Rental Car
Pick Up Your Rental
Pick upKansas City · Sep 2
Drop offHouston · Sep 5
Total miles863 mi
Getting There · Step 1
Stay Tonight · Kansas City, MO
Hotel
Kansas City Overnight
Check-inWed, Sep 2
Check-outThu, Sep 3
First pitch7:40 PM ET
Book near downtown or the ballpark so your first-game arrival stays simple.
DAY 1
Wednesday, September 2
First pitch at 7:40 PM ET — Kansas City Royals vs. Miami Marlins at Kauffman Stadium tonight. Don't leave without KC Burnt Ends.
Stop 01 of 03
Kansas City, MO · Wed Sep 2
Kauffman Stadium
Kansas City Royals · MLB
7:40 PM ET
vs. Miami Marlins
Must Eat at the Park
KC Burnt Ends
Kansas City-style burnt ends — the crispy, caramelized points of a smoked brisket. The defining food of KC BBQ.
Local Beer
Boulevard Unfiltered Wheat
Kansas City's defining craft brewery. The Unfiltered Wheat is a KC staple at the K.
Boulevard Brewing
George Brett and the Pine Tar Game
Pilgrim Notes · Kansas City Baseball History
Stay Tonight · Kansas City, MO
Kansas City Overnight
Check-inWed, Sep 2
Check-outThu, Sep 3
First pitch tomorrow at 8:05 PM ET. Leave by 8:41 AM.
Fri Morning
When to Depart
Leave by8:41 AM
Drive to Arlington574 mi · 9.9h
Game time8:05 PM ET
Long drive — consider stopping overnight in Kansas City overnight.
Breakfast Stop · Kansas City, MO
Before You Hit the Road
Town Topic Hamburgers
Midnight diner on Broadway since 1937. Open 24 hours. The burger is the point but the breakfast menu has fueled Kansas City's night owls and early risers for 85 years. Order at the counter.
Eggs + hash + coffee
Open 24 hours
Worth the Detour · +20 min
Worlds of Fun Deanna Rose Farmstead
A working farm with longhorns and draft horses in a Kansas City suburb.
Overland Park, KS · 20 min detourKansas City → Arlington
574 mi · 9.9h · long haul
DAY 3
Friday, September 4
It's a 9.9h haul from Kansas City — plan to break this into two days or drive the night before. First pitch at 8:05 PM ET — Texas Rangers vs. Tampa Bay Rays at Globe Life Field tonight — Rangers Retro Windbreaker Jacket tonight. Worlds of Fun Deanna Rose Farmstead is worth 20 minutes off the highway.
Stop 02 of 03
Arlington, TX · Fri Sep 4
Globe Life Field
Texas Rangers · MLB
8:05 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-inFri, Sep 4
Check-outSat, Sep 5
First pitch tomorrow at 7:15 PM ET. Leave by 12:46 PM.
Sat Morning
When to Depart
Leave by12:46 PM
Drive to Houston289 mi · 5h
Game time7:15 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 4
Saturday, September 5
Arlington to Houston is 5h — a solid drive, so leave early and plan a stop along the way. First pitch at 7:15 PM ET — Houston Astros vs. Arizona Diamondbacks at Minute Maid Park tonight. Waco Mammoth National Monument is worth 25 minutes off the highway.
Stop 03 of 03
Houston, TX · Sat Sep 5
Minute Maid Park
Houston Astros · MLB
7:15 PM ET
vs. Arizona Diamondbacks
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
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
• Powerade Bath Bobblehead at Globe Life Field, Arlington TX
What to Budget
Estimates only — prices vary by availability
Tickets · 3 games (avg $46)$138
Hotels · 3 nights (avg $155)$465
Fuel · 863 mi at $0.18/mi$155
Ballpark food & drinks$150
Total Estimate$908
* 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 ...