The way Florida native and Red Sox pitcher Kutter Crawford sees it, he has the best of both worlds on the weather front, getting home in the offseason and staying there for spring training, then spending much of the baseball season (when not traveling for away games) in Boston. “It’s pretty much the same weather down here in the offseason as it is up there in the summer,” said Crawford, 29, in a recent interview in Fort Meyers, Fla., home to the Red Sox during spring training. “Summers up in the Northeast are pretty good.” Crawford said he feels “lucky to be able to call Boston home.” Raised in Okeechobee, Fla., Crawford said he’s “more of a rural guy,” but that he enjoys traveling to different cities for away games. “It [reinforces] for me that Boston is one of the cooler, more unique cities. It’s a big city, but small at the same time with all of the little neighborhoods and everything.” He said that dining in the North End and the Seaport is a favorite pastime — Arya Trattoria and Ocean Prime are, he said, at the top of his local restaurant list. Drafted by the Sox in 2017, he made his big-league debut in 2021. His 2025 debut has been delayed by a knee issue, but Crawford said he expects to take the field soon and is excited about his team and its chances for a winning season. “We’ve got a really good team, so I’m looking forward to playing into October because we’ve got a very good chance,” he said. “I’m excited to compete with the new guys … to see how we’ve grown over the course of the last couple of seasons. I’m excited for this season, and I think Red Sox fans should be as well.” We caught up with Crawford, who lives in South Boston with his girlfriend, Alexandra Taranto, a consulting firm director, to talk about all things travel.
If you could travel anywhere right now, where would you go?
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Probably somewhere in Montana. It’s pretty peaceful, wide open, and you can kind of get off the grid for a little bit and just enjoy God’s creation.
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Do you prefer booking trips through a travel agent or on your own?
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In the past, I’ve booked trips just on my own.
Thoughts on an “unplugged” vacation?
Love that idea. Definitely something that I’d be interested in.
What has been your worst vacation experience?
I can’t think of any off the top of my head that I would describe as worst — or even bad, really.
What is your favorite childhood travel memory?
Probably going to Jamaica. I was in the fourth or fifth grade and we went with some friends and their families. It was a blast. We did a zipline tour through the forest and that was pretty cool, then we did the snorkeling thing. And it was fun just hanging out at the resort and at the beach, playing games, whatever. So yeah, it was a good trip.
Do you vacation to relax, to learn, or for the adventure of it all?
Definitely vacation to relax and have a little bit of an adventure in there.
What book do you plan on bringing with you to read on your next vacation?
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I don’t read on vacation.
If you could travel with one famous person/celebrity, who would it be?
Matthew McConaughey. I feel like he’d be someone good to go on vacation with. He seems to be well-versed in traveling and has a pretty cool perspective. He’s pretty adventurous, too, and I like his personality. He’s someone I wouldn’t mind being around and picking his brain.
What is the best gift to give a traveler?
Travel pillow/neck pillow.
What is your go-to snack for a flight or a road trip?
I don’t really have one. I guess it just depends on what I’m feeling. Either a candy or some sort of healthy snack.
What is the coolest souvenir you’ve picked up on a vacation?
When I was in the Dominican, I bought this wooden figure off somebody on the beach. Definitely overpaid for it, but it’s kind of cool.
What is your favorite app/website for travel?
Google.
What has travel taught you?
It’s taught me to kind of be comfortable in an uncomfortable situation because sometimes when you go to these other places, they don’t speak your language. You’ve got to figure it out and try to not panic or anything. Kind of helps you relate to some of the things our Latin [teammates] go through.
What is your best travel tip?
Pack lightly. And bring a backpack — always bring a backpack.
Juliet Pennington can be reached at writeonjuliet@comcast.net.
