My hotel stay was sponsored by Hilton, and I was provided complimentary tickets to attend a game. All opinions are my own.
My family recently embarked on a bucket list-worthy baseball road trip through the Midwest. During our 11-day road trip we had the chance to see Major League Baseball games in St. Louis, Kansas City, Minneapolis, Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, and Cincinnati (seven games total). I’ve been sharing about each city and game experience from our #roadtripofdreams over the last several weeks to help inspire your family’s own epic Midwest baseball road trip. Today I’m sharing our experience, tips, and recommendations for attending a Guardians game at family-friendly Progressive Field and where to stay for a trip to downtown Cleveland. We had such a great time! If you’re visiting Cleveland with kids, seeing an Guardians game is a must – they have so many fun things to do with kids!
Hotels in downtown Cleveland near Progressive Field
Hilton Cleveland Downtown. We’re a Hilton family, so we are always happy to find one that’s ideally located for our travel plans. The Hilton Cleveland Downtown is in the perfect location in downtown Cleveland, whether you’re going to a Guardians game or not. If you’re specifically looking for hotels near Progressive Field, we were able to walk to the stadium, but a quick Uber or Lyft ride is also convenient. The hotel is connected to the convention center and minutes away from anything you could possibly want to do in downtown Cleveland (like the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Cleveland Museum of Art, and the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse), as it’s located in the heart of it all. Like any Hilton hotel, the lobby and room décor are gorgeous, and the customer service top-notch. They aim to please, which is apparent from the moment you are greeted at the door. Rooms either have a beautiful view of Lake Erie or the Cleveland skyline. I would happily stay here again when I return to Cleveland, and recommend it to anyone who is visiting the city. If you go, the top-floor view from Bar 32 should not be missed!
Attending a Cleveland Guardians game with kids
If you’ve been to an Indians or Guardians game in the past, you might not recognize the stadium now, and it’s worth another visit just to see (let alone the other great reasons to bring the family out to the ballgame)! The newly-renovated Progressive Field was host to the MLB All-Star Game this summer, and it polished up nicely for the occasion. We visited a few weeks after and could still feel the energy from the All-Star Game at this fun and good looking stadium.
First and foremost, I’d recommend taking your family to see a Cleveland Guardians game at Progressive Field because of how kid-friendly it is. Much like the other super kid-friendly stadium we visited during our trip (the Kansas City Royals’ Kauffman Stadium), there are a TON of things geared specifically for kids at Progressive Field. If you’re visiting Cleveland and looking for things to do with kids, a day at the ballpark is my number one recommendation. There’s a Kid’s Clubhouse area with activities and interactive experiences for kids of all ages. They have everything from kid’s sized concession stands, an indoor playscape, photo opps, player locker room recreations, and both physical and augmented-reality baseball experiences (like a mini field, a circus catch wall, a pitching simulator, and a VR Home Run Derby). Important note: You will need to complete a waiver to participate in most of these. You can complete one on-site, or save time (there’s often a line) by completing one online in advance. Access and sign the Kid’s Clubhouse waiver for the Cleveland Guardians here.
Progressive Field also has a strong concessions and souvenir game. There were so many good options for food, from traditional ballpark fare, to more unique takes (like the Fruit Loops AND mac and cheese topped Slider Dog at the Happy Dog stand), to gluten-free (there is a completely gluten-free Ballpark Classics stand), to Cleveland local cuisine presented by the city’s top chefs. Learn more about concessions at Progressive Field to plan your in-game dining in this article.
We loved the overall ambiance of the game experience at Progressive Field. Nothing like the bumbling Indians operation of the fictional Major League movie (which, by the way, is one of both my husband and my favorite baseball movies), but instead a great mix of modern and classic. The house was packed and the fans were into it (that kind of energy always makes for a fun game-watching experience). We were fortunate enough to attend on an especially fun night. Not only did they have a Francisco Lindor “Mr. Smile” jersey giveaway (gotta love the giant one-size-fits-all shirt hanging down to my little ones’ shins – it takes me back to my youth with the giant Padres giveaway t-shirts/nightgowns I had), but we were also treated to a sick fireworks show after. We stayed the entire time because we were all having so much fun, despite the fatigue of being eight days into our road trip.
We loved our experience at Progressive Field and our incredible hotel, Hilton Cleveland Downtown. Stay tuned next week for the final game and city on our #roadtripofdreams – a Reds game in Cincinnati – and our whole Midwest baseball road trip itinerary soon after that. Don’t forget to pin this post for planning your own trip to Cleveland with kids, or your family’s own Midwest baseball road trip!
Related posts:
- Route and recommendations for planning the ultimate Midwest baseball road trip
- Visiting St. Louis for a Cardinals Game (and the best hotel near Busch Stadium)
- Everything you need to know about attending a Kansas City Royals game at Kauffman Stadium with kids
- Traveling to Minneapolis for a Minnesota Twins game in style
- Family vacation in Chicago for a Cubs game
- Taking your kids to a Detroit Tigers game at Comerica Park
- Traveling to Cincinnati for a Reds game
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