BfloGirlTravel: Watkins Glen International – 8/7/16

NASCAR track No. 2 in a 10-day span was my “home” track, Watkins Glen International in the Finger Lakes region. The Glen on Sunday is a madhouse – tons of people all over the place, vendors, sponsor booths, driver appearances – but making it even crazier was the announcement of a new team for 2017, as Erik Jones jumps into a second car at Furniture Row Racing with 5-Hour Energy as a sponsor. Here are a few of my photos from the weekend – more can be found at paulathompsonfreelance.com and its associated Facebook page.

Ferris wheel at Toyota display 

The new No. 77 for Erik Jones and Furniture Row Racing

Martin Truex Jr.

Michael McDowell

Joey Logano and Ryan Newman

The flyover

My sentiments exactly!

Aric Almirola

Smoke

BfloGirlTravel: Progressive Field – July 7, 2016

A number of years ago, I started going on bus trips to see my favorite MLB team, the NY Yankees, in action. My favorite place to see them – besides Yankee Stadium, of course – is Cleveland’s Progressive Field. D&F Travel puts on a great trip, complete with an all-you-can-eat smorgasbord through the middle of the seventh inning. It makes the trip worthwhile even if the Yankees don’t win…but they did, so that makes it even better!

** note – all travel was paid for by me, and all opinions are my own.**

BfloGirlTravel: 2016 sports bus trips with Know How Tours

Visit Watkins Glen International with Know How Tours
credit: paulathompsonfreelance.com

Know How Tours is offering a number of sports bus tours for the 2016 season, including trips to three baseball stadiums and a NASCAR race.

• Boston Red Sox at Toronto Blue Jays – on Saturday, April 9, head across the border to catch the Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays in a 1:07 p.m. game. Cost is $115 per person and includes round-trip motorcoach and ticket to the game.
• Los Angeles Angels at Pittsburgh Pirates – on Saturday, June 4, the Angels visit Pittsburgh for a 4 p.m. game. This package – cost is $129 per person – includes round-trip motorcoach, ticket to the game in section 204 and an all-you-can-eat package with hot dogs, hamburgers, nachos, popcorn, peanuts and more.
• New York Yankees at Cleveland Indians – on Sunday, July 10, the Yankees and Indians match up for the final game of a four-game stand at 1:10 p.m. Cost is $135 per person and includes round-trip motorcoach, ticket to the game and an all-you-can-eat package with hot dogs, nachos, popcorn, peanuts and Pepsi products.
• Cheez-It 355 @ The Glen – NASCAR visits the Finger Lakes region on Sunday, August 7. Cost is $125 per person adult and $95 per person child 19 and under, and includes round-trip motorcoach, frontstretch grandstand seating and the pre-race Fan Walk ticket.
• New York Yankees at Toronto Blue Jays – on Saturday, September 25, cross the border to catch the Yankees and Blue Jays in a 1:07 p.m. game. Cost is $115 per person and includes round-trip motorcoach and ticket to the game.

BfloGirlTravel: 2016 sports bus trips with D&F Travel

The view from the "suite" seats in Cleveland - 2015
credit: paulathompsonfreelance.com

D&F Travel doesn’t specialize in sports bus trips, but it does know how to make each sporting adventure a great one. Here are some of this year’s trips for sports fans:

• New York Yankees at Toronto Blue Jays – there are two dates for fans on this one – Thursday, April 14 (7:07 p.m. game) and Saturday, September 24 (1:07 p.m. game). Each trip is $99 per person and includes round-trip motorcoach and ticket to the game.
• New York Yankees at Cleveland Indians – catch one or all four games in this series, with trips scheduled for July 7, 8, 9 and 10 (Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday) to Progressive Field. These trips include round-trip motorcoach, “suite” seat to the game and all-you-can-eat food and non-alcohol beverages until the middle of the 7^th inning – this is a great deal at $130 per person! (I’ve done this trip the last two seasons – great seats and lots of great ballpark food and more!)
• Cheez-It 355 @ The Glen – NASCAR visits the Finger Lakes region for one of two annual road course races on the Sprint Cup Series schedule on Sunday, August 7. Cost is $125 per person and includes round-trip motorcoach, grandstand seating and the pre-race Fan Walk ticket. 

BfloGirlTravel: 2016 Buffalo bus trips with Know How Tours

Fontana Boathouse
credit: paulathompsonfreelance.com

Know How Tours is another great company to travel with by bus, and in 2016 a few of their day trips will be focused on Buffalo. Here’s a quick look at each:

• Buffalo’s Outer Harbor – on Thursday, June 30, explore the great outdoors with visits to Tifft Nature Preserve, Wilkeson Point and Buffalo Light House Park, lunch at Pearl Street Grill & Brewery and a visit to Flying Bison Craft Brewery. Cost for the trip is $105.
• Buffalo – The Way You Haven’t Seen Before! – on Wednesday, July 27, start the trip at Fontana Boathouse, followed by a trip to City Hall and lunch at Pearl Street Grill & Brewery. After lunch, take a two-hour sightseeing tour with Buffalo River Historic Cruises and stop at Silo City. Cost for the trip is $109. I took this tour a couple of years ago and it’s very informative – and a camera is a must!
• Buffalo’s Happening – on Tuesday, August 16, take a guided tour of Shea’s Performing Arts Center, followed by lunch at the Hamlin House. After lunch, a guided Buffalo City Highlights tour shows off places like the medical corridor and new canal-side developments, followed by a 90-minute cruise with Grand Lady River Cruise. Cost for the trip is $109.

There are plenty of other trips offered by Know How Tours this year, including multi-day trips to New Orleans, Mackinac Island and Montreal – find out more about these and other tours at www.knowhowtours.com. 

BfloGirlTravel: 2016 Buffalo bus trips with The Way To Go Tours

HarborCenter is featured on the Best of Buffalo Tour
credit: paulathompsonfreelance.com

I’m a big proponent of bus trips and bus travel –it’s inexpensive, fun and someone else gets to do the driving! I’ve been to four MLB baseball stadiums, Watkins Glen International, the QVC Studio and many more places on buses, and I’m always on the lookout for new places to explore.

If you’re looking to do some local exploring this spring, The Way To Go Tours has a couple of Buffalo-based bus trips on their schedule:

• The Best of Buffalo – check out HarborCenter, Silo City and 500 Seneca, have lunch at Chef’s, take a bus tour through the Buffalo-Niagara Medical Campus and visit Blue Moon Brewery in this one-day tour on Monday, February 22. Cost for the trip is $89.
• Gourmet Buffalo at Easter – get ready for the holiday with this tour, starting at the Broadway Market and moving on to the European Sausage Shop, Nickel City Cheese, lunch at Scharf’s, D’Volio, Paula’s Donuts and Landie’s Candies. Trip takes place Wednesday, March 23 and the cost is $99.

Find out more about these and other trips, including day trips to the Lilac Festival in Rochester and Corning Museum of Glass, at thewaytogotours.com.