While I plan to, at some point, become a Masters patron, today was not the day. The course is a really a fortress – hidden by lush vegetation from all adjacent streets and angles.
Unless you have a ticket to the tournament, I’d recommend skipping the golf fan pilgrimage to Amen Corner and proceed to other Augusta gems.
I’d encourage your family to take a nostalgic stroll along Broad Street in downtown – with free parking, plenty of restaurants and shopping.
We ate breakfast at The New Moon Cafe – an eclectic, earthly joint with anything from bagels, to coffee cake, to smoothies and a full kids’ menu. The cafe’s hip, mismatched decor neatly even houses a small coloring table with crayons and paper to hold the attention of my antsy 1 and 4 year-olds.
In the afternoon, my family spent over an hour learning about the history of the city at the Augusta Canal National Heritage Area.
My kids and I could tell you all about industry in Augusta after exploring the canal on a 65 foot boat tour, walking through the interactive museum in the old Enterprise Mill building and watching a short movie about the canal-led growth of the region.
After a full day, we retired to the magnificent Partridge Inn – in an area of Augusta known as “The Hill.” Not only was the staff fantastic and the accommodations top-notch, driving to and from the hotel was an activity of its own.
As we approached, we’d look from left to right at the gorgeous, old, quintessentially southern mansions that lined each nearby street.
We tried our best to master Augusta, Georgia today – but, looking back, the town may have mastered us with its southern charm, rich history and, of course, the chocolate ice cream!
About Augusta, GA.
The next stop on the #MiLBRoundTripper: Greenville (SC) Drive
