Have a Ball at This Summer Event

Activity: Round Rock Express
10 Words or Less: Minor league baseball in a family-friendly setting.
When: April to September each year
Where: Dell Diamond, 3400 E Palm Valley Blvd
Cost: $7-16 dollars, depending on your seat
Rating: 

I’m a little embarrassed to admit it, but I don’t like baseball. I know it’s supposed to be America’s pastime, but I can’t stand watching grown men try and fail to hit a ball for three hours. I don’t even like most movies about baseball. Field of Dreams? I’d rather stare at a blank wall.

But— to my surprise— I had a pretty good time at a Round Rock Express game.

The people behind the Round Rock Express are smart. They know that baseball involves a huge amount of standing around, both during the innings and between the breaks. They try to keep the crowd entertained with silly contests, upbeat music, and sound effects. (Whenever a ball is hit out of the stadium, for example, you’ll hear the sound of glass breaking.)

If you’ve never been there, the Dell Diamond is a great place for baseball. You’re not confined to your assigned seat, so during the boring parts (AKA most of the game) you can wander around the stadium. There’s a swimming pool, a rock climbing wall, trampolines, and tons of food/beverage stalls. It’s very family-friendly.

In general, the prices for food and drinks at the Dell Diamond are slightly inflated. But they have specials almost every day. We went on a Thursday, which happened to be half-price beer night. Every Thursday, you can get a 20-ounce beer for $5. They also offer giant 32-ounce beers that require two hands to hold. God bless America!

Baseball games vary in length, but the average duration is three hours. We stayed through the seventh inning and then headed home. If you’re a baseball fanatic, you’ll definitely want to see a Round Rock Express game. If you’re not, it’s still a nice way to get outdoors and enjoy some people-watching. But I think I’ve had my fill of baseball until next year.

Helpful Tips:

• Parking in the lot directly next to the stadium costs $5. Bring cash.
• I wouldn’t park close to the stadium because a surprisingly high number of balls get hit backwards out of the park.
• On Mondays, you can get $1 hot dogs and $1 sodas.
• If you see a bulldog wearing an old-timey train conductor outfit, you’re not hallucinating. That’s Spike, the Round Rock Express official mascot.

Round Rock Express Website

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