Rental Car
Pick Up Your Rental
Pick upCincinnati · Sep 4
Drop offSan Francisco · Sep 11
Total miles4668 mi
Getting There · Step 1
Stay Tonight · Cincinnati, OH
Hotel
Cincinnati Overnight
Check-inFri, Sep 4
Check-outSat, Sep 5
First pitch6:10 PM ET
Book near downtown or the ballpark so your first-game arrival stays simple.
DAY 1
Friday, September 4
First pitch at 6:10 PM ET — Cincinnati Reds vs. Milwaukee Brewers at Great American Ball Park tonight — Fireworks Friday tonight.
Stop 01 of 05
Cincinnati, OH · Fri Sep 4
Great American Ball Park
Cincinnati Reds · MLB
6:10 PM ET
vs. Milwaukee Brewers
Must Eat at the Park
Cincinnati Chili Dog (Skyline)
Cincinnati chili served over a hot dog (the Cheese Coney). Skyline Chili has operated in Cincinnati since 1949.
Local Beer
MadTree Axis IPA
Cincinnati's most celebrated craft brewery. Axis IPA is their flagship.
MadTree Brewing
The Big Red Machine
Pilgrim Notes · Cincinnati Baseball History
Stay Tonight · Cincinnati, OH
Cincinnati Overnight
Check-inFri, Sep 4
Check-outSat, Sep 5
First pitch tomorrow at 2:35 PM ET. Leave by Previous evening — overnight drive recommended.
Sun Morning
When to Depart
Leave byPrevious evening — overnight drive recommended
Drive to Arlington1035 mi · 17.9h
Game time2:35 PM ET
Long drive — consider stopping overnight in Cincinnati overnight.
Breakfast Stop · Cincinnati, OH
Before You Hit the Road
Price Hill Chili
Price Hill neighborhood. Cincinnati chili for breakfast is the move — a 3-way at 8 AM has no business working and yet it does. Open early for the pre-work crowd.
3-Way chili + coffee
Open 7 AM Mon–Sat
Worth the Detour · +10 min
Hartman Rock Garden Springfield
50 hand-built miniature American monuments in a Springfield machinist's backyard.
Springfield, OH · 10 min detourCincinnati → Arlington
1035 mi · 17.9h · long haul
DAY 3
Sunday, September 6
It's a 17.9h haul from Cincinnati — plan to break this into two days or drive the night before. First pitch at 2:35 PM ET — Texas Rangers vs. Tampa Bay Rays at Globe Life Field today — Powerade Bath Bobblehead today. Hartman Rock Garden Springfield is worth 10 minutes off the highway.
Stop 02 of 05
Arlington, TX · Sun Sep 6
Globe Life Field
Texas Rangers · MLB
2:35 PM ET
vs. Tampa Bay Rays
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-inSun, Sep 6
Check-outMon, Sep 7
First pitch tomorrow at 9:40 PM ET. Leave by Previous evening — overnight drive recommended.
Tue Morning
When to Depart
Leave byPrevious evening — overnight drive recommended
Drive to San Diego1456 mi · 25.1h
Game time9:40 PM ET
Long drive — consider stopping overnight in Arlington overnight.
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 · +15 min
Terry Allen's Juarez Sculpture
Two bronze trees intertwined in a courtyard outside the Buddy Holly Center in Lubbock. The taller is a cottonwood. The shorter is a huisache. They represent the Texas borderlands. More moving than it sounds.
Lubbock, TX · 15 min detourArlington → San Diego
1456 mi · 25.1h · long haul
DAY 5
Tuesday, September 8
It's a 25.1h haul from Arlington — plan to break this into two days or drive the night before. First pitch at 9:40 PM ET — San Diego Padres vs. Washington Nationals at Petco Park tonight — Fernando Tatis Jr. City Connect 2.0 Bobblehead tonight. Terry Allen's Juarez Sculpture is worth 15 minutes off the highway.
Stop 03 of 05
San Diego, CA · Tue Sep 8
Petco Park
San Diego Padres · MLB
9:40 PM ET
vs. Washington Nationals
Must Eat at the Park
Donut Bacon Cheeseburger
Beef patty, bacon, cheese between two glazed donuts — a national story when introduced. Randy Jones BBQ.
Local Beer
Stone Brewing IPA
Full tap program: IPA, Arrogant Bastard Ale, rotating seasonals. One of America's most influential craft breweries.
Stone Brewing
Stay Tonight · San Diego, CA
San Diego Overnight
Check-inTue, Sep 8
Check-outWed, Sep 9
First pitch tomorrow at 4:10 PM ET. Leave by Previous evening — overnight drive recommended.
Thu Morning
When to Depart
Leave byPrevious evening — overnight drive recommended
Drive to Seattle1329 mi · 22.9h
Game time4:10 PM ET
Long drive — consider stopping overnight in San Diego overnight.
Breakfast Stop · San Diego, CA
Before You Hit the Road
The Broken Yolk Cafe
Pacific Beach institution since 1979. Enormous portions. Real San Diego breakfast culture: casual, beachy, enormous coffee. The 12-egg omelette challenge is on the wall.
3-egg omelette + hash browns
Open 6 AM daily
Worth the Detour · +10 min
World's Largest Thermometer — Baker
A 134-foot thermometer built to honor the 134°F record set in nearby Death Valley. Visible from I-15. The Alien Fresh Jerky shop next door is its own category of American roadside experience.
Baker, CA · 10 min detourSan Diego → Seattle
1329 mi · 22.9h · long haul
DAY 7
Thursday, September 10
It's a 22.9h haul from San Diego — plan to break this into two days or drive the night before. First pitch at 4:10 PM ET — Seattle Mariners vs. Texas Rangers at T-Mobile Park today — Andrés Muñoz Funko POP! today. World's Largest Thermometer — Baker is worth 10 minutes off the highway.
Stop 04 of 05
Seattle, WA · Thu Sep 10
T-Mobile Park
Seattle Mariners · MLB
4:10 PM ET
vs. Texas Rangers
Must Eat at the Park
Ichiroll
A salmon and cream cheese sushi roll with signature sauce created specifically for T-Mobile Park. Named for Ichiro Suzuki.
Local Beer
Elysian Space Dust IPA
A properly hoppy Pacific Northwest IPA that belongs in this stadium.
Elysian Brewing
The Mariners, The Griffeys, and the Streak That Saved Baseball in Seattle
Pilgrim Notes · Seattle Baseball History
Stay Tonight · Seattle, WA
Seattle Overnight
Check-inThu, Sep 10
Check-outFri, Sep 11
First pitch tomorrow at 10:15 PM ET. Leave by 6:08 AM.
Fri Morning
When to Depart
Leave by6:08 AM
Drive to San Francisco848 mi · 14.6h
Game time10:15 PM ET
Long drive — consider stopping overnight in Seattle overnight.
Breakfast Stop · Seattle, WA
Before You Hit the Road
Lowells Restaurant
Pike Place Market, open since 1957. Three floors of window seating overlooking Puget Sound. The most scenic breakfast in American baseball tourism. Order before you sit to secure a window spot.
Eggs + salmon hash + coffee
Open 7 AM daily
Worth the Detour · +20 min
Sundial Bridge Redding
A Santiago Calatrava-designed pedestrian bridge that is also a working sundial — the largest in the world. Looks like it landed from another planet. Free to walk across. The Sacramento River runs below it.
Redding, CA · 20 min detourSeattle → San Francisco
848 mi · 14.6h · long haul
DAY 8
Friday, September 11
It's a 14.6h haul from Seattle — plan to break this into two days or drive the night before. First pitch at 10:15 PM ET — San Francisco Giants vs. San Diego Padres at Oracle Park tonight. Sundial Bridge Redding is worth 20 minutes off the highway.
Stop 05 of 05
San Francisco, CA · Fri Sep 11
Oracle Park
San Francisco Giants · MLB
10:15 PM ET
vs. San Diego Padres
Must Eat at the Park
Gilroy Garlic Fries
Thick-cut fries aggressively tossed with Gilroy garlic, olive oil, and parsley. The smell reaches the upper deck. A California baseball institution.
Local Beer
Anchor Steam Beer
Brewed in San Francisco since 1896. The prototypical American craft beer revival.
Anchor Brewing Co.
Shift 2 days to catch Rangers Retro Windbreaker Jacket at Globe Life Field, Arlington TX.
• Rangers Retro Windbreaker Jacket at Globe Life Field, Arlington TX
• Fireworks Friday at Great American Ball Park
• Bobblehead Giveaway (TBD) at Great American Ball Park
• Bryan Woo Bobblehead at T-Mobile Park, Seattle WA
What to Budget
Estimates only — prices vary by availability
Tickets · 5 games (avg $46)$230
Hotels · 7 nights (avg $155)$1,085
Fuel · 4668 mi at $0.18/mi$840
Ballpark food & drinks$250
Total Estimate$2,405
* 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 ...