Holyoke, Massachusetts: Volleyball Hall of Fame

The Basketball Hall of Fame casts a big shadow in this part of the world. It's a magnificent structure, filled with all of the latest bells and whistles. That Hall has become a major tourist attraction for Springfield.

Just up the road in Holyoke, another game for winter exercise was invented around the same time. It too has grown popular throughout the world.

Alas, volleyball isn't quite the star that basketball is. It's Hall of Fame isn't as well known, either.

The facility is located in a park-like setting along a canal in downtown Holyoke. The volleyball hall has one large room, containing displays to honor those inducted, some other informational areas, half of a volleyball court, and a small souvenir stand (might have bought something had there been an XL's left in shirts).

The staff member seemed very nice, and all of the people you'd expect to be there are there -- that is, if you have followed volleyball at all. Obviously, the place doesn't have a great deal of money for promotion, marketing, new exhibits, etc. Plus, some of the biggest names in the sport are foreign and aren't well known to an American audience.

For those who like the sport and/or enjoy visiting Halls, it's certainly worth a short visit. It's just too bad the place didn't have the money to be bigger and better.

Foxborough, Massachusetts: The Ocean Spray Bog

Care to guess how many football stadiums have a working cranberry farm within the borders of its property?

I can think of one.

A short hike from Gillette Stadium in Foxborough is this farm, right behind Bass Pro. My guess is that the facility was around the property when the Patriots started developing it all, and someone decided to keep it.

You can take a nice half-mile walk around its perimeter, and look down and see cranberries growing. If nothing else, the contrast to the football stadium a short distance away is a large one. Plus, this seems like a good place to wait out the traffic on a nice fall day.

Foxborough, Massachusetts, The Hall at Patriot Place

Speaking as someone who attended the second game in the history of Schaefer Stadium in Foxboro in 1971 (also remembered as the day the toilets backed up), the area sure has grown up since then.

There's no better illustration of that when visiting Patriot Place.

Not only is Gillette Stadium a huge, magnificent structure, but it comes with bonuses. Adjoining the stadium is a Hall of Fame, containing three flights of memorabilia, exhibits and interactive devices.

There is a movie theater with a film about the New England Patriots, a space to honor Hall of Famers, and a tribute to fans. You can see the team's three Super Bowl trophies, and try on a championship ring (note: it will be big).Above, you can see a display about some of the team's early history. I believe that's Gino Cappelletti's uniform on the left. The bottom floor is a large souvenir stand, with every sort of possible item available. In other words, this is the place for a Patriots' pool table.

I'd still rank this a notch below the Packers' Hall of Fame, as Green Bay has a little more history on display. But it's a first-class effort, and worth a stop for football fans in the area ... even for those from Buffalo.

By the way, Patriot Place refers to the entire complex, which includes many stores, a movie theater and a health care facility. It's huge, it's upscale, and it's very well done. Somebody did some good thinking in the Patriots' organization.