One of the benefits of living in Florida is being able to go to a baseball game in March. As someone who grew up watching baseball and playing softball, this had been on my bucket list. I had not been around the game since high school and had never actually been to a spring training game in Florida. This past weekend, my friend from Charlotte, North Carolina, flew down for a short visit. Ali and I knew a great way to spend our Saturday was at CoolToday Park in Venice watching the Atlanta Braves play the Toronto Blue Jays.

The game started at 1:15 p.m., and we decided to arrive at 12:45 p.m. to park and find our seats. It was the perfect day for a baseball game as it was a lovely 75 degrees, nearly reaching 80. The stadium was well-kept, and we noticed it looked fairly new. Recently, I learned it opened in 2019. As you first walk into the stadium, you notice the combinations of Braves gear and Blue Jays gear on fans. We, however, did not have any team gear on since it was a last-minute decision. We were just happy to enjoy the atmosphere and day with one another.

After finding our seats on the third base line, we decided to check out Superior Pools Tomahawk Tiki Bar. It immediately caught our eyes with colorful tables and chairs reminding you you were still in Florida. We knew it was only fitting to have margaritas while watching the game. As we made our way back to our seats, we noticed the stadium was packed with all ages who had the same idea to spend a Saturday watching a baseball game.

As the game went on, both teams held their own as many double plays were made and strikeouts occurred, making for quick innings. Halfway through the game we decided it was time to get something to eat. Ali decided to have nachos to fulfill her craving, while I had a hot dog to fit the vibe of a baseball game. After we had made our stop for drinks and food, we headed to the back of the stadium to keep an eye out for home run balls. We, sadly, did not get a ball of our own but were happy to see a young boy catch one.

The game ended up finishing in a tie of 1–1. We left the stadium after we got our pictures and checked out the stadium store to see if any gear caught our eye and then headed home. We were happy to have gone to our first spring training game to enjoy the atmosphere of a baseball game in South Florida.

— Megan Gragg, business development associate