If you're thinking of heading to Williamsport for the Little League World Series, the Lycoming County Visitors Bureau is a great resource that covers all the bases. Here are some highlights:
Tickets
All tickets are free on a first-come, first-served basis. There is limited general public seating in Lamade Stadium and Volunteer Stadium. However, seating also is available on the grass overlooking the outfield fence of Lamade Stadium and no ticket is required. For more info, go to LLBWS.org.
What's Allowed Inside The Park
Strollers, umbrellas, backpacks and coolers of a certain size are allowed. Note that sunscreen cannot be in aerosol form. Click for a full list of permitted items and more on security.
Getting There
Driving: Put this address in your GPS: 570 East Central Avenue - South Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Interstate 80 leads to the outskirts of Williamsport from New York City in the east and passes north of Pittsburgh in the west. A loop highway connects I-80 to the city from both the east and west.
From upstate New York to the north, U.S. Route 15 connects Williamsport with Corning, N.Y. From the south, U.S. Route 15 runs along the Susquehanna from Harrisburg, Pa., while Interstate 99 extends north from Bedford, Pa., on the Pennsylvania Turnpike to I-80 just west of Williamsport.
Flying: Williamsport Regional Airport is served by US Airways, with connections from Philadelphia. Rental cars are available at the airport. For a list of other nearby airports, go to LLBWS.org.
Bus: Susquehanna Trailways offers daily service between Williamsport and New York City as well as from Elmira, N.Y., and numerous Pennsylvania communities, including Philadelphia and Harrisburg.
Parking
Expect to do some walking once you've parked. For more info about parking go to LLBWS.org. Shuttle service within the facility for the handicap are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Benches marked with the handicapped symbol serve as the designated pick-up and drop-off points. (Each stadium is handicap accessible, with ramps and seating available for visitors in wheelchairs. Stadium ushers in green shirts are available to guide handicapped visitors to the handicap seating areas.) Learn more here.
Local Transportation
River Valley Transport coordinates the "Little League® Express" shuttle between the Little League® Complex, located in South Williamsport, and the Trade & Transit Center located at 100 West Third Street, Williamsport. Click here for shuttle times and cost.
Tournament Facilities
ATM machines and concession stands are available at the park. Concessions open with the gates at 9 a.m. and close at the end of the last game. For details go to LLBWS.org.
Where To Stay
There are numerous hotels in the Williamsport area, with both chains and locally-owned businesses represented. If they fill up, you can stay off I-80 in Lewisburg or Lock Haven. LLBWS.org provides a listing of lodging contact information.
Where To Eat
Italian, fast-food and casual dining options are plentiful, with a dash of fine dining. But if you're staying with friends, in a house or a hotel with a kitchen, there's a Wegman's supermarket in downtown Williamsport, and the chain offers a café with a wide array of both ready-made and heat-and-eat options.
Other activities in Williamsport
Grand Slam Parade & Festival on July 19. The festival begins at 4 p.m. in downtown Williamsport and the parade starts at 6 p.m. All 16 teams will participate. Bleacher seating as well as sidewalk viewing is available.
The World Of Little League Museum has extended hours during the tournament from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. For details on group tours, call (570) 326-3607. Admission is $5 or less per person depending on age.
The Susquehanna Riverwalk and Timber Trail is a four-mile, paved pedestrian and bike path that runs along the north and south shores of the river in downtown Williamsport and South Williamsport. If you're feeling adventurous, Lycoming County offers four state parks and forests.
The Millbrook Playhouse in Mill Hall is Central Pennsylvania's oldest professional summer theater. "The Marvelous Wonderettes" will be playing during the LLWS.
Clyde Peeling's Reptiland in Allenwood is true to its name. This summer the museum is featuring "Dinosaurs Come to Life," in which you can "see life-size animatronic dinosaurs roar, spit, and bellow." There's also a butterfly greenhouse, where you can walk among hundreds of butterflies.
If you just can't get enough baseball at the LLWS, the Williamsport Crosscutters of the short-season Class A New York-Penn League play at Susquehanna Bank Part at Historic Bowman Field.