Baseball is as much a way of life as it is a sport_not that anyone living in Chicago needs to be told this.

With several cities retiring classic stadiums and opening new ones, interest in baseball-theme vacations is high. (Memo to the man who just wrote to me looking for baseball tour operators: You didn't include a return address!)

Following are some resources to get you started on planning a baseball getaway.

If you'd like to plan your own trip, consult Baseball Vacations: Great Family Trips to Minor League and Classic Major League Ballparks Across America (Fodor's, $18), in its second edition. Husband-and- wife authors Bruce Adams and Margaret Engel, who travel with their two children, share tips from the many baseball trips they've taken as a family.

They cover dozens of major and minor league stadiums and ballparks, with tips on team history, seating, stadium food, prices and ticket information. They also list inexpensive lodging, restaurant and entertainment options near each stadium.

Several tour operators also create itineraries around sporting events. Among them:

Roadtrips offers getaways including baseball tours with game tickets and hotel accommodations. Call (800) 465-1765 or visit www.roadtrips.com.

Sports Travel does baseball road trips, customized sports vacations and tours organized around major events such as the Kentucky Derby. Call (800) 662-4424 or visit www.sports travelandtours.com.

Esoteric Sports Tours arranges packages around America's "crown jewel" sporting events; call (800) 321-8008 or visit www.esotericsportstours.com.

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