Nothing says fall & winter more in Atlantic Canada than team sports travel! While there are a lot of baseball teams, and baseball lovers throughout our fair provinces, team travel really hits an uptick with hockey, ringuette, volleyball, and basketball all starting their seasons at roughly the same time. So, how do you make sure that each trip goes smoothly? We’ve gathered our tips for you to make sure it becomes easy for you. And don’t worry, there’s another tournament next weekend, so you’ve got lots of opportunity to practice!
Hotels
When you’re traveling with a team, your first consideration should be where you’re going to stay. If you’re a team manager, your responsibility may include blocking a set of rooms for a tournament. Consider needed amenities when you’re looking, and also consider proximity to the venues.
Pro Tip: Ask your hotel if you can rent a conference room to store gear, or to use as a pizza party space or to watch movies as a team. This keeps your group from overrunning the hotel, and saves on money as organizing a team meal at a restaurant can be exhausting AND expensive.
Travel
Unless your child is playing on a high school, or a highly competitive team, you’re going to be doing some driving. Tournaments happen almost weekly, so consider the wear and tear on your vehicle. Also, with a lot of sports happening during the colder months, speak to your mechanic about tires for your vehicle. Keep you and your athletes safe!
Pro Tip: Headphones and extra batteries are essential travel pieces to help keep noise to a minimum and electronics fully operational, while on the road.
Locations
Here’s the thing. When you’re in town for a tournament, nobody wants to spend the entire time in the venue, or in the hotel. Each town and city has its share of attractions. A quick Google search can help you find the ones that will be closest to where you’ll be!
Pro Tip: Speak to the front desk at the hotel, or a parent of the host team to find out what THEIR favourites are. The things the locals like are usually the best things to check out!
Every Coastal Inns location is team-friendly – we welcome (and even encourage) larger groups. Next time you’ll be traveling for a tournament, let us know! Having a clean, comfortable place for your entire group to stay should be the least of your worries. We can’t wait to welcome you.
