Rental Car
Pick Up Your Rental
Pick upArlington · May 12
Drop offMiami · May 18
Total miles1958 mi
Getting There · Step 1
Stay Tonight · Arlington, TX
Hotel
Arlington Overnight
Check-inTue, May 12
Check-outWed, May 13
First pitch8:05 PM ET
Book near downtown or the ballpark so your first-game arrival stays simple.
DAY 1
Tuesday, May 12
First pitch at 8:05 PM ET — Texas Rangers vs. Arizona Diamondbacks at Globe Life Field tonight. Don't leave without Lockhart Smokehouse Brisket.
Stop 01 of 05
Arlington, TX · Tue May 12
Globe Life Field
Texas Rangers · MLB
8:05 PM ET
vs. Arizona Diamondbacks
Must Eat at the Park
Lockhart Smokehouse Brisket
Authentic Central Texas BBQ style brisket. Properly smoked, not steam-table. The jalapeño sausage is exceptional.
Local Beer
Shiner Bock
Czech-Texan amber lager brewed in Shiner, Texas since 1909. Cold, amber, distinctly Texan.
Spoetzl Brewery
Texas Baseball and the Ballpark in Arlington
Pilgrim Notes · Arlington Baseball History
Stay Tonight · Arlington, TX
Arlington Overnight
Check-inTue, May 12
Check-outWed, May 13
First pitch tomorrow at 8:10 PM ET. Leave by 1:41 PM.
Wed Morning
When to Depart
Leave by1:41 PM
Drive to Houston289 mi · 5h
Game time8:10 PM ET
Leave on time to allow for fuel, food, and parking.
Breakfast Stop · Arlington, TX
Before You Hit the Road
Normas Cafe Dallas
Dallas institution since 1956. Multiple DFW locations. Chicken-fried steak at breakfast is a Texas sacrament. Scratch biscuits, real gravy, pies under glass domes. Pre-Rangers game fuel done right.
Chicken-fried steak + eggs + scratch biscuit
Open 6 AM daily
Worth the Detour · +25 min
Waco Mammoth National Monument
24 mammoths who died together in a Texas flash flood 67,000 years ago. Still in place.
Waco, TX · 25 min detourArlington → Houston
289 mi · 5h · regional run
DAY 2
Wednesday, May 13
Arlington to Houston is 5h — a solid drive, so leave early and plan a stop along the way. First pitch at 8:10 PM ET — Houston Astros vs. Seattle Mariners at Minute Maid Park tonight. Waco Mammoth National Monument is worth 25 minutes off the highway.
Stop 02 of 05
Houston, TX · Wed May 13
Minute Maid Park
Houston Astros · MLB
8:10 PM ET
vs. Seattle Mariners
Must Eat at the Park
Texas Smoke Brisket Sandwich
Central Texas-style brisket sliced thick and served on white bread with pickles, onions, and sauce on the side.
Local Beer
Karbach Love Street
Houston's most popular craft blonde ale. Easy drinking for a retractable roof afternoon.
Karbach Brewing
The Astros and the Comeback City
Pilgrim Notes · Houston Baseball History
Stay Tonight · Houston, TX
Houston Overnight
Check-inWed, May 13
Check-outThu, May 14
First pitch tomorrow at 7:15 PM ET. Leave by Previous evening — overnight drive recommended.
Fri Morning
When to Depart
Leave byPrevious evening — overnight drive recommended
Drive to Cumberland878 mi · 15.1h
Game time7:15 PM ET
Long drive — consider stopping overnight in Houston overnight.
Breakfast Stop · Houston, TX
Before You Hit the Road
Breakfast Klub
Midtown Houston since 2001. The wings-and-waffle combination redefined Houston breakfast culture. Line goes around the block on weekends. Worth every minute. One of the great American breakfast institutions.
Wings and waffles + fresh-squeezed OJ
Open 7 AM–2 PM Mon–Fri, 8 AM weekends
Worth the Detour · +30 min
Andersonville National Historic Site
The Civil War's deadliest prison camp, and the only Confederate officer hanged for war crimes.
Andersonville, GA · 30 min detourHouston → Cumberland
878 mi · 15.1h · long haul
DAY 4
Friday, May 15
It's a 15.1h haul from Houston — plan to break this into two days or drive the night before. First pitch at 7:15 PM ET — Atlanta Braves vs. Boston Red Sox at Truist Park tonight. Andersonville National Historic Site is worth 30 minutes off the highway.
Stop 03 of 05
Cumberland, GA · Fri May 15
Truist Park
Atlanta Braves · MLB
7:15 PM ET
vs. Boston Red Sox
Must Eat at the Park
Georgia Chop Burger
Ground beef from Georgia farms, local cheese, house-made pickles on a brioche bun. Genuine farm-to-table ballpark burger.
Local Beer
SweetWater 420 EPA
Atlanta's flagship craft brewery. The 420 EPA is the most recognized Georgia craft beer.
SweetWater Brewing Co.
Stay Tonight · Cumberland, GA
Cumberland Overnight
Check-inFri, May 15
Check-outSat, May 16
First pitch tomorrow at 12:15 PM ET. Leave by Previous evening — overnight drive recommended.
Sun Morning
When to Depart
Leave byPrevious evening — overnight drive recommended
Drive to St. Petersburg536 mi · 9.2h
Game time12:15 PM ET
Long drive — consider stopping overnight in Cumberland overnight.
Breakfast Stop · Cumberland, GA
Before You Hit the Road
The Silver Skillet
Atlanta institution open since 1956 on 14th Street NW. The most authentic Southern breakfast left in Atlanta. Real grits, biscuits made from scratch, country ham. Not changing for anyone.
Country ham + red-eye gravy + biscuit + grits
Open 6 AM–2 PM Mon–Fri, 7 AM–2 PM Sat
Worth the Detour · +30 min
Andersonville National Historic Site
The Civil War's deadliest prison camp, and the only Confederate officer hanged for war crimes.
Andersonville, GA · 30 min detourCumberland → St. Petersburg
536 mi · 9.2h · long haul
DAY 6
Sunday, May 17
It's a 9.2h haul from Cumberland — plan to break this into two days or drive the night before. First pitch at 12:15 PM ET — Tampa Bay Rays vs. Miami Marlins at Tropicana Field today. Andersonville National Historic Site is worth 30 minutes off the highway.
Stop 04 of 05
St. Petersburg, FL · Sun May 17
Tropicana Field
Tampa Bay Rays · MLB
12:15 PM ET
vs. Miami Marlins
Must Eat at the Park
Cuban Sandwich (Columbia Restaurant)
Ham, roasted pork, Swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard on pressed Cuban bread. Tampa's defining sandwich.
Local Beer
Cigar City Jai Alai IPA
Tampa's most acclaimed craft brewery. Jai Alai is regularly voted the best IPA in the South.
Cigar City Brewing
Stay Tonight · St. Petersburg, FL
St. Petersburg Overnight
Check-inSun, May 17
Check-outMon, May 18
First pitch tomorrow at 6:40 PM ET. Leave by 12:46 PM.
Mon Morning
When to Depart
Leave by12:46 PM
Drive to Miami255 mi · 4.4h
Game time6:40 PM ET
Leave on time to allow for fuel, food, and parking.
Worth the Detour · +60 min
Salvador Dali Museum St Pete
The largest Dalí collection outside Europe, in a spiraling glass atrium in St. Petersburg.
St. Petersburg, FL · 60 min detourSt. Petersburg → Miami
255 mi · 4.4h · easy leg
DAY 7
Monday, May 18
St. Petersburg to Miami is 4.4h — a solid drive, so leave early and plan a stop along the way. First pitch at 6:40 PM ET — Miami Marlins vs. Atlanta Braves at loanDepot park tonight. Don't leave without Cubano Sandwich.
Stop 05 of 05
Miami, FL · Mon May 18
loanDepot park
Miami Marlins · MLB
6:40 PM ET
vs. Atlanta Braves
Must Eat at the Park
Cubano Sandwich
A pressed Cuban sandwich with ham, roasted pork, Swiss, pickles, and mustard. Miami's signature food.
Local Beer
MIA Brewing Blonde Ale
Doral-based craft brewery. The Blonde Ale is the local choice in Miami's heat.
MIA Brewing
The Marlins and the Art of Winning Without Trying
Pilgrim Notes · Miami Baseball History
What to Budget
Estimates only — prices vary by availability
Tickets · 5 games (avg $46)$230
Hotels · 6 nights (avg $155)$930
Fuel · 1958 mi at $0.18/mi$352
Ballpark food & drinks$250
Total Estimate$1,762
* Estimates only. Prices vary.
How This Trip Was Planned
Our Algorithm
We evaluate many stop orders (up to seven parks: every permutation; larger trips: smart samples plus nearest-neighbor paths from home) and keep the version that preserves the most ballparks on your list with the least driving between games, inside an expanded or standard date ...