Baseball Hall of Fame a gem in the Northeast

Baseball. The American Pastime.

If you are a baseball fan in the Northeast, you're a short trip to the ultimate baseball destination -- Cooperstown. No matter if one believes baseball was created in Cooperstown or elsewhere, the National Baseball Hall of Fame still sits in this quaint little village since its creation in the 1930s.

 

For those who love the history of the game or to be surrounding by baseball as much as possible, the picturesque little village in upstate New York is worthy of a trip. And being the Hall of Fame is a full-year museum, if one likes to avoid the crowds, the off-season is a fine time to visit.

Though the Hall of Fame is a spot for massive fans of the game and those who want to be around baseball as much as possible, it's also a great family spot. One doesn't have to just be a baseball fan as the Hall of Fame tells the history of the sport from the beginning. It's definitely an educational experience, so if you get an enjoyment out of history and such, this is a place to go.

The Hall of Fame is three floors full of baseball artifacts. Several displays change throughout the year, but there's a base amount of items that are always out. There's also some special spots that honor certain parts of the history of the sport, including Babe Ruth, the Negro Leagues, Hank Aaron and women in baseball. All of these areas of the Hall are especially nice.

Today's Game is a nice exhibit, too, as it has a "locker room" feel, featuring artifacts from every team, as well as any other significant moments from the past year or so.

The crowning part of the Hall of Fame is the Plaque Gallery, where the plaques for every enshrined Hall of Famer is on display. It's really quite a breathtaking area as you get to see all of the people who have been inducted.

The entry fee to the Hall is just shy of $20, but if you plan on going several times, it's well worth getting a membership. That will allow you entry to the Hall for a full year, as well as some other perks.

If it's your first time visiting the Hall, it's easy to spend three hours (or more) going around and seeing everything and watching the videos and doing other interactive activities. If you've been there before, it's still easy to spend a few hours inside, checking out different and new exhibits.

If you are a baseball researcher, the Hall also has a library with a massive amount of items on many players. It is usually good, however, to make an appointment for researching purposes.

Right down the street from the Hall of Fame, too, is historic Doubleday Field. If in Cooperstown, make sure you check this spot out.

Another note about Cooperstown -- it's not all baseball. There's the Farmers' Museum and the Fenimore Art Museum. The shops downtown are excellent and nice to browse in. There's also some great places to eat around town. Some places aren't open as much as others in the off-season, but most places have hours throughout the year.   

P.J. Harmer blogs about many items at A 'lil HooHaa. 

Connect with us!