Overview
The first 11 days of the Major League Madness baseball tour, through the Midwest: Major League games at around five ballparks plus a couple of Minor League games. Teens arrive early for batting practice and autographs, sit in the dugout on behind-the-scenes stadium tours — Wrigley Field among them — and work their way through each ballpark's signature food.
Off the field there's a jet-boat ride on Lake Michigan and Navy Pier in Chicago, the roller coasters of Cedar Point, the Pro Football Hall of Fame and a tour of Ohio State's football stadium. The trip ends with a Triple-A game in Toledo and a farewell before flights home from Detroit.
Groups of 22 to 38 teens in grades 7–10 travel by private coach with a professional driver. The exact 2027 games depend on the Major League schedule — the itinerary below follows the most recent route, and the operator confirms the final version once the new schedule is published.
What's included
The itinerary
- Days 1–4 Chicago, Illinois & Milwaukee, Wisconsin — Icebreakers in Chicago, then straight into baseball: a behind-the-scenes tour of Wrigley Field, a White Sox game on the South Side, a day trip to Milwaukee for a stadium tour and a Brewers game, a high-speed jet-boat ride on Lake Michigan, the Centennial Wheel at Navy Pier, and a night game at Wrigley.
- Days 5–7 Cleveland, Ohio — A day of roller coasters at Cedar Point on the way, two Guardians games at Progressive Field, a virtual-reality games session, the Pro Football Hall of Fame and a pickup softball game with the group.
- Days 8–9 Columbus & Cincinnati, Ohio — A behind-the-scenes tour of Ohio Stadium, home of the Ohio State Buckeyes, a Minor League game, a guided tour of Great American Ball Park, an afternoon of pickleball, and a Reds game on the banks of the Ohio River.
- Days 10–11 Toledo, Ohio & Detroit, Michigan — One more game — Triple-A baseball in Toledo, a chance to see future big-league players up close — then a farewell with the group. Flights home from Detroit on day 11.
Where teens stay
Hotels throughout: in Lombard outside Chicago, with an indoor pool; near Cleveland; across the river from downtown Cincinnati, with an indoor pool; and in Livonia between Detroit and Ann Arbor. The exact hotel at each stop is confirmed before departure.
Meals
Breakfast and dinner are included every day. Breakfast is usually a buffet at the hotel; on game nights dinner is at the ballpark — trying each stadium's speciality food is half the fun — and on other days it's at restaurants, often served family-style. Lunch is not included: on afternoon-game days it's ballpark food, otherwise teens choose from restaurants along the way, so plan for it in their spending money. Vegetarian, kosher-style, gluten-free (coeliac) and lactose-free diets and most allergies can be catered for if you tell us in advance.
More photos
Frequently asked questions
Which departure is right for my child?
There's one departure, Jun 26–Jul 6, for teens in grades 7–10 (roughly ages 12–16). Please note the operator confirms the exact 2027 itinerary once the Major League schedule is published (see below). The grade is the one your child is in during the 2026–27 school year — we'll help you match it to your school system. Dates are the operator's official start and end dates.
Which games will the group see?
The 2027 game list isn't fixed yet. The operator builds the route around the Major League schedule and confirms the exact itinerary — and, if needed, adjusts the exact dates — once the 2027 schedule is out in the autumn. The most recent version of the 11-day trip saw six Major League games at five ballparks — both Chicago teams, Milwaukee, Cleveland (twice) and Cincinnati — plus two Minor League games, and 2027 should look similar. We'll send you the final schedule as soon as it's published.
How do flights and arrival work?
The trip starts in Chicago and ends in Detroit, so you book a flight into Chicago (ORD) and a flight home from Detroit (DTW). Please check the operator's arrival and departure time windows with us before buying anything non-refundable. Staff meet your child at the airport and take them to the group at no extra cost, and teens flying in from overseas can arrive the night before the official start with the extra hotel night included. From Europe there are direct flights to Chicago, where your child goes through US immigration on arrival. On the last day the leaders help with check-in and stay at the airport until flights in the set window have left; flights back to Europe are usually overnight, so your child lands home the next day.
What exactly is included in the price?
Accommodation, breakfast and dinner every day, all the activities in the itinerary, airport transfers for flights within the set time windows, tips and local taxes. Not included: flights to and from the trip, lunches and snacks, spending money, laundry (a laundromat stop about once a week — the operator supplies the detergent and shows first-timers how it works), the operator's application fee, and travel insurance — optional, but we strongly recommend it.
Is there a discount for enrolling early?
Yes — at the moment the operator takes US$300 off the tuition for early enrolment, so the 11-day trip costs US$4,699 instead of US$4,999. It's a limited-time offer and the operator can end it at any point, so ask us whether it still applies before you decide. The price shown on this page is the full tuition.
Does my child need a visa or an ESTA?
Families arrange travel documents themselves. Teens with a passport from a Visa Waiver country — Czechia and most of the EU included — need an approved ESTA (the online US travel authorisation) before they board, so apply well ahead. Teens from other countries need a B-2 visitor visa, not a student visa. If a teen living outside North America is refused a visa before 1 June, the operator offers a move to another program, a roll-over to the following summer, or a refund minus US$450.
Is there a longer version?
Yes — the 18-day Major League Madness follows the same route, then carries on to a Tigers game in Detroit, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Washington D.C. and New York, with Major League games at around ten ballparks in total.
Does my child need to be a baseball expert?
No, but it's built for fans: most days revolve around a game, so it suits a teen who already enjoys baseball or sport in general and wants to see it live. Nobody has to play — though there's a pickup softball game and batting cages for anyone who wants a go.
Who else will be in the group?
Mostly American teens — on most programs around 85% of participants come from the US, and the operator tries to limit how many teens from any one other country join each group. For an international teen that means a genuinely English-speaking group, which is a big part of the appeal.
How good does my child's English need to be?
At least a confident beginner level — the operator recommends A2 or above, since everything on the trip happens in English. Your child can ask for an English-speaking roommate, and one-to-one English conversation time with a staff member can be arranged daily or a few times a week.
Can my child come on their own?
Yes, and many do. The first days are built around icebreakers and getting-to-know-you activities, roommates are assigned and rotated, and the staff actively help everyone settle into the group.
Are phones allowed?
Yes. Teens can bring their phone, so you can call or message them directly. The operator also runs a communication centre that's staffed every day of the summer, with someone on call around the clock for emergencies.