The Best Baseball Attractions for MLB Fans

If you’re a fan of MLB and enjoy watching the games, you may feel a little deprived when there’s no play. 

But fear not! There’s another way to get your dose of baseball by visiting one of the many themed attractions. 

There is an enormous list to choose from, but below is a selection of the best baseball-themed attractions that MLB fans will love.

It may seem unthinkable now, but baseball was once a game that was marked by strict segregation. Not of the sexes - but of the races. A shameful era from its past, black players were banned from playing in the same games as white players for many decades. 

The Negro Leagues were a place where black and Latino players could pursue a career in pro baseball, although the money was never on a par with what was available in the MLB. For many years the Negro League was the only option for non-white players, but that all changed when Jackie Robinson crossed the “colour line” when he stepped out for Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947.

Described accurately as the "American apartheid" era, the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum is on the same site as the American Jazz Museum. Together the two venues offer up a real glimpse into life for black ballplayers of the past with multimedia exhibits, artefacts and photos.

Technically this entry is more of an event than a bona fide attraction, but it’s something that baseball fans won’t want to miss. 

On the summer solstice each year, the Goldpanners in Fairbanks, Alaska, host a game that is held at night but never gets dark. Starting at 10.30pm in bright sunlight, the light begins to fade slightly by the 7th or 8th inning before brightening again with the sunrise. 

The floodlights are never needed, and the game typically finishes at around 2am, by which time there is a glorious dawn. 

The Midnight Sun Baseball Classic has been played for over a century, and although it might not entirely be MLB, it's unforgettable.

Visiting attractions is hungry work, so to round off, why not take a trip to one of the many baseball-themed restaurants? Cask and Flagon in Boston or Cubby Bear in Chicago are two top haunts, but some say there's none better than Lefty O'Douls in San Francisco. 

Located just off Fisherman's Wharf, the tavern was originally opened by Francis Joseph O'Doul, a baseball player better known as Lefty. Playing in MLB from 1919 to 1932, he took to the field for some of the biggest teams, including the Yankees, the Giants, the Red Sox and the Phillies. His career included an All-Star appearance, a World Series medal and two NL batting champion titles. 

The restaurant includes plenty of memorabilia from Lefty's playing days, including photos with his MLB friends such as Babe Ruth. It's a popular haunt with ballplayers, so keep your eyes peeled during your visit, and you might spot a famous face or two!