YEAR VISITED: 1993, 2015, 2018, and 2020.
FAVORITE CITIES AND EXPERIENCES: The movie Field of Dreams debuted in 1989. The setting of the movie is Dyersville, Iowa. If not familiar this classic baseball movie is about life, family, and baseball; three of my favorite things. After watching the movie 20+ times I still cry every time I watch the closing scene of Kevin Costner playing catch with his dad one last time. Just thinking of Ray Kinsella (Costner’s character) turning to his dad and asking, “Hey dad, want to have a catch?” brings a combination of memories flooding back to me. In my mind, I can’t help but think about growing up in Snohomish and playing catch with my own dad as well as playing with my childhood friends. It is definitely one of my all time favorite movies.
Another famous quote in the movie was spoken by James Earl Jones when he said, “People will come, Ray. They most certainly will come…” For me personally this quote, and really the only reason I have been to Iowa, has come true on three separate occasions. The first came in 1993 when my parents made Iowa and the Field of Dreams a priority on our cross country driving trip. The highlight was having my dad throw BP to me on the field – a couple balls even landed beyond the fence in the corn.
The next time came in 2018 when a friend of mine, Scooter Watts, and I went to Omaha for a week of watching the College Baseball World Series. There was a lull in the action on Sunday of Fathers Day and I found myself all alone as Scooter needed to return before me. Since I couldn’t figure out anything else to do, I made the decision to drive the 6 long hours from Omaha, Nebraska to Dyersville, Iowa. Upon arrival I found there was a 12-13 year old tournament being played. I sat on the hill in front of the house and watched the game while simultaneously soaking up the famous location.
It was one of the most surreal moments of my life as I sat at this iconic location all alone with my thoughts. The last time I was able to visit Field of Dreams was July of 2020. It was a special moment for me as I was able to share this special location with my entire family.
Bailey and Maddie were able to run the bases and the whole family was videoed disappearing and reappearing into the corn (just like the movie). We spent roughly an hour wandering around the farm.
STADIUMS AND/OR SPORTING EVENTS: In the families visit in 2020 we were able to peer through the corn to see construction crews building the future MLB Stadium at Field of Dreams.
Due to COVID, the game that was supposed to be played that summer, was rescheduled for 2021. A year later, it was pretty cool watching the game on TV and seeing how the facility all came together. Plus it was an amazing game as the White Sox defeated the Yankees on a walk off home run.
ADVENTURE(S):
NOTABLE DESTINATIONS & STOPS: On multiple trips to Omaha and the College World Series the family and I crossed the Bob Kerry Pedestrian Bridge. The bridge crosses the Missouri River and connects Omaha Nebraska to Council Bluffs Iowa.
- OUR LIST TO VISIT OR RETURN TO:
- The Bridges of Madison County
- Herbert Hoover National Historic Site
- Iowa Hawkeye Football Game – Kinnick Stadium
‘Stros on the Road 