Bumming on the Beach

Official Review by Paul Swaney, Stadium Journey Co-Founder

Just south of the picturesque town of Traverse City, Michigan, sits Wuerfel Park. The stadium, and its tenants, the Traverse City Beach Bums, reflect the town in which they reside. Traverse City is located at the base of the Old Mission and Leelanau Peninsulas, and it is a summertime favorite of many tourists and locals who flock to the water and the beautiful beaches.

The exterior and interior of Wuerfel Park continue the beach resort feel, and the playground in right field has, of course, sand. It's a beautiful park with only one, terribly glaring inadequacy. When you look down on the field you see no grass, and no dirt. Not a blade. Not a grain. It is an absolute cardinal sin, and difficult to forgive despite the many fine amenities that can be found.

Food & Beverage    3

There are no surprises when it comes to the offerings at Wuerfel Park, but you'll certainly find all of the classics readily available. New to the 2010 menu is the behemoth 1/2 pound "Hawg dog" ($7) which should satisfy most hungry appetites. The hot dog ($3.50) is decent, and the chili dog ($5) is below average.

Pizza is provided by BC Pizza. I was informed by the team that pizzas are delivered throughout the game to help ensure that fans can have the freshest pizza possible (unusual for many minor league parks). Perhaps the best feature in the concessions is the ice cream shops, where you can take your treat indoors to save it from the hot sun.

Pepsi products are available, but there is no souvenir cup. Beers are served in large cans, with a good selection of your favorite macro brews. Overall there's nothing to write home about, but you certainly won't be complaining either.

Atmosphere    3

I may be grading a little too harshly here, but I can't get over the lack of anything natural on the field of play. The fact is that the seats are comfortable with plenty of leg room, and the tandem of mascots, Sun Tan and Sun Burn, do a great job of keeping the young fans entertained. Besides the playground that I mentioned in right, there is also a toddler indoor play area above first base to allow parents to take their little tykes away.

Neighborhood    3

While Traverse City is an interesting town, there isn't anything within the immediate area of the stadium other than some fast food options including Culver's, Crusted Creations, Arby's, Taco Bell, and KFC. Further away is La Senorita, a favorite Northern Michigan Mexican food chain, with solid food and great margaritas.

If shopping is your thing, there are a couple of malls within two miles of Wuerfel Park. Come during the National Cherry Festival when the tourism season peaks around the 4th of July holiday, and you may be able to catch a parade and a ball game in a rare doubleheader.

Venture further downtown if you want to spend some significant time before or after the game. There's a good variety of brew pubs in Traverse City including Mackinac Island Brewing Company, North Peak, and Right Brain Brewery.

Fans    2

There isn't a lot of baseball conversation happening amongst the fans, and the experience suffers because of that lack of clear enthusiasm for the game. That doesn't make this a bad place to see a game, just not a baseball hotbed.

Access    4

There's plenty of parking and no back-up to speak of as you enter or exit the facility. Bathrooms are clean and free of lines, and the park is extremely accessible for those who use a wheelchair. It's also a very walkable ballpark, and you may consider doing some laps if you want to get some exercise during the game.

Return on Investment    2

Parking will cost you $2, and a seat with a back on it will cost $10. Tables for 4 down the outfield lines will cost you $20 per person, which is clearly overpriced. The ten-person suite will cost you the same per person and are a much better value. Food is reasonably priced, and the lawn seating features thick grass to layout in the outfield. Although, that thick grass just makes the fake field that much more frustrating to endure.

Extras    2

The first bonus point being awarded is purely serendipitous. I attended a game with some young children, who by the 8th inning of a night game had had enough. As I walked up the stairs to the concourse, a foul ball popped up on to the roof, and gently came down right in my hands, in stride as I ascended the stairs. Very cool.

The second bonus point goes to the beauty of the stadium. The large concourses, the walk around, and the great seats make for a pleasurable in-stand experience (just don't look down at the field itself).

Final Thoughts

The most glaring problem with Wuerfel Park is the abomination of turf that is currently being employed. The field did not begin with this surface, and a fan can only hope that they will return to the way baseball is meant to be played. It has a strong effect on hurting what could be an above average minor league baseball experience.