PLAY BALL!!

Location: Whitaker Bank Park, Lexington

Suitable Ages: elementary school and older

Cost: admission can range from free to $22, food and drink extra

One of the very first cultural differences we came across in moving here was the absolute, undying obsession with Kentucky sports, basketball in particular. I am not exagerating when I say all events are scheduled around the University of Kentucky basketball games. Local churches plan their sermons around home games, weddings are rescheduled if they conflict with tournaments and stores close if our team makes it to the finals. We didn't make it to a UK game yet but we did make it to another local team- the Lexington Legends Baseball team.

The stadium is a small, comfortable stadium perfect for minor league ball. The players are close enough to see, even from the cheap seats. Keep in mind, being only minor league, even the good seats are still cheap. If you are super strapped for cash, you might get lucky and find someone outside the front gate giving tickets away. You can also try hitting the dollar days games, when all drinks- alcoholic and non- are only $1.00. No outside food or drink is allowed inside the park.

When we went, we had free tickets and attended a $1.00 day game. Each of us got a drink($7). The younger kids got bored after the 7th inning stretch so we left and went to Taco Bell for dinner, spending about $20. We had a fun and memorable family night for under $30.

p.s. If your younger ones get bored like ours did, play this game. Use your camera to zoom in on someone far away (such as Ol' Man Jenkins, the ticket taker in the pic above). Then show the camera to your child and have him or her try to find that person in the stadium.