Going to a White Sox game? Below is your complete Guaranteed Rate Field seating guide, where I share everything you need to know to choose a great seat for your taste and budget at the home of the Chicago White Sox. Stick with me, kid…I’ll help you get the most of your visit.

There’s a lot to cover here, so I’m breaking it down by section and price level.

Guaranteed Rate Field Seating Guide Contents

Guaranteed Rate Field Layout
Wintrust Scout Seats
Premium Seating – Diamond Suites, Other Suites and Guaranteed Rate Club
Club Level Seating
Lower Level Seating
Outfield Seats and Bleachers (+ Obstructed Views)
Upper Level Seating (+ More Obstructed Views)
Group and Party Areas
Standing Room

Okay then, ready? Let’s get started after this quick word from our sponsor:

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I took this pic in 2015, but the ballpark’s shape is the same.

Guaranteed Rate Field Seating Tips, Part 1) Ballpark Layout. The layout of Guaranteed Rate Field is simple enough, especially with its (now unusual) symmetry. Here is the Guaranteed Rate Field seating chart from the White Sox website.

The lower deck seats are on the 100 level, and the upper deck is the 500 level. The luxury seating levels and suites are the 200, 300, and 400 level sections, between the upper and lower decks.

Do not purchase tickets in Section 532…you will find yourself in the Invalid Ticket Vortex!

The upper deck section numbering is a bit weird. Every so often it skips a number in the sections, so there’s no Section 532, for example. This was done to even it up with the lower sections, which were cut in half to reduce butts (or worse) in seated people’s faces and thus cover smaller space per section.

If you’re concerned about shade on a hot day (or a cold one…it is Chicago), the sun shines brightest and latest on the left field bleachers, as opposed to the right field seating in most ballparks.

Facing the field, Seat 1 in any section is always closest to home plate. Guaranteed Rate Field’s seating capacity is 40,615.

Here’s the lowdown on the seating sections, starting with the most expensive:

Nothing says “you’ve made it” like cushioned seats and cup holders at the ballgame.

Guaranteed Rate Field Seating Tips, Part 2) Wintrust Scout Seats. The Wintrust Scout Seats are the best seats at Guaranteed Rate Field, for many reasons, and are priced as such. These are padded and wide leather seats directly behind home plate, and they include waitresses bringing you food items from a small menu. If you’re willing to get up, you may help yourself to more lavish buffet and open bar. There’s even a little desk on the side of the seat in case you need to work on that proposal at the game.

The Scout Seats have their own private entrance, a nice thing here. The buffet includes all of those high-quality food items from Levy Restaurants…carved meats, gourmet desserts, all the high end food items that baseball is all about.

Just a small fence separating the well-to-do from the riffraff!

For the price, though, most times you can just get a Platinum Box seat and buy enough food to split your pants with the money left over. But there’s probably something to be said for a cushioned seat with a great view and access to a climate controlled lounge.

If you want to score Scout Seats for a lesser demand game, try the Gametime or third party route and wait until game time draws closer. Chances are you’ll pay less than face price on a slow night (and the Sox have a lot of those), and face value is pretty darn high for these.

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Be sure to ask about our climate-controlled buffet!

Guaranteed Rate Field Seating Tips, Part 3) Premium Seating. One thing White Sox ownership got out of their new Comiskey Park is plenty of luxury suites and seating, as anyone can see looking at the mezzanine levels of the ballpark.

Still, there are lots of seats that aren’t out of the price range of the everyday fan. Most Club level seats, for example, are available at the same pricing levels as other seats. You can get them for a lower price when the Sox aren’t playing a popular opponent, in which case the cost isn’t bad at all.

If you’re going to a game in April or May, you may be glad you got a premium seat and access to a climate controlled concourse. Chicago is not baseball friendly in early spring.

The real bonus is that if no one in your group cares about the actual game, there’s plenty of empty seats!

White Sox Premium Seating: Diamond Suites. The Diamond Suites surrounding the ballpark hold 20 to 60 people, and include their own bar, comfortable seating, in-seat wait service, a private entrance with an elevator, and premium parking. Diamond Suites are at the highest part of the Club Level (400), so the view isn’t as great as you might think it should be for the price.

Like with most premium seating, there is a basic food menu that includes wings, roast beef and turkey sandwiches with the hot dogs, peanuts and beer; you can upgrade the food or the bar and have baby back ribs and Tanqueray, etc. for an additional fee. Suites have private restrooms, a benefit not truly appreciated until you’re sharing with a bunch of others after a game.

Most of the Diamond Suites are reserved for full or partial season packages to corporate types, but they occasionally are available for individual games. In 2017 the Sox added a suite on the field level behind home plate called Suite 134; good for 25 fans who have the considerable means (somewhere in the neighborhood of $200 a ticket).

The naming rights change frequently, but the amenities and views remain constant.

White Sox Premium Seating: Guaranteed Rate Club. The Guaranteed Rate Club (formerly the Home Plate Club and Gold Coast Tickets Club) is the outdoor but covered section of seats behind home plate on the 200 level. There are just four rows of seats here, which is nice. The seats are padded and wide like the Scout Seats, with a nice bird’s eye view of the field. You can only access this level by a private elevator.

Fans (or their rich uncles) can access the private lounge with a view of the field and its high class buffet and open bar, even after the game. The prices for drinks go up after the game, reportedly. Season ticket holders get free parking in Lot D next to the ballpark, no small thing.

They even supply a concierge, in case you need to have a pizza delivered.

Because you belong above it all!

White Sox Premium Seating: Terrace Suites. The Terrace Suites are located down near the left field foul pole at the top of the club level. These are for group outings and can hold up to 400 people. Not the best view from here, the suites and clubs behind home plate might be better if your group cares. But you do get the full bar, and with a climate controlled area the price isn’t terrible at all.

The Upper Terrace does feature a nice view of the city of Chicago, but you can get that on the upper concourse.

Okay, so maybe you can’t put your feet up. But the view is almost as good here.

White Sox Premium Seating: All-Star Suite. The 22-person All-Star Suite is located at Section 439 on the third base side. It appears to be similar to a Diamond Suite, although the White Sox tout its new furniture and refurbished private area. Not sure exactly what the improvement is, unless you’re looking to sit over the home team dugout. It is reasonable as suites go.

Like with the other suites, you can get a food upgrade with fancier items than the chicken wings and sandwiches usually served, and the bar is upgrade-able too. It also includes four parking passes.

Okay, whew! Now about the seating for us actual baseball fans…

Fewer rows and steps to reduce your nachos spilling risk.

Guaranteed Rate Field Seating Tips, Part 4) Club Level. The Club area, in the middle (300) tier of the mezzanine level between the bases, features outside seats in front of the climate-controlled lounge area, with a full bar and a premium menu with fancy extras.

If you plan to eat in the Club concourse, you should order as soon as possible, because it does tend to get crowded. The food isn’t complimentary here, but there is a better selection of it than in the lower or upper concourses.

Tickets for this level are reasonable by club seat standards in baseball. The Club sections increase in price as they get closer to home plate, costing almost double the price behind home as they do closer to the foul lines. The Premium Club seats do sport a much better view; and the White Sox ballpark is one place where that is worth springing for. You might find a good deal on Gametime.

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You could just sit lower than all of those premium seating types. Works just fine.

Guaranteed Rate Field Seating Tips, Part 5) Lower Level. The lower level at Guaranteed Rate in foul territory consists of the aforementioned Scout Seats, Gold and Silver Box, Premium Lower Box, and Lower Reserved. In that order.

The White Sox now rate types of seats by rows, so Rows 26 and higher of Sections 119 and 120 are cheaper than the rows in front of them, for example. In Section 111 there are three different price levels. So presumably, you can save a few bucks in the front row of a “tier”. When you’re buying tickets through the Sox, check the price of the different rows. No point in paying more for Row 14 when Row 15 is just two more feet away from the field.

Since the ballpark is symmetrical, there isn’t much difference whether you’re on the first or third base side, except for the fact that the sun sets behind the first base side and third base is in the shade last. The White Sox also adjusted the seats in the outer Lower Box sections to face closer to the home plate, making for a better viewing angle.

You can tell people to just go around to the other side now!

One very nice thing in the lower level is that sections have fewer seats in each row (usually eight) than in most ballparks, so you won’t have as much of a problem of folks getting up in front of you.

Remember that lower level seating obviously includes access to the lower concourse, and the rest of the ballpark for that matter, something upper level seats do not include. More on that in a bit.

There are usually 30-35 rows in lower level sections, and the upper deck overhang covers the seats from about Row 26 up, so don’t expect much protection from the sun especially for day games.

Proximity to a bullpen allows for fun encouragement for pitchers.

Guaranteed Rate Field Seating Tips, Part 6) Outfield Seats + Bleachers. The Lower Reserved seats in the outfield are in left field near the foul pole and in all of right field. These are actual seats as opposed to the bleacher-style benches in left center, which are cheaper. Surprisingly, bleacher seats are often more expensive than most of the seating in the upper level.

The bleachers in left center field are bench-style seats, but they have backs on them with numbers, so you still have an assigned seat as opposed to most ballpark bleachers. You still might have to share with a neighbor’s cheek a little bit, but at least they are easier on your back.

Lots of sun-baked metal, but in April in Chicago that might not be a bad thing.

Remember that the sun sets behind first base and it can be particularly blinding and hot in the left field seats. (Incidentally that’s why they call them “bleachers”, since they get bleached by the sun.) I highly recommend sunscreen and sunglasses sitting here.

The visiting team’s bullpen is in right field, all the better for heckling. If you get seats in front of either bullpen, the row numbers start with 8 in left and 9 in right. The bleachers in left are a good spot to catch batting practice home runs.

If your girlfriend has a crush on a right fielder, maybe this isn’t a bad thing.

Obstructed View Alert #1: In the small section to the right of the batter’s eye is Section 100, which, along with the benches in Section 164 on the left field side, may have an obstructed view with the batter’s eye blocking a portion of the opposite field. It can also affect Sections 101 and 163 if you’re sitting high enough. With White Sox attendance you probably won’t have to deal with this, but just saying.

Be sure to get a low row if you get seats in these sections, from high up a good portion of the opposite field could be blocked from view, and you won’t like that. (The Sox will alert you about this before you buy the ticket, but I’m not sure that third party sellers will.)

It’s kind of like Eutaw Street in Baltimore, except without the warehouse, BBQ stand, restaurant…okay maybe it’s not.

The outfield seats have a nice and wide concourse area to roam around in, and they’re also close to the ballpark’s extra amenities, like the kids’ play area, the Plumbing Council shower, and the Craft Lodge in right field. They’re not the best or cheapest outfield seats in major league baseball, but they do have some things going for them.

By the way, this isn’t Wrigley Field—if you catch a home run here, you can be ejected for throwing it back on the field.

If you can handle the vertigo, these seats are a bargain.

Guaranteed Rate Field Seating Tips, Part 7) Upper Level. The upper deck seats at Guaranteed Rate are better than they once were. Before the top eight rows were eliminated, the height and angle of upper level seats could be terrifying. Much was made of how the first row of seats in the upper level are further from home plate than the last rows at the old Comiskey.

Fortunately, the situation has improved. You can only go so high now, and while the angle is still dizzyingly steep, now it’s just “unnerving”. There is a flat iron roof covering the top two-thirds of the highest seats. There are 21 rows of seats in most upper level sections; like in the lower level, the lower rows are more expensive.

The Upper Corner sections are now the cheapest tickets in Guaranteed Rate Field (and most of baseball, for that matter). There’s a good reason for it though, as a Chicago native friend put it to me: “The Waveland rooftops are closer!”

For what it’s worth though, the upper concourse here is one of the nicer ones in baseball; it’s got murals of White Sox greatness and is covered with panels that let the sun in but not the rain. There is a decent food and drink selection too.

OK, but do you really need to see home plate?

Obstructed View Alert #2: There are support poles holding up the new roof on this level; from Row 17 up at this level you could have a pole blocking a good portion of your view. Behind home plate and in the outfield it’s not much of a problem, but down the lines it can be annoying. Again, you probably won’t likely have to deal with it given current White Sox attendance numbers, but just so you know.

Remember, Seat 1 in any section is closest to home plate. So in the high rows down either line, seats 1-5 are likely to be the most problematic with the views. I would go for outfield seats rather than the sections down the line given the choice.

This kind of sucks, so you should be aware of it before you go.

Pay attention, this is important: Upper deck ticket holders are not allowed in the lower level concourse, and the Sox enforce this–a matter of great irritation to some fans. So upper deck seats preclude shopping at the best gift shop, enjoying the more interesting food offerings, seeking autographs, and a number of photo-ops like posing with player statues.

So if you want the entire Guaranteed Rate Field experience, avoid upper level tickets, or use your Ballpark app to get an upgrade. Remember you can’t do standing room in the closed upper concourse here either.

If you want to be a cheapskate…and upper level tickets can be super cheap…you can get someone with a lower level ticket to give you a copy of their ticket, which you can then show to ushers, although you then risk using the wrong ticket to get in and a well deserved whupping. Or you can nicely complain to an usher or Guest Services and tell them you’re a tourist. They may let you down in later innings.

Heading up to the top level on the outside ramps does give one a striking view of the south side of Chicago, so you’re not missing everything. There’s a nice view at the top of the stands too, although it does get windy.

When the beer is complimentary, upper outfield seats are A-OK.

Guaranteed Rate Field Seating Tips, Part 8) Group and Party Areas. Finally, the recent renovation created some sparkling new party areas at Guaranteed Rate Field, for those looking to entertain at a reasonable price:

They’ve upgraded this, but this is the general gist of it.

White Sox Party Areas: Miller Lite Landing. The Miller Lite Landing (formerly the Goose Island) is the outfield lounge and seating area at the foul pole in right field. The seating area includes cushioned seats, food and drinks, and drink rails which are always useful. The back rows are standing room, but still include the counters to lean on. The landing is in front of a bar with Miller products.

The lower rows of the Miller Lite Landing feature large and comfortable leather chairs, TVs since you’re pretty far from the action, charging ports, cup holders, and an extra $20 of concessions value in your ticket. All of the rows except for standing room include wait staff.

The lower seating area is at field level and you can watch the game through the fence, while sitting next to the visitors’ bullpen presumably to give opposing pitchers a hard time. Watching a game through a fence isn’t fun though, so I would go for higher row seats here.

Under the landing seats is the Leinenkugel’s Craft Lodge, where you can duck out of the elements and try any number of great craft brews…and since you’re paying what you’re paying for beer at the ballgame, you might as well drink something good.

Note that these tables in particular do not offer an optimal view.

White Sox Party Areas: CIBC Fan Deck. The CIBC Fan Deck is the two-tiered patio in center field, which is available for group outings of up to 150, at about $100 a person. The plan includes the barstool seating with drink rails and picnic tables in front of the scoreboard, and a low-level pregame buffet of normal ballpark fare; beer is included which is certainly worth a few bucks. Service starts when the park opens and ends as the game starts.

The Fan Deck is good fun for parties, but they definitely aren’t the best seats in the ballpark, being in straightaway center and elevated. The back rows especially lose quite a bit of the field, and the seating as it slopes off to the side isn’t good at all. You also can’t see much of the game when you are partaking of the burgers and bratwurst, obviously.

It also gets windy up there, so the Fan Deck might be better for hot summer days, so long as you have sunscreen.

Not a great view. I will say the buffet is impressive though.

White Sox Party Areas: Party Patio. Underneath the stands on the other side of the visiting team’s bullpen in right center field is the Party Patio; this is available for pregame and during-game parties of as many as 1,300 fans (the overwhelming majority of which will not be able to see the game until they head to their seats). In addition to a buffet of fried chicken, dogs and burgers (and beer), fans are treated to a great view of batting practice.

Seeing the game itself from the warning track area costs extra (you need a game ticket to attend the Party anyway), and they’ll kick you out if you haven’t paid for it. Honestly you’re not missing much; it’s a field level view behind a fence, and you can’t see any of the scoreboards–not worth wait staff in my humble opinion.

You can sometimes get a pass for the Party Patio from eBay or third party sellers. Or sign up for the White Sox newsletter; they will offer decent deals on a Patio pass that would be well worth the money at ballpark prices.

Currently, the answer is “no”.

Guaranteed Rate Field Seating Tips, Part 9) Standing Room. The White Sox make standing room tickets available for big games like Opening Day and Cubs games, but since they don’t sell out a lot, standing room tickets aren’t offered too often. The White Sox did offer a FanPass with standing room access for a month’s worth of games in the past, but as of 2023 they’re not doing this.

Should the Sox be playing in the World Series or something and you find SRO tickets, there’s plenty of space in the large outfield concourse to stand and watch the game. The lower level concourse is open, so you could watch the action from there, but with the overhang of the upper level you won’t have much of a view of the scoreboard.

Lots of people roam around the ballpark through the game, so you might be able to find a seat no one is using somewhere in the outfield or the corners.

Now you can choose which one of these is right for you!

There you are my friend, your comprehensive guide to the seating at the home of the White Sox. I hope you’ve enjoyed the read and found it helpful…be sure to check out more Guaranteed Rate Field tips here, including how to choose a great parking spot and what to eat at a White Sox game.

And if you’re visiting Chicago for a baseball trip, be sure to carefully read my Wrigley Field Guide!

Thanks for reading and supporting our sponsors, and feel free to drop me a line with any questions!

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If you’re planning a trip to a Milwaukee Brewers home game, or even if you’re a regular at American Family Field, here are some essential Brewers parking tips. There’s some valuable info here you should know…most importantly, that American Family Field is a very big tailgating destination. (More about that here.)

Here are five helpful tips for parking for Brewers game days, after a quick word from our sponsor:

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Try to get here before all of these nice people do.

American Family Field Parking Tip #1) Arrive as early as you can. All of the lots open three hours prior to the game. You’ll see a long line of cars waiting for the parking gates to open, as Brewers fans itch to fire up the grill. One reason to get there early, other than joining the party, is to keep from sitting in your car for too long.

The American Family Field parking lots have over 12,000 spaces. For most games, you shouldn’t have a problem landing a parking spot. But if you want a decent spot, less walking and a lesser wait, you will need to get there about three hours or more prior to game time. For prime games like Opening Day or against the Chicago Cubs, you’ll need to get there sooner than that.

And because you’re early, you can get a good seat!

There’s things to do, outside of drinking beer, grilling sausages or throwing frisbees, to keep yourself or the kids busy before the first pitch. If you’re a baseball history buff, see the statues for Hank Aaron, Robin Yount, Bud Selig, and Bob Uecker. In Brewers Lot 1, the Brewers marked the spot where Hank Aaron’s 755th home run landed. There’s also a memorial to three workers who lost their lives in the 1999 crane collapse during the ballpark’s construction.

Helfaer Field is a baseball field near the main entrance of the ballpark, on the footprint of old County Stadium. There’s usually activity going on you can watch, and a kids playground nearby. Or obviously you can join the tailgating party. It beats sitting in your car waiting for the long line.

Parking at the Hot Corner? Heck yes!

American Family Field Parking Tip #2) Book your parking in advance (and spring for preferred parking lots). The Brewers have a colorful parking map on their website. Their parking lots are named after Brewers greats like Yount, Molitor, Thomas and others.

Milwaukee Brewers parking is relatively inexpensive by baseball standards, although it is pricier for weekend and Marquee games. For a few extra dollars, you can get a preferred spot. As of 2023, general parking rates range from $13 to $40. Preferred parking passes especially are significantly cheaper when you order in advance.

Most of the Preferred lots are just off of I-94, and surround Helfaer Field and the home plate entrance. They also include the Miller and Gantner lots off of 44th Street. Preferred parking is closer to the ballpark, with easier access to I-94 afterward. Most fans will tell you it’s worth the few extra bucks.

The Molitor lot is usually an easier exit than the Yount or Uecker lots. Use the Aaron or Thomas lot to be close to the home plate gate.

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Welcome to the grand parking lots!

If you’re not in a preferred lot, you’ll likely have to walk on a pedestrian bridge to cross either the Menomonee River or I-94, and it’s a fair bit of walking. There’s nothing wrong with the scenery though—at the foot of the bridge crossing I-94 are blocks of Brewers history, and crossing the Menomonee passes by the Sausage Haus and tailgate pavilions.

Like the Uecker seats inside the ballpark, there’s also a Uecker Lot. It’s in the southeast corner of the cheaper lots, and it is probably the furthest from the park. If you have mobility troubles, you can use a shuttle service that the Brewers provide; call their Guest Relations hotline.

For groups on a bus or RV, the American Family Lot just south of the ballpark is dedicated for bus parking. It costs a chunk of change, but again, you can order parking in advance at a significant discount. The oversized vehicles lot does not have tailgating grids, but people still party there.

The home of Harley-Davidson has to have a motorcycle parking lot at their ballpark.

If you need accessible parking spaces, they’re in the preferred lots close to the home plate entrance. Motorcyclists can park in the Cooper lot near Helfaer Field.

Finally, while there is free parking on streets around the American Family Field area, it’s a ways from the ballpark. For free street parking at Brewers games, your best bet is probably north of the ballpark on Blue Mound Road, or the side streets off of Blue Mound.

If you don’t want to do the walk, you can use one of the tavern shuttle services, like from Kelly’s Bleachers. (You can read about a few of those here.)

This is a lot of info to digest in a few seconds. Best to plan ahead.

American Family Field Parking Tip #3) Use the right route. American Family Field is so essential Milwaukee that it has its very own interchange, exit 308B directly off of I-94, called Stadium Way/Brewers Boulevard (formerly Miller Park Way). Stadium Way is only called such near the ballpark; north of I-94 it is U.S. Route 41, and if you go far enough south it becomes 43rd Street.

The roads circling the lots are Selig Drive to the north and Frederick Miller Way to the south; these driveways are accessible from several other roads in the area. Some of the connecting roads are one-way, inward before and outward after the game.

The Brewers provide directions on their website from each locality, from Green Bay to Chicago. They all end with getting to I-94 and exiting at the ballpark. Which is fine, but know that most everyone drives to American Family Field, and most of them use I-94. As I’ve said, if you’re not early enough, you could run into some traffic backups.

Because life rewards those on the road less traveled.

Skip this bit if you use Google Maps or another GPS and know where you’re going…but here’s a few alternate routes if you’re behind schedule:

– Coming from west on I-94, get off one exit early at 308A. (The exit is on the left side of the highway.) At the end of the ramp, turn right on Gen. Mitchell/Parkway Drive, which ends at Frederick Miller Way and the west lots.

– Coming from west or east, U.S. Route 18 runs parallel to I-94 north of the park; it is Blue Mound Road on the west side before it merges with Wisconsin Avenue to the east. From Blue Mound just west of Brewers Way, you can turn onto N. Story Parkway and then make a left onto Yount Drive. From Yount Drive you can quickly enter the less expensive Molitor lot, or take it to Selig Drive and the north preferred lots. Very few people use Yount Drive to get to the preferred lots, so you should have little waiting time.

You can also use General Mitchell Boulevard from Blue Mound, which ends at Fred Miller Way as described above.

– From the south or Mitchell Airport, try I-894/I-43 (the Airport Freeway) and exit at Loomis Road/WI-36 north. Turn left onto Loomis and make an immediate left onto 43rd St. 43rd becomes Stadium Way with not too much traffic.

– Coming from points east (including I-43), use Canal Street, which runs parallel to I-94. Canal Street leads directly to the ballpark (often with less traffic than I-94), where it turns into Fred Miller Way at the cheaper lots entrance. This is often an easier exit too.

– From the north on I-41, you can bypass the I-94 interchange and instead use I-43 south of the ballpark; from there you can exit at 43rd St./Stadium Way; you can enter via the easier-to-exit south lots.

One more thing: construction is frequent in Wisconsin. Pay attention to alerts if you can on the Wisconsin Department of Transportation website or @BernieBrewer.

They don’t mess around in Milwaukee.

American Family Field Parking Tip #4) Bring your tailgating supplies. You’ll want to participate in the tailgating. Smelling all of the sausages cooking will make you ravenous.

I’ve written a separate post about the amazing tailgating scene and what you should know, but this is just a reminder to bring supplies. People in discussion forums asking about Brewers games are told to get a disposable grill, charcoal and some Johnsonville, Usinger’s or Klement’s brats.

If you aren’t a tailgating pro (don’t worry; you’ll be surrounded by them), there are several places to find minimal survival equipment.

There is a Metcalfe’s Market on State Street north of the park that is a popular place to get brats. You can stop by Cousins Subs on Wisconsin Avenue or George Webb on Greenfield Avenue for sandwiches. There are a few more takeout joints south of the ballpark on Stadium Way/43rd Street.

The Milwaukee Public Market is a five minute drive away, and features lots of great stuff from local vendors. You can park there for free for a half hour if you can pick up your stuff fast.

Coming from Chicago on I-94, there is a Mars Cheese Castle tourist type of store in Kenosha that has any kind of links, cheese and snacks you need. Love that place…lots of great eats.

You have to let the racing sausages go by. Just saying.

American Family Field Parking Tip #5) Keep your eyes open when leaving. The tailgating party often continues after the game, as the lots gradually empty. People do sometimes leave grills (and other unmentionable stuff) out in the parking lot. On your way out it’s a good idea to keep an eye out for both people and equipment. The Brewers clear the lot an hour after the game.

Should your car fail to start after the game or if you lock your keys in it, MT Towing & Recovery will do their best to help you out free of charge, although you’ll have to spring for towing or repairs. Contact a police officer or Brewers Guest Relations (414-902-4900).

Ain’t nothing wrong with Guest Relations. Guest Relations is a beautiful thing.

Finally, if you’ve had a few too many and shouldn’t drive home, you can call the Brewers’ Guest Relations. They’ll order a cab ride for you if they see the need. Whether they’ll let you leave their car in the lot, you’d have to ask them. It is against Brewers policy, but they might allow it if you ask nicely and get your car out of there before the next game.

There you go my friends; hopefully that helps you in your next trip…remember, when it comes to attending Brewers games, preparation is everything!

Need More American Family Field – Milwaukee Brewers Game Tips?

If you need more help for your next visit to the home of the Milwaukee Brewers, check out my tips for newbies here, some helpful info on choosing a seat here and here, and some party areas and shuttles to the game.

Thanks for reading and supporting our sponsors, and feel free to drop me a line with any questions!

(Note: this article contains affiliate links. If you use an affiliate link to make a purchase, Ballpark E-Guides earns a commission, at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support!)

Here it is baseball and Mets fans, your astoundingly detailed, enticingly illustrated, and incredibly detailed guide to the Citi Field food menu (updated for 2023!). This post will help you find the best food at Citi Field for your taste at a Mets game, and try some inimitable NYC baseball cuisine. Don’t miss out on some of the best ballpark food in baseball.

Now this is what baseball is all about.

I’m going to cover a lot here, so I’m breaking this down for you; but don’t skip anything!

Citi Field Restaurants
Classic Tastes of NYC
Tastes Like Chicken
Big And Fancy Sides
NYC Pizza – Plus!
Underrated Stuff – Hot Dogs, Burgers, Sausages + Pastrami on Rye
Cookies, Waffles + Other Desserts
Keep It Healthy – Kosher, Vegetarian, Vegan + Gluten Free
Bring Your Own + Other Tips

So let’s get started…after this quick word from our sponsor:

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I’m glad they didn’t put the rest of the tables on the other side.

Citi Field Food, Part 1: Restaurants

I’m not going to go into the really fancy high end clubs; much of what is there is available around the ballpark anyway, but I will talk a bit about the more accessible restaurants at Citi Field.

The Caesars Sportsbook at the Metropolitan Grille restaurant (jeez, that’s a mouthful), in the left field corner on the mezzanine (Excelsior) level, is available to everyone except Promenade less than-Gold and Coca-Cola Corner non-season ticket holders. Your ticket will say if you have access.

Here’s a pro tip: if you’re searching for tickets from a third party, try to buy from a season ticket holder…even the cheapest season tix have access to the reasonably nice clubs.

Pizza should always be well-lit.

By most accounts, the food at Caesars—salads, soups, wood-fired pizzas, hardwood smoked pork ribs, etc. from a chef-prepared buffet—and the views of the field, marina, and city are all extraordinary.

It will cost a little bit, and more if you want a table with a view of the field. Even with a prime ticket, you will likely need a reservation for a spot with a view.

The Mets have a game day lunch menu, where you can fill your plate with a nice variety of food…there’s even an omelet bar for brunches…for a reasonable price by ballpark standards. The dinner menu is a few bucks more. Both are slightly cheaper for kids.

Sometimes it’s fun just to hold the stuff in your hand.
(photo courtesy of Maggie Wiggin)

The Piazza 31 Club lounge, on the Excelsior (mezzanine) level behind home plate and is named for one of the all-time great Mets. Like the Grille, it’s open to Promenade Gold ticket holders and anyone else that paid more for their tickets. It is on top of the front entrance rotunda, and offers fine views of Flushing landmarks like the Unisphere and the Citi Field parking lot, but there’s no view of the game.

Inside the Club are two food options that, to my knowledge, you can’t get anywhere else in the ballpark: the Whole Hog BBQ, with 16-hour smoked pork butt sandwiches slathered with Carolina BBQ sauce and braised pork belly burnt ends with pickled jalapenos. Easily worth the extra bucks for access.

There’s also extremely large Twist homemade soft pretzels that you can get with pepperoni and cheddar or cinnamon sugar. Much better than your typical ballpark soft pretzel, even if that’s a low bar.

Tables with a view of fermentation!

Ebbs Brewing Co. is technically a part the ballpark, but it’s got a separate entrance from being inside. They offer some fine brew selections, including lagers, stouts, IPAs, double IPAs, and several hard seltzers. The menu includes fancy items like house beer cheese soft pretzels, handmade dumplings, and multiple types of sausages.

The prices for beer especially are slightly lower than inside the ballpark, so it’s a place to have one or two better than Budweiser (another low bar) beers before the game. If you can wait until after the game to eat, it’s a good spot to wait out the often bad Citi Field exit traffic.

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You’ll never “K” at the K Corner!

Near the center field corner of the ballpark (where McFadden’s used to be) is the K Corner Citi Field restaurant, named for the spot in Shea Stadium where fans would hang Ks for Dwight Gooden strikeouts. It’s a simple sit down eatery with a menu of bar food. You won’t be saving any money on food or beer, but it’s a spot to relax before or after the game.

You don’t need a game ticket to have a meal or drink at the K Corner, but you can enter the ballpark from there…obviously you’ll need a ticket for that. Makes for a good double secret entrance when lines are long.

When in doubt, Shake Shack.

Citi Field Food, Part 2: A Taste of New York City

If you want to really see the amazing culinary offerings that Citi Field has to offer…and there’s quite a bit…start at the Taste of The City food court in center field.

The Shake Shack has a Madison Square Park tradition dating back to 2004. The Shack serves the hugely popular fresh beef Shackburger on potato buns. They also have a very good veggie ‘shroom burger, and very thick milkshakes and frozen custard for dessert.

It’s the wax paper. Chicks dig the wax paper.

The Shackburger is adorned with lettuce, cheese, tomato and Shack Sauce, and an extra patty is available for a few extra bucks (it’s worth it). Incidentally, the fries here with or without cheese are excellent, crinkle cut and crispy.

Judging by the length of lines, Mets fans still consider the Shackburger to be the best food at Citi Field, even with all the great other selections. If you don’t want to wait long, try going as soon as the gates open. If you’re gonna wait, go all out and get a concrete too; you can walk it off.

If I could make one of these, I’d never leave the house.

The glowing Pat LaFrieda’s cart in the center field area is home to the gourmet NYC meat provider’s beef sandwich. LaFrieda’s sandwich is strips of filet mignon with Jack cheese and caramelized onions browned in balsamic vinegar, on a baguette with au jus. I’m told the onions make the sandwich. In 2023, the Mets added a Home Field Double burger, with onions, cheese and Pat’s steak sauce.

There is an additional stand on the Promenade level, where you can also get loaded fries…waffle fries with Pat’s bacon and Jack cheese sauce.

LaFrieda’s sandwiches command a hefty price tag even for a ballpark, but that doesn’t stop anyone; lines can get long here too.

It’s just a picture, but even looking at this it can’t be a bad cheesesteak.

The Home Plate Market is almost hidden (it’s near the Fan Assistance stand on the field level), which is a mystery to me, because it’s a grab and go with some seriously interesting food options at Citi Field.

You can find the Chiddy’s cheesesteak here…and it’s definitely Philly-style, with an ample amount of Cheez Whiz on it. Chiddy’s is a local joint with a location in Queens, and they’re popular with folks that don’t want to make a trip to Philly for an authentic sandwich.

“I’ll just take one of the trays please. Put it on the card.”

The Mets replaced Catch of The Day with the Lobster Shack in the right field corner. Lobster Shack is the Mets’ food guys’ handiwork, but they get it done with their delightfully photogenic fresh Maine lobster roll served with bayside chips. Try the East Shore edition, with lobster dipped in melted butter as nature intended.

They also have loaded chips, covered with lobster, lobster fondue, cilantro dressing and chives, and a creamy lobster bisque.

We have Boog Powell to thank for bringing BBQ to the ballpark.

Pig Beach BBQ exists in both Brooklyn and Queens. They describe their approach to que as “an alchemy of multiple cooking disciplines, with a strong focus on live wood fire.” Whatever that means, at Citi you can get a BBQ platter with pulled pork or beef brisket, which includes purple cole slaw (jalapeno and pineapple) and baked beans (with smoked meats).

But wait, there’s more…choose from a patty melt, the Chef Jeff brisket sandwich, or the pulled pork sandwich. And the patty melt is on marbled rye bread.

I can verify that the tacos are delicious.

In the Hudson Whiskey NY Club are a couple of unique outposts that make it worth the access (see the bit about tickets with club access). First there’s the nicely portioned chicken tinga or spicy tuna tacos from Takumi Taco, another NYC joint known for Japanese-inspired Mexican food.

The Hudson Club also features Empanada Mama’s (wait for it) cheeseburger or mac and cheese empanadas. Or you can find wings and healthier items from Emma’s Torch, a Carroll Gardens eatery whose mission is to empower refugees through culinary education. Who says baseball food can’t be philanthropic?

I’ve lost count of how many chefs are featured at Citi Field.

Finally (whew!), in the right field corner is chef Marc Murphy’s porcetta sandwich stand. Yes, that Marc Murphy, known for “Italian street food”. According to that website, it’s “prepared with sea salt, cracked pepper, minced garlic, fresh picked rosemary, and wild fennel seeds.” Expect a line for this as well, but it’s probably worth it.

It’s a great sandwich and a snicker-worthy name, making it a winner in NYC.

Citi Field Food, Part 3: Tastes Like Chicken

Fuku’s spicy chicken sandwich in the right field corner is the creation of chef David Chang. The Fuku sando is a chicken sandwich with something called “Ssam Korean chili sauce” – which has a hint of habanero – and is cooked just right to be crispy and juicy at the same time. It’s served on a Martin’s potato roll with “Fuku butter”, which is something like mayo.

Fuku is popular in NYC and its addition to Citi was applauded a lot. It’s a very spicy sandwich, so be prepared with a drink if you try it.

When you have not one but two condiments to choose from, that’s Amazin’. (Isn’t that a song lyric?)

The Amazin’ Chicken Co. isn’t a NYC chicken specialty shop…this one comes from the Mets own food preparing folks, who we can trust at this point. This is your spot for chicken tenders, chicken Caesar wraps, and “cheesy tater kegs”…a deep fried potato filled with a three cheese blend. There’s also General Tso’s chicken tenders, free range chicken with Tso’s sauce, sesame seeds and scallions.

They offer a good family meal deal, if your kids are into chicken tenders; a bucket of tenders covered with the tater kegs. The chicken pieces are very large, and you’ll have at least enough for two.

Check out the condiment and sauce station near Amazin’ Chicken; garlic aioli, house ranch, chipotle BBQ, and Buffalo sauce, great additions to already amazin’ poultry offerings.

You’re starting to get hungry for some baseball, aren’t you?
(photo courtesy of Maggie Wiggin)

Sweet Chick, behind the right field seats on the field level, is a chicken and waffles/comfort food joint with several locations in NYC and LA. Sweet Chick is popular around the city for their chicken, so there must be something right about the formula.

Sweet Chick offers chicken and waffles with boneless chicken, honey butter and maple syrup; they also have a spicy Buffalo chicken sandwich with bread and butter pickles, or a simple fried chicken sandwich with lettuce, tomato and herb mayo. Their loaded waffle fries are a big hit.

If you’re having donuts for dessert, this is a big time saver!

In that aforementioned Home Plate Market is this marvel from the Jacob’s Pickles folks: a fried chicken sandwich with honey barbecue sauce and glazed donuts as the rolls. Probably belongs in the dessert section, but there it is.

Yes, they cut an egg carton in half. That’s actually pretty genius.

Citi Field Food, Part 4: Big And Fancy Sides

The Arancini Bros. aren’t actually named “Arancini”; it was two music techs who met on tour and created their own version of deep fried risotto balls. They’re sold at the Essex Street Market, Whole Foods, and of course, Citi Field.

At the ballpark you can get any of six types of risotto balls stuffed with either meat sauce, basil pesto and mozzarella, taco meat with salsa, sour cream and cheddar, even a dessert edition with Nutella and rolled in cinnamon sugar. You can get the full experience and mix and match any of them.

Now you know what to look for to find fries.

The popular Box Frites stand has also been replaced; but if you like fancy French fries, you’ll be fine with the Metropolitan Fry Factory, also in center field. Again, these are the Mets’ guys, making hand-cut fries with four house made sauces: chipotle BBQ, classic Buffalo, house ranch and garlic aioli.

Even more popular than the fried potatoes though, are the deep fried foot long hot dogs; MFF has four offerings including the Steakhouse Ripper with short rib & bacon chili, beer cheese and chives. Or the Tex Mex Ripper, with pickled jalapeno guacamole, chipotle aioli and chili dusted corn tortilla chips.

Kudos to Sunny for going where no ballpark food has gone before!

If you’re looking for unusual sides, try Sunny’s All-American Kitchen, with offerings from celebrity chef Sunny Anderson. Some unusual but tasty stuff here…like nacho skins (!), classic baked mac and cheese, and campfire parfaits, which I’m guessing is a first at a ballpark.

I love cup-shaped pepperoni.

Citi Field Food, Part 5: NYC Pizza – Plus!

Unlike Yankee Stadium for years (Papa John’s…SMH), Citi Field has NYC pizza covered.

Patsy’s Pizzeria in center field (and the Piazza 31 Club) has existed since its beginnings in Harlem in 1933, so they’re arguably right to call themselves “New York’s Original and Preeminent Pizza Dynasty”. Even if I’m not sure exactly what that means, it has my respect.

At the ballpark you have a choice of regular, Margherita, or pepperoni slices, nothing out of the ordinary. Maybe that is on purpose, so that fans save room for a pizza cupcake.

Put candles in them for your birthday!

Did someone say Pizza Cupcakes? Yes, the Pizza Cupcake at the Home Plate Market is a New York delicacy in its own right; it’s a creation of chef Andrea Meggiato.

If you like pepperoni rolls, you’ll like the pizza cupcake…it’s just shaped differently. Or get the Margherita version. The best part? It’s easier to carry around and eat than a slice of pizza. No offense Patsy.

It doesn’t sound exciting, but hear me out.

Citi Field Food, Part 6: Underrated Stuff – Hot Dogs, Burgers, Sausages + Pastrami on Rye

If you like burgers, Citi Field has multiple offerings for you, beyond the aforementioned Shake Shack and Pat LaFrieda Home Field Double.

Sauerkraut and NYC red onion relish. For that food cart feel.

In keeping with Pat LaFrieda’s plan to take over the Mets world, his burgers are the Official Burger of the Mets, much to the delight of fans. The aptly named Burgers & Fries stands sell LaFrieda burgers, Nathan’s dogs, and veggie dogs, plus chicken tenders if you aren’t yet impressed.

Here’s a pro tip…there is no shame in eschewing the Shake Shack for this. Not only is it high-quality beef, but the Mets have some of the best condiment stands I’ve seen in a ballpark. Load up your burger with mushrooms, sauerkraut and/or NYC red onion relish. Works just fine.

Believe it or not, I actually had to do some digging to find hot dog pictures.

There are enough Nathan’s hot dog stands in the rest of the ballpark that you are never far from one. In addition to their famous all-beef regular, footlong dogs, and corn dogs, most Nathan’s stands serve their classic crinkle-cut fries as well. I probably don’t need to tell you that Nathan’s fries are great.

Again, remember the condiment stands…I’m a big fan of NYC onion relish.

Might be enough for me for one game at least.

A good sausage at a ballgame should never be considered underrated…and there are Premio sausage stands throughout the ballpark. Some Mets fans will tell you that the simple sausage and pepper sandwich is the best value at Citi Field. And again, condiment stands!

I’m not sure whether the key word is “classic”, “deli”, or “pastrami”.

The cryptically named Hot Pastrami on Rye stand in the left field corner has nice and hefty pastrami sandwiches and a pastrami dog (a hot dog covered in pastrami and Gold’s deli mustard). The pastrami sandwich is kind of an underrated item here; the stand isn’t in a big food court or anything, but it’s a popular New York thing and aren’t too high on the calories meter.

Any Cubs fan who gets a shirt like this is not going to halfway on his ballpark nachos.

The Mets don’t have a crazy variation of one of baseball’s greatest foods, but the aptly named Goya Nachos kiosks take care of supply; get a large plate of chicken or beef nachos, in a souvenir helmet if you like.

It’s a big enough (and calorie-laden enough) pile of chips with junk for two. But looking at the prices it looks like the helmet is something like $6 extra; if you get that, keep the helmet. Nachos stands also have burritos and burrito bowls…and the burrito is one of the ideal ballpark foods. Portability!

Oreos and like pretty much any dessert are made for each other.

Citi Field Food, Part 7: Cookies, Waffles + Other Desserts

You can go with basic ballpark ice cream and I’m not knocking that, but if you want to reach higher, get to that Hudson Whiskey Club and try one of these Sundae Donuts. Sundae is a Staten Island joint known for donut-infused ice cream. They have several amazing donuts at Citi, including thehttps://sundaedonuts.com/pages/citi-field Oreo donut because they get it.

You can also get a milkshake topped with a glazed donut and Oreo crumbs. Like I said, reach higher.

Oh, the possibilities!

Wowfulls was a staple of food festivals for several years before opening up a store in Manhattan; it’s known for Hong Kong egg waffles, shaped into a cone and filled with ice cream and toppings.

Choose from multiple choices of fancy ice cream…like vanilla rainbow, chocolate brownie batter, or salted caramel cheesecake. Toppings include fruity pebbles, cookie dough bites or Oreo crumbles. All of the desserts have “pocky sticks” too…chocolate coated biscuit sticks. Well worth two hours on the treadmill.

When Citi Field first opened, people complained that there weren’t enough tributes to the Mets. We can now officially put that to bed.
(photo courtesy of Maggie Wiggin)

Cookie Crumz, also in the Home Plate Market, comes from two locations in Astoria and Long Island City. The idea for their cookies was “a simple craving one day for a super indulgent, mind blowing cookie”. Must have been some craving given the result.

Their offerings at Citi include the Fun-Met-I (sounds like confetti, see), with white chocolate chips and Mets-colored sprinkles.

With blue and orange sprinkles, for the Dodgers and Giants.

Mister Softee is the “Official Soft Serve Ice Cream of the Mets”. Mr. Softee cones and milkshakes are found in the concourse areas, and now you can get it in a Home Run Apple bowl…just when you thought simple ice cream at a ballgame wasn’t anything special!

“Strawberry vanilla whip? Strawberry vanilla whip? Three strawberry vanilla whips!”

But if you’d like a healthier sweet snack, try the Dole Whip (here’s the recipe!). It’s at Pig Beach and several other stands. A Dole Whip is something like soft serve ice cream, but it’s fruity and dairy free…at least the half that isn’t mixed with vanilla custard.

Pretzel rolls are one of mankind’s shining achievements.
(photo courtesy of Maggie Wiggin)

Citi Field Food, Part 8: Kosher, Vegan, and Gluten Free at Citi Field

Prime Kosher Sports has been around for a few years at Citi Field, and they have the full gamut of ballpark food, kosher-style: hot dogs, burgers, fries, chicken tenders, deli sandwiches, knishes, even a pulled brisket sandwich on a pretzel roll.

Prime Kosher Sports is close to the center field food court with all the greats.

No need to worry about going to a ballgame as a vegan…there are sausages and dogs.

Since the ability to eat at the ballgame is a stumbling block to veganism for many, the Mets covered that too…Vegan City in the right field corner makes it possible for vegans to eat Beyond Burgers, Beyond Sausage & Peppers, even vegan nachos with Jack Fruit chili, vegan cheese, roasted salsa and guacamole. You might be able to talk me into going vegan now.

Nothing speaks to the evolution of baseball like sushi at the ballpark. But hey, I’m not complaining.

The World’s Fare Market in the right field corner has grab and go stuff, like bags of pistachios and peanuts. There’s also BN (Beyond Nightlife) Sushi, where you can get the sushi, avocado rolls, and Asian salads that are offered in every ballpark these days (when I first wrote that years ago, it was sarcasm).

The World’s Fare in general is a good destination for vegetarians and healthy eaters, if a little pricey.

Making baseball safe for celiacs is a reason to be a Mets fan.

Citi Field also helps out celiac Mets fans, with a Gluten Free food stand in the World’s Fare Market area. They have gluten-free hot dogs and burgers (on gluten-free buns, obviously), turkey burgers, Nathan’s fries, and Glutenberg beer.

Finally, I mentioned Emma’s Torch in the Hudson Whiskey Club earlier; if you’re looking for something to help your digestion they have a black-eyed pea hummus wrap.

Some good and cheap takeout here, but not worth the train ride or walk just to save a few bucks.

Citi Field Food, Part 9: Bring Your Own Food + Other Money-Saving Tips

Yes, you can bring food into Citi Field and avoid the inflated Citi Field menu prices, but there are limits. You’re allowed a 16*16*8 soft bag, and no hard bottles or alcohol. The Mets don’t list food as a prohibited item, but you’re only allowed one plastic bottle of water or soda before the game.

There aren’t many takeout offerings a short walk from Citi Field, but there are places near 7 train stations everywhere. Main Street in Flushing (one stop away on the 7) has several great ethnic takeout joints, but this is a lot of trouble just to save a few bucks. Unless you’re coming from there anyway, I would just put water and peanuts in your bag.

There are four stands that offer smaller portions at smaller prices for kids. They are located behind Sections 114, 121, 408 and 421, including in the upper level food court. The hot dogs are skinny, but they won’t care. The Mr. Met Kitchen in center field has an inexpensive kids meal, with a dog, popcorn and a juice box with a prize included.

Citi cards…endorsed by Mr. Met!

It seems like a small thing, but bring your Citi credit card. Several generic stands offer a couple of bucks off an item with a Citi card. Incidentally, I’ve done pretty well saving money with my Citi MasterCard, especially finding ticket deals.

If you’re not drinking alcohol, you can become a designated driver at one of the pledge booths, and they’ll give you a coupon for a free soda. The booths are behind Section 119, 310, and 418.

There’s no such thing as too many pics of Shackburgers.

There you have it my friends…all of your food choices at the beautiful home of the New York Metropolitans. It’s fitting that a New York City ballpark stepped up its concession game; while the Yankees have their own impressive selections, they don’t come close to the offerings in Queens.

If you’re planning a visit to Citi Field, don’t just bring an empty stomach…get to know the place and save some money doing it, with my full and complete guide to Citi Field! Learn how to save money on tickets, find a great seat, and get to the ballpark easily…we’ve got your back!

Note: this Citi Field food article contains affiliate links. If you click on the links and purchase a product, Ballpark E-Guides earns a commission, at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support!

Every baseball fan should make the trip to visit PNC Park, but it’s also a second home to thousands of Bucs fans…we’re all looking for cheap Pirates tickets, right?

Here area few tips for saving money on Pirates tickets, but of course read this to help pick your seats. (You can also read my post about what to eat at the home of the Pirates.)

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You can get this info without actually coming to the ballpark.

Cheap Pirates Tickets, Tip #1) Subscribe to Ticket Alerts. The Pirates e-mail newsletter contains a lot of great ticket offers, and on occasion the Pirates will waive ticket fees, saving you a trip to the box office. You’ll also know about giveaways, concert nights and fireworks nights, and the fireworks nights are popular enough to get your tickets well in advance.

The Pirates also make pre-sales available to subscribers, giving you a chance to land tickets for face value when high value opponents like the Cubs or Phillies come to town.

See what they did there with the two baseball references?

Cheap Pirates Tickets, Tip #2) Check Out Local Institutions. There are quite a few chains and businesses in Pittsburgh that offer ticket deals for Pirates fans.

As this was written, PNC Bank cardholders get discounts on tickets and fan club memberships; Giant Eagle cardholders get discounts for weeknight games; and Slice offers a family pack with tickets and pizza (and it’s great pizza…take it from a South Jersey pizza snob) at a discounted price.

They may be different by the time you read this, but there are still offers in the area. These are all listed on the Pirates website.

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As opposed to using “jiu jitsu” to get your Pirates tickets…

Cheap Pirates Tickets, Tip #3) Get The Ballpark Pass. This one’s for locals who can go to a bunch of games. The Pirates offer a ballpark pass that you download on your phone (using the MLB Ballpark app) that gives you access to every home game in a certain month, for a fantastic price. If you’d like to see all of the Cubs games in a certain month, for example, that alone will almost pay for this.

These passes sell out fast, so make sure that you’re subscribed to the Pirates newsletter to jump on it when it’s available.

There’s a few ways to save a few bucks on Pirates tickets; there are, of course, many other ways to enjoy a Pirates game at PNC Park without striking out your wallet buying tickets, parking or food. Stay tuned!

(Note: this article contains affiliate links. If you use an affiliate link to make a purchase, Ballpark E-Guides earns a commission, at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support!) 

When you’re headed to a Pirates game and are searching for PNC Park parking, you have an abundance of choices, but most of the lots near the ballpark aren’t cheap and/or are set aside for pre-paid parking and season ticket holders.

Fortunately, if you want to go for cheap PNC Park parking, Ballpark E-Guides has a few cool suggestions for you. Including booking your parking in advance with SpotHero!

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You should see this in person.

Cheap and Smart PNC Park Parking, Tip #1) The Fort Duquesne and Sixth Street Garage.

The garage at the foot of the Clemente Bridge is relatively cheap, it’s the closest garage in the downtown “Point” section of the city, and you can enjoy an absolutely stunning view of a beautiful ballpark walking across the Clemente Bridge (which is closed off to vehicular traffic on game days).

And you can get cheap peanuts, drinks and souvenirs from vendors right at the foot of the Bridge.

Hint: North Shore features PNC Park!

Cheap and Smart PNC Park Parking, Tip #2) The First Avenue Garage.

I discovered the garage at First Avenue recently and noticed quite a few Pirates employees using it, so I know it’s a smart choice. It’s a small few bucks to park here, and you can use an elevator to get dropped off right at the platform of the First Avenue Port Authority “T” station. From here you can ride for free to North Shore, literally across the street from the PNC front gate.

Low price, very little walking, and a super easy out after the game back on the highway.

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Cheap and Smart PNC Park Parking, Tip # 3) The Rivers Casino.

I’ve heard differing accounts on whether it costs anything to park here for a Pirates game. According to the casino’s website you pay the event rate four hours before the game, but it’s reimbursed to you if you dine or gamble there. But I’ve also heard plenty of people say they’ve parked for free here. I presume it would be free before the game rate kicks in.

The casino claims it’s $80 for event parking; I don’t know if that includes Pirates games (it’s more likely for the Steelers, because their stadium is much closer), but obviously you can do better than that. Just don’t try it when there’s an event at the football stadium. I’ve heard they charge on Opening Day, but not for other games.

There’s nothing wrong with the walk from here. It features a nice waterfront pathway that goes past several great eateries. But if you’re weary, you can hop on the free T from Allegheny Station to North Shore.

That’s just three cool PNC Park parking options. Remember, you can arrive at PNC almost any way you want…by bus, by boat, or even a bicycle…stay tuned!

(Note: this article contains affiliate links. If you use an affiliate link to make a purchase, Ballpark E-Guides earns a commission, at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support!)

New York City being the nub of world activity that it is, there are plenty of ways to get to Yankee Stadium, all with their advantages and disadvantages. If you’re a newbie, the MTA subway or Metro-North railroad is the easiest and best way to get to Yankee Stadium. Taking your car can be done, but driving a car in NYC is not for the faint of heart, and you won’t like parking prices.

So I’ll start with your public transit options, but I’ll cover everything else too. (Need more Yankee Stadium help? Learn how to choose a great seat, what to eat at the game, and some tips for newbies on this site!)

There’s a lot of valuable info here, so I’m breaking it down for you:

From Manhattan, Brooklyn + NYC Boroughs: MTA Subway
From Northern NYC Suburbs and Connecticut: Metro-North Rail
Connecting From Long Island: LIRR
Connecting From New Jersey: NJ Transit Rail + Bus
Arriving By Car + Parking
From Other NYC Boroughs, Part 2: MTA Bus
From Other Cities: Amtrak + Megabus
Using Taxicab, Uber + Rideshares (And Why You Shouldn’t)
Arriving By Bicycle
Ways To Save Money Getting To Yankee Stadium

Okay, ready? We’ll get started after this quick word from our sponsor:

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How To Get To Yankee Stadium, From Manhattan and NYC Boroughs, Part 1: MTA Subway.

The MTA (Metropolitan Transit Authority) B and D trains on the west side of Manhattan, and the 4 train on the east side, all stop right at the Yankees – East 161st Street Station, at the Hard Rock Cafe entrance. All three train lines extend through Manhattan and Brooklyn, and connect with the rest of the extensive NYC subway system. Coming from Manhattan, the Bronx is always an “Uptown” train.

You should not have to transfer more than once from anywhere in the city, and most transfers are within the subway station and free. Trains get very crowded on game days, adding more fans with each stop, so your chances of having a seat on the ride improve if you get on further south of Grand Central or Times Square.

B trains only operate on weekdays and stop at Yankee Stadium during rush hour. D trains will stop at Yankee Stadium on weekends, but do not stop at the Stadium during rush hour (I have read accounts that it does on game nights, but the MTA doesn’t publicize this).

Here’s a trick for you: going to the game from Manhattan, if you use the express D instead of the B, you can get off at Tremont Avenue and then take a B or a D back–either will stop at Yankee Stadium. You’ll probably have a seat on the ride, and it actually could be a little quicker. (This also works if the D zooms by the Stadium.)

“See that building over there? That’s it.”

The 4 (Lexington Avenue Line) is an express until the late evening when it stops everywhere, so if the game ends late plan for a long trip back, but the 4 always stops at Yankee Stadium. I prefer the 4 for another very good reason…it emerges from underground just before the Yankee Stadium station, so you get a sweet view of the ballpark. I’ll walk a few blocks to get to a 4 for that.

After the game, there WILL be a large crowd waiting for trains. You may have to wait a couple of trains to get on one, but there’s no need to wait for an express train. Also, definitely get your added value MetroCard in advance, and avoid the lines buying tickets after the game.

New York’s subway system is perfectly safe everywhere, so long as you use basic common sense. There are always plenty of riders, and if you get lost, which is not hard to do, you can always ask someone. Trains run 24/7/365.

Featuring fans actually sitting down on the way to the game!

How To Get To Yankee Stadium, From Northern Suburbs and Connecticut: The Metro-North Railroad.

To celebrate the opening of the new Stadium, MTA built a Metro-North railroad stop a short walk from the venue, with game day service on rail lines that extend into the northern suburbs and Connecticut. The Hudson, Harlem and New Haven lines all stop at Yankee Stadium – East 153rd Street Station on game days.

Most Metro-North stations have free or inexpensive parking, especially on weekends, but not all of them do. Some of them, like Tarrytown, will charge on game days. (Tip: You can book parking near a station with SpotHero!)

Metro-North runs game day service from directly to the Stadium on the Hudson Line, and there is a shuttle train that runs from both Grand Central Terminal and the Harlem 125th St. stations in Manhattan. It’s a quick 16 minute ride from midtown, and these are far less crowded trains than the MTA lines.

Much like the LIRR to Citi Field, Metro-North a MUCH more pleasant ride than the subway, and it’s well worth the few extra bucks. The Hudson Line is particularly popular for its Hudson River scenery on the way to the city.

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Unfortunately you do still need tickets.

A peak time travel ticket is required between 4:00 and 8:00 PM, but traveling on the New Haven or Harlem lines you can buy an off-peak travel ticket while transferring to the shuttle. Tickets are cheaper when bought in advance.

Extra trains run after the game, so no need to worry about extra innings, but don’t dilly-dally too much. The last post-game train leaves 45 minutes after the last out.

The MTA website contains more detailed info, such as where connecting services are and which train is the last to leave. They call the game day trains “Yankee Clippers”.

So those are the main rail routes to get to Yankee Stadium; here’s a bit about some connecting services:

Even the Mets will point you to how to get to Yankee Stadium!

How To Get To Yankee Stadium, From Long Island: Long Island Railroad.

From Long Island, most all lines of the LIRR eventually connect to Penn Station or Grand Central Station. From Grand Central you can use Metro-North or a 4 train.

From Penn it’s a short walk to 34th Street-Herald Square and a B or D train to Yankee Stadium. You can also use an A or C train from Penn and transfer to the B/D at 59th (from the A, you can switch at 145th for a quicker ride), or take the 2 to 149th St./Grand Concourse, and transfer there to a 4.

It’s usually better to use the Herald Square, since the 4 will be crowded by 149th, and 149th isn’t the prettiest of stations from what I’ve read.

As with the Metro-North Railroad, LIRR tickets are cheaper bought in advance than on board.

If there’s one thing New Jersey excels at, it’s helping you get out of New Jersey!

How To Get To Yankee Stadium, From New Jersey: NJ Transit.

From New Jersey, riders can get to Yankee Stadium using the NJ Transit trains to Penn Station, where you can follow the Long Island Railroad directions just described. Coming back, the last train leaves Penn Station at about 1:00 AM.

NJ Transit also circulates several buses from suburbs and park-and-ride stations to the Port Authority Terminal, where an A or C train can be taken to the B/D at 59th Street. The North Bergen and other park-and-rides are packages with parking and the round trip ride included, and it’s considerably cheaper than actually driving into the city, especially for one or two people. There are several budget hotels nearby for out-of-town visitors.

Buses should run late enough to get you back, but check the schedules. I barely made the last bus one night coming from an extra-inning Mets game.

The real PITA of driving to Yankee Stadium is that you have to park your own car.

How To Get To Yankee Stadium, By Car + Parking:

The only interstate highway that borders Yankee Stadium is I-87, also called the Major Deegan Expressway. Most routes to the Stadium use the Deegan; traffic obviously gets worse on game days. Access to the Stadium can be at Exits 3-4 northbound and 5-7 southbound; unless you’re very early you’ll likely slow to a crawl no matter which exit you use.

The Yankees provide directions from all of the boroughs, Westchester, Long Island, New Jersey and Connecticut on their website. If you arrive early enough, traffic and parking isn’t too bad at all, but after the game it can be rough exiting.

There’s a lot you should know about driving to the Stadium, especially where to park…so if you’re trying this, check out my extensive Yankee Stadium parking guide, with alternate routes, pluses and minuses of various spots, and even some free street parking you can use.

But my #1 piece of advice, as always, is to book your parking lot beforehand, and my friends at SpotHero are a big help. (My #2 piece of advice…arrive as early as you can, preferably at least two hours before the first pitch.)

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Keep in mind that the bus driver won’t be using any shortcuts.

How To Get To Yankee Stadium, From Manhattan + Other Boroughs, Part 2: MTA Bus.

NYC buses are considerably slower than trains and aren’t the most pleasant of rides. The only reason I can think of to ride the bus is if you want a view of the city. But I’m adding this just in case.

The MTA Bx6 and Bx13 routes drop riders off directly on the corner of 161st and River Avenue, right at the front door of Yankee Stadium. The Bx1 and Bx2 from stop at 161st and the Grand Concourse near the ballpark, as does the express BxM4 from Midtown.

The Bx6 runs all day and all night, but after 1:00 AM there is about an hour wait between buses. The Bx13 picks up fans after the game until about 1:00 AM, so you should be safe. Use a MetroCard or exact change to ride an MTA bus. You can find the routes for the buses on MTA’s website.

There are also express buses that run from other boroughs to Manhattan, where you can use a subway train to the game:

– From Brooklyn, the X28, X29, BM2, and BM3 run to Grand Central Station where you grab a 4 or a Metro-North train.

– From Queens, the QM1, QM1A, QM2, QM2A and QM4 buses run on 34th Street in Manhattan to several locations where you can get on a B, D, or 4 train.

Again, the routes and schedules are on MTA’s website. Bus to subway transfers are free.

Okay, let’s not get carried away here. No one’s paying $1,200 a ticket to ride on Amtrak.

How To Get To Yankee Stadium, From Other Cities: Amtrak + Megabus.

If you’re using Amtrak to get to a Yankees game, there are a bunch of services that stop at Penn Station; from there you can get on the B or D to Yankee Stadium.

Amtrak isn’t the cheapest way to get to the game, but it’s not a bad option for, say, visiting Orioles fans who want to get back to Baltimore without staying overnight. That ride is under three hours most times, which isn’t bad at all, especially knowing you can avoid I-95 traffic and NYC congestion.

Well, when they are in service, they’re pretty good. Just saying.

If you’re saving cash, Megabus is a low cost bus service that drop riders off in a couple of locations in midtown Manhattan. They run buses from several nearby major metropolises, including from Boston and Philadelphia. If you book the ride early enough (as in several months ahead of time) you can ride from Philadelphia or Boston to New York for $1, but even the regular fare is still a big savings over gas, tolls and parking.

Megabus drops you off in midtown Manhattan; from there it’s probably a two train subway ride depending on where you are…the destination address changes from time to time. As I write this it’s close to the 34th Street-Hudson Yards Station…from there you can take the 7 to Grand Central and then get on the 4. (By the way, it’s a single train ride to Citi Field from there.)

Megabus has saved me a ton of cash (I once went from NYC to Boston and back for $2.50 round trip) and they’re comfortable as buses go.

Safely, sure. Quickly, I wouldn’t bet on it even with someone else driving.

How To Get To Yankee Stadium: Taxicab + Ride Sharing.

Taking a cab in New York City is expensive and an ill-advised method of getting to or from Yankee Stadium, but if you need one after the game, you can head to Gate 2 or Gate 4 where there is a car service dispatch. You’ll need it. I saw a few drivers in front of Babe Ruth Plaza, but they took off when I tried to take their picture, so they may not be allowed to hang out there.

If you’re arriving in a cab or Lyft or Uber vehicle, it’s a good idea to ask your driver to drop you off on Jerome Avenue on the opposite side of the Stadium from the B-D-4 madness. There is an Uber pickup area at Jerome and Anderson Avenues.

Word of warning about using a rideshare or taxi, and why I don’t recommend it. While you might be okay without spending an arm and a leg coming to the game, with everyone leaving afterwards there is a LOT of congestion. Getting a ride not only might take a while, but it will cost you mucho dinero leaving the game through the traffic. There’s much easier and cheaper ways to get to Yankee Stadium…as I’ve demonstrated here!

No, this isn’t the guy you pay to watch your bike. At least I don’t think he is. But he isn’t likely to steal it either.

Unusual Ways To Get To Yankee Stadium: By Bicycle.

The New York City Department of Transportation has a bicycling map of New York City available, or you can get one in any local bicycle store. You shouldn’t have any problem locking up your bike, since the Yankees have enough bicycle racks for 160 bikes. Whether you trust leaving your bicycle here is up to you…most people say if you have a solid lock it will be fine. I have read accounts from people who offer a few bucks to bouncers at Stan’s Sports Bar to watch their bike.

The Bronx isn’t the best of neighborhoods, so if you do this for a night game, you should probably take the subway back afterwards; use the first or last car on the train and be prepared to wait for a few cars before one has the space.

I’ve seen some bicycle paths along the Grand Concourse and such, but closing in on game time crowds around the Stadium get pretty large, so you may end up hopping off as you get closer.

At Ballpark E-Guides, we don’t do $50 parking.

Some Ways To Save Money Getting To Yankee Stadium

Thanks for sticking with me this far! Here’s a few Tightwad Tips to help you save money getting to the ballpark:

$ – All MTA services feature discounts for seniors, disabled, active duty military and children; three kids under 44 inches tall can ride free with an adult. If you’re in NYC for a few days, a 7-Day Pass will pay for itself in 12 rides (easily done).

$ – The LIRR and Metro-North offer a weekend deal called the CityTicket, for travel at a discounted rate within the city limits. Makes it only slightly more expensive to travel on a much nicer and quicker train coming from, say, Queens.

$ – If you can swing it, try to use the LIRR or Metro-North during off-peak hours (before 4:00 PM on weeknights), where the fare is significantly less.

$ – There are multiple discounts on the NJ Transit website for military members, senior citizens, children of a certain age, etc., so check it out and see if you qualify. Two kids with an adult can ride free on weekends.

Again, if you’re coming by car and looking to save money, consult my Ultimate Yankee Stadium Parking Guide…lots of useful tips there!

And now, you can race me to Yankee Stadium!

So there you go baseball fans…everything you need to know about how to get to Yankee Stadium. If you need more Yankee Stadium help, I’ve got you covered…check out this detailed guide for finding the best seats, the full details about Yankee Stadium food, and even some tips for bringing food into the ballpark. Helpful stuff before you get your Yankees tickets!

Or just check out my complete Yankee Stadium guide here, and if you’re on a baseball trip to NYC, be sure to read my very helpful guide for Citi Field too!

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The Nationals Park food menu offers a few items that are uniquely D.C., a few items that reflect the taste of the region, and a couple items that are popular in other National League East cities for some odd reason.

Below I’ve included some of my favorites here to help you decide what to eat at Nationals Park.

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Now THIS is a ballpark food.

Nationals Park Food Tip #1: Ben’s Chili Bowl. The Chili Half-Smoke from Ben’s Chili Bowl is a spicy all beef sausage, with Ben’s special recipe chili piled on, along with cheese, chopped onions and yellow mustard. In my opinion, it’s the best food at Nationals Park.

It’s a truly amazing chili dog, just grab some napkins and maybe a spoon for the abundant chili. Ben’s also has chili cheese fries and chili burgers, and they don’t skimp on the chili or cheese. I persuaded my brother to try one at a game, and three innings later he was getting another.

Now this, my friend, is a plate of ballpark nachos.

Nationals Park Food Tip #2: Hard Times Café. Hard Times is a local chili and burgers chain, so most locals are familiar with it. Hard Times’ nachos—covered with spicy chili, real cheese, sour cream, jalapenos and onions—are one of the better food deals in Nats Park, with easily enough for two people. I’m a big fan.

Last I checked Hard Times also offers a popular Frito pie, chili dogs, chicken wings, and a Cincinnati-style “Chili Mac”, chili and cheese served over spaghetti noodles.

If you make it look delicious enough, you can charge almost any price.

Nationals Park Food Tip #3: Chesapeake Bay Crab Company. Since crabs are a thing in the area, the Nats have a stand selling crab cake grilled cheese sandwiches on large slices of buttered bread. Ballpark plus seafood equals very pricey, but it is a big sandwich.

You can also get crab balls or crab nachos. The nachos are Old Bay kettle chips topped with crab queso, roasted corn and salsa. They’re not as big as the Hard Times nachos, but it’s definitely something different and worth trying.

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A partial list of toppings for your hot dog.

Nationals Park Food Tip #4: Haute Dogs & Fries. For the classic ballpark food, Haute Dogs & Fries has some innovative offerings of gourmet beef dogs on New England rolls, including the Haute dog with brown onion relish, mayonnaise and celery salt, and a Banh Mi dog with jalapeno, carrots, cucumber slaw, cilantro and sriracha mayo.

That’s just some examples…they might be different when you visit. Hand cut fries too. Haute Dogs is one of those cheap hot dog joints that is popular enough that even when they’re not cheap at the ballpark they’re still good.

Baseball gets better all the time.

Nationals Park Food Tip #5: See. You. Tater. See. You. Tater. is named for MASN announcer Bob Carpenter’s signature home run call. This joint is about chicken wings and tater tots: wings come in flavors like Buffalo, sweet & spicy BBQ, lemon garlic butter, Old Bay or mango Caribbean jerk.

The tots are the big draw though…a pile of tater tots can be smothered with Buffalo chicken and blue cheese, pork belly and picked cucumbers (called the “Intentional Wok”), BBQ sauce and mac and cheese, or my personal favorite, the Chesapeake Bay with crab meat and crab queso.

Again, probably a good idea to grab a fork to eat these.

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I doubt this guy would be as enthusiastic serving Papa John’s pizza.

Nationals Park Food Tip #6: Enzo’s Pizza. Enzo’s serves up pretty good pizza in my opinion, at least by ballpark standards, with thin crust and ample pepperoni. It’s greasy stuff though…pat it with a napkin if you care about that.

At present there is only cheese and pepperoni, if I see any specialty pizzas I’ll let you know. The pepperoni slice is only slightly more expensive than the cheese slice. Or you can get a full pie for a head-shaking price.

We need something with a lot of ingredients.

Nationals Park Food Tip #7: La Casita Pupuseria. Yep, seven items in I’m already up to three stands serving up some variation of nachos (and I’m not done yet). La Casita Pupuseria is a popular chain in the area with five locations in Maryland, plus a food truck.

Okay so maybe pupusas aren’t exactly nachos…they’re somewhere between nachos and gyros, a thick tortilla covered with typical burrito fillings like chicken or pork, tomatoes, lettuce, cheese etc. It’s a great ballpark snack, easy to carry around if a bit messy.

Don’t ask the guy if you can lick the ladle.

Nationals Park Food Tip #8: Steak of The Union. I’m impressed that Steak of The Union has managed to stick around serving cheesesteaks, given how popular Philadelphia fans are here. But it’s an authentic Philly cheesesteak, “wit” fried onions, peppers and Cheez Whiz.

And of course, more nachos…you can get a truly daunting plate of cheesesteak nachos here, with the all-important whiz glop and cheesesteak meat for that Philly flavor.

Wait…what? There’s something healthy to eat at a ballpark?

Nationals Park Food Tip #9: Melissa’s Field of Greens. Field of Greens stand offers mushroom burgers, salads, wraps, and hummus; it’s a good spot for vegan sorts. Melissa’s Produce is actually a thing; they’re based in California and have a stand in Yankee Stadium too.

Last I looked, the stand had a Portobello mushroom burger with provolone and roasted red peppers, and they even had veggie cheesesteaks and crab cakes. The meat in the cheesesteak is wheat protein made by Vegadelphia; I’m guessing wheat protein isn’t gluten-free.

Finally, it takes some walking, but the Scoreboard Pavilion in right field is home to some cool spots:

Don’t be a jerk…snap your photo and let the fan eat their chicken!

Nationals Park Food Tip #10: Jammin’ Island BBQ. The Jammin’ Island grill near the Loft has very spicy jerk ribs and chicken cooked on a charcoal grill, of which you can get a combo plate with sweet potato fries. You can eat while standing at ample counter space with a view of the field.

I’ve read a lot from Nats fans start declaring Jammin’ Island to be the hidden gem at Nats Park. Employees sometimes hand out samples, which frequently result in purchases.

It’s a burger. And you’re an American.

Nationals Park Food Tip #11: Shake Shack. The Shake Shack is a Citi Field staple (there’s one in Philly’s ballpark now too) but it is equally popular here; lines get very long for the Shackburger, a fresh beef patty topped with lettuce, cheese, tomato and (thousand island style) Shack Sauce on a potato roll. Shell out a few bucks for an extra patty.

There’s also thick milkshakes excellent enough to have a separate (much shorter) line, and I can definitely vouch for the quality of the fries too.

When fries are good enough for neon, you should give them a try.

Nationals Park Food Tip #12: Box Frites. If you like fries, Box Frites (another Citi Field delicacy, SMH) is it…crispy boardwalk-style fries with several dipping sauces that change periodically. You might find smoky bacon or black pepper parm sauce or something like that. Try the garlic parmesan fries…you’ll thank me.

They have several unusual hot dogs here, like a Frites dog or BLT dog. For a fee you can get additional sauce.

I’m really just scratching the surface here; Nationals Park has a seriously long menu. But if you need help deciding what the best food at Nationals Park is, hopefully this helps.

Lots more tips where that came from…be sure to check out my complete guide to Nationals Park! Whether you’re a regular or first timer, there’s lots of tips to help you out.

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If you’re planning a trip to District Detroit for a Tigers game, and need help picking out the best Comerica Park parking spot for your budget and taste, I’m here to help. There is ample parking in the area for baseball games, including official parking areas, off-site garages, and even street parking, but you should have a plan.

So then, as your unofficial Comerica Park parking guide, I’m offering five useful suggestions for parking at Detroit Tigers games. But first, a quick bit of advice from our sponsor…if you’d like to look further beyond my suggestions here, see below to order a parking pass with my friends at SpotHero!

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Comerica Park Parking Lots + Garages – 5 Suggestions:

It’s not the D Garage as in a letter grade. It’s actually a good spot.

Comerica Park Parking, Tip #1) Tigers Garage (250 Fisher Road). The Tigers garages are located north of the ballpark, and are among the most expensive parking facilities. These lots fill up quickly on game days, with folks who are uncomfortable leaving their car in downtown Detroit or don’t want to walk much. There is a pedestrian bridge to the suite entrances here.

The team has built the five-story McLaren Garage (90 E. Fisher Service Drive) next the Tiger Garage, replacing Lot 3; it has 900 parking spaces on several levels, with indoor stairways and an elevator. There are also outdoor lots both on Montcalm and right in front of the main entrance with a few spaces; the Tigers charge the same for these lots.

The nice thing about the Tigers / Olympia Development lots is that if you need your car jump started after the game or you locked your keys in it, the attendant will either help you or contact AAA. No tailgating though.

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Even indoors, the Lions still play in any weather.

Comerica Park Parking, Tip #2) Ford Field. There is premium parking in Lots 4 and 5 on the I-75 side of Ford Field, with tailgating allowed even, which isn’t found in many local lots. These lots are the same high price as the Tigers Garage next door and offers an easy out back onto I-75.

But there is also the cheaper and lesser known Ford Field parking deck (1902 St. Antoine) located on the west side of the stadium—that for some reason the Tigers do not point out on their parking page. This isn’t a bad deal at all; it’s cheaper than prime lots that are just as close to the ballpark.

Another nice thing about it is that you can actually walk through the impressive football stadium on the inside to get to the ballpark, and there are even some food stands there. You can’t walk through the stadium to get back, but you’ll pass by some cool bucket drummers after the game.

Lions with Wings…get it?

Comerica Park Parking, Tip #3) Fox Theatre Garage (50 W. Montcalm Street). The garage next door to the Fox Theatre is a short walk to the main entrance. It is slightly less than the Tigers lots, but there are better deals just west of (behind) it—the Tigers run lots for half the price are only a couple of blocks away. The Fox garage can be slow to exit; you may want to have a bite at nearby Hockeytown Café first.

Years ago I parked in the Fox garage before 3:00 PM on a game night and paid just $2 for the whole day; in my last visit the early bird price was $5 and the nice lady said yes, you can leave your car there through the game. I love that trick: you can park early in the morning or afternoon, jump on the People Mover or the QLine along Woodward Avenue, and visit some Detroit attractions during the day (like Z’s Villa for pizza). And after the game your car is right there.

If there’s something happening at the Fox, they will occasionally hold the spots only for Fox customers, which I assume means you have to show your ticket to the event. Probably a good idea to check beforehand.

One more cool thing about the Fox…it’s close to the right field entrance of Comerica, which is the main gate and features all of the cool tigers statues.

A hidden gem for Tigers game day parking. Just don’t stand there!

Comerica Park Parking, Tip #4) Gem Theater Garage (1910 Brush Street). The Gem garage is located off of Brush Street southeast of the ballpark, next to the Elwood Bar & Grill. It’s a hidden gem, pun intended. This is kind of tucked into the area, so if you’re using it, get here well before the first pitch.

The price for this lot varies, but it’s usually less than the Tigers lots or Fox lot and is a pretty good deal for its proximity to the park (Elwood brags that they are 56 steps away from Comerica, and the Gem is right next door). Great if you like a post-game party at Elwood’s, which a lot of Tigers fans do, and that’s a good idea since with its location it can take longer to exit.

You can’t miss the sign with it being all neon-y and all.

Comerica Park Parking, Tip #5) Greektown Casino Garage (1001 Brush Street). Greektown is accessible from the E. Lafayette St. exit off of I-375. The Greektown Casino used to offer free parking if you had your ticket validated; from there you could walk about three blocks to the ballpark or use the People Mover to and from Grand Circus Park station. If you exit on Brush Street, you can see the ballpark from the street.

The official policy for Tigers parking is that it’s free if you get your card validated and accumulate a certain number of points (which means losing some money in the casino), but if you get there early enough you might slide for free as I did twice in my last visit, especially on a weekday. At worst you’ll pay a small fee to park in an attended garage. If you’re concerned, you can book this on SpotHero ahead of time.

Greektown has some great restaurants and the casino itself, so it’s not short on entertainment before or after the game. There are also a couple of nearby taverns that will shuttle you to the game. I recommend having a plan for passing some time if there’s a big crowd at the game though, there have been numerous complaints about the wait getting out.

I have heard stories that Greektown isn’t the safest place at night, and it is a bit of a walk that might make you uncomfortable. But for day games, I think this may be the best deal.

There’s five suggestions for choosing a parking spot at your next Detroit Tigers game…but there are plenty more official parking lots, where you can reserve parking with SpotHero.

These are parking options I’ve used or seen in my past trips to Detroit, but again, my best advice is this: book your spot in advance, and have a backup plan. (You can also use another method of transit, or try one of the numerous Comerica Park shuttles!)

Interested in finding out more about visiting the beautiful home of the Detroit Tigers? Check out my Comerica Park page here! (And thanks for supporting Ballpark E-Guides sponsors!)

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The Progressive Field food menu, in my humble opinion, is one of the best in baseball. The home of the Cleveland Guardians not only showcases iconic local restaurants (and who knew that Cleveland was such a great foodie town?), it offers a lot of the best in basic baseball food…like hefty foot long hot dogs and true ballpark mustard.

What the best food at Progressive Field is of course a matter of opinion, but I’ve picked out ten that I think you’ll be happy with, including some new food items they’ve added to the Progressive Field menu for 2023. This should help your taste buds if you’re a first time visitor especially.

Most all of these are on the lower level, although some of the concession stands have additional outposts in the upper level.

I’ll start with some amazeballs sandwich selections, after this quick word from our sponsor:

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This sandwich almost didn’t last long enough to be photographed.

Progressive Field Food, Tip #1) Melt Bar & Grilled (Right Field District). Melt started in Lakewood with a simple goal: “gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches and lots of beer”. They have multiple types of large grilled cheese sandwiches at Guardians games, and the sandwiches are made with huge slices of Texas Toast and include a bag of chips.

Try the chorizo and potato or the mushroom sandwich with grilled onions…that might be the best vegetarian meal I’ve had at a game.

Recent additions to the menu: Melt now has mac and cheese bowls, including a Buffalo version topped with chicken. I trust these folks to get the taste right!

The beer there is pretty good too.

Progressive Field Food, Tip #2) Fat Head’s Brewery (Infield District). Fat Head’s is a North Olmsted brewery and sandwich shop known for large-sized sandwiches that they call “Headwiches” (because they’re the size of your head).

They have a “Fat Italian” – ham, salami, capicola, pepperoni and hot sausage with provolone, banana peppers and a hard-boiled egg; and a “Southside Slopes” – a kielbasa with pierogies, American cheese, grilled onions and horseradish sauce. The Slopes, incidentally, was voted #5 Best Sandwich in America by Maxim Magazine.

They make great craft beers too…including some award-winners at the Great American Beer Festival. If you like citrus beers in the summer, Fat Head’s is for you.

Recent addition to the menu: Pepper Jack bites! Crusted Pepper Jack cheese with ranch dressing included for dipping.

Worth a try just because the name of the place is so cool.

Progressive Field Food, Tip #3) Throwin’ Smoke BBQ (Main Concourse). Throwin’ Smoke isn’t a local eatery, just a cleverly named BBQ stand that was a long time coming to Cleveland’s ballpark. The sandwiches are definitely BBQ messy and you should probably sit down to eat one. They have a BBQ mac and cheese in a baseball helmet too (I would clean it out before wearing it).

You can get a pulled pork, chicken or beef brisket sandwich; get it topped with slaw, sharp cheddar and pickle chips. And the specialty sandwich is the Heater, any kind of meat with habanero BBQ sauce, jalapenos and pepper jack cheese. Don’t mess around with that one, seriously; get a beer to go with it.

Recent additions: They have a pork mac and cheese cone now…a waffle cone with mac and cheese and topped with Montgomery Inn pulled pork, cole slaw and BBQ sauce. In 2023, Throwin’ Smoke added mac and cheese brisket: mac and cheese again topped with that Montgomery Inn BBQ brisket, pickled crunchy onions, and BBQ sauce.

So there’s your sandwich selections, at least not counting what is basic ballpark food…but in Cleveland, they take ordinary ballpark items a step further…check out Happy Dog, for example!

Get froot loops on your hot dog. Only in Cleveland.

Progressive Field Food, Tip #4) Happy Dog (Infield District). At the actual Happy Dog in Gordon Square, they have over 50 toppings, but at the Prog the pared down offerings are wacky enough. Witness the Slider Dog…topped with Froot Loops, mac and cheese and bacon. Wait, what? Froot Loops? Yes.

They have lots of other unusual options for baseball’s classic food here, so check it out. Last I looked there was a Dyngus Dog with red cabbage sauerkraut; a southern BBQ Dog with pulled pork, beer cheese, greens and caramelized onions; or a Summer Veggie Dog with tomatoes, cucumbers, cole slaw and chimichurri. If nothing else that’s healthier than Froot Loops.

All Happy Dog dogs are all-beef quarter-pound sizable hot dogs on poppy seed buns. I would get a fork for the heftier ones. Froot Loops…wow.

Recent additions: Going healthy? Try the Wild Thing…a Field Roast vegan dog topped with house made vegetable chili, shredded cheddar, diced onions, and (of course) Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. Your ballgame meal is complete.

Bacon bits AND slices. You almost expect Kevin Bacon to make an appearance.

Progressive Field Food, Tip #5) Build-A-Burger (Main Concourse). The name Build-A-Burger invokes the obvious question: how many toppings can I pile on? We are paying ballpark prices here, so get your money’s worth. You can find this one in the left field corner.

Here you go: get an All-American burger with cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion and pickles…or make it interesting with a pulled pork burger topped with BBQ sauce slaw, sharp cheddar and bacon (bits or slices!).

Several types of fries here, which I’ve read are crispy and excellent. Chicken tenders too. Get them topped with pulled pork, queso blanco, and/or peppers and onions or just plain loaded.

Recent additions: The Southwest Burger is a 1/3 pound all beef patty with guacamole, pico de gallo, nacho cheese sauce, and chipotle crema on a brioche bun…new in 2023 is the Pimento Cheese and Bacon Burger, a 1/3 pound patty topped with pimento cheese, bacon, and shredded lettuce on a brioche bun. I presume you can add toppings to these as well.

Unfortunately I am told Dynomite Burger is no longer in the Prog…(sniff)

Never drive to Progressive Field without a plan…

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Sorry for not getting a picture of the spaghetti and meatball pizza. But I doubt anyone who ordered it would have let me.

Progressive Field Food, Tip #6) Dante’s Inferno (Infield District). Dante’s Inferno is the pizza shop of Cleveland chef Dante Boccuzzi, the owner of several top-rated Cleveland restaurants.

No typical ballpark pizza, this…Dante’s actually has a spaghetti and meatball pizza, and yes, it does have noodles on it (not a lot though, so don’t worry about the carbs). Dante’s also has a spicy Inferno pizza with sausage, pepperoni, olives and hot peppers, and an above-average veggie pizza with zucchini, eggplant, mushrooms and basil walnut pesto. Or just plain or pepperoni.

Dante’s sells pizza by the pie, and it’s a good-sized pie for one.

I should probably rank these next selections higher, because they’re all great…just saying that the Prog is a super place to get your Mexican fix on:

That’s what nachos need, folks…lots of ingredients.

Progressive Field Food, Tip #7) Barrio (Right Field District). Barrio is a Tremont-based eatery with build-your-own tacos; you can get chicken or chorizo tacos and they have a veggie “street corn” version too.

But I must add that Barrio does a very impressive plate of nachos; they feature melted and shredded cheese (yes, both), and several different salsas with chicken or chorizo for a small extra fee.

The chips are salty in my opinion, but it’s definitely an above average plate of nachos for a ballpark, and it can easily feed two.

Not just sour cream…cilantro-lime cream. This is a ballpark, remember?

Progressive Field Food, Tip #8) Momocho (Infield District). Momocho is an Ohio City joint owned by Eric Williams, another “Best Chef” award winner, this time by Scene readers. Momocho is all about nachos and quesadillas. The chips are made to order and heated in a giant rotisserie oven and served with homemade guac and salsa.

Your choices of toppings include chicken, Barbacoa pulled pork or chorizo sausage; they come with pickled jalapenos, green salsa and cilantro-lime cream. You can add extra queso, beans or salsa for a fee that is worth it.

I thought the Barrio nachos were slightly superior, and a couple of nice Indians fans whose opinion I asked at the train station agreed, but I will say the Momocho chips were less salty. And they’re definitely still a great plate of loaded nachos.

Note the complete absence of brown-ness on the guacamole!

Progressive Field Food, Tip #9) Ohio City Burrito (Infield District). I read once that the burrito is an ideal ballpark food, that you can use your non-beer holding hand to hold it; I couldn’t agree more.

Ohio City Burrito is, as the name strongly implies, a burrito joint based in the Ohio City neighborhood; they take pride in the burrito rolling technique that is especially important for eating in a ballpark seat.

At the Prog outpost burrito types include chicken, pork carnitas, Barbacoa beef and a veggie (which is just minus the chicken or beef); burritos include rice, black beans, onions, peppers, cheese, lettuce, and a choice of salsa, guac and/or sour cream. They are all available in a bowl without that calorie-laden flour tortilla. OCB is also known for sweet homemade salsa.

Finally, even with the basics, the Guardians clearly care about your needs:

See what I mean when I say the Guardians care about their fans?

Progressive Field Food, Tip #10) Big Hot Dogs With Bertman’s Mustard (Everywhere). At Sausages & Dogs or Ballpark Classics stands, whatever…if you look around, most of the generic stands have those really hefty half pound (yes, half pound) hot dogs. These are like the footlongs you find at a lot of ballparks, only thicker…and with peppers, onions, and Bertman’s Ballpark Mustard piled on, it can be a great value by ballpark standards.

It’s been a few years since I’ve been to the Prog, but they used to have a Charred Dogs stand behind home plate. If you like the skin burnt on your dogs, it might be worth a look.

Read more about Bertman’s Mustard here…you’ll like this tale.

This should be the only legal way to cook a ballpark hot dog.

There you have it folks…ten great selections of menu items for your next game at Progressive Field. One word of caution…as of 2023, half of the stands are cashless, so you’ll need your credit card (or Apple Pay or Google Pay device). I’m guessing there will be more of that in the future.

Ballpark E-Guides is happy to be your helpful resource for going to your next Cleveland Indians…sorry, Cleveland Guardians home game. If you’d like more great advice, check out my complete guide to Progressive Field here! Thanks for reading, and please support our sponsors!

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There is no pre-game party in baseball like the American Family Field tailgating. It’s not even close.

There’s a decent amount of grilling in the parking lot of Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago, and things seem to be growing at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia a bit. But nowhere is the tailgating every bit a baseball institution as natural grass the way it is at a Brewers game.

So after this quick word from our sponsor, we’ll get started!

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Clearly this guy is a VIP.

If you’re headed to Milwaukee to see the Brewers, you should take part in it, because walking through the huge parking lots, the smell of coal and brats is going to make you ravenous.

So as a public service, I’m offering five important tips for tailgaters at American Family Field. If I miss an important one, by all means contact me and let me know, but these five should at least help you avoid a tailgating fail.

I hope it’s enough…

American Family Field Tailgating, Tip #1: Boil Your Brats Beforehand. The American Family Field lots open three hours before game time, which is a good amount of time for tailgating, but not a lot if you’re cooking raw meat on the grill that took you a few minutes to fire up.

So get your Usinger’s or Johnsonville brats beforehand, and boil them in beer and water the night before—a beer for every two brats, with maybe some onion and red pepper for extra taste. It takes a while—I’ve read an hour, but I’ve cooked sausages in 20 minutes, so decide for yourself.

Once you’ve boiled the brats to a gray color, all that will be needed is to brown them on the grill at the ballpark, which takes significantly less time in an environment where people will be finding bricks appetizing.

In fact, prepare everything you can the night before, like slicing cheese and putting food into containers or footballs in the car. Hey, I told you Brewers fans take this seriously. Being prepared for a Brewers tailgate takes some work.

It’s like a zingy BBQ sauce. But different.

American Family Field Tailgating, Tip #2: Bring Secret Stadium Sauce. OK, not everyone loves the most popular condiment in Milwaukee. It’s not even necessarily for you. You can bring sauerkraut, Kopp’s deli mustard, even ketchup, but a nearby tailgater might have forgotten the Secret Stadium Sauce, or you may come across a first-time visitor to American Family Field who wants to know what the fuss is about with the Sauce.

Secret Stadium Sauce is usually available in most supermarkets in the Milwaukee area; it’s also available in the Team Shop, which opens when the parking lots do in case of an emergency. You can also order it on Amazon.

Don’t know what the Secret Stadium Sauce is? Check it out here.

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It’s all about cheaper beer.

American Family Field Tailgating, Tip #3: Arrive EARLY. I’ve already said that Brewers fans take their tailgating seriously, and that the lots open three hours before game time. Add the two together and the sum is a long line of cars in line at most of the gates, especially for the cheaper lots. These are people itching to get their tent and grill set up and will arrive an hour before the lots open to be the first ones in.

Most people don’t pre-pay to get in to the lots, so attendants are making change for most of them. Bring a book to read if you must while you’re waiting, but try to get to American Family at least a half an hour before the lots open.

Yes, it’s a Miller product…now.

American Family Field Tailgating, Tip #4: Drink Miller Products, But Don’t Imbibe Too Much After The First Hour. Many Brewers fans insist on Miller products vs. the Budweiser Empire that has helped fund 11 World Series titles for the division rival Cardinals. I at least would recommend taking a step up to Leinenkugel’s, a Chippewa Falls brewery that is now distributed by Miller. Needless to say, have plenty of ice.

But whatever your preference, make sure that you get the majority of beer consumption out of the way early. The parking lots at American Family Field have an ample amount of port-a-potties to accommodate tailgaters’ needs, but once that parking lot is filled with beer drinkers an hour before the game, lines will form.

And waiting in line for relief after four beers can make a minute seem like an hour. We’ve all been there. Don’t be at Level Ten with three other people just as full in front of you.

And this is just the preferred lot!

American Family Field Tailgating, Tip #5: Put A Window Flag On Your Car. This is a common tradition at Brewers games. Not only will it help you find your car (which, if you need help with, maybe you shouldn’t be driving), but you can also let people know that you’re a proud fan of the Timbler-Rattlers, Harley-Davidson, or Matt Kenseth. (I know that last one is obscure. Matt Kenseth is a NASCAR driver from Wisconsin. Yes, NASCAR’s still around.)

Needless to say, it should be unique…it’s okay to have a Brewers flag, of course, but that won’t necessarily make you stand out in the American Family Field parking lot.

Those are the five American Family Field tailgating tips that I consider most important, although obviously there’s other things to know…like that the Brewers will provide a taxicab ride home if you’ve had too much to drink, or that AAA of Wisconsin will give you a free tow if you can’t get your car started, or that you need to be careful leaving because people leave disposable grills everywhere.

Join the party in the parking lot; in Milwaukee, a ballgame is an all-day celebration.

Need more American Family Field tips? Check out this guide to Brewers game parking, some tips for newbies, and this complete list of Brewers game shuttles! And many more Brewers game tips here…

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While most people drive to Phillies games, a fair amount of people do take SEPTA to Citizens Bank Park, with the Sports Complex station located just a few steps away.

There are times when the Broad Street Line is preferable to driving…say, when another event is happening in one of the Philly sports venues, you’re arriving via Amtrak or Regional Rail, or if you’re staying in the city without a car.

So here’s a few things you should know about taking the SEPTA Broad Street Line to a Phillies game, after a quick word from our sponsor:

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“Gangway! Philly sports fans coming!”

SEPTA to Citizens Bank Park, Tip #1) Use The Express.

The SEPTA Broad Street Line stops at the Sports Complex at the southern end (currently called the NRG Station, but it changes a lot), making it easy to know which train to use and which direction to go. But you will definitely prefer the Sports Express trains, both before and after games.

The Sports Express skips a number of stops, but most importantly it bypasses everything from Walnut-Locust to the Sports Complex, and coming back especially this is much nicer. If you’re using PATCO from New Jersey to get to the Broad Street Line, the Express means a straight ride with no stops to and from Walnut-Locust.

If you have a choice, definitely use the Express. You’ll thank me.

Snackstalgia indeed. They ain’t lyin’.

SEPTA to Citizens Bank Park, Tip #2) Bring Your Own.

If you’re using the train to save money, or even if you’re visiting without a car and staying in Center City (that’s downtown for you non-Philadelphians), take advantage of the street grub shops and get peanuts and stuff to bring in. The Phillies allow this, you just can’t bring in alcohol or projectiles. It’s a great money-saver.

My favorite pro tip for using the PATCO-SEPTA combination from South Jersey (where I live) is to stop at Nuts To You on Walnut Street, which is in the path from PATCO to SEPTA on street level. They have outstanding still-warm bags of roasted peanuts and any other snack you can imagine. I love sesame sticks, and Nuts To You has them in multiple flavors. The place is a true gem.

You have a lot of starting points when you add in Regional Rail.

SEPTA to Citizens Bank Park, Tip #3) Consider Regional Rail.

The Regional Rail lines spread a web over southeastern Pennsylvania (hence the SEP in SEPTA), and they’re comfortable and smooth commuter trains.

The Regional Rail is a nice alternative on summer weekends. Traffic on I-76 can be hellish on Friday nights especially, as what seems the entire region’s population heads to the Jersey Shore. Park somewhere along the Regional Rail line cheaply and ride the train to Suburban Station instead…it’s a two block walk transfer to the Broad Street Line, but that beats sitting in shore traffic in my opinion. Be sure to check the schedule and know that you can get a ride back though.

If you’re bringing the family on a weekend, check out SEPTA’s Independence Pass. For a price that is likely cheaper than gas and parking, the whole family can ride on the train to the ballpark and back. That one’s good for Sunday games.

Public transit is the key to reducing congestion!

SEPTA can be a decent money saver over parking and bridge tolls coming from NJ especially and it’s an alternative to city traffic if you’re staying in Center City (downtown for you non-Philadelphians).

Speaking of, if you need parking in the city, be sure to book ahead of time with my friends at SpotHero!

And if you’d prefer to drive to the game, here’s my ultimate guide to Citizens Bank Park parking…including cheap spots, free spots, even parking near the Chickie’s and Pete’s Taxi Crab!

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Deciding what to eat at a Phillies game can be frustrating…there is a large variety of food items, and many are very good and offer a great sampling of Philly. I’m here to help…here is your complete and hugely helpful guide to the Citizens Bank Park food menu – including new items for 2023!

This post goes into detail about the best food offerings at Citizens Bank Park, and to help you decide on something for your taste. There’s lots of good stuff, and lots of iconic Philly food stuff, so know what’s out there before you go.

I’ve spoken a bit in my also very helpful Citizens Bank Park seating page about the eats in the Diamond and Hall of Fame Clubs, so I’ll skip over that to cover the rest of the items. (And if you want parking and ticket advice, you can check this out).

Whiz wit.

Like I said, there’s a lot, so I’ve broken this down into parts:

Citizens Bank Park Restaurants
Philly Cheesesteaks
Ashburn Alley – Pizza, Crab Fries, Chicken Sandwiches + Wings
Left Field Plaza – Hot Dogs, Sausages, BBQ + Donuts
Generic Stuff – Cheesesteaks, Dogs + Fries, Etc.
Vegetarian, Vegan + Gluten-Free
Dessert – Ice Cream + Water Ice
Bring Your Own Food + More Tightwad Tips
New Citizens Bank Park Food For 2023!

So after this quick word from our sponsor, we’ll talk some Citizens Bank Park food!

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With numbered tables in case you have your wedding reception here.

Citizens Bank Park Food, Part 1) Restaurants

There are three sit down restaurants for the non-suite and non-club types at the Phillies ballpark:

Harry The K’s is named for the Phillies’ late broadcasting legend Harry Kalas. Harry’s has an outdoor but covered seating area behind the left field seats and serves better than adequate tavern fare, at reasonable prices for a ballpark.

Along the wall are murals of Connie Mack Stadium, Veterans Stadium, and Citizens Bank Park. Imagine a full bar tavern with a great view, and still covered from the rain and sun. The menu is basic fun grub like hot dogs, sandwiches and sides like “disco fries”; but they have some unusual items on occasion, like a vegan cheesesteak (which I’ve tried and isn’t bad).

There is a miniature Harry’s with a standing area on the upper level below the scoreboard, with a very basic ballgame menu.

If Canadian cheddar cheese soup doesn’t make you want to buy a ballgame ticket, I don’t know what to tell you.

Each season the Phillies introduce new food items to Harry’s menu; they might have unusual hot dogs or different kinds of club sandwiches. Pastrami sandwiches, quinoa salads, that kind of stuff. Every night there are specials that are posted on a chalkboard outside of the restaurant. They have desserts which also vary every season.

Harry The K’s fills up quickly and has long lines, so get to the ballpark early if you’d like to try it. The quarters are also kind of tight at Harry’s, so you may want to take care of nature’s call before sitting down, lest you knock over someone’s chicken grinder. If you’ve got a standing room ticket for the game, later in the game they may let you sit for the duration.

Wood-fired oven? Check. Pepperoni? Check. It’s a good night.

Pass And Stow is an eatery with indoor and outdoor dining that replaced the somewhat shaky McFadden’s Pub. It’s a good pre- and post-game spot for your night out…there’s no view of the game from Pass and Stow, but there are 44 TVs to watch the action if you want a break.

Pass and Stow has a beer garden, and wood-fired brick oven pizza from Foundry Pizza made with pepperoni or margherita-style. The menu is somewhat limited, but they have decent pub fare like skillet nachos and sandwiches, which all gets good reviews from what I’ve read.

Wouldn’t it be great if you actually could grow beer?

The nice thing about Pass and Stow is that there’s plenty of space and seating, which can’t be said for Harry’s on a crowded evening, and it’s not a bad place to duck out of the elements with lots of shades, fire pits, and indoor and outdoor seating. It’s a considerably more pleasant atmosphere than McFadden’s, I can testify. In case you never saw National Treasure, Pass and Stow is named for the foundry workers who cast the original Liberty Bell. Philadelphia thing, you see.

A Shackburger. Take it in.

The Shake Shack first became known for ballpark burgers at Philly’s rival ballpark Citi Field, but the Phillies took it a step further, giving the Shack…whose burgers are well known for attracting long lines…its own sit down spot, occupying the rest of the former McFadden’s space. It’s not anything fancy…think fast food joint…but it’s ideal for grubbing tough on the world-famous Shackburgers, crinkle-cut fries and hand-spun shakes.

I don’t know if the situation is similar to Citi Field, but people really love the Shake Shack, and if you’re looking for a quality burger at Citizens Bank Park, this is the spot…especially since other than Boardwalk Eats and the generic joints I can’t think of any other stands here that sell burgers.

I am especially a big fan of Shake Shack’s fries, and truthfully it’s better to have a sit down spot to enjoy it. Shake Shack is open along with the rest of the concessions, but not after the game like Pass and Stow is.

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Does this picture not create a sense of good things coming your way?

Citizens Bank Park Food, Part 2) Cheesesteaks

Cheesesteaks are, of course, why you come to Philly, and Citizens Bank Park has several to choose from, including from two Philadelphia icons. You can even have a serious argument comparing them. If you want to try one of the big name cheesesteaks at Citizens Bank Park, again, get to Ashburn Alley early.

Six each of the broccoli rabe and hot peppers, please.

Tony Luke’s is the mainstay of Citizens Bank Park, and they are as famous with the locals for their roast pork sandwiches with provolone as for their ribeye beef cheesesteaks with Cheez Whiz. It’s that garlicky broccoli rabe, probably…don’t forget to ask for it.

The selection is limited compared to their actual restaurants; there aren’t any cheesesteak hoagies here, but they do sometimes have additional items like panzarottis.

Tony Luke’s is well known in the area (he did beat Bobby Flay after all), and the stand here grows long lines that don’t diminish from about a half hour before the game starts to about the 7th inning. If you’re early enough, you can jump on that roast pork with provolone and broccoli rabe from Tony’s before the line gets long; on high attendance nights I wouldn’t wait.

And in this corner, the Heater with the Works!

Campo’s may not quite have the name recognition that Tony Luke’s does, but they are more than well-known enough among Philadelphians. The original deli on Market Street has been ranked the city’s best by AOL Insider and Philadelphia Magazine among others, so they can easily hold their own. The lines here can get about as long as for Tony Luke’s; the two stands are a short fly ball apart.

Campo’s has beef and chicken cheesesteaks, pizza steaks, even veggie steak sandwiches, which is a bit of an oxymoron. Their most popular sandwich is the “Heater”, with Buffalo hot sauce and jalapeno cheddar cheese. (It’s very hot, trust me, especially with jalapenos piled on it.) They also now have an award-winning meatball sandwich to go with the cheesesteaks.

The real winner in the battle of Citizens Bank Park cheesesteaks? The fans!

If you’re trying to choose between Campo’s and Tony Luke’s (gutless cop-out coming!), they both make a good sandwich. The difference is more the variety than anything…the Tony Luke’s roast pork sandwich and the Campo’s Heater are both great but very different.

Sorry if that doesn’t help; I’ll just say I’ve tried both and I’m in the Campo’s camp. I usually get a Heater with the Works included…which they’ll do for you if you ask. Campo’s was once voted the 2nd best ballpark food by USA Today, but my opinion is worth more than theirs.

The generic Buffalo chicken cheesesteak at Citizens Bank Park, finally emerging from the shadows.

Around the rest of the ballpark you can find stands like City Steak and Cobblestone Grill that serve the generic cheesesteaks. These aren’t terrible by any means, but you might prefer the authentic edition. I believe you can still get a Buffalo chicken cheesesteak, though, which is a favorite of mine.

I don’t know who makes the meat for the sandwiches; in the past it’s been Original Philly and Delco’s Original but the Phillies aren’t saying at the moment. I was a big Delco’s fan, so I wouldn’t mind running with that, especially at a smaller price than the Ashburn Alley sandwiches.

Philly sports food begins and ends with crab fries.

Citizens Bank Park Food, Part 3) Ashburn Alley – Pizza, Crab Fries, Sandwiches + Wings

I’ve already mentioned the iconic cheesesteak choices, but there is a plethora of excellent and Philadelphia-based food choices in Ashburn Alley beyond center field. If you want the true Citizens Bank Park food experience, get to the ballpark when the gates open and enjoy the shorter lines.

When you work with your evil twin to make pizza, the result is pizza genius.

When I saw that Manco & Manco’s Pizza had been added to the Citizens Bank Park food menu, I literally pumped my fist…a South Philly ballpark needs to represent on pizza. In case you didn’t know, Manco & Manco’s has been a staple of the Ocean City NJ boardwalk for longer than I’ve been alive (which is a long time), and a Jersey Shore boardwalk is not an easy place to thrive for a long time with a pizza shop.

Anyway, to explain, Manco & Manco’s pizza is a thin crust boardwalk style pizza, with sauce that has the right amount of zing and cheese that I think is a mixture of mozzarella and sharp cheddar. It’s a quality pizza worthy of South Philly, and you’ll probably see lines here similar to the outpost in Ocean City. They have plain, pepperoni, and a rotating series special pizza.

Now you know where to find a good Buffalo chicken wrap at the ballpark.

Long ago when I first started writing for the first class publication JerseyMan Magazine, they had me write a piece stacking up P.J. Whelihan’s against Chickie’s and Pete’s. I gave the nod to Chickie’s and Pete’s, but it was VERY close. P.J. Whelihan’s outpost at Citizens Bank Park has tasty and not overly hot wings and chicken wraps, along with several craft beer selections.

In 2022 P.J.’s introduced an alternative to typical ballpark nachos…the Wicked Chicken Nachos. Shredded cheddar and jack cheese, cheese sauce, scallions, sliced chicken, and any of their famous sauces. I’ve never had a bad meal at a P.J.’s anywhere, I think you can trust these.

And you thought Ryan Howard was a superstar as a player!
(photo courtesy of Colbie’s)

Colbie’s Southern Kissed Chicken is also new and a win-win for Phillies ballpark food. Colbie’s is partially owned by former Phillies star Ryan Howard, and the recipes for their “Southern-kissed” fried chicken sandwiches were inspired by chef Fabio Viviani of “Top Chef” fame. They have three other locations, including one in Kissimmee, FL, presumably for spring training fans.

Anyway, this is your spot for an amazing fried chicken sandwich Southern-style, including one called The Big Piece (bacon, lettuce, tomato and pickles and a Hawaiian bun). They also offer a Nashville Hot (Nashville hot sauce, spicy aioli, pickles, lettuce, tomato, and pepper Jack cheese), and for dessert get your Peach Spoon Pie or fried chocolate sandwich cookies (which I presume means “fried Oreos”, but I expect they can’t legally say that).

The fries don’t actually have crab meat in them, even though that would be cool.

You probably won’t be inside Citizens Bank Park for more than five minutes before you see someone carrying a bucket of Chickie’s and Pete’s Crab Fries. For the uninitiated, these are crinkle-cut fries jiggled in Old Bay-style seasoning, and with a cheese sauce that is a mixture of melted American cheese and ranch dressing.

Philadelphians swear by the crab fries (I remember their not lasting long in my first try…they are definitely addictive), and again, lines get long. But the lines move quickly, and there’s a neat mural of Phillies history to look at while you’re waiting.

Cheaper crab fries and a ride to the ballpark. Bryce doesn’t even get that deal!

If you’re bent on trying the crab fries and want to save a few bucks, try using the Taxi Crab to the actual Chickie’s and Pete’s and have a basket there. (More about the advantages of the Taxi Crab here.) It’s cheaper, and you get two cups of cheese sauce (as opposed to paying a couple dollars extra for one at the ballpark), you don’t have to stand in line, and you can get a much less expensive beer when the seasoning catches up.

Because when word gets out about the Bull Dogs, you need to make a lot.

Citizens Bank Park Food, Part 4) Left Field Plaza – Hot Dogs, Sausages, BBQ + Donuts

Older Phils fans remember Greg “The Bull” Luzinski and his titanic home run shots from the great late 1970s teams. As he did as a player, he’s giving fans their money’s worth at Bull’s BBQ, with smoked food cooked on a monstrous grill along with the opportunity to pose with and get the autograph of a Phillies great.

If he never hit a home run in his career, I’d still shake Luzinski’s hand for this.

Bull’s BBQ is, obviously, something of a homage to Boog’s in Baltimore, but it’s every bit as good as Boog’s in my humble opinion (and that is no knock on Boog). The Bull serves first-class pulled pork, big turkey legs, addictive mac and cheese, and the “Bull Dog”, a huge glazed kielbasa, with baked beans and slaw for sides. All get rave reviews.

There are kiddie plates here for a decent value meal, homestand specials, and sampler plates if you’d like to try all of it. If you like the BBQ sauce, you can buy a bottle of that, too.

When your donuts are this good, you call them Federal.

There was a big buzz about Federal Donuts being added to Citizens Bank Park some years ago, with a stand out in left field by the escalator, and with good reason.

Federal Donuts at the ballpark is known for just two things; fried chicken sandwiches and donuts, but it’s enough. Actually just the donuts are enough. The chicken is made in flavors like buttermilk ranch or chili garlic, and the crispy donuts are made with a “doughnut robot” and come in various flavors which change from time to time.

The cost of two donuts is reasonable for a ballpark, and the donuts come out warm and crispy if you like your donuts that way. Take my word for it, they’re superb donuts…whenever someone I know is going to a game, I always have them bring me back a couple. The fried chicken is no slouch either.

There’s no boardwalk, but there’s no pesky seagulls either.

The Boardwalk Eats stand doesn’t feature local eatery items like Chickie’s and Pete’s or Shake Shack, but that doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with the food. They have Hatfield hot dogs and Italian sausages, along with fresh made burgers and fries…in other words, it’s like eating at one of the Jersey Shore boardwalk eateries on a good day. They have turkey burgers if you’re watching your waistline, along with veggie burgers and dogs.

In 2022 they introduced a peanut butter and jalapeno jelly burger…with bacon and cheese. Let me know what you think if you try that, since I doubt I could handle it.

Boardwalk Eats, like Bull’s BBQ, is next to a picnic area, making it easy to sit down with your grub.

The underrated part? No lines!

Citizens Bank Park Food, Part 5) Generic Hot Dogs, Sausages, Pizza, Etc.

As you get away from Ashburn Alley the food choices become significantly more generic, with the focus on Hatfield hot dogs and sausages, generic cheesesteaks (I can’t believe I just put those two words together), and pizza that last I checked is from Seasons.

Hatfield Quality Meats is a longtime staple in the region; they’ve been selling pork products in the region for over 125 years (although I think their hot dogs are made with beef). They make the point that their pork is “raised with no added hormones or steroids to enhance growth”. I thought that was illegal in baseball anyway, but whatever. You can buy Phillies franks on their website.

With rolls even!

The dogs and sausages are more than adequate, with some calling the sausage and peppers the best value for food in the ballpark. If you search a bit you might find a fancy hot dog; in the past the Phillies had one with broccoli rabe, roasted peppers and aged provolone called the South Philly Dog.

Sauce, cheese, and crust. It counts.

The Seasons Pizza at the generic pizza stands is no Manco & Manco’s, but they aren’t terrible if you’re not expecting gourmet quality pizza. Plain or pepperoni most of the time, and I believe they cost the same, so pile the pepperoni on. If you’re late to the Manco & Manco’s party, the generic pizza without the long lines works fine.

And now, for your viewing pleasure, Buffalo chicken tenders.

Similarly the Fairmount Fries aren’t Shake Shack or Chickie’s and Pete’s quality but again aren’t bad…they even leave the skin on…and a bit cheaper. You can get garlic fries last I checked, and I quite like the Buffalo chicken tenders at the Fries stands.

You can see why I’m including this, just in case.

In the past there was a Bull’s BBQ Express stand on the mezzanine level. It became just the BBQ Express later, and I don’t know if it’s still there, but it was a place to get BBQ pork or chicken nachos. Otherwise just the orange whiz glop and jalapenos, but a filling nacho meal at least. Again, don’t hold me to that still being there. I don’t see it on the team website.

Black bean burgers in case a Mets fan is sitting next to you.

Citizens Bank Park Food, Part 6) Vegetarian, Vegan + Gluten-Free

Citizens Bank Park has been voted multiple times by PETA as the most vegetarian friendly ballpark in baseball; Chickie’s and Pete’s crab fries might have something to do with that. All the same, you have a lot of vegan and vegetarian options here, even from the bigger names.

There’s a Vegetarian Grill stand behind Section 125, with cheesesteaks and sausages made from plants for people who insist they don’t miss meat. This stand carries an Impossible Foods® cheesesteak…with their brand of faux meat, Gouda cheese sauce, tomato jam and crispy onions.

When you think about it, it takes a bit of effort to pull off a vegan cheesesteak.

I mentioned trying and liking the vegan cheesesteak at Harry The K’s, but that was some years ago and I don’t know if they still offer it. That said, Harry’s is a good spot for healthier items, and you can usually find low calorie, vegan and vegetarian items there.

Chickie’s and Pete’s fries, Manco & Manco’s plain pizza, the veggie burgers and dogs at Boardwalk Eats, and the veggie steak from Campo’s are all vegetarian. Campo’s can make you a vegan cheesesteak with Impossible® non-meat too.

The MENU is there. You have to look harder for the food.

The Phils are kinder to the celiac-afflicted among us than some ballparks. They’ve dedicated a stand just for celiacs; it is located at Section 122 and features all of the classic ballpark options in gluten-free format: hot dogs, cheesesteaks, Bull’s BBQ sandwiches and pizza. The Phillies also occasionally host a Celiac Awareness Night.

Manco & Manco’s has a gluten-free pizza, but they state on their website that they can’t guarantee the safety of it, so I expect that’s probably the case at the ballpark too. Campo’s can make a gluten-free cheesesteak, but be sure to ask about the rolls. And if all else fails, Chickie’s and Pete’s crab fries are gluten-free. (Hooray!)

I’ll soon be discussing that you can get away with bringing in your own food to Citizens Bank Park, so if you need to bring in some Udi’s rolls or something and ask for your Bull Dog to be put on that roll, you can probably do it.

With a helpful picture of “ice cream”.

Citizens Bank Park Food, Part 7) And For Dessert…

When I researched this piece I noticed Turkey Hill and their “Graham Slam” ice cream is no longer at Citizens Bank Park. OK, I didn’t weep about it, but it did cause a tinge of sadness.

Anyway, Richman’s is the brand of ice cream at Phillies games now, and the soft serve in the miniature Phillies helmet with toppings is available at Boardwalk Eats, the Old City Creamery stands, and at other generic stands throughout the ballpark.

Richman’s claims on their website that their ice cream “tastes the same it did over a hundred years ago”. Props for their preservative technique! They’ve been around for over 100 years, so maybe there’s something to that South Jersey cows thing.

Colorful and tasty on a hot day, and there are plenty of those in Philly.

It turns out that Richman’s is owned by Philadelphia Water Ice, which explains the presence of both here. In addition to Richman’s ice cream, there’s the locally famous water ice kiosks on the mezzanine and third level, and usually in Ashburn Alley as well. I don’t know what flavors they have, but I expect orange, lemon, cherry and blueberry are prominent.

The water ice kiosks are very popular on hot days, so you might be waiting in line for it. On cold nights you might find hot chocolate and homemade soup here.

I don’t know if they still have the Pennsylvania Dutch funnel cakes, but cotton candy and Dippin’ Dots are easy to find just about anywhere at the Bank.

You can fit a few sandwiches in a 16*16*8 bag. Good ones.

Citizens Bank Park Food, Part 8) Bring Your Own + Other Tightwad Tips

Yes, you can bring your own food into Citizens Bank Park, sort of. You can carry a 16*16*8 bag into the place, so long as it does not contain alcohol, bottles or cans. That’s certainly large enough to hold your peanuts and crackerjack.

I mentioned the Taxi Crab from Chickie’s and Pete’s; you can get takeout crab fries there and get your cheese sauce included as opposed to paying extra for it. Saves a few bucks. In the Chickie’s and Pete’s plaza is also an excellent pasta shop and deli called Pastaficio’s; people rave online about their sandwiches and talk about including them in a trip to the game. (I’ve done that myself and not regretted it.)

A heaven-sent store for thrifty South Jersey Phillies fans.

If you’re a South Jersey native, here’s one of my favorite tricks: If you’re using the PATCO-SEPTA train combo from NJ, there is an excellent nuts and candy shop called “Nuts 2 You” on 13th and Walnut Streets…whenever I use the PATCO I stop there and fill up with their warm and fresh peanuts and sesame sticks.

There’s also Xfinity Live! across the street from the ballpark, of course; you can order takeout from a number of joints here, including Chickie’s and Pete’s crab fries and Geno’s cheesesteaks, but there’s a definite markup and I don’t know that there’s enough of a cost savings to make it worth the trouble.

If you’re taking using Regional Rail to get to the ballpark, at Suburban Station (where you transfer to the Board Street Line) there are several fast food joints and even sushi bars to load up your bag. Bring as much to drink in plastic bottles as you can; you will likely be thirsty.

Note the concentration of salt in the center of the soft pretzels. That’s actually authentic.

Before and after games there are vendors on Pattison Avenue, selling soft pretzels and bottled water much cheaper than inside. If you’re interested in a soft pretzel (the other food staple of Philly), you should get one outside, and get a water or two because they’re salty. If you think of it, have a couple of mustard packets on hand to put mustard on your pretzel so it isn’t so dry. You financial wizard you.

Here’s a few more tightwad tips to help you save money on food at Citizens Bank Park:

The Phillies sell souvenir cups of soda; they cost a bit extra but you get a free refill, making it well worth the extra couple of bucks. You can get a bottomless popcorn too, and you won’t get arrested if you share it.

Be a good sport and encourage your friends to have a few.

If you don’t plan to drink alcohol, you can get a coupon for a free soda at the Designated Driver Signup, in exchange for a pledge to drive your partners home. If you drink the soda fast enough you can fill your cup of ice with water at the fountains. Last I checked, the booth was near the kids play area.

If you have kids with you, or if you don’t mind smaller portions, there are Phanatic Kids Corner stands selling smaller dogs and PB&J sandwiches at reduced prices for kids. Smaller portions, but the kids won’t care.

The savings increase exponentially with every hot dog you eat!

The Phillies have about a half dozen Dollar Dog Nights each season, which is great deal of course, but remember that lines can be long. The best thing about Dollar Dog Nights, actually, is the shorter lines everywhere else, but a ballgame dog for a buck is pretty cool. And vegan dogs are now included.

The chicken parm panini. Making Philly baseball better.
(photo courtesy of Greens and Grains)

New Citizens Bank Park Food For 2023!

The Phillies have a great selection of food going on, particularly offering a taste of Philadelphia, and there isn’t a need to change much. But they did add a few nice items in 2023, including some healthy eats and a nod to the last World Series winning manager in Philly:

Greens and Grains is a vegan and vegetarian food joint with locations mostly in South Jersey, where I live. They’re offering up their Chk’n Parm Pesto Panini sandwich, the Gyro Pita sandwich (with what they call Homemade Seitan Gyro “Meat”), and a Moving Mountains plant-based vegan hot dog. I love gyros and they’re an underrated ballpark food, and I’m eating healthier these days, so I’m happy about this.

Uncle Charlie’s Steaks is named for Charlie Manuel, the even-keeled manager who led the Fightin’ Phils to their glorious championship of 2008. It’s fresh cheesesteaks on Liscio’s seeded rolls with Herr’s kettle chips.

I’m not sure if it’s Uncle Charlie’s recipe or not, but you now have another choice…this makes four types of cheesesteaks at Citizens Bank Park, not including the ones you can get at Geno’s at Xfinity Live! or at Oregon Steaks close to some of the satellite lots. Love that.

Some of the existing eateries are also offering some new items…Federal Donuts now has crispy chicken tenders with their “Everything Rooster” dipping sauce. Should be a bit neater than the fried chicken pieces they used to serve.

The Pass and Stow eatery how has South Philly Disco Fries, and listen to this lineup: fries topped with roast pork, melted sharp provolone cheese, broccoli rabe, and roasted red peppers. Think of the classic Tony Luke’s roast pork sandwich but with fries instead of bread. Ding!

They’ll also have Mexican street popcorn, with a Tajin chile spice blend, lime juice, and cotija cheese. A cool variation of Mexican street corn, and I’m surprised no one else thought of that to my knowledge.

Here’s one more pic of a Citizens Bank Park cheesesteak for you.

There you have it my friends…your complete guide to the Citizens Bank Park food menu. Philly sports fans have it pretty good, yes? You are now armed with the knowledge you need to make an informed selection at the game, and help your friends (or date) with the challenging selection too.

If you’d like to know how to choose a great seat at Citizens Bank Park, check out this highly detailed seating guide…and if you’d like to know how to score cheap Phillies tickets, the best way to get to there, and what to do with the kids, check out this highly informative and useful guide to Citizens Bank Park.

Thanks for reading, and please support Ballpark E-Guides sponsors!
 

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One very cool thing about PNC Park in Pittsburgh is that because of its location, you have a choice of not just the free downtown buses and light rail (I talk a little bit about that here), but also some fun, romantic and greener ways to arrive at a Pirates game. For the best way to get to PNC Park without a car, check out one of these choices (but first a quick word from our sponsor)…

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“And folks, if you look to your left, you’ll see…oh wait, here we are!”

Best way to get to PNC Park, #1) The Gateway Clipper. The Gateway Clipper folks have a fleet of inland riverboats that run folks from Station Square to the outfield entrance of PNC Park. The fee is reasonable and free for kids under six. You can usually park in the West Lot at Station Square cheaply, so long as there isn’t a special event going on.

Clippers begin carrying passengers over two hours before the game starts, and begin return trips in the 7th inning until a half hour after the game (or a half hour after postgame fireworks or kids running bases). The lines for the return trip can get long afterwards, so be prepared.

The Clipper is a fun and novel way to get to or from a ballgame; it’s also a cool romantic thing if you’re so inclined. Station Square is a happening spot, with stores, restaurants and hotels and a railroad car that can take you up the Monongahela Incline for a spectacular view of Pittsburgh.

Just try to get on the earliest boat, because they’ll sometimes wait until a boat is full before sending it, and this has made people late for games in the past.

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Featuring a solar-powered station, for further carbon footprint reduction with your baseball!

Best way to get to PNC Park, #2) Ride your bicycle (or rent one). PNC Park isn’t a bad ballpark to two-wheel it; there are bicycle paths near the park, including a sweet scenic route along the waterfront. Cyclists can use any of the many bridges that connect the North Shore to Everywhere Else in Pittsburgh except for the I-579 Veterans Bridge. There are ample bicycle racks on Federal Street on the east side of the ballpark.

An organization called Bike Pittsburgh features a map of trails and dedicated bicycle lanes in the city on their website. If you’re using a car/bicycle combination, Bike Pittsburgh suggests parking for free at Washington’s Landing north in the Allegheny and using the North Shore Trail straight to the park.

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You also have bicycle rental options in Pittsburgh; for a small fee, Pogoh members can take a bike from various stations throughout the city and return it to another station.

Pogoh has a station close to PNC; it’s at the foot of the Fort Duquesne Bridge a block east of the ballpark. You could also use the Allegheny station, and hop on the T for a free ride to the North Side station. The North Side Station is right at the front door of PNC Park.

From what I’ve read in reviews of Pogoh (generally positive), it’s definitely a good idea to get everything set up as far as accounts and such before trying this.

Nothing like having the right of way in downtown.

Best way to get to PNC Park, #3) Take a rickshaw. For a novel way to avoid traffic, save gas, and be eco-friendly, Green Gears Pedicabs will pedal you in a bicycle rickshaw to PNC Park and back from most downtown locations. Just call them and tell them where you are, and they’ll send one.

You can even bring a reasonable amount of cargo, and the nice part is that you don’t have to wait for the driver on the phone in front of you to get moving.

Up to three can ride in a Pedicab, and the price is fairly reasonable for the experience (parking would be cheaper, but just saying), although they would probably like you to tip.

Baseball fans talk glowingly about the view in PNC Park, and rightly so, but I consider the multiple ways to arrive at the place a great plus too. For your next visit to PNC, try an unusual way to get there, and experience more of a great city!

(Need more PNC Park help? Check out my completely detailed PNC Park seating guide, some great food options at the home of the Pirates, and some killer parking spots!)

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Can you bring food into Fenway Park? The short answer is yes, you can. The Red Sox allow you to bring in a 5*9*2 soft-sided bag, so long as it doesn’t contain alcohol or potential projectiles. Small, but still potentially useful. Nothing wrong with the Fenway Park food menu, but it’s nice to save a few bucks, especially in Boston.

(Note: As of 2023, I’m told you can no longer bring food into Fenway Park…I’m not sure how much the Red Sox are enforcing that, but I suppose you should be aware. I’m sharing these choices anyway. You’ll just have to eat your sausage sandwich when you buy it. Dang.)

But now that you know that you can bring food into Fenway Park, the new question is what to bring in…and Ballpark E-Guides, always willing to take the extra base, has a few suggestions:

Some Food Items You Can Bring Into Fenway Park…

That is more than enough Inner Beauty.

The Sausage Connection. Of all of the vendors selling sausages on Lansdowne Street before the game, the Sausage Connection is my personal favorite. It’s a yellow kiosk near the Game Day tickets line.

Not only are the prices for sausages and chicken teriyaki sandwiches better than inside the ballpark, they offer that “Inner Beauty” hot sauce, a thick mustard-style sauce that will blow out the back of your brain (go easy with it at first, seriously).

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Bigger than the roll, and foil included. Check.

The Sausage Guy. David Littlefield sells hefty and reasonably priced (for Fenway) sweet Italian sausages, and he loads them up with a nice amount of peppers and onions. Good and messy as it should be. Look for the small blue kiosk in front of Cask -N- Flagon.

And he’s open well into the evening, just in case you’re hungry after the game and have a few bucks left.

You need only dodge traffic to get there.

Tasty Burger. The chain of burger and beer joints has a location on the corner of Jersey Street and Boylston Street, just a block from the ballpark (it’s close enough that they can charge $50 to park there). The restaurant itself is cheaper…and the selection of burgers is much, much better.

That’s just three great choices if you want to bring food into Fenway Park and save a few bucks. If you’d like to know more about Fenway Park for your next visit, check out this amazing (and free) guide!

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If you’re like me, you love checking out a team store every time you visit a ballpark, especially a new one. There’s always cool stuff to buy. But for me anyway, it’s hard to part with my hard earned cash there. No matter what I look at…team jerseys, caps, pencils, golf balls, jigsaw puzzles, it’s impossible to think I can’t find it cheaper someplace else.

That’s why I love MLBShop, for several reasons…

Don’t wait till you get to the ballpark to get your team gear…
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Click here to order your official MLB gear today!

This is why they lure you into the team store.

For one, I can get my gear ahead of time. I don’t have to waste valuable time in the team store trying to decide on the Adley Rutschman or Gunnar Henderson jersey. That time is better spent enjoying a Boog’s BBQ sandwich!

It’s also, in almost all cases, cheaper to order at MLBShop.com than it is to buy your gear at the ballpark, especially if you take advantage of specials. As I write this sentence, for example (just before Black Friday), MLBShop is offering up to 50% off on items using a discount code.

Yes, I’m aware that “up to” is a flexible phrase. But that said, you VERY rarely see deals like this at the actual team store. (And I did score a nice deal on a gift for my son just now.)

There’s no better way to show you’ve been to D.C. than with a Racing Presidents tee shirt!

It can work the other way too. Did you like the Space City jerseys you saw in the Minute Maid Park team store, but balked at paying $159.99 for one? Again, as I write this, with the aforementioned discount code, MLBShop is offering that jersey for $108.79. Even with shipping, you’re coming out ahead.

That’s not just jerseys, of course. MLBShop features bags (see why I recommend having a tote bag or something similar here, here, and here), car accessories, flags, pajamas, in other words, most of the cool items you can find in a ballpark team store. You can search for items featuring your favorite player (hmmm…Adley? Gunnar? Adley? Gunnar? You see the problem.), by brands, even holiday collections.

It’s also official team sanctioned stuff, which is usually higher quality. Shopping for cheaper bootleg items from vendors outside the ballpark is fun in its own way, but you’re limited by their selection…and possibly their level of quality control.

Besides, if you’re worried that the cool thing you’re checking out won’t be available online, you can always just pull out your phone and check. (And compare prices.)

Okay, if you have a three-year-old daughter at home, sometimes it can’t wait.

So here’s a piece of money and time saving advice for you. If you’d like to rep your team before going to the game, by all means find your ideal jersey, cap, hoodie or shorts at MLBShop.

If you’re not sure what you’d like to get, by all means roam that team store…because so many of them have awesome stuff.

But then take pics with your phone of things you like, and order them online. You’ll not only save money on that adjustable cap, new pillow and set of team pens (remember to add the shipping cost though), you won’t have to lug them around the ballpark and back to your car!

There’s lots of reasons for any baseball fan to love MLBShop, and that’s why they’re the Official MLB Gear Store of Ballpark E-Guides! (That’s not really a thing, but it could be.)

And if I’ve helped you out, using this link to get your gear at MLBShop will help keep this site rolling at no extra cost to you…and I really appreciate your support!

(Note: this article contains affiliate links. If you use an affiliate link to make a purchase, Ballpark E-Guides earns a commission, at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support!)

If you’re planning to see a Philadelphia Phillies home game, there’s actually a lot to know about how to get to Citizens Bank Park. This complete Citizens Bank Park parking guide will tell you everything you need to know, plan ahead and choose a parking spot that works best for you.

It’s a good idea to just drive and park at a Phillies game in most cases, since there’s ample parking. Public transit to the game isn’t terrible, but it’s not ideal. But don’t just choose the first available lot; I’ll help you have an easier time of it.

Lots of Phillies parking, especially on non-game days!

You have a lot of options to choose from, so I’m breaking this down for you, including alternate routes you can use to find prime parking spots at a Phillies game.

Getting to Citizens Bank Park (+ Alternate Routes)
Official Philadelphia Phillies Parking
Satellite Phillies Parking Lots + Tailgating
Cheap Parking (With A Bit of A Walk)
Free Street Parking Spaces
The Chickie’s and Pete’s Taxi Crab
Parking For The Day in Philadelphia

Something for everyone! We’ll get started after this quick word from our sponsor:

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“Found it! OK where do we park?”

Citizens Bank Park Parking, Part 1: Driving To Citizens Bank Park (+ Best Route)

The Citizens Bank Park parking lots are easily accessible from several exits of I-76 (aka the Schuylkill Expressway) going east-west and I-95 going north-south. From New Jersey, the ballpark is close to the Walt Whitman Bridge, which is part of I-76.

There are several interchanges to use that are marked “Stadium Complex”, so you can take the less obvious and less backed up exits before and after the marked ones (the park is visible from the elevated highways).

Traffic does get backed up, although the delays aren’t usually enough to make you miss anything if you arrive an hour before first pitch. You should check to see if there is another event going on in the sports complex, though, and arrive extra early if there is.

This is the best way to get there for me (I come from South Jersey): try using exit 348 from I-76 or exit 13-14 from I-95, onto Penrose Avenue. (This can be done going east as well.) Penrose is a good route to approach the park, since most people are coming from the roads at the frequently used exits and there’s plenty of parking from this direction. It’s easier getting out after the game for the same reason.

My only exception is when another event is going on. All of the city’s sports teams (and concerts etc.) use the South Philadelphia sports complex, so it can be a problem when more than one event is happening. Lincoln Financial Field (Eagles) and the Wells Fargo Center (Flyers/76ers) are south of the ballpark, so your best bet in this case is to approach the ballpark from Packer Avenue if you can, away from the other arenas.

I-76 traffic eastbound can be bad anytime, which you can avoid by taking I-476 south (called the “Blue Route” by locals) to I-95 north and using the I-95 exits. I-95 from the north also has its rough moments; Delaware Avenue runs parallel to it and becomes Pattison Avenue south of I-76 if you need to escape it.

If you find yourself with tickets for a Friday night game during the summer months, don’t even try to use I-76 eastbound. The traffic headed to the Jersey shore could well make you miss several innings. Try using a SEPTA Regional Rail train if you can and just make sure you can get back.

Coming from well north of the ballpark, I-295 in New Jersey is almost always better than I-95, and you can use the Walt Whitman Bridge and be right there. But as I write this, the I-295/I-76 interchange is in construction mode (as a Jersey native I can tell you it always seems that way); you might see some delays near game time especially.

Am I the only one that thinks this map would be more useful before you park?

Citizens Bank Park Parking, Part 2: Official Philadelphia Phillies Parking

The Phillies have a helpful parking map on their Parking Information page for your viewing pleasure…but here’s a bit more to know.

Most of the lots owned by the Phillies are north of Pattison Avenue and mostly west of the ballpark along Citizens Bank Way; the preferred parking lots for season ticket holders are close to the ballpark but don’t offer any kind of easier out.

The lots for pay as you go folks are large, but there are lots south of Pattison and east of the ballpark that are actually closer. The cost of car parking is about the same in all the surrounding lots, so no need to search for deals at the last minute. You shouldn’t have a problem actually finding a spot for most games.

If you’re planning to enjoy all of the attractions in Ashburn Alley (and you should), try to get a spot near the left field entrance (Lots T, U, and V) and be early.

Tailgating is not permitted in the lots next to the ballpark; for pre-game partying you can use the lots south of Pattison Avenue. The tailgating scene is somewhat respectable as baseball tailgating goes. (Milwaukee it’s not, but it’s a good time.)

You can purchase a pre-paid parking pass on the Phillies website; but there’s a small service fee for it and most times you won’t need it. The Phillies have a useful page on their site that shows the easiest way to get to your seats; if you want to minimize your walking, you can plan ahead and use the best parking lot closest to the best gate.

The Phillies lots are also, for the most part, annoyingly last-in-first-out…if you need a quick exit consider some of the satellite lot choices below.

Free bonus tip for baseball history buffs! If you’re looking for the home plate location from Veterans Stadium (previous home of the Phillies), it’s in Lot U.

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Nothing like being able to tailgate in the rain. Philly sports teams truly care.

Citizens Bank Park Parking, Part 3: Satellite Parking Lots

Lincoln Financial Field (Eagles) has sizable lots that are used for Phillies games; this is the most popular tailgating spot for a couple of reasons; there are ample port-a-potties to help you reset the clock before getting in line, and there are also large solar panels covering rows of parking spots that provide cover or shade from the weather.

The closest Lincoln and Jetro Warehouse lots are right across Pattison Avenue from the ballpark and are closer than some of the Phillies lots, although they don’t offer a quicker exit. (My lot of choice is usually Lot G, on the other side of Xfinity Live! It’s not cheaper, but it’s very convenient both to the ballpark and a westward exit on Pattison.)

If you are tailgating, it’s advised not to park your car in a dark remote corner because (I kid you not, someone online said this) someone may urinate on it.

The Xfinity Live! complex west of the Linc lot offers valet parking for about the same price as other parking; there’s no tailgating obviously but you can use a credit or debit card here if you’ve forgotten to bring cash. You’d probably want to tip the guy, so that’s an extra couple of bucks. This is very convenient to the ballpark, and good if you want to hang out here for the party afterward, but Xfinity Live! ain’t cheap. Bring your gold card.

Across the street from the FDR Club on Pattison Avenue (west of the NRG train station) is the NovaCare complex. Just west of the complex is a large parking lot with plenty of space for fans. It isn’t any cheaper and it’s a 20-minute walk, but this is a very easy and quick in and out.

Leaving this lot, make a right away from the ballpark instead of toward it onto Pattison, drive a few blocks and then turn left or right onto Penrose Avenue, which can get you to both I-95 and I-76 respectively. You’ll sail out of there in a hurry, and the walk helps you burn off your Federal Donuts.

The Live! Casino just north of the ballpark replaced a fairly unpopular Holiday Inn; unfortunately that also removed a favorite parking location of mine. They do offer free (or reimbursed) Phillies game day parking for Live! Rewards® members, but that probably costs more than it’s worth. Otherwise parking here is more expensive than Phillies lots; it’s a convenient location but you can do better for the price.

As I said earlier, Lincoln Financial Field’s lots are the best of the tailgating spots. East of Lincoln Financial is the Jetro warehouse (Lot M), which is also a popular tailgate destination. Jetro doesn’t offer the “car ports” that the Linc lot does though, and it isn’t any cheaper except from a good distance away, so if tailgating is your thing and you’re early, try the Linc lot first.

They don’t remove the bicycle racks until you promise you won’t tailgate.

Citizens Bank Park Parking, Part 4: Cheaper (But Farther) Phillies Parking

The Phillies and the sports complex offer ample enough parking that there aren’t a lot of options farther away, but there are a few decent options to save a few bucks.

There is a church on 10th Avenue (Stella Maris Catholic Convent) north of the ballpark with parking that is cheaper than the Phillies lots, and it’s an easier out if you know where you’re going. Not too long of a walk and a nice view coming towards the ballpark. Incidentally, this spot is a short walk from Oregon Steaks if you’re interested in a classic Philly cheesesteak, but it’s in the opposite direction from the ballpark. Plenty of walking with that, but it burns off the calories.

The lots south of Lincoln Financial Field (as in the football stadium itself) aren’t any cheaper and are a long walk, but there is a lot behind the Jetro building that offers a lower rate. This one is a hike and dark at night games, however, and they claim to prohibit tailgating (although I saw some going on).

Similarly, east of the ballpark on Pattison you can find a lot or two that charges a few bucks less; it’s definitely a longer walk from here and some of them are gravel, but if you don’t mind this it’s also an easier out eastward after the game (partly because it’s cleared out by the time you get there).

Note the presence of a car owned by the Phillies…that’s a clue!

Citizens Bank Park Parking, Part 5: Free Street Parking For Phillies Games

My favorite spot for free street parking at Phillies games is on the western side of 7th Street north of Packer Avenue. I say this because I saw cars parked there and employees of the team coming from that direction, and they usually know how to park for free. I’ve done this without a problem, but you need to be early, and again it’s a walk.

Parking on South Lawrence Street in front of Samuels & Son for free was once common, but of late people have been getting ticketed for this. If you aren’t comfortable on South Lawrence, you can maybe try 3rd Street one block east, or some of the streets north and west of the ballpark, like Bigler Street (I believe the only time you can’t park on Bigler is when the street cleaners are out).

I’ve also seen people park on Hartranft Street west of the ballpark, which is almost as close as an official lot. I can’t speak to whether anyone’s ever been ticketed or towed, but they didn’t seem worried.

The Marconi Plaza park on the corner of Bigler and Broad has some angled parking spaces that I believe are free (I’ve never tried it). This is a good hike to the ballpark, but it’s not far from Chickie’s and Pete’s and their Taxi Crab shuttle (more on that in a minute). South of the plaza on Carlisle Street there is one hour parking on the east side until 6:00 PM, presumably after that you can park there and use the Taxi Crab.

There used to be free parking at the nearby FDR Park and Golf Club on Pattison west of the ballpark, but no longer. The Park charges a flat rate that applies all day on game day unless you’re a member of the club. I’ve read news stories of people being ticketed parking there for games.

All street parking is at your own risk of course; the Philly parking authority to my understanding isn’t very lenient whether there’s a clear sign on the street or not. The only spot I’m confident using is 7th Street.

Someone at Chickie’s and Pete’s realized that “cab” is very close to “crab”. And that, my friends, is genius.

Citizens Bank Park Parking, Part 6: Chickie’s and Pete’s Taxi Crab – Phillies Shuttle

If you want a meal and/or less expensive brew near Citizens Bank Park, the Taxi Crab from Chickie’s and Pete’s offers the best of both worlds.

At Chickie’s and Pete’s on Packer Avenue, you can order their famous crab fries and a beer to go with it, cheaper than in the ballpark and in a climate-controlled eatery. And they’ll give you a ride to the game in the colorful Taxi Crab, a free shuttle (tip the driver a couple bucks) with a cool paint job.

The shuttle is free but unfortunately you have to pay to park at Chickie’s and Pete’s. It costs a bit less than parking at the ballpark though, and your car is valet parked. And you can enjoy a meal at a popular local institution. It’s especially great for visitors who want that Philly experience.

FYI, Chickie’s and Pete’s has a stand in the ballpark for their famous crab fries, but the crab fries are much more expensive at the game (they even charge extra for the necessary cheese sauce). Instead, park at the restaurant itself, order crab fries to go, and get a ride to Citizens Bank Park’s front door.

Besides the iconic fries, Chickie’s and Pete’s has good grub at fairly reasonable prices. You won’t save too much money eating here over eating at the game, but there’s a decent selection of food and a long list of quality beers. It’s a big place, so you can probably land a seat.

So there are several benefits to the Taxi Crab: cheaper crab fries, less post-game traffic hassles, and a less expensive place for a drink before or after the game. It’s a great deal if you’re including a meal or a couple of drinks with your baseball.

Once you get out to where all those tall buildings are, you’re not gonna want to walk it.

Citizens Bank Park Parking, Part 7: Pre-Paid Parking in Center City Philadelphia

As I’ve said, you can buy pre-paid parking on the Phillies’ website, but you also have the option of parking in Center City (downtown for you non-Philadelphians) and using the SEPTA Broad Street Line to the ballpark. The Sports Express train is worth the extra effort if you can get on that one, trust me.

Some people do this move, but I only recommend this option if you’re making a day of it in Philly and including some sightseeing with your baseball (like the actual Liberty Bell); if you’re staying in a hotel downtown you’ll probably have a parking spot anyway, but if not, this is a viable option.

But if it does sound like a plan to book a space in the city and use the subway, definitely book it beforehand with my friends at SpotHero. They offer tons of great selections and you can choose the best deals near the train and favorite local attractions (if you’re a foodie who’s never been to Philly, definitely make the Reading Terminal Market one of your stops).

And thank you for that useful parking map!

So to sum up all of this, the parking at Citizens Bank Park is ample and nearly always sufficient; you shouldn’t even need to buy in advance in most cases. The best strategy is to choose your spot beforehand, and plan your route accordingly, based on whether you want to save money, have a short walk, tailgate, eat beforehand or all of these things.

Need More Phillies Game Tips at Citizens Bank Park?

I’ve got plenty of other advice for your next Phillies game at Citizens Bank Park, including what to choose from the amazing food selection, how to land a great seat at a Phillies game, and much more…or you can simply read my complete guide to the Phillies’ ballpark here.

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The Great American Ball Park food menu isn’t overly complicated. The Reds don’t have the ridiculous amount of options that, say, the Mets do. I didn’t see a sushi or lobster roll stand there. But there is a decent variety, and you should be able to find something that fits your taste, especially if you’re an American and like hot dogs at the game.

There’s also several stands that celebrate the local chains, and each one has something that makes for great ballpark food.

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In case you’d like a hot dog with your cheese.

Great American Ball Park Food Tip #1: The Skyline Chili Cheese Coney. If there’s a go-to item at Great American, at least judging by the number of them I saw being purchased, it’s probably the Skyline cheese and chili dog.

Skyline chili is a very popular chain that can be found all over Cincinnati, known for the local style of chili—which is probably different from the way most people outside of Cincinnati know it, with both cocoa and cinnamon as ingredients(!). There are several Skyline stands at Great American.

The Skyline Chili Cheese Coney is a small hot dog with a generous amount of Cincinnati-style chili and a nice helping of shredded cheddar piled on top. They’re not very long, only about four inches or so…and they’re economically priced so most people get two of them.

Definitely get a fork and some napkins for this one, but it’s good eats.

Buffalo chicken fries with bleu cheese. My day is complete.

Great American Ball Park Food Tip #2: Fry Box Buffalo Chicken Fries. The Fry Box stand at Great American ranks near the top of fry stands I’ve seen at ballparks, and remember I live in the home of Chickie’s and Pete’s in Philly.

Put Buffalo-style chicken on cheesecake and it would probably taste good. But put it on hand cut fried potatoes…which is pretty much nature’s perfect food…and add a generous helping of ranch dressing and blue cheese, and you’ve got a classic why-have-I-been-settling-so-much-in-my-life ballpark dish. When you need a fork to eat your loaded fries, they’ve been done right.

OK, so maybe it isn’t the healthiest thing, so walk it off along the riverfront…

Most pizza chains would need a plastic pizza replica to make their pizza look this good.

Great American Ball Park Food Tip #3: LaRosa’s Pizza. I would be giving LaRosa’s a shoutout anyway, since I visited one while I was in town and the folks there couldn’t have been nicer to me. But it’s pretty good pizza in its own right, and I’m a South Jersey pizza snob. I live in an area with several chains: Domino’s, Papa John’s, Little Caesar’s, Pizza Hut. LaRosa’s is easily better than all of them, and I hope they open a few in New Jersey.

At Great American LaRosa’s is represented with a few stands in the upper and lower concourses; you can get a plain slice, a slice with pepperoni, and a Montgomery Inn BBQ sandwich for some reason. According to the Reds website, they sell a calzone too, but I didn’t see it. Don’t be put off by the congealing slices that have been sitting on display for a while; your slice should be a little fresher.

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I like this guy. He looks a bit like Johnny Bench.

Great American Ball Park Food Tip #4) Frisch’s Big Boy Burgers. Frisch’s is another chain that started in Cincinnati; they were added to the long list of local chains featured in Great American once they figured out how to install their topsider grills. The stand in the main concourse actually has a statue of the big Frisch’s mascot in a Reds uniform. Very cool.

Frisch’s stands have the famous Big Boy burger, the double decker with two 1/8 pound patties, lettuce, cheese, pickles and Frisch’s famous tartar sauce (heavy on mayo and pickle relish). If you like that tartar sauce, you can get some extra for your burger.

It’s pretty tough to stand out with ice cream, but Graeter’s makes it happen with their black cherry. No lie.

Great American Ball Park Food Tip #5) Graeter’s (Black Cherry) Ice Cream. Cincinnatians know who Graeter’s is; heck, I’m from New Jersey and I know who they are. I once spent an hour searching through town for one; thankfully I can just go to a Reds game now.

Even though they’ve been in Cincinnati for almost 150 years. Graeter’s is probably the only brand of ice cream you need to know in town; they have a kiosk near Gapper’s Alley. I don’t know if they’ll have every Graeter’s flavor, but try the black cherry or the raspberry chocolate chip if they’re there.

That’s just a few of the great food items at Reds games; here’s the Reds menu if you’re looking for more. (Honestly though, these five are all I need.)

Want More Great American Ball Park Tips?

Ballpark E-Guides is happy to do the research for you for all of your ballpark tips, tricks and hacks…find out more useful and money-saving advice for your next Reds game here. Be sure to check out this excellent Reds parking guide too. And Follow Ballpark E-Guides on Facebook for plenty of great tips at your favorite ballparks!

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If you’re visiting PNC Park for the first time, there are, as with every ballpark, some things you need to know. PNC Park is one of the best ballparks in America and a popular ballpark chaser destination, so here are some ways to save yourself time, money and aggravation when you go.

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Lady, no need to use the phone, the ticket window is right next to you.

Visiting PNC Park, Tip #1: Consider the demand for tickets. The Pirates draw pretty well when they have a decent team on the field. And PNC can be a pretty decent draw even when the Pirates aren’t that great.

For midsummer weekend games, you’ll probably be better off buying through the team (sign up for the Pirates’ ticket alert newsletter and keep an eye out for no-fee days, the Pirates do have them), but during the week against a team other than the Cubs, you should be able to find a deal on Gametime.

There is a “scalp-free zone” at PNC Park, but I’ve never seen anyone selling tickets there, so you would probably have to patronize the legitimate scalpers (joke) if you are out of luck at the box office.

The people sitting in the outfield miss this.

Visiting PNC Park, Tip #2: Stay in the infield. The outfield seats are OK at PNC; there’s a nice view of the river and bridges if you turn your head, and it’s close to Manny’s and other cool eats.

But you’ll definitely want to be in the infield here, between the bases if at all possible, because of the stellar view of the Clemente Bridge and downtown Pittsburgh. I know you’re not at a ballgame to see a nice view, but it’s worth it, trust me. Pictures do not do the scene justice. Lower or upper level doesn’t really matter, the view from the infield is stellar.

Well worth the extra walk.

Visiting PNC Park, Tip #3: Park your car downtown. If you don’t mind a short walk, the parking lots in the “Point” section of Pittsburgh are cheaper than the lots on the North Shore closer to the ballpark.

The lot at Fort Duquesne and Sixth is right at the foot of the Clemente Bridge, and usually has spots if you’re early enough. Again, it’s a bit of a walk, but the view of the inside of PNC Park from the bridge is utterly spectacular, the best ballpark approach I can think of.

It’s equally stunning at night, with the blue “PNC Park” letters reflecting on the water. Extra bonus: there are cheap vendors of peanuts, water and T-shirts at the foot of the bridge as well.

Of course, snag your spot in advance…be sure to use my friends at SpotHero to book your parking!

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The iconic “no rules” Pittsburgh sandwich.

Visiting PNC Park, Tip #4: Try a taste of Pittsburgh. Like most ballparks, PNC features several eateries that are based in town and are favorites with the locals. You’ll pay the “atmosphere fee”, of course, but you’ll want to try something uniquely Pittsburgh.

The essential Pittsburgh foodie item is the Primanti Bros. sandwich…it’s your choice of steak, capicola or roast beef, covered with cheese and on airy Italian bread. Best of all, they stuff fries and slaw into the sandwich for you. Pittsburghers don’t have any rules when it comes to sandwiches.

There’s also Caliente Pizza, Smallman Street Deli dogs, Papa Duke’s gyros and other items that you can only get in Pittsburgh. You can also sample Manny’s BBQ…it’s not anything unique, but you might meet Pirates great Manny Sanguillen and the food is very good.

Here’s some more tips about PNC Park food items.

I’ve got nothing against Chickie’s and Pete’s fries, but that’s a Philly thing…save that for your Citizens Bank Park trip.

The biggest baseball fan you’ll ever meet.

Visiting PNC Park, Tip #5: Go meet Baseball Joe. I promise you, you’ve never met a bigger Pirates or even baseball fan than “Baseball Joe” Vogel. Despite being rendered deaf and mute from three strokes, he still manages to attend every Pirates home game, as he has since he was a young boy.

Baseball Joe sits in the covered section just above the out-of-town scoreboard in right field, and communicates with fans through a small keyboard he carries around. He is the biggest baseball fan anywhere…don’t even mention other sports to him. Joe loves to meet other baseball fans…you can tell him I sent you. Read more about Baseball Joe here.

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There you go, five tips for newbies visiting PNC Park in Pittsburgh. If you’d like some more details, by all means check out my detailed guide to PNC Park seating, some cool ways to get there without a car, and some tips for scoring cheap tickets!

One thing you probably do know is that PNC is one of the best ballparks in America…you probably won’t argue the point when you go.

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Here you go baseball fans – your complete Rogers Centre seating guide, full of tips to help you find the best seats at the Blue Jays ballpark for your taste and budget. Whether you’re visiting Rogers Centre for the first time, or you’re a regular, there’s plenty of info here to help you get the most bang for your buck.

(Hey fans…this was written in 2023, before the 2024 renovations. I haven’t had a chance to review that yet, but I promise I will when I can! You can read about the renovations on the Blue Jays website. That said, much of this should still be accurate.)

There’s a lot of good seats in Rogers Centre, there are some really bad seats, and there’s things to know about the cheap seats and standing room. I recommend you stay with me here, it’s all valuable and I hope you enjoy it. (I even put the links in Blue Jays blue for you.)

This is long, so I’ve broken down my best Rogers Centre seating tips:

Rogers Centre Seating Chart + Layout
Luxury + Party Suites
In The Action Seats
TD Comfort Clubhouse
Lower (100) Level
Mezzanine (200) Level
Upper (500) Level
Outfield Seats + The Worst Seats at Rogers Centre
Standing Room
WestJet Flight Deck
Restaurants + Hotel
A Few More Rogers Centre Seating Tips

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“But they’re all blue! How am I supposed to pick one?”

Rogers Centre Seating Tips, #1) Seating Chart + Ballpark Layout.

The Blue Jays kindly provide a virtual venue seating map on their website, and it does offer views from each section. I’m not being critical of it, it’s definitely helpful, but there are some extra things to know.

Rogers Centre has five levels of seating, each with its own concourse that circles the ballpark. The 300 and 400 levels are luxury suite levels and the 100, 200, and 500 levels are for the rest of us. The 100 level is the field level seating; the 200 level is the mezzanine and is further back from the 100 seats. The 500 level is the upper deck – or the “SkyDeck” as it was once aptly called.

Hmmm…my Spidey sense tells me that Section 235 could be on either side!

Unlike most ballparks, Rogers numbers aisles rather than sections, and an L or R is added to the aisle number on the ticket to denote which side of the aisle the seat is. Lower numbered aisles are on the first base/right field side.

Facing home plate, seats in each row start with seat 1 on the left side, and seat 101 on the right side, so any seat that ends with a 1 is an aisle seat. Seats 10 and 110 could be next to each other.

Juuuust so you know where it is, they’ve helpfully labeled the WestJet Flight Deck for you.

The WestJet Flight Deck patio is on the 200 level underneath the big scoreboard; the Marriott Hotel rooms are on the 300, 400, and 500 levels.

Here is the lowdown on the different seating areas of Rogers Centre, starting with the most expensive and working down to cheap seats the rest of us riffraff can afford:

Rolling chairs and a counter with outlets, for that “watch a ballgame while at work” feel!

Rogers Centre Seating, Tip #2) Luxury Suites.

There are 95 luxury suites at Rogers Centre on the 300 and 400 levels; they are available for a season, a multi-game plan, or for a single game; they have a considerably lower rate for season tickets, so you might be able to swing a deal on a third party site like Gametime.

The suites include interior leather seats and two rows of cushioned exterior seating, with counters, barstools and drink rails behind the glass inside, private bathrooms, customized catering from a menu with a wide selection (costs extra), and of course TVs both inside and outside to watch the game you’re paying hundreds of dollars to see in person.

Plenty of space for a game of pool with your baseball!

For the big groups there is the Summit Suite, along the third base line in the 400 level. These include TVs and pool tables for the full baseball experience. The Summit has north and south sides that can be combined for one big and expensive party.

If you want to throw a party for folks who don’t mind paying a nice chunk of change, there are party rooms on the 400 level in the outfield that include food in the cost. The price isn’t too awful for this, but the view of the game isn’t great.

Baseball loves sick kids.

When the late Roy Halladay was a Blue Jay he offered the Jays Care Community Clubhouse suite to disadvantaged children for games; the Jays continued this policy, so if you are running an organization for kids you can have a look at giving them the suite treatment for a game.

“Ooh…I think I see Geddy!”

Rogers Centre Seating, Tip #3) In The Action Seats.

The “In The Action” seats are comfortable, padded and large, and the Jays mean it; these seats are literally on the field of play, with two rows behind home plate and one each past the dugouts, separated from the other seating. Definitely watch out for foul balls (and fielders going for them, for that matter) in the dugout seats—it’s almost like you’re another infielder. Don’t do a Bartman.

The best seats in Rogers Centre, of course, include an in-seat waitress along with food and non-alcoholic beverages, and there’s an outside chance you could be sitting near a Toronto celebrity like Geddy Lee. (I hear Geddy signs autographs before the game, but he requests being left alone once it starts, in case you’re wondering.)

For an extra couple of bucks, they’ll even move the ladder for you.

In The Action seats are sold on a season ticket basis for over $200 a game (which truthfully isn’t bad compared to similar seats in some parks). You can sometimes score a deal for these on Gametime, so have a look a few hours before the game.

Ticket holders are allowed access to the TD Comfort Clubhouse and its gourmet buffet. Speaking of that…

It’s not the cushions you pay more for, it’s the considerably larger than ballpark size armrests!

Rogers Centre Seating, Tip #4) The TD Comfort Clubhouse.

The TD Comfort Clubhouse area is in the 200 level mezzanine behind home plate. This lounge features several booths and tables to enable folks to sit with a meal and watch the game, and there are also barstools with counters and leather sofas with a nice view of the action.

There are several TVs in the area to help you see what’s going on in front of you. If you are having dinner in one of the booths, they recommend reservations.

Please don’t spill your drink on the person in front of you with a smaller salary.

The padded seats in front of the Clubhouse are also for season ticket holders only, but the per game price surprisingly isn’t too bad, especially when a gourmet buffet, full bar, private bathroom and in-seat wait service is thrown in with access to the club. There’s even a wine list and a sommelier (someday I hope to have a need for a “sommelier”) to help you choose the best wine.

You can sometimes score these for a low demand game on Gametime for under $100 CAD, a great price.

The seats come in different colors, but they all work equally well.

Rogers Centre Seating, Tip #5) The Lower (100) Level.

Between the foul poles on the lower level are three pricing levels. Premium Dugout is the first 20 rows of sections between the dugouts; Field Level Infield is behind the Premium Dugout and one extra section on either side, and Field Level Bases extend from the bases to the foul poles. There are about 40 rows in most sections.

Field Level Bases are significantly cheaper than Infield, so you can save some bucks by moving one section over.

The slightly padded Premium Dugout seats cost only a couple of bucks more than the Field Level seats behind them, so if you’re handing out that much money you might as well fork over a little extra for a closer, padded seat with a cup holder if you can.

If you’re having a hard time finding something close to the field behind home plate, start looking further down at the Bases seats, because the price for Row 1 in these sections is the same as the last row.

Note the increased level of caution while finding a seat.

The angle of seating is steep enough in the lower level that you shouldn’t have a problem seeing over anyone, but the steps are a little higher too, so smaller people especially should be a bit careful. Thankfully, even the last rows don’t lose the scoreboard to the overhang, so no need to worry about that in Row 40.

Wide open for seat poaching!

In the corners near the foul pole, the seating is lowered and you need to use a walkway behind the seats to get to them. This is apparently is too much of a hassle for many fans, because these sections can be fairly empty on low attendance nights…and are a good place to improve your view if you have lesser seats.

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Good for shade too, which might be a good thing. Or not.

Rogers Centre Seating, Tip #6) The Mezzanine (200) Level.

The 200 level seats in the infield are no longer cushioned unfortunately, but the view is fairly nice even though your seats are further back from the field level seating. They cost about the same as 100 level seats, so your choice is between a closer seat or a slightly wider one with a cup holder (cup holders to me are worth about $8—or the cost of a soda and the peanuts whose shells will end up in the cup).

And the star second baseman was kind enough to autograph the wall.

The 200 level has its own concourse and concession areas, including the 12 Bar named for Roberto Alomar’s number. You can enjoy a drink at a table with a view at the 12 Bar, if you get tired of your seat. Unfortunately, the concession lines aren’t shorter on this level like you would think…long lines are unfortunately a part of life here.

Like with the 100 level, sections are divided into “Infield” and “Bases”, and again, the difference in price is significant, so it might be worth moving a section over.

For day games most of the upper rows of the 200 sections are usually covered in shade.

They may not have the best view of the game, but they’re happy.

Rogers Centre Seating, Tip #7) Outfield Seating (and the worst seats).

Outfield seats are cheaper than most here, but know that once you get about eight rows up you’re under the mezzanine overhang, and unless you’re in the front of the outer sections, you’ll lose sight of the big scoreboard, although there are TVs there to see any missed action.

The outfield sections are behind both bullpens, so you have a neat view of pitchers warming up, but your chances of catching a home run ball are slim, even during batting practice. If you want to do your part for the Jays and heckle the opposing team’s pitchers, the visitors’ bullpen is in right field.

There are about 12 rows in the outfield sections; the last couple of rows on both levels feel more like part of the concourse than the game.

This is just me. Your mileage may vary.

In the 100 level outfield seats, for some reason, there is a shortage of leg room. I don’t know why this is the case, but I would avoid it if you’re over six feet long like me.

In the 200 level in the outfield, the higher rows are next to pillars, and if you’re in the wrong spot you could lose a good portion of the field. Some seats are single seats with a wall on one side and the aisle on the other; avoid these at all costs.

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In championship years, fans were actually willing to sit in the concourse.

You should also stay away from higher rows; if you must have a higher row than 6, try to get something in the middle of a section, e.g. something that doesn’t end in 1-3.

There aren’t a lot of concession stands on either of the outfield areas of the concourse, although the patio in the outfield has a couple of bars with snacks. There is a stairway to get there from the lower level.

As you can see I’m not a big fan of outfield seats in Rogers Centre. Given the choice I might just get standing room and maybe poach a seat somewhere.

Yes, they’re high up, but clearly many fans don’t mind.

Rogers Centre Seating, Tip #7) Upper (500) Level – Cheap Seats!

The upper 500 level was called the SkyDeck in the SkyDome years, and you’ll see why when you’re up there. The SkyDeck seats take a long walk on dark, boring ramps to get to if you’re not using an elevator, the seats are very high and the angle is one of the steepest I’ve experienced.

If you don’t mind all of this, the panoramic view of everything is definitely better behind home plate than in the outfield, and these are easily the cheapest seats; the best part is that ticket prices are nearly the same throughout the entire level. If you get a lower row (which is a bit tougher to do), the view of the action isn’t bad at all.

The good news is, there’s no one standing in front of you.

There are a couple of obstructed view problems: the first is that seats ending in 1 could lose some of the field to the stairway railing, which usually isn’t a big deal (the Blue Jays will alert you to this if you are selecting seats from their site); the other is with the scary high seats down the right field line behind light fixtures, where there are often more birds than fans anyway.

It’s the trip down those steps that’s nerve wracking. You should really want to be here for these seats.

There are 25-27 rows in most of the 500 level sections, and the right field sections can have as many as 37. To put it mildly, yikes. If you do end up with seats this high, prepare for a nerve-wracking trip down the steps…I found that to be the scariest part of it.

The only other problem with the upper level seating, other than the acrophobia, is that the food selection isn’t quite as great, and for low attendance games some stands will be closed. If you’re up here and looking for something beyond hot dogs or pizza, you’re better off getting something downstairs first.

Yes, it may take two seconds to actually hear the crack of the bat. But there is shade.

Upper level sections in the outfield obviously have a poor view, but for most games you won’t likely be relegated out there. If it’s a high demand game and you have a choice, though, these are better than 200 level outfield seats, IMHO.

Nice open place to stand, with TVs yet!

Rogers Centre Seating, Tip #8) Standing Room.

For most games you should be able to find some place to sit, but should no seat be adequate, the 100 level has an open concourse (the 200 and 500 levels do not), so you can stand most anywhere and be able to see the game, although the overhang blocks the view of the Big Board. There are TVs on the concourses as well.

You might find folding chairs in the handicapped areas behind sections, but the Blue Jays usually lock them up.

Yes, they once designated standing room spots here.

Other than the 12 Bar and the Bacardi Bar, which have some seats to sit in if you’re early enough, there is other standing room space in the 200 level in the outfield behind the seats, which is even marked as such, humorously reminding you that people would have done anything to get in during the World Series years. This is a lousy standing spot; just stay on the 100 concourse.

Truly, you do not have to stand behind the Budweiser sign.

Rogers Centre Seating, Tip #9) The WestJet Flight Deck.

The Blue Jays knocked out the Windows restaurant in center field, and replaced it with a standing room party area. Anyone with a ticket can hang out on the WestJet Flight Deck.

The outfield bar has three levels. There is a drink rail to lean on and bar tables to sit drinks on behind them. It gets crowded quickly, so stake a good spot and have someone large with you to guard it for bathroom trips. There are bars serving drinks and snacks on either side in the concourse area and a souvenir shop. There’s also a kids play area behind the standing area.

Your date will be duly impressed with having your own table at the Blue Jays game!

In my own humble opinion, the view is slightly better higher up for some reason. People can meet under the Rogers or Budweiser signs in the outfield patio, but the view behind the signs is not good for obvious reasons.

Someone paid the very high price for a room with a view of a ballgame, and closed their shades.

Rogers Centre Seating, Tip #10) The Restaurants + Hotel.

If you’re looking for a unique experience at a Blue Jays game and have the means, you can order a room with a field view in the attached Marriott Hotel, or reserve a table next to the window at the Sportsnet Grill restaurant in the outfield and hear the radio broadcast. (Unfortunately the Sightlines restaurant is no more.)

I could talk a lot more about this, but or seating perspective purposes, it is a neat experience but you will be high up and in the outfield…and far away. So while the view is spectacular in general it isn’t the best from the fan’s perspective, and none of these options enable you to access the rest of the ballpark.

Note that even the light fixtures can provide some shade here.

Rogers Centre Seating – A Few More Tips.

The sun goes down on the third base side at Rogers, so if you want to be in the sun the first base side is better, and if you want to be out of the sun third is best. In Toronto, both options can be preferable given the Ontario climate. Because of the roof, all of the outfield seats are in the shade. The 200 level seats are far more likely to be in the shade than 100 level.

It’s not THAT much further than the hotel rooms…

On the third base side you will have a splendid view of the CN Tower, the 1,800 foot “world’s tallest tower” next door, which is extra cool when it’s illuminated at night. But the view from the first base side isn’t bad either, with high rise buildings overlooking the field, and sometimes people do watch from there like a very wealthy person’s version of the Wrigley rooftops. Obviously you need the dome open for this view.

Not only can you bring the kids, you’ll have the whole alcohol-free section to yourself!

There are alcohol-free sections at Blue Jays games; they are Sections 141-142 on the lower level, 237-238 on the mezzanine, and the first 14 rows of 520-521. (Anyone who makes it to the 15th row of the 500 level deserves a beer.) These sections tend to be empty on low demand nights, so if you go alcohol-free you can have them almost to yourself.

I don’t know why Blue Jays fans won’t use this walkway, but maybe it’s eerily lonesome.

When the Blue Jays aren’t having a playoff-bound season, you can usually move to a better seat with little trouble, so long as you don’t try to get into the lower sections behind home plate. The upper level and the outermost sections of the lower level often have plenty of empty seats, so you can usually grab one. I’ve never read any stories of people being ejected for poaching seats, so it’s not a big risk.

Now you know what to do!

Get all that? Sorry if I went a little long, but I wanted to cover all of the details. Rogers Centre was built in an era where teams wanted to maximize the number of seats, and as a result there’s quite a few to avoid.

Hope I was able to help and you enjoyed the read. If you need more Rogers Centre help, check out my posts about the best ways to get there, parking at the Green P spots, bringing food into Rogers Centre, and some things to know if you’re visiting Canada.

Thanks for reading; please support my sponsors and this website!

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Here it is Guardians fans and Progressive Field visitors…your complete and handy Progressive Field seating guide! I’ve included all the tips I could find for choosing the best seats at Progressive Field for your budget and taste…including cheap seats, great standing room spots, shaded sections and more.

(If you’d like to know about getting tickets, parking and food at the Cleveland Guardians ballpark, be sure to check out my complete Progressive Field guide here!)

Yes, there are many thousands. I’m here to help.

I’ve broken this down into parts so you can skip stuff if need be (but don’t, it’s all good…):

Your Key Progressive Field Seating Tips

Progressive Field Layout
The Dugout Suites
Lexus Home Plate Boxes
Kaulig Companies Club
Drug Mart Club Seats
Lower Level Seating
Field and Lower Box Seats
Lower Reserved
Family Deck
Upper Level
Bleachers
Standing Room
The Corner

As you can see, there’s a lot to cover here to help you find the best seats in the Cleveland Guardians’ ballpark…so after this quick word from our sponsor, we’ll get started. (Please use the links, and thanks for your support!)

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Featuring color-coded sections to show you just how well off you really are!

Progressive Field Seating, Part 1: Ballpark Layout

Progressive Field has three tiers; all three levels extend from the left field foul pole around to about right center field and Gate C; the bleachers in left field are somewhat elevated above the high left field fence.

The second tier is mostly club level and several levels of suites; this is where the Terrace Club, Club Lounge, kids play area and mezzanine are. The upper tier is upper box and reserved seating; this level is pretty high up, something to be wary of if you’re acrophobic.

Like most ballparks, the right field corner is the last to see shade; this can make it a desirable spot on those Cleveland April days.

Rows are lettered and start with A, so Row AA is Row 27. Facing the field, Seat 1 is always on the right. The home team dugout is on the third base side.

Progressive Field has a lot of premium seating, so we’ll start there.

I’m sure they’ll move the wagon and the hose before the game starts.

Progressive Field Seating, Part 2: Dugout Suites

Yes, those really are fans that you see on TV sitting inside what is normally the fence behind home plate, not scouts with radar guns. Those seats are the Dugout Suites, which are among the most popular premium seats in the ballpark.

These seats are in high demand and expensive, and presently only available for groups. If you have to ask the price you probably can’t afford it. But they do include all of the suite amenities, and the literally field level view is pretty amazing. You’ll be closer to home plate than the pitcher, and can see facial expressions on the players and everything. And you’re covered from the rain, although these seats are in the shade.

Progressive Field Seating, Part 3: Lexus Home Plate Boxes

The Guardians decided to greatly improve the box seats they had behind the lower sections at home plate and turn them into exclusive box seats behind home plate. I’m presuming you still have a view of the scoreboard back there.

The package for these seats includes eight tickets, two parking passes, and an all-inclusive menu that includes beer and wine (you pay for cocktails). Better yet, there are balcony heaters here, and access to the Home Plate Club, two very welcome amenities in Cleveland. You also get a team store discount, so you can more cheaply replace all of your Indians gear.

Again, these are sold on a season ticket basis, but if I find anything cheaper on Gametime I’ll let you know. (Feel free to have a look!)

It used to be the Infiniti Club. They apparently liked companies that sponsor racecars more.

Progressive Field Seating, Part 4: Kaulig Companies Club

The then-Indians tore out a bunch of suites in 2013, and installed a huge high-end lounge next to the press box on the first base side, for a straight ahead view of the most impressive Prog scoreboard.

The Kaulig Companies Club features an all-inclusive menu with top shelf drinks, extra wide leather high-backed seating with drink rails, 20 hi-def TVs, and live access to the pre- and post-game shows, if any of that tickles your fancy. The Club also has indoor seating with a view of the game, something that the Club Lounge seats lack.

Seats are sold on a season ticket basis only and this spot is popular; the Guardians usually sell almost all of the 100 or so available seats for each event. Thus far I haven’t seen anything available on third party sites.

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It’s almost like it’s sticking its tongue out.

Progressive Field Seating, Part 5: Club Seats

You see that big mezzanine section on the first base line, covering a good portion of the lower section? Those are the Club Seats, placed in front of the climate controlled and very large Club Lounge on the suite level. They are padded and comfortable, and you can escape the Cleveland weather in the huge Club Lounge.

Inside the Lounge are comfortable leather chairs, full bars and TVs to watch the game. If you’d rather stay in your seat, you get in-seat wait service as well.

Plenty of seats in the Lounge too.

Included with Club tickets are access to the impressive Lounge menu, from which you can gorge on plates from a pasta bar, a meat carving station, salads, nachos, pizza and whatever the chef’s special that day might be. They’ll even prepare the stuff right in front of you. Unlimited non-alcoholic beverages are also included in the price.

Seats at this level aren’t high up at all; they almost seem like field level, and being on the first base side there’s a great view of the Big Board and Cleveland skyline. In cold weather especially these seats may be worth the extra price for the perks.

The Guardians separated the Club seats into three sections, with the most expensive seats being closest to home plate. You can find some seats for a real bargain on non-prime nights. Remember that would include April games, and you’ll have access to the heated lounge. (Don’t let weather stop you from enjoying Guardians baseball!)

And the best part is, you don’t have to clean up!

Progressive Field Seating, Part 6: Lower Level Seating

The seats between the bases on the lower level are the Field Box seats, and this includes the first few rows of sections past the dugout. The first few rows of infield sections are premium Diamond seats and generally go to season ticket holders; if you’re looking for one of these, try Gametime sometime in April and you may get a great deal. For certain opponents, they’re not expensive at all.

The nice thing about lower seats is that there aren’t too many seats to a row, so you’ll have less of a problem with people getting up and walking by to get their Barrio nachos.

Low incline + small number of seats in a row = worth a few extra bucks.

Progressive Field Seating, Part 7: Field/Lower Box Seats

Field and Lower Box rows start with A-Z and then AA, BB, etc. and generally extend to Row HH. Just past the bases there are two sections where the Field Box seats are closest to the field. The Guardians charge different prices for front, middle and back seating in Field Box sections, but the difference is slight.

The sections past the dugouts are the Lower Box sections—these are significantly lower in price, and in most sections the seats are angled towards home plate. Well, towards second base would be more accurate. If you can land a low row in Section 138, you’re not doing badly.

Well, there’s plenty of shade, anyway.

The only problem with some of the Field and Lower Box seats is on the first base side, where that big Club section of seating juts out over everything, providing some nice cool shade for those scorching April days in Cleveland (the Guardians are one of the few teams that don’t hide obstructions on their interactive seating map).

From about row AA up in the lower level, which isn’t far, your view of the Big Board may be blocked. If you’re getting anything in Sections 129-150 on the first base side (“Field Box Back”), try to get a lower row if you can.

Swanky! (And warm.)

Field and Diamond Box season ticket holders also have access to the swanky Home Plate Club; the Guardians inserted an indoor club with a full bar, some of the better food items, and a glass enclosure to view the game. Great in cold months but nice anytime.

I’m not sure yet if you can get Home Plate Club access buying a third party stub from a season ticket holder, but if you can it’s a sweet deal. You can even hang out there after the game for a while to let the traffic clear out.

Never drive to Progressive Field without a plan…

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If you decide to sit in the outfield, Cleveland fans will stand behind you. (snort)

Progressive Field Seating, Part 8: Lower Reserved

In the corners and the lower level seats in right field are the Lower Reserved sections. They’re even less in price yet, about half the price of Field Box. Most of the upper seats in these sections have been replaced by drink rail and patio areas, so you don’t need to worry about upper rows having a blocked view anymore, and you can land a good spot close to the field fairly cheaply.

Sections 125 and 175 are tucked into the corner and may require you to crane your neck a bit; better to move a section over to the outfield if you can.

Just steps away from honest-to-goodness relief pitcher heckling!

Section 103 is next to the newly relocated bullpens, and it’s a prime spot to watch pitchers from both teams warm up. It’s extra cool to watch on the stairs behind the catcher. This section misses a bit of left field if you’re close to the bullpens, but it’s not a big deal.

It’s the section in the middle with surprisingly few occupants.

Progressive Field Seating, Part 9: Family Deck

The mezzanine in right field is laid out over the lower seats in the same manner as the Club seats in the infield, but there’s no club here and the seats are much cheaper. The view isn’t great, but it’s better than the upper right field boxes and doesn’t cost too much. There are about 20 rows in most sections.

These seats have been renamed the Family Deck to remind people of their proximity to the Kids Clubhouse on the mezzanine level, making it a prime spot if you’re bringing the kids. There are also interactive games in the concourse behind these sections.

Not so secret after all now!

Progressive Field Seating Pro Tip! The outfield mezzanine section has its own secret and exclusive escalator to reach it; it is located in the right field concourse.

So now onward to the cheap seats at Progressive Field and their respective merits…

The height doesn’t stop Cleveland fans. Nor should it.

Progressive Field Seating, Part 10: Upper Level (Cheap Seats!)

The upper deck at Progressive Field is divided into three tiers around the bases; from low to high they are View Box, Upper Box and Upper Reserved. Past the bases, View Box (the first five rows in the infield) becomes Upper Box. Rows are lettered, and usually Row X is the breezy top of the ballpark. The View Box and lower Upper Box seats are the 400 level; Upper Reserved is the 500 level.

The upper level is pushed up fairly high by the three levels of suite seating and is steeper than acrophobic sorts probably like. Even View Box seats are high up. It can be considerably breezy and cooler up there, so dress warmly for colder nights.

“We’ve got all these buildings, let’s put the ballpark here.”

The upper level does provide an outstanding view of the Cleveland skyline and the Big Board, especially from the first base side, but in right field the very distant Upper Reserved seats were at one time the worst seats in the ballpark. The Indians recognized this, and they have replaced the seats in the entire upper deck around the foul pole (all sections numbered lower than 528), and turned it into the Right Field Terraces, closed off with tables and bar stools.

Looks cool at sunset, although I don’t know if I’d stand up there.

The tributes to team greats look cool, but it looks like an odd way to watch a ballgame. Thus far I haven’t seen anyone there, but I’ve read that it can be a popular spot for people who want to get away from the standing room crowds and long bathroom lines. The view isn’t great in my opinion, and it would be the last place to see shade on a hot summer evening, but suit yourself.

With the deals to be had on tickets, you’re probably better off seeking View Box or Upper Box than Upper Reserved. Between Upper Box and Upper Reserved isn’t much of a price difference, although View Box can cost a chunk more (and it’s worth it for the ease of getting to the concourse). You may find a better deal on Gametime for View Box depending on demand.

NO, the Big Board won’t fall on you, but it’s nice to have a view of it. Just saying.

Progressive Field Seating, Part 11: Bleachers

There is a large amount of bleacher seats at Progressive Field; they are the green benches in front of the Big Board in left field. These seats are among the dirt cheapest in the Cleveland ballpark, and they’re fairly popular, drawing those dedicated Guardians fan crowds, and are a prime spot to catch home run balls in batting practice. You’ll have to move for fireworks nights though.

The bleacher sections are divided into three price levels now, with the lower bleachers sections considerably more expensive than the upper sections, especially for premium games. Row L is probably the best bang for the buck here.

Just bring a cushion is all I’m saying.

The benches have backs and aren’t too uncomfortable, and the view isn’t bad save for missing a portion of left field. You are facing away from the Big Board, though, and that’s one of the ballpark’s more striking visual features, especially nowadays with its improved resolution. There are about 25 rows in the bleachers, which are designated by letter.

The Guardians even sell some season tickets to this spot. But I’d say if you’re going to sit on these benches 81 nights a year, you should probably bring a cushion.

I don’t know if it’s because I’m a prominent blogger, but he did let me hold his drumstick!

I don’t currently know the status of John Adams, who attended thousands of Indians games at the top of the bleachers where he pounded on his drum. He hasn’t been there since 2019 as he’s struggled with health problems, and he’s definitely missed. I met him once and he’s a super nice fellow. We wish him Godspeed and a safe return to his bleachers spot.

Drink rails for standing room patrons. Someone is thinking in this team’s front office.

Progressive Field Seating, Part 12: Standing Room

There is more demand for standing room these days, with the new Right Field District and Corner Bar added for 2015; the Guardians are even selling very affordable standing room District Tickets that include a free drink. Nowadays there is much more space to rest your drink or Momocho nachos, and there is standing room space directly behind the visitors’ bullpen. Great for heckling if you’re into that kind of thing.

If you’re interested in such a view, the Guardians now let people sit behind the right field fence for an inning; if no one’s waiting they’ll let you stick around. It’s a bullpen pitchers’ perspective, and you’ll realize that you usually have better seats than relief pitchers do. But it’s a neat thing to check out.

Lots of space to grab a batting practice shot.

The Home Run Porch in left field has been improved for the standing room ticket holders, and many fans just buy a cheap seat and stand there, even on top of the sign itself. A bunch of left field corner seats have been pulled out…not a bad idea in a spot where the foul pole can get in the view…and replaced with drink rails, making it similar to the Corner in right field. There isn’t an indoor bar there, which makes it less crowded, but you’re closer to the impressive food options on the third base side.

The area can still get crowded, but home run balls do land there, and as one observer put it “it gets like Waveland Avenue at Wrigley” at batting practice with people scrambling for a souvenir.

By most accounts ushers are very tough on seat poaching in the lower level, so if you decide you want to sit, take the escalator to the upper deck. There will likely be plenty of available seats there, and the ushers are nowhere near as strict.

Who needs a seat when there’s craft beer behind you?

Progressive Field Seating, Part 13: The Corner

The right field corner features the aforementioned and millennial-friendly Corner Bar, named for Tom Hamilton’s radio broadcast introduction: “We’re underway at the corner of Carnegie and Ontario!” The two-story bar is pretty cool; its walls are made from remnants of the Columbus Road Bridge, and the furniture is from an old Cleveland foundry. There are also sofas and a fire pit on the upper level, no small thing on those September nights.

The Corner has plenty of standing room space in front of it, with an abundance of drink rails, and you can go inside the bar if it gets too hot or cold. The glass doors are floor-to-ceiling, and the upper level has a fine view of the field. At dusk, though, the sun is going to be directly in your eyes; you’ll definitely want shades for that.

Ah, that pesky sun. Forgot about that.

It undoubtedly is a great standing room spot whatever the weather forecast, and the Guardians feed into that with the aforementioned District Ticket. It’s also popular, so stake a spot early.

If partying in the outfield isn’t your thing for standing room, there are open concourses throughout most of the lower level, but in most spots you won’t be able to see the Big Board with the overhang. You can also find some picnic areas with a view in the outfield. There are no open concourses on the upper level, except in right field, which is pretty far.

As stated, remember that the third base side is the last to see shade for night games. Something to consider on a hot day. Or a cold one, for that matter.

Now, unlike these mystified people, you know where to go!

Get all that? You’re now educated on how to choose a great seat at Progressive Field for your taste and budget. I’ve written plenty more helpful money-saving tips for Progressive Field if you need more help, whether you’re a first time visitor or a regular…have a look at my complete Progressive Field guide here!

Thanks for reading, and please support Ballpark E-Guides sponsors using the links in this article. Your support is greatly appreciated!!

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Hopefully you’ve found some helpful PNC Park tips on this website; if you didn’t know what a Primanti Bros. sandwich looks like I would think it was worth your while.

Here are a few more tips…things you should not miss in your visit to PNC:

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A great ballplayer and humanitarian.

Must Sees at PNC Park, #1: Classic Pirates Statues. You wouldn’t know it from their recent years, but not many baseball teams can boast the kind of history the Pirates can.

Original Hall of Famer Honus Wagner (Home Plate Gate); star player and humanitarian Roberto Clemente (Center Field Gate); 1979 National League and World Series MVP Willie Stargell (Left Field Gate); and the recently added star shortstop and noted Yankee killer Bill Mazeroski (Right Field Gate), in his famous triumphant pose, crossing the plate after hitting the 1960 Series winning homer.

Anytime someone needs to remind himself or herself why Pirates fans are Pirates fans, they can look at huge statues of four of baseball’s greatest heroes.

I wouldn’t want to bat against this guy.

Must Sees at PNC Park, #2: Legacy Square. Being the home of both the Homestead Grays and the Pittsburgh Crawfords, Pittsburgh was a hub city in the days of the Negro Leagues.

The Legacy Square in left field is an indoor/outdoor museum area that pays homage to great Negro League players, like Cool Papa Bell, Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, and Smokey Joe Williams. Players have interactive dedications, where you can watch the player’s career and highlights, and there is a theater with a video narrated by Reds star Joe Morgan.

If baseball history interests you, definitely check out Legacy Square.

Get your Slinky out!

Extra PNC Park Tips, #3: The Left Field Rotunda. There are actually two rotundas to get to any level of PNC Park—one in full view in left field, the other hidden behind home plate.

The Rotunda in left field used to be decorated with baseball cards of Pirates throughout history, which was pretty cool, but they have been removed and now the rotunda is a place to take in a view—or several views—of the field, the Pirates Deck behind the bleachers, the club level, the downtown area past the Allegheny River, or the stunning Pittsburgh skyline.

It’s not a bad standing room spot, even if standing room is a rarity at the ballpark these days. The left field rotunda is worth a walk up or down, and it’s fairly convenient for moving from one level to another.

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There’s just a few must sees at PNC Park…if you need more PNC help, check out my detailed seating guide, some cool ways to get there, and your ideal parking spots!

(Note: this article contains affiliate links. If you use an affiliate link to make a purchase, Ballpark E-Guides earns a commission, at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support!)

So you want to visit Nationals Park? You came to the right place my friend…this complete Nationals Park guide will tell you everything you need to know, especially about how to save money at Nationals games, on everything from tickets to transportation to food. These are my best Nationals Park tips, both for newbies and regulars at the Washington ballpark.

The home of the 2019 World Champions, in all its glory.

Nationals Park Guide Sections

I’ve broken this extensive Nationals Park guide down into parts, so you won’t want to break me into parts:

Finding Cheap Nationals Tickets
Choosing A Seat At Nationals Park
The Best And Other Ways To Get To Nationals Park
Nationals Park Food
Bringing The Kids
Nationals Park Accessibility
The President’s Race and Other Stuff

Gametime has your cheap Nationals tickets…with a lowest price guarantee, panoramic seat view photos, and great last minute deals…even after the game starts!

(See why Ballpark E-Guides loves Gametime here!)

OK then, let’s get you started with some killer Nationals Park tips!

I’ll bet you would surprise the crap out of an operator by actually calling and asking about tickets.

Nationals Park Guide, Part 1 – Finding Cheap Nationals Tickets

Finding cheap Nationals tickets – or at least finding the best deal – is all about choosing the right avenue for buying them.

Say you’re looking for a high demand game…such as Opening Day, July 4th, or when the Yankees, Phillies, or Orioles are in town on a weekend. Your best bet is usually to pay face value for tickets, either through the Nationals website or their box office.

So do this right now: subscribe to the Nationals e-mail newsletter here.

The Nats will make you aware of ticket deals, pre-sales, fan club memberships, giveaway nights, etc. It’s a very easy way to score much better deals on Nationals tickets.

Well worth the effort to park a bus in D.C.

Here’s just a few things the newsletter has informed me about: free tickets for military members; the very cool NatsPass; Value Days with discounts on everything for families; sweet deals for group tickets; you get it. It never hurts to check your newsletter.

If you’re confident the game won’t sell out, visit the box office on game day and save considerable cash avoiding online fees.

For low demand games – weeknight games, April games, etc. – you can often save on face price through a third party, like StubHub or TickPick.

One caveat though. Don’t buy from third parties before tickets go on sale to the public. The only seats available will be from people that have bought from pre-sales, and prices could be ridiculously inflated. Your best bet with third parties is to generally wait until game day a few hours before the game.

Counterfeit merchandise? You mean the peanuts aren’t real?

As for scalpers, you can usually find quite a few of them, especially on Half Street leading to the ballpark from the Metro station. Treat scalpers with common sense, especially for high demand games…check the date and opponent and look for anything amateurish.

And if you’re considering trying Craigslist for tickets, check out my advice here about that.

Never mind the view from the seat. Check out that price!

Here’s a great Tightwad Tip…as of this writing, the Nats still offer a limited amount of $5 tickets at the box office, on game day, for almost every game. The seating is in Sections 401-402, among the worst seats, but you should be able to move to a better upper level seat. Nationals Park also has some of the better standing room in baseball. (More about that in a minute.)

Five dollar tickets can’t be beat, especially in an expensive town like D.C.!

So remember, subscribe to the newsletter, check TickPick, and use the box office instead of the website if you can.

The Nationals apparently forget about the demographic that just wants to know where Ben’s Chili dog is.

Nationals Park Guide, Part 2 – Choosing A Great Seat

There’s a wide variety of seating sections and prices at Nationals Park. I have provided helpful advice elsewhere on this site…check out this about the cheap seats, or this post about expensive seats, or this post about what to avoid and the great standing room.

But for here and now, I’ll just break it down into budget levels.

You wouldn’t pay more for seats this size on an airplane, but in a ballpark? Heck yes!

Really expensive seats at Nats Park include the Delta Club seats behind home plate, PNC Club seats behind them, and the recliners in the Dugout Club that you need to lose a lot of money in a casino to get.

All of these include access to really fancy clubs and great food, in-seat wait service, all of which is nice. In my opinion, though, they’re overpriced for any team, and if you’re looking to score a seat in these sections try looking elsewhere, even though technically the Nats don’t allow resales of premium seats. If you can score a deal, it’s worth it, especially with parking thrown in.

Unfortunately this nifty scoreboard is gone, but the Infield Club still has made-to-order nachos AND carpeting!

The mid-range priced seats at Nationals Park include Infield Club on the mezzanine level, and most of the field level seating, especially in the infield.

Given D.C. weather in the summer, I would choose having access to a climate-controlled club to field level seats if you’re comparing similar costs. It gets very hot in this place. Plus the Infield Club features great eats with shorter lines, such as brick oven Enzo’s pizza, sushi, a carvery etc., all with places to sit and enjoy.

Field level tickets do offer proximity to NatPack girls. And Screech.

But seating on the field level does offer some fine views, and this is a place where you’ll want to stay low. If you can score tickets in, say, Sections 118 or 127, you can almost reach into a premium seat holder’s lap and grab a hunk of “complimentary” grub that they paid twice the price for. (Don’t actually do this. I’m just saying.)

Low budget seating includes outer mezzanine seats, upper deck (Gallery) seats, scoreboard porch seats, etc. There’s a large number of cheap seats here, but most of them aren’t great.

The outer mezzanine seats aren’t bad for the price and offer decent shade for afternoon games, but you need to make a trek up or down to find any concessions, so just be aware of that and grab your grub before you sit.

At least they make sportswriters sit further back.

In the upper deck, the 300 level seats cost significantly more than the 400 seats, but they’re worth it. The 400 level here is sky high, and it also involves much more climbing of steps. It’s not for the acrophobic.

That said, if you’re on a budget, I prefer 400 level seating in the infield to outfield seating…especially the Right Field Terrace and sections in front of the scoreboard, both of which are very far from the action. The lower level outfield seats under the right field overhang are probably the worst seats in the ballpark, except in the rain…you will have no view of the scoreboard or fly balls.

And in mere seconds after finishing your beer, you can be back at your seat!

One cool thing about upper outfield seating, though, is that it’s close to the upper level outfield concourse that is among the best in baseball…there’s a couple of bars (with drink specials even), and eateries like the Shake Shack and a BBQ joint that shouldn’t be missed. If you’re a ballgame socializer, it’s not a bad spot.

Finally, there’s lots of quality standing room at Nationals Park, should your seat not meet your dreams. In the upper outfield level especially, there are counters to rest your elbows and your grub, mist spraying fans, even some stools if you’re early enough.

If you’re on a strict budget, try the aforementioned $5 ticket and stake out a spot.

It’s what Nats fans do.

Nationals Park Guide, Part 3 – Fastest, Cheapest, and Some Unusual Ways to Get to Nationals Park

Driving to Nationals Park isn’t the worst as big city ballparks go, but it’s expensive, and chances are you’ll be sitting in traffic if you don’t arrive early. Most people recommend the Metro, but we’ll cover all the bases here. (Check out this post if you’re coming from Baltimore.)

The Navy Yard – Ballpark station on the Green Line of the Metro (officially the WMATA, but it’s called the Metro by everyone here) is just steps away from the ballpark. It’s also a neat approach, probably by design, with the inside of the ballpark in full view from Half Street and a plethora of cheap peanuts and non-alcoholic drinks vendors lining the path to the entrance. It’s baseball as it should be.

Wait! You forgot your cheap peanuts!

You’ll need a “SmarTrip” card both to ride the trains and pay for parking at a station. Needless to say, have enough value on it for the trip back, rather than wait in line behind folks who can’t figure out the machine. (There’s always one, take it from me.) Parking at Metro stations is relatively inexpensive and free on weekends.

If you’re planning to drive to the game, let me start with this extremely key suggestion: book your parking beforehand. (Check out the coming widget for using my friends at SpotHero.)

OK, now then. The Nationals provide directions from every direction on their website, along with this nice interactive map to help you get to the game easily.

“Keep driving. I know there’s an R lot somewhere.”

Currently the Nats run seven official lots: the Geico (formerly the “B” lot before the B people pulled out) and C lots attached to the ballpark, which are ultra-convenient and ultra-expensive; Lots L and H a block away on Half Street which cost almost as much; and the more distant T, U, and W lots east of the ballpark. You can buy parking passes through the Nats, but you’ll pay a fee for that. Check your third parties; you might find a deal.

The W lot is the cheapest, most tailgate friendly, and one of the easiest to exit back onto the highway, but it’s a good hike away.

“Yeah, pay Marc. He’s that guy in the phone booth with the funny mask on.”

There are a few independent lots too. The former HH lot some blocks north on South Capitol is still there last I checked, and it’s among the cheapest you’ll find. Long walk, though…longer than the W Lot even.

The best deal for something less than a half mile away is probably off of Tingey Street east of the ballpark. Just east of Lot W are more and cheaper lots, but again, they’re also a lengthy walk.

Want to try free street parking? Don’t. Or at least, I highly recommend against it. The city of Washington works hard to ensure you pay out the wazoo for meters during games.

Again, Nationals Park is a place where I would seriously recommend booking your parking beforehand.

This website, by the way, is all about what you didn’t think of – Here’s a few cool and unusual ways to get to a Nats game:

Less crowded than a subway car, cheaper, and a better view. But slower.

The D.C. Circulator bus is a cheaper way to travel around the city; great if you’re making a day around town. The Circulator’s Blue Route stops at the Navy Yard/Ballpark Station entrance. The Blue Route (but only the Blue Route) extends service on game days.

It doesn’t look like much, but they’ve cornered the market on Nationals Park shuttles!

The Ugly Mug is a tavern on 8th Street about a mile from the ballpark. They will run you to the game in a golf cart with a proof of purchase, and they have game day specials. Parking is not free or easy to come by, though, so this is best for folks wanting a meal and a drink before or after the game.

There is a specific location for Lyft and Uber riders, on the west curb of New Jersey Avenue between M and N Street. Ride sharing is expensive here, especially with surge pricing. If you can get someone to go in with you on the cost, though, it might work for you, and you won’t have to worry about service being available after the game…like you sometimes will with Metro.

You can even take a water taxi from Alexandria or nearby docks, courtesy of the Potomac Riverboat Company. The price for two is reasonable…about what it costs to park at the game. If you print out the ticket online, parking at the Chadwicks Restaurant is free.

A bicycle valet may be nice, but a rented bike allows for a quick escape without tipping!

Should you decide to bicycle to Nationals Park, the Nationals actually have a bicycle valet in Garage C. It starts two hours before gametime and closes one hour after the last pitch. The Riverwalk along both banks of the Anacostia makes for a swell bike ride, but I have read about some incidents, so keep your wits about you. I’m told it’s very cool lit up at night, if you’re comfortable cycling then.

Finally, you can borrow a bicycle from Capital Bikeshare; there are several stations near the ballpark, including right across the street.

Finally, I’ve gone into much more detail about the Metro and other ways to get to a Nats game in this post…well worth a read for important tips!
 

Never Drive To Nationals Park Without A Plan…

Book Your Parking Spot NOW With My Friends at SpotHero!

I’ll take the table by the window, and watch the grounds crew.

Nationals Park Guide, Part 4: Food + Drink

Since the Nationals Park food menu changes so frequently, I’m just going to cover my favorite mainstays here. Here’s the truly good stuff…if you want some more options, check out this Nationals Park food post:

The Budweiser Brewhouse is the restaurant behind the red seats in left center field. It has indoor and outdoor seating, and it’s best to go either just after the gates open or around the fifth inning if you want a seat.

The Brewhouse sells quality food like steak salad or jerk chicken at ballpark prices. The menu changes a lot, and there’s usually something unusual. It all can be washed down with Bud-owned microbrews like Goose Island and Shock Top. Upstairs is the Bud Light Loft, with a full bar, misting fans, and a bird’s eye view of the game from left center.

This chili dog will escalate your opinion of Nationals Park.

The Chili Half-Smoke from Ben’s Chili Bowl is a spicy sausage, with Ben’s special recipe chili piled on, along with cheese, chopped onions and yellow mustard. It’s a truly amazeballs chili dog, just grab some napkins and maybe a spoon for the abundant chili. Ben’s also has chili cheese fries, and they don’t skimp on the chili or cheese.

While we’re talking encased meat, Haute Dogs & Fries has some truly innovative offerings of gourmet beef dogs on New England rolls, including the Haute dog with brown onion relish, mayonnaise and celery salt, and a Banh Mi dog with jalapeno, carrots, cucumber slaw, cilantro and sriracha mayo. That’s just some examples…they might be different when you visit.

And you thought Max Scherzer was a good acquisition.

I’ve loved me some smothered tater tots at See. You. Tater., named for Bob Carpenter’s signature home run call. Get a bowl of tots covered with Buffalo chicken and blue cheese, crab meat and crab queso, or whatever else they may be offering.

Steak Of The Union stands still manage to hang around Nats Park, selling the classic Philly cheesesteaks, and they keep it simple: just beef, onions, peppers and Cheez Whiz. Or get some cheesesteak nachos. I would get a fork for the spillage either way.

This dude knows good pizza.

For pizza, Enzo’s serves up decent pizza in my opinion, at least by ballpark standards, with thin crust and ample pepperoni. It’s greasy stuff though…pat it with a napkin if you care about that.

The Scoreboard Pavilion in right field is home to some cool spots:

The Shake Shack is a Citi Field staple (there’s one in Philly now too) but it is equally popular here; lines get very long for the Shackburger, a fresh beef patty topped with lettuce, cheese, tomato and Shack Sauce on a potato roll. There’s also milkshakes excellent enough to have a separate line, and I can vouch for the quality of the fries too.

Even the sign looks appetizing.

But if you like fries, Box Frites (another Citi Field delicacy, SMH) is it…crispy boardwalk-style fries with several dipping sauces that change periodically. You might find smoky bacon or black pepper parm sauce or something like that. Try the garlic parmesan fries…you’ll thank me.

The Old Hickory BBQ Grill is fairly new, but Nationals Park’s BBQ has always rocked it. Old Hickory has smoked hot sausage with slaw and BBQ sauce, pulled pork and brisket sandwiches, and pulled pork nachos with house made chips.

You also have some healthy choices of course:

Featuring Kevin Costner as Ray Kinshallot. (Admit it, you laughed a little bit at that.)

There’s a Field of Greens stand with mushroom burgers, salads, wraps, and hummus; it’s a good spot for vegan sorts. They also have a Gluten Free Grill in the center field plaza, featuring hot dogs with gluten-free rolls, burritos and pizza; Nats Park has a larger selection than most ballparks with GF stuff.

Is it appropriate to have gelato at a ballgame?

Finally, if you want something different for dessert, try Leilani’s Shaved Ice or Dolci Gelati…Dolci has gelato in multiple cool flavors like “Stracciatella”.

I’m really just scratching the surface here; Nationals Park has a seriously long menu. But I still want to talk about beer and drinks very briefly.

You can find some excellent brews at District Drafts from local breweries like Atlas, DC Brau, Mad Fox and others. Atlas created a special brew sold only at the ballpark called 1500 South Cap Lager, named for the address of Nationals Park.

This is right there at the $5 section…so your craft brew could cost twice as much as your ticket. Baseball’s weird.

Or try the Devil’s Backbone offerings at their lodge in the upper left field corner. They’ve developed a brew exclusively for Nats Park called “Earned Run Ale”…a light IPA with a lemon and grapefruit taste to it.

For other mixed drinks, there’s some cool offerings at Distilleries of the DMV and District Coolers spots. Or at any of the bars around the concourse and in the clubs.

Thanks for sticking with me; here’s some Tightwad Tips for Nationals Park food…

Notice the people walking past the vendors? You’re about to be smarter.

$ – You can bring your own food into Nationals Park; they allow a 16*16*8 bag (no backpacks). Coming from the train station, there’s a bunch of vendors with hot dogs, peanuts, bottled water etc. I always fill up a goody bag with a big bag of peanuts and a few big waters for less than $10. Well worth it.

$ – If you’re ordering tickets through the Nationals website, you can add concession credit to your ticket, and they’ll give you a few extra bucks’ worth. Not big savings, but there’s no reason not to use it.

Not even the Budweiser sign scared off these gentlemen from an ice cold $5 ballpark beer.

$ – In the upper outfield concourse behind the Big Board, the bar features a Happy Hour with discounted beers ($5 as of this writing) that ends 45 minutes before game time. Well worth getting to the ballpark early, even if it’s Budweiser products.

The real Nats Park “Rookies” are the adult fans that paid more than $5 for beer!

Nationals Park Guide, Part 5: Bringing The Kids

I’ve dedicated a separate post to bringing the kids to a Nats game, but here’s a few things worth knowing.

The Family Fun Area has simulated pitching and batting cages, a nice kids’ playground area with a jungle gym, a picnic area, photo booths and penny press machines. The racing presidents greet fans here and pose for photos.

Kids can run the bases after Sunday games, and if you enter the kids in the Jr. Nats MVP Club, they’ll get front of the line privileges for this (and believe me, that’s worth the price). Kids club membership also includes team store discounts, a lanyard, and lots of other cool stuff. Definitely look into it for your offspring.

You can get your kid tagged at Guest Services just inside the center field gate, in case he decides to migrate. If it’s the kid’s first game, ask for a certificate.

Now featuring the seal of approval from Mrs. Ballpark E-Guides.

Recently the Nats added a nursing lounge on the first base side, a private area with comfy chairs, a play area for toddlers, and TVs for busy moms to watch the game. My wife tested it out some years ago (she was legitimate) and had nothing but nice things to say about it.

Thankfully, they placed the disabled seats in front of the counter.

Nationals Park Guide, Part 6: Accessibility

There are handicapped seating areas all over the park, with folding chairs included. There are also plenty of elevators to get to the upper level, and you’ll need them. You can also borrow a wheelchair at the Guest Services locations.

The Ballpark Metro Station is fully accessible, with a brand new elevator. Should you require the elevators elsewhere on the Metro, check WMATA’s website before you go, since they do have occasional issues with them.

You can drop off people by car at most entrances, but after the game, they can only be picked up from South Capitol Street on the first-base side. There are no curbs between O and P Streets on South Capitol, but there is a walkway on South Capitol to ease crossing the street.

He may not win much, but Teddy is clearly the most jovial of the Racing Presidents.

Nationals Park Guide, Part 7: The President’s Race And Other Stuff

The President’s Race in the middle of the fourth inning (and the 13th, if the game goes that long) is always entertaining, although it was a little more fun when Teddy Roosevelt never won for various reasons. Teddy’s long losing streak finally ended in 2012, not coincidentally the first year the Nationals won the NL East.

Remember, once the visiting team is finished batting in the top of the fourth, get your camera/phone out to video the event.

Throughout the season the Nationals have theme nights, like “Pups In The Park”, “Stitch N’ Pitch”, LGBTQ “Nats Night OUT”, or Georgetown cupcake night among many others. Special nights are listed on the Nats website, and they’ll be in your newsletter.

Before Sunday games, two Nationals players will sign autographs for about 20 minutes, so get a voucher at Section 103 (free) and arrive early.

Just in case anyone forgets the words.

There is a cool cheer for when the Nats score: a group behind home plate in the upper level chants “N-A-T-S Nats Nats Nats Woo!”, and repeats it twice for two runs, three times for three runs, etc. The words are now displayed behind Section 313, but it’s grown to other parts of the ballpark and it’s unique to D.C.

Finally, I can’t think of a ballpark I’ve been to with nicer staff than at Nationals Park, and I expect it’s part of their training. Everyone is extremely courteous and friendly and willing to help with any sort of need; and they’re plentiful to boot. Kudos to the Nats for this.

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Click here to start booking your trip to Washington and Nationals Park today!

There you are my friend…your complete, detailed Nationals Park guide, for fans who do live baseball right. I hope this helps you save some money and enjoy a much better experience; thanks for reading and supporting my sponsors!

You’re welcome…see you at the yard!

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Here you are my baseball fan friends, your complete, detailed, and extremely helpful Oriole Park at Camden Yards guide! I’m here to help you save money on Orioles tickets, find the best seats at Oriole Park for your budget, learn how to get to Camden Yards and what to eat at the Baltimore Orioles ballpark.

Whether you’re taking a trip, bringing the kids, or are a visiting fan…heck, even if you’re a regular…this Camden Yards guide is full of useful tips for you.

Oriole Park at Camden Yards Guide – List of Tips

Finding Cheap Orioles Tickets
Choosing A Great Seat
Best Ways To Get To Camden Yards
What To Eat At Camden Yards
Camden Yards With Kids
Photo-Ops + Other Tips

You’ve arrived.

So now after this quick word from our sponsor, we’ll get started! (+ thanks for your support!)

Gametime has your cheap Orioles tickets…with a lowest price guarantee, panoramic seat view photos, and great last minute deals…even after the game starts!

(See why Ballpark E-Guides loves Gametime here!)

Unfortunately the Orioles still have people checking to see if you have a ticket.

Camden Yards Guide, Part 1: Finding Cheap Orioles Tickets

So your first task is, of course, to find your cheap Orioles tickets.

The most common route to buying Orioles tickets is on the team website or through the MLB Ballpark app. This is perfectly fine, although you can often find better deals through a third party like Gametime. We’ll get to that.

If you’re planning a trip to Camden Yards, or even if you go regularly, sign up for the Orioles’ ticket alert newsletter. The Orioles will inform you about pre-sales and when tickets go on sale, and you’ll want to know about this. Face price when tickets go on sale is often the best price for games against the Yankees or Red Sox (and sometimes the Nationals, Mets and Phillies too).

Just in case you didn’t know, the Orioles have a website.

The newsletter will also inform you about discount and giveaway nights, and the O’s offer some cool swag like Hawaiian shirts. It’s well worth the couple of minutes to sign up.

If the Orioles are contending, September games can be in high demand, but normally July and August weekends and Yankees and Red Sox games are the most expensive tickets. So if all you want is to visit Camden Yards, try for a weekday game in April or May if you can. You might score a great deal then.

Yes, believe it or not, they still sell paper tickets. Which make great souvenirs, incidentally.

There’s also the Orioles box office, which I usually prefer because a) there’s no “convenience” fees, which are significant, and b) I like having a ticket for a souvenir.

For most games you should be able to walk up to the box office on game day and pick up whatever seats suit your taste, and again, it’s cheaper without the fees. You might have to stand in line a bit, but the wait isn’t usually long.

Then there’s the third party market, and you should always shop around if you’re buying tickets online. Gametime is my favorite outlet (and an affiliate of mine); they usually have deals as good or better than others, especially when fees are added.

Speaking of fees, if you’re comparing prices between third parties (and the team website, for that matter), go all the way to the checkout screen to know what you’re actually paying.

You sometimes might find a broker hiding behind this sign.

If you’re looking for scalpers or people with extras at Oriole Park, you might find stragglers north of the Eutaw Street entrance, in the retired numbers plaza (where the Babe Ruth statue is). The sign says it’s illegal to resell tickets on “Stadium Controlled Property”, which I suppose means you can simply walk across the street and sell your extras.

People with extras can also sometimes be found at Pickles Pub or Sliders near Gate F (left field) before the game. There’s always a crowd there and you can ask around.

For non-prime games like a weekday game against Oakland, this is a buyer’s market, and you can wait until just before game time and make an offer that suits you.

The Orioles consider this a high demand game. Plan accordingly.

Finally, if you’re considering Craigslist for Orioles tickets, I’ve written about that here, but quickly, treat Craigslist sellers like scalpers…check the tickets carefully, especially the date and opponent, and if something doesn’t feel right don’t buy them. Sometimes you can find a great deal, but remember that there’s no protection from you being scammed. If the deal seems too good to be true…you know the rest.

So now you have some idea how to save money on Orioles tickets…there’s a different avenue for getting tickets that works best for demand. Just plan ahead and compare. With a little effort, you can score a great deal for a game at one of baseball’s best ballparks.

Incidentally, the Orioles offer some of the better prices on the high end seats in baseball; if you want to splurge on Club seats or Field Box behind home plate on your ballpark trip, Camden Yards is the place to do it.

It looks a whole lot more complicated than it is.

Camden Yards Guide, Part 2: Choosing The Best Seats

Camden Yards truly doesn’t have many poor seats, but there are a few you should probably avoid, and some sections are better than others. (If you really want the knowledge on landing a great seat here, check out this complete Oriole Park seating guide!)

Here’s a bit about what the best seats are for each budget level:

For just an extra $100, sit in the shade behind these folks!

Money Is No Object Budget: Believe it or not, if you have the means you can get a suite at Camden Yards for a single game for you and your buddies; and it’s actually not a bad price. Food isn’t included, but you can have things catered for a fee.

If I were going to try this, I would do it in April or July when a climate controlled room behind your seat is a very welcome feature. There’s TVs and couches inside to watch the game on TV if you need a break from the weather.

This is why you put in the overtime.

Large Budget: The Field Level seats between the bases are cushioned and comfortable, and they’re reasonable by ballpark standards. All of these seats are good; whether you want something closer to Eutaw (first base side) or a straight ahead view of the warehouse (third base side) is your call; either is great.

“Relaxing here isn’t it? How about a crab cake sand…oh crap! I forgot there’s a game here!”

The club level seats are among the most expensive, but they include access to the spacious climate-controlled Camden Club, with excellent food choices, a full bar and a lot of cool Orioles memorabilia. If you’re interested in club access but don’t have endless cash, try to find a deal on the All You Can Eat seats in left field, which also includes access.

Club seats here are worth splurging for, but check and see if you can score a deal on a third party site first of course, especially for low demand games.

Okay, it’s not technically an obstructed view, but by Ballpark E-Guides standards, it counts.

Medium Budget: Terrace Box and Lower Reserved are more affordable seating, but there are a couple things to be mindful of. Terrace Box can be a great deal for the money if your row is low enough, but in the higher rows the overhang blocks your view of the scoreboard and such, and part of the appeal of Camden Yards is the great views.

The lower level seating past the bases is noticeably cheaper than seating between the bases, but it’s still more expensive than the upper level, so if you like being behind home plate (as I do), you’ll probably prefer upper level seats.

The Orioles usually draw better than this. Well, okay, maybe they don’t. But the view is still very good here.

Cheap Seats: The upper level at Camden Yards is as good as any deal in baseball; they’re not as high as in many ballparks, and they offer a sweet view of the warehouse, skyline and city for your baseball backdrop. Interestingly, only the upper box (lower rows between the bases) cost more than the bleachers, and they’re significantly better seats IMHO.

As you get past the bases, though, especially in left field, upper level seats get less appealing…outer sections are farthest away and don’t have angled seats…although in right field there’s great people watching on Eutaw Street if the game bores you.

Proximity to Boog’s is never a bad thing.

The Eutaw Street Bleachers are among the cheapest seats in the ballpark, and usually feature loud fans of both teams on the field. They’re close to Boog’s BBQ and other Eutaw Street attractions, but there’s no view of the big scoreboard or the out-of-town scoreboard, which is a bummer. One plus is that they’re real seats, not benches like in many ballparks.

Prime home run territory, even since the departure of Esskay.

Standing Room: If you’re trying standing room at Camden Yards, behind the right field scoreboard is a popular location, but left field has some okay spots behind the bullpen too. You can watch pitchers warm up there and there’s a picnic area. The concourses aren’t open here, so unfortunately you can’t watch from behind home plate.

See the game the way the center field camera operator does!

If you’re a socializing sort, the Roof Deck above center field is a happening spot too. There’s a full bar (no view of the game there, however), and some seating with counters along the wall that is reserved these days. It’s a decent standing spot, but I don’t know if I’d pay the price for seats that far away.

It might be miserably hot and blinding, but it looks nice.

Finally, as far as shade, the sun sets on the third base side, so the bleachers and right field seats are the last to see shade on a summer day. Baltimore can get very hot in July and August especially; be prepared with water, shades, UV protection, all that noise.

That said, there aren’t many sights on the planet more beautiful than Oriole Park at sunset.

Featuring a helpful photo of the ballpark!

Camden Yards Guide, Part 3: Best Way(s) to Get to Oriole Park

There’s a few ways to get to Camden Yards; which one is best for you depends on where you’re coming from, and whether you’re a tightwad like me. We’ll cover as much as we can here.

Despite its location in the heart of downtown, Camden Yards is actually surprisingly easy to get to by car. Well, most of the time. It’s right off of I-95 and not far from I-83, and there is sufficient parking in most cases.

You’ll see these when you get close.

Coming from I-95 it’s simple; exit onto I-395, which becomes Cal Ripken Way heading to the ballpark. It’s a little tricky getting to the Orioles lots and neighboring lots at the Ravens’ stadium (lots you should probably use from this direction); just after getting on I-395, get off at MLK Boulevard and use the ramp towards Lee Street; there’s plenty of parking there.

I-83 is best coming from north and west of the ballpark, but traffic can get very heavy heading downtown at rush hour, especially on Friday nights when the Inner Harbor becomes a destination. You might want to exit a few stops before the end of the highway; on Friday I might consider the Light Rail instead, which follows basically the same path.

You basically can’t miss at this point.

There’s plenty of parking lots and garages in the ballpark area, and the Orioles offer helpful links with directions to get to each one on their site. In addition to the Orioles-owned lots, there’s a bunch of garages north and east of the ballpark a short walk away, and in some of these you can find a really good deal, especially if you’d like to enjoy the Inner Harbor before a game. The Orioles’ lots don’t open until an hour before the ballpark gates do, so you’ll need to use a garage to enjoy other stuff in the area.

A great spot to visit Camden Yards and/or the Inner Harbor.

So now for my most important tip for Oriole Park at Camden Yards parking: book your space ahead of time. You can save yourself some money and a LOT of time, putting a pre-paid address in your maps app.

Seriously, definitely do this…I speak from some highly annoying experience of looking for an affordable parking garage in the agonizingly slow traffic of downtown Baltimore.

The Orioles offer pre-paid passes as well, and I would definitely go for lots B or C if you can (plan ahead), since for the price and proximity it’s a great deal. There’s also ample parking at the Ravens’ stadium that is affordable, especially south of the stadium, although this can be a bit of a hike from the ballpark.

The Inner Harbor area east of the warehouse is heavily traveled and parking is more expensive in that direction, and west and further north of the ballpark can be a less neighborly area, so avoid them if you can.

I highly recommend you check this view out for yourself.

There are a few lots on Eutaw Street, most prominently the Marriott or Redwood Street lots. Walking south from a Eutaw Street lot offers arguably the best incoming view of a ballpark you’ve seen. You’ll also pass by some outside vendors with cheap grub coming from this direction…more about that in the food section.

You might find street parking where you could feed the meter cheaply until 6:00 PM, and there is a Horseshoe casino about a 15-minute walk away where I believe parking is free, but this being Baltimore, it’s not something I would do especially for a night game. Better to just book something ahead of time fairly close to the ballpark. Parking isn’t super expensive here.

Whoops…forgot they play football here too.

One last thing about driving to Camden Yards by car: if something is going on at M&T Bank Stadium or the Royal Farms Arena on game day, get to your pre-paid spot VERY early, or use the soon to be discussed Light Rail. I speak from hard experience on that too.

Don’t want to drive? Baltimore’s got your back.

OK, about this Light Rail. The MTA Light Rail Line has only one route that travels north and west along the I-83 path, but it’s got a lot going for it. The Light Rail is cheap to ride, parking is free at many of the stations, and it drops you off literally at the ballpark.

There’s even a couple of stations a short walking distance away, which you can use after the game for a better chance of having a seat on the train. Try getting on at the Convention Center if you’re heading south or the Hamburg Station if you’re going north.

No, there’s no one hiding in the machine, although that would be pretty cool.

The Light Rail can get crowded on game days especially after the game, and locals refer to it as the “White Snail”, which should give you an idea how long it can take to trudge through red lights in Baltimore at street level. Still, most people consider Light Rail to Camden Yards worthwhile and once you get to wherever you parked, you won’t be dealing with traffic hassles…which can be significant here, especially north of the ballpark.

No, I’m not washing D.C.

There is also a MARC train station right there at the ballpark; the MARC’s Camden Line starts there and goes all the way to Union Station in D.C. Unfortunately this is a commuter train and is only good for weekday games, but if you can use it it’s a great deal coming from D.C.

Baltimore also offers a free-of-charge Charm City Circulator bus that goes to popular destinations…including the Penn Station and Amtrak trains…but these buses get very crowded and you probably won’t be sitting. You can also use Light Rail to get to and from Penn Station, and it’s probably worth the few bucks by comparison.

Get here early to grab a prime spot!

The Orioles have a bunch of bicycle parking; there are bike racks near the Babe Ruth statue off of Howard Street, and there are also corrals near the east side warehouse entrance of Dempsey’s. There isn’t a bicycle share program as I write this, though, and I don’t know if I’d ride through parts of town.

The O’s list Pratt Street between Eutaw and Greene Street north of the ballpark as their Uber pick up location…personally I don’t know if I would use a rideshare, since that spot is in the heart of Baltimore and again, traffic is very slow there. It would be expensive with the meter running.

Ah, there it is! Just need to look through the trees.

So to sum this up, if you’re coming from I-95, driving and parking is generally easy enough, but definitely book your parking beforehand, and check to see if other events are happening in nearby venues. The Light Rail is also a viable and inexpensive option, and I prefer it to driving in on I-83 and dealing with downtown traffic. Either way works fine; just plan ahead.

Never Drive To Camden Yards Without A Plan…

Book A Great Parking Spot NOW With My Friends at SpotHero!

Plus you get to meet Boog and all that.

Camden Yards Guide, Part 4: What To Eat at Camden Yards

Like most ballparks these days, Oriole Park at Camden Yards food offers several local favorites…which here means crabs just like Philly means cheesesteaks.

Since some things have changed since I first published this, I’ve dedicated a separate page to some of the best food choices at Camden Yards. You can read that here, but I’ll cover some other things you should know.

Named for the World Series MVP…oh wait…

Sadly, Dempsey’s is no longer a fixture on Eutaw Street. It’s been replaced by the Superbook restaurant.

Inside the atmosphere hasn’t changed much; it’s an air conditioned sit down meal spot that features a lounge with big TVs and odds boards for people who are into betting on baseball (insert Pete Rose joke here). The menu includes what Levy Restaurants calls “elevated gameday fare“, like tater tot nachos, crab dip pretzel rolls, burgers, sandwiches, and craft brews among other things.

Superbook’s prices are about what you’d expect at a ballpark restaurant; but it’s popular for the food and craft beers and TVs, and you should get here as early as you can if you want to try it. Lines get very long, especially on high attendance nights.

Sometimes, a dog or two is all you need.

The Orioles offer an all you can eat deal with club access, that includes all the dogs, popcorn, peanuts and even salads that you can handle. The seats aren’t great, but it’s a great deal considering that you can duck out of the Baltimore heat.

Another cheap deal the Orioles offer is the $4.10 stand, so named for the Baltimore area code. This stand features inexpensive items like hot dogs and popcorn and peanuts. Good for saving money with the kids, and they won’t care about the size. You can always get more.

Good thing the Ampersands don’t play baseball in Baltimore.

Around the rest of the concourses you can find a few other decent food items…chicken tenders at the Charm City Chicken Shack, Buffalo tenders at the Hot Corner, and of course, O-shaped soft pretzels.

For healthier and vegan/vegetarian choices, there’s the Birdland Market on Eutaw Street, and a Birdland Fresh stand near home plate, with turkey burgers, Impossible burgers, vegan hot dogs and Beyond sausages. And Greek salads.

Again, for the best choices of food at Oriole Park, read this post. (It’s worth the time, trust me!)

This is what baseball food should cost.

Finally (whew!) you can bring your own food into Camden Yards;unfortunately they’ve gotten more restrictive with their policy. You’re allowed a clear plastic bag no larger than 12″ x 6″ x 12″, so you can’t squeeze as much grub as you could in the past.

That said, this is a great ballpark to fill up a goody bag beforehand; there are vendors surrounding the ballpark selling hot dogs, sausages, peanuts, even crab cake sandwiches if you search. That kind of stuff makes baseball great.

My favorite spot for cheap eats is across the street from the left field entrance, where you can find Pickles Pub and Sliders; they set up grills and offer everything from dogs to peanuts much cheaper than in the ballpark. You can also have a couple of inexpensive Natty Bohs there before the game…all part of the Baltimore baseball experience.

And O’s employees even come out on cold days.

Camden Yards Guide, Part 5: Bringing the Kids to Oriole Park

If you’re visiting Camden Yards with kids, you have some advantages – cheap tickets, for one, with the O’s struggling at the gate even in winning times. And plenty of inexpensive parking and outside food vendors.

Here are three things parents should know when bringing the kids to Oriole Park…

I only wish it was free from ’72 through ’79 when I was a kid.

Camden Yards With Kids, Tip #1) Bring The Kids For Free! Yes, you read that right…for each upper level ticket you buy as an adult, you can order two more tickets for kids nine and under absolutely free of charge. This includes every game except Opening Day…including “Kids Opening Day”, which is sometime in April.

Not while the game is going, of course.

Camden Yards With Kids, Tip #2) Go on Sunday. On Sundays the Orioles offer cool activities for the kids, like face painting and autographs. And kids love to run the bases after the game…but get in line early if you can, because it’s a very popular promotion. There are a LOT of kids in the play area on Sundays, but it helps them burn up energy.

And if the kids are into play areas at the ballpark…and they always are…

Because noting gets a little one into Orioles baseball like a birdhouse play gym.

Camden Yards With Kids, Tip #3) Sit In The Right Field Corner. The kids play area at Camden Yards with the moon bounce, pitching and batting cages…and now a “Bird House”, a treehouse-shaped gym…keeps them occupied for a while. It’s at the south end of Eutaw Street, near Gate H. The Bird House is in the shade, while the moon bounce and other activities are in the sun, so you can imagine which is more popular.

They have food stands with smaller portions and prices for the kid in the Kids’ Corner, but you can find the kids’ portions anywhere in the ballpark now.

Watch the kids race up the steps…and then back down the ladder!

One more thing…don’t forget the little one’s “first game” certificate, which you can pick up at Guest Services on Eutaw Street. The Orioles can also tag your kid here for you so that the little one doesn’t get lost.

Family restrooms all have diaper changing tables. You can check in strollers at the Guest Services locations, and the Orioles will let nursing moms use a private room on the Club level.

The one ballpark that was built exactly right.

Camden Yards Guide, Part 6: Photo-Ops and Other Tips

As you probably know, Camden Yards started it all…the modern sports venue boom that is arguably out of control these days. Here are a few of my favorite photo-ops at the classic and beautiful downtown Baltimore ballpark:

The Warehouse, the Bromo Seltzer tower, Eutaw Street, capture it all in one shot.

Camden Yards Photo-Op #1) Eutaw Street From Above. If you go to the upper level and stand at the end in the right field corner, you can capture the amazing shot you see here, and see happy baseball fans walking in wonderment along Eutaw Street next to the warehouse.

The Gold Glove is so obvious, but I still love it.

Camden Yards Photo-Op #2) Player Statues. It’s difficult to imagine it even for thirty-somethings these days, but the Orioles were indeed once a very good team. There’s Eddie Murray, Jim Palmer, Frank Robinson, Earl Weaver and of course, Cal Ripken Jr.

You have to go outside the ballpark to see Brooks Robinson and his Gold Glove along West Paca Street, but it’s worth it.

Imagine a time when antacids were a popular enough commodity that they could put their name on a city building.

Camden Yards Photo-Op #3) The Bromo-Seltzer Tower. The view of the vintage Baltimore tower is blocked by the large Hilton these days from much of the seating, which a lot of fans complain about, but you can still capture it from the right spot.

The most durable player in baseball history.

Camden Yards Photo-Op #4) Retired Number Statues. There are large numbers in the plaza at the north Eutaw Street entrance, and if you’re an older O’s fan you can tell people whose numbers they were. Incidentally, there’s a statue of native Baltimorean Babe Ruth here as well.

All is good and right with the world.

Camden Yards Photo-Op #5) The Warehouse at Sunset. Few things I have witnessed are more striking that seeing the sun shine on the huge warehouse in the early evening. Don’t miss that.

That’s just a few, but you’ll probably break your camera out a lot here.

Finally, just a few more Camden Yards tips…but they’re pretty important ones.

Baltimore weather reaches all the extremes, and it can be brutally hot in July and August here. If you’re sitting in the upper level on a hot day, you might find yourself moving to an upper row just to be in the shade of the roof. Shoot for the third base side for a hot night game, where the shade comes in earlier.

They have the same stuff one gate over!

Giveaway nights are popular at Oriole Park, and people arrive early for their swag. If you want the free stuff, enter the ballpark at Gate G, a short walk from Gate A on Eutaw Street (the Light Rail gate)…it will be far less crowded.

If you take a walk on Eutaw Street (and you should), look down: you’ll see small baseball-shaped plaques in the cement where home run balls have landed.

The other reason to visit Baltimore.

The Inner Harbor two blocks west, with its museums, views, restaurants and shopping, is worth a visit. Don’t venture too far from the Inner Harbor or ballpark area though. There are less than ideal parts of downtown just a few blocks north and west, like the strip club littered East Baltimore Street, and it’s not a place you’ll want to be at night.

Baltimore fans are more polite than most to opposing fans, although this may be a by-product of being frequently outnumbered by them. For the most part, Orioles games are a pleasant environment for visiting fans. But if you’re coming from Boston or New York, don’t call the ballpark “Yankee Stadium South” or “Fenway South”, lest you bring bad karma on your team.

You’re most welcome!

Get all that? Seriously, I hope this Camden Yards guide has been helpful to you, and that you can use the tips to save money and have a blast at your next Orioles game. Feel free to contact me with any questions, and if you’re adding a Nationals game to your baseball trip, I’ve written a helpful guide for that place too.

Thanks for reading this complete Oriole Park at Camden Yards guide, and for supporting our sponsors!

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Here it is baseball fans, your complete and extremely helpful Progressive Field guide! Your favorite ballpark expert is here to help you save money on Guardians tickets, choose the best seats for your taste and budget, learn the best ways to get to Progressive Field (including great parking options), and choose from the truly amazing menu of Guardians game food. It’s all here, and you’ll be a much smarter fan armed with these tips.

There’s a lot to review here, so I’ve broken it down for you:

Finding Cheap Guardians Tickets
Choosing A Great Seat
Best Ways To Get To Progressive Field
What To Eat At Progressive Field
Progressive Field With Kids
Photo-Ops + Other Tips

I’ll help you get around the place. The food’s really good.

Okay, we’re mostly done with the key phrases to make Google happy (well, almost done: Progressive Field Tips!) so after this quick word from our sponsor, we’ll get started.

Gametime has your cheap Guardians tickets…with a lowest price guarantee, panoramic seat view photos, and great last minute deals…even after the game starts!

(See why Ballpark E-Guides loves Gametime here!)

You didn’t get tickets yet? OK, we need to back up a bit.

Progressive Field Guide, Part 1) Scoring Cheap Guardians Tickets

Your first task going to a Guardians game is to order tickets of course, so I’ll talk about each method and its advantages. Pay attention here…this can save you a lot of money.

The first and most expeditious route is to use the Guardians’ website or the MLB Ballpark app to buy tickets from the team; the first thing you should do is sign up for the Guardians’ ticket alert newsletter. The newsletter will alert you to pre-sales, giveaway nights, discounts, and other worthwhile deals. Sometimes they do cool stuff like waiving ticket fees.

Just in case you happened to have brought a few bucks.

The Guardians use “dynamic pricing”, meaning ticket prices go up and down according to demand, but they claim that tickets are cheapest when they first go on sale. If you’re looking to go to a high demand game such as Opening Day or a weekend game against the Yankees or Cubs, it’s best to get tickets as soon as they go on sale, since there will likely be a markup on these later.

If all you want is to visit the ballpark, the lowest demand games are easily in April (you’ll see why), but if you’re coming in the summer, try to get a weekday game if you can. Choice of opponent doesn’t matter too much, but the Cubs draw pretty big crowds so plan ahead for that.

Four windows open? Must be April.

If you don’t want to pay the online fees, which are considerable, you can get tickets at the box office at the ballpark; you can also pick up tickets at the team store if you want to avoid lines. There are ticket kiosks at the ballpark, but they do charge convenience fees for using them.

On non-game days the box office is only open from 10:00-2:00 on weekdays, and it’s closed on weekends, so you need to time it to save on the fees. They also charge a small day-of-game fee too, but it’s not as much as the convenience fee.

In case you didn’t bring your smartphone.

Then there’s the third party route, which can save you significant cash if you plan it right. The lower the demand for the game, the cheaper tickets will be, especially since the Guardians offer a lot of multi-game deals that leave people with extras. Closer to game time on a mid-week April game, you could find a steal on good seats.

I love Gametime for Guardians tickets, but if you’re comparing, just be sure to go all the way to the checkout page to see what your tickets really cost. Those fees are a b***. Generally, Gametime seems to offer better deals than most, just saying.

Remember that for high demand games, it’s usually cheaper to buy from the team when tickets go on sale; but if you haven’t planned ahead, try waiting till the last minute when prices can drop. Just don’t wait too long; typically sites shut down sales around two hours before the game.

If they don’t know the name of the team, that’s probably a red flag.

The Guardians prohibit re-sale of tickets at any price, but of course you will see scalpers and people with extras on occasion, especially on the E. 9th Street and Ontario Street sides of the ballpark where most people enter.

I’m not sure if it’s just that I’ve gone on low attendance nights, but I don’t recall being pursued by brokers too much in my visits to Cleveland. Maybe it’s my “I’ve already got tickets” look.

Finally, I’ve written more about buying tickets on Craigslist here…but the short version is that while you might score a great deal on tickets, there’s no checks in place, so treat a Craigslist seller like you would a scalper. Check the date and opponent on the ticket and look for smudge marks or uneven scissor cuts. If your gut tells you not to buy the tickets, don’t.

There are many thousands. You should be able to find a good one.

Progressive Field Guide, Part 2: The Best Seats You Can Afford

OK, so you’ve found a route to get Guardians tickets; so choose your seats carefully.

I’ll talk about seats for every budget level here and what you should know. I’m skipping the suites, including the Dugout Suites, since they’re mostly for corporate types, but here’s the skinny for the rest of us. (If you really want to get in depth, check out this much more detailed post…)

If you pay enough for your seat, you won’t have to sit in it.

Money Is No Object Budget. The Guardians’ premium-priced seating includes the Diamond Box seats and the Field Box Front seats behind home plate; the Field Box Front seats are slightly more expensive than the Field Box seats behind them.

Field and Diamond Box season ticket holders have access to the swanky Lexus Home Plate Club; an indoor club with a full bar, some of the great new food items (more about that in a bit), and a glass enclosure to view the game.

Don’t let the empty seats fool you, they’re good seats too.

That big mezzanine section that juts out on the first base side is the Club section, with padded seats, drink rails, and access to the Discount Drug Mart Club, which is climate-controlled…no small thing here. Club seats include food from multiple stations, including build your own burgers, a meat carving station, nachos, pizza, etc.

Food and non-alcoholic drinks are all included with your ticket, and the seats offer a terrific view of the field and the Big Board. These seats come in three price ranges, and you can definitely save a few bucks with the “outfield” club seats without sacrificing much in view.

Just sit somewhere on this side. Not under that overhang.

Large Budget. If you care at least a little bit about what you’re spending, you can sit in the back rows of sections between the dugouts, or in closer seats past the bases and out to the foul pole. They’re still very good seats, but don’t include Club access.

If you’re sitting in the lower level, I prefer the first base side for its straight ahead view of the left field scoreboard, one of the most striking features of this ballpark, and the Cleveland skyline beyond it. However, you need to get a low row…with the Club section creating a big overhang, anything from Row AA up could lose the view.

You can even sit in front of the bullpens and let pitchers heckle you!

Medium Budget. The Guardians don’t start calling lower level seats “Lower Reserved” until you get into right field. These seats are about half the price of Field Box seating, and they do have some advantages despite being outfield seats…for one, they’re close to the Right Field District, and some amazing food offerings, and Section 103 is close to the bullpens; watching pitchers warm up and offering encouragement is always fun.

Stay warm in the lower seats!

The upper level seats at the Prog are divided into three price levels, four if you count the “front row” increase…View + Upper Box (400), and Upper Reserved (500). With the open concourses and suite levels, the upper tier is pretty high up, which is likely why these seats are cheaper than most lower level seating. It can also be cooler up here, so bring a jacket for the cooler nights.

Despite the height, I’ve sat on the first base side in the upper level a number of times and have always enjoyed it…the view of the scoreboard and skyline are superb, even if you’re not very close to the action. Not bad at all for inexpensive seats.

There is a secret escalator to get to the mezzanine, in case you don’t want someone to find you.

Cheap Seats and Standing Room. If you’re going as cheap as possible or want to bring the family without breaking the Venmo account, there’s several ways to do it.

The Family Deck is a similar level of seating to the Club area, but it’s in right field and doesn’t offer Club access. It’s great for families though…tickets are cheap and there’s a great indoor-outdoor play area that I’ll talk about in a bit. If you choose this spot, use the escalator in the right field concourse, and bring sunglasses, sunscreen and a hat.

“Too high? What does that mean, too high?”

The bleachers in front of the scoreboard are among the cheapest of Guardians tickets, but the team actually sells season tickets to this spot, so it’s popular among fans. The bleacher seats have backs, so they’re more comfortable than at Wrigley, but I would still bring a cushion to sit here. The closer rows cost more than the back rows, so shoot for Row L if you’re going cheap.

Unfortunately, John Adams, the team’s drummer, has passed away. RIP John.

Underway at the Corner of Carnegie and Ontario.

More so than most teams these days, the Guardians offer some really sweet standing room options, and they sell a District Ticket that includes a beer for a very nice price. Both outfield corners feature standing spots with counters, and there’s a good spot behind the bullpens too if you’re into heckling.

In the right field corner is the two-level Corner Bar, a nice spot to duck out of the cold even if drinks are pricey. Visit the very cool fire pit upstairs to warm up; it’s a pretty happening spot on cold nights. (I’ve even almost had conversations with women there!)

Cleveland’s got you covered if you like some haze with your baseball.

Finally and probably most importantly, the first base and right field sides are the last to see shade for night games, something to be mindful of on a hot day…or a cold one.

See Guardians baseball, with both right and left handed hitters!

Progressive Field Guide, Part 3: The Best Way(s) To Get To Progressive Field

It’s easy enough to take your car to the Prog for a game, and you can usually find a good spot for parking. (More about your best Guardians game parking options here.) But there’s public transit options and shuttles too, and we’ll talk about all of that.

But first, driving to the ballpark and parking. Progressive Field is easily accessed by I-90/I-71 from the southeast and I-77 from the southwest, but the ballpark exits lead to streets you probably want to avoid if you can, if you’re getting there an hour or less before game time.

Hopefully you’ve programmed your GPS for a parking spot…you can’t park here.

To avoid traffic, try using exits that approach the ballpark from the north or west, like the E. 14th Street exit from I-77 or the E. 22nd Street exit from I-90/I-71. The Shoreway (OH Route 2 from I-90 east of the ballpark and U.S. 6/20 west of the park) is sometimes an easier approach. It might be easier to exit going north and using I-90 to get to I-77 or I-71.

Note the presence of an arena just inches away on the map.

Remember that the Cavaliers play here too. If there is a Cavs game or other event going on in the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse that night (and you should check), either get to the ballpark very early or use the soon-to-be-discussed RTA.

I’ll talk about some popular parking spots here, but my #1 tip for Guardians game parking is to book it ahead of time.

Here are some parking tips, after a highly applicable word from our sponsor:

Never drive to Progressive Field without a plan…

Book your parking spot now with my friends at SpotHero!

The bridge to the ballpark is gone, but the parking lot is in the same spot. Much harder to move a garage.

The Gateway East Garage is the closest thing to an “official” garage; it’s right across the street and fairly reasonable by near the ballpark standards. Definitely reserve this one beforehand, though.

$20 parking, but no parking anytime! Hmmm…

The East 9th Street lots east of the ballpark are right off of I-77 and allow for a pretty easy exit, but you’ll pay more for the privilege. You can usually find cheaper lots if you go north a couple blocks.

If you can handle the goofy ramps, it’s not a bad deal.

The Tower City Garage is a bit of a walk and not any cheaper, but the walk is mostly through an indoor covered walkway until you get to the Cavs arena. Not bad on cold nights, and an easier out after the game.

There are plenty of other choices for parking, just consider where you’ll be coming from, and book something ahead of time!

Might not be worth saving a few bucks.

Be warned that as you get north and west of the ballpark in the Prospect/Bolivar/E. 14th St. area, it’s a less safe part of downtown, and you’ll see signs like the one above. If cheap matters to you more than convenience, try going east of the ballpark on Carnegie Avenue.

If you’d like to beat the man and park for free at Progressive Field, there are some streets where meters are inactive on weekends, like Carnegie Avenue east of the ballpark. You’ll need good timing to land one though. Or you could try the numbered streets north of the ballpark; many spots are free after 6:00 PM and weekends; you can feed the meter cheaply if needed.

The city is tougher on street parking for high demand games, so I would avoid trying it then. Like I always say, street parking is at your own risk.

Worth getting up early for on game day.

Finally, here’s my favorite parking tip for Guardians games, if you can pull it off: if you’re making a day of visiting Cleveland (and there are plenty of reasons to), find a lot that offers an “early bird” special…there are a few around the Euclid-Prospect-Huron St. area.

Park your car for $5 for the day, visit the Science Center or Rock and Roll Hall, and easily get back to your car and to your cheap spot after the game. Just be sure they’ll let you stay through the game, some lots might kick cars out before gametime.

Stand here long enough and some sort of transit will take you back to your car.

RTA transit trains are also a perfectly easy way to get to a Guardians game, if you can reach a station easily enough. Parking is free at most stations, the train ride is cheap and comfortable by big city public transit standards, and the train drops you off at Tower City, a ten minute walk to the ballpark. Most of the walk is through a covered walkway.

Clearly labeled to avoid confusion with an “ambleway”.

Some things to know about using the RTA: for one, you pay your fee downtown, getting on or off. Also, if demand isn’t great, which is often, the RTA will sometimes substitute buses for trains to get to the outskirts of the Blue or Green lines.

The RTA is especially useful for high demand midweek games, or when the Cavs are playing and traffic gets heavy. Enough fans ride the RTA that you can follow them back to the station after the game, but you shouldn’t have a problem finding a seat.

No time like the present!

The RTA has some other options you can use for getting to games, like their eco-friendly Healthline buses and the free downtown trolleys that run during the day on weekdays.

I can’t think of an advantage of using the Healthline unless you’d like to enjoy some nightlife on E. 4th Street after the game and need a bus that runs all night. Similarly, there are only a small handful of weekday games, but if you can park for free near a trolley station it’s a nice deal. Try it if you’re going to Opening Day.

Without the logo, you’d almost feel like a secret agent.

You can also use a shuttle to get to the Guardians game. The Flat Iron Café is located on Center Street near U.S. 6/20; there is a very inexpensive lot nearby but you shouldn’t have a problem finding free street parking there, especially after 6:00 PM and on weekends.

At the Flatty, you can enjoy a less expensive Irish pub meal and couple of brews, get a free ride to the game and back, and enjoy an easy exit afterward. I don’t know if I’d say it’s a well-kept secret, but everyone I talked to in my visit to the place loves this option.

I like the picture so I’m including it.

The Great Lakes Brewery used to run their Fatty Wagon to game and back from its location near the West Side Market, but as I write this it isn’t in service. This may change, so it doesn’t hurt to check if you like a quality burger and brew and a ride to the game.

Cleveland’s got a lot of people on it when it comes to bicycling in the city.

Finally, you have some bicycle riding options, believe it or not. There is a “Bike Rack” facility a short walk from the ballpark where you can use the outside racks for free or pay a small fee to secure your bicycle inside. They have showers and everything.

That said, the Prog is in an area heavily trafficked by cars. The Bike Rack people describe it as being for “intermediate” or “experienced” cyclists. It’s pretty heavy traffic around here, and bicycling isn’t something I’d recommend doing with your kid if they’ve just shed the training wheels.

This picture is what I call an “attention getter”. Now let’s talk some Cleveland ballgame grub.

Progressive Field Guide, Part 4: What To Eat At A Guardians Game

Progressive Field has so many fantastic food options that I’ve dedicating a separate post just to the best of the Progressive Field menu. But if you don’t want to go through all of that, I’ll list some of my favorite choices here…including an important bit about Ballpark Mustard.

So first, sit down restaurants.

Fine dining and bar service with a view of the outside world. And nachos.

I’ve already discussed the Club Lounge in the seating section, and it’s a great deal if you have the means. The Club Lounge offers chef-prepared stuff, including from Asian, pasta, and carving stations, and they’ll sometimes offer regional stuff based on who’s in town. (I was there for a game against the Mariners where they had Space Needle Grilled Beef. Sounded good anyway.)

At least no one screams “Down in front!”

There’s also the Terrace Club, on the mezzanine level in the left field corner. It’s a meal with a great view of a ballpark, although the view of the actual action isn’t great. You can order pre-game or during the game reservations, but with pre-game seating you’re only allowed there for 90 minutes.

Still, the Terrace Club is definitely a cool experience, and the Indians have high-end buffets available for an amount of money that you could spend on inferior food around the ballpark. Aside from the buffet there is a high end if somewhat pricey menu with food that by most accounts is very good.

Outside of the restaurants the team has created several “Districts” that showcase some of the iconic eats in Cleveland. I’ll briefly cover the selections here; lots more detail on my Progressive Field food page (coming soon!).

In the Right Field District:

This sandwich barely stayed intact long enough for this photo.

Melt Bar & Grilled has a variety of grilled cheese sandwiches made with Texas Toast; try the chorizo and potato or the mushroom sandwich with grilled onions…that might be the best vegetarian meal I’ve had at a game.

This might have been the best thing I’ve eaten at a ballpark.

Barrio allows you to build your own tacos, or at least suggest to the person behind the counter what to do. Their tacos get high marks but I can tell you their nacho plate is truly awesome. Very salty chips though.

I remember the dark days of only Budweiser available at ballgames. You kids have no clue how good you have it today!

The Great Lakes Brewery is known for their craft beers (as they should be), but they have some cool food offerings too, like brats covered with onions, peppers and Ballpark Mustard.

Enough said.

Cleveland Dogs & Shakes isn’t based on a local eatery, but if you like extra stuff piled on your hot dog, this is the spot; ten inch dogs covered with things like pierogies, bacon, banana peppers or other stuff. Get your dog on a pretzel bun here.

Just getting warmed up here…

In The Infield + Left Field Districts:

Just this description has me planning a trip to Cleveland.

The Brew Kettle is mostly about their craft beers, but they also carry the Wisconsin Brat Burger: a spicy pork burger with Swiss cheese and their homemade kraut relish on a pretzel bun.

Not sure how people are walking by, although it could be the nachos.

If you’re into high end pizza, Dante’s Inferno is a creation of chef Dante Boccuzzi, and at the Prog you can get a hand crafted pizza with spaghetti and meatballs on it, or the spicy Inferno pizza with sausage, pepperoni, olives and hot peppers.

Because great ballpark food goes best with craft beer.

At the appropriately named Fat Head’s Brewery, get your big appetite on with their “Headwiches”…sandwiches the size of your head (almost). Try the Fat Italian or the Southside Slopes – a kielbasa with pierogies, American cheese, grilled onions and horseradish sauce

Get froot loops on your hot dog. Only in Cleveland.

Happy Dog might be my favorite of the fancy food eateries at the Prog…for no other reason than they’re the first outfit I could think of to put Froot Loops on a hot dog. True. They have lost of other unusual options for baseball’s classic food here, so check it out.

Not done yet! The Prog is a great place to get your Mexican food fix on, even if I wouldn’t argue that Barrio is more than good enough for the task:

Now that’s some nachos!

Momocho has nachos and quesadillas; with made to order chips and homemade guac and salsa. Top your chips with chicken, pulled pork or sausage. It’s a great plate of nachos, although I still slightly prefer Barrio’s.

They even made a bigger tray for the street corn. Ohio City Burrito don’t play!

Ohio City Burrito is your destination for baseball’s most underrated food, the burrito. They fill your burritos with beef, pulled pork or chicken and the standard fillings, roll them with outstanding accuracy, and serve them with homemade salsa.

You’d be amazed at how difficult it is to get a charred dog at a ballpark. But not in Cleveland.

As you can see, pardon my French, but the Prog offers a kick ass menu with your baseball, and that’s not including the generic stands that sell very large hot dogs. I’ll just mention a few other things here:

In my last visit there was a Charred Dogs stand; I think it’s behind home plate. If you want your hot dogs blackened on an open fire grill, check this spot out.

At many ballparks, footlong dogs are just stretched. The Guardians, on the other hand, care about their fans.

Speaking of those hot dogs, they’re still made by Sugardale; and at the also aptly named Sausages & Dogs stands, you can get the really hefty half pounders. These are like the footlongs you find at a lot of ballparks, only thicker…and with peppers, onions, and Ballpark Mustard piled on, it can be a great value by ballpark standards.

I don’t know why I don’t just get one of these. I’d use it.

OK, so let me talk about the Bertman’s Mustard briefly. Joe Bertman’s spicy brown mustard served at Guardians games has been part of Cleveland since the 1920s; Bertman’s takes pride in not watering down their Dijon-style mustard and using the vinegar, and you can definitely taste the difference.

Some folks, myself included, have picked up “Stadium Mustard” in Cleveland area markets thinking it was the same thing, and it’s not…it’s a very similar version that I’ve read was created by a former associate of Bertman’s. They’re very similar, but Bertman’s is the real thing if you’re interested in ordering some…and it’s definitely the best mustard I’ve tried in a ballpark.

If you’ve ever witnessed an inane Twitter argument, you might like this…someone who refused to identify himself emailed me about this and angrily accused me of spreading “mustard propaganda”, and who knows, he might be right, even if I laughed MAO at the accusation.

If you happen to be in the West Side Market, pick me up a bag. I’m good for it.

I’m just glossing over the impressive food selection at Progressive Field, but just one more note. You can bring your own food into the ballpark. The Guardians allow a 16*16*8 bag, and they don’t specifically prohibit food, although they do say you can bring in one sealed bottle of water.

You can add some eats to your bag at several shops in Tower City if you’re using the RTA, and there are peanut vendors across E. 9th Street from the ballpark, and Aladdin’s Bakery on Carnegie Avenue has gyros and halal sandwiches. You get the idea.

I got my certificate!!

Progressive Field Guide, Part 5: Bringing The Kids

Few ballparks are as kid-friendly as Progressive Field these days. They’ve added the Kids Clubhouse on the mezzanine level, and this has become a two-story interactive play area with a big slide and everything, and parents can watch the game while kids play. As I’ve said, the Family Deck is a good spot for families, but definitely bring sunscreen.

This pitcher’s pretty good. Nothing hit out of the infield yet.

Also on the mezzanine level, the Rookie Suite and Slugger’s Sandlot are playgrounds for kids of varying ages, including a “Little League Park” wiffle ball field (with a short porch for your young slugger), a climbing wall, video games and batting cages among other fun stuff. You need to sign a waiver for the kids. They’ve even included a nursing room in case Time Magazine’s cover girl shows up.

Is it me or does this mascot not exactly strike fear in opponents?

Most of the play area is in the outfield near the secret escalator (it’s behind the right field seats), with interactive baseball games and a mock-up of Slider, the team mascot, sitting on a bench (sometimes the real Slider or hot dog mascots will make an appearance). This is a very popular place for families (it’s air-conditioned in spots), so be prepared.

The Guardians offer discounted tickets for kids with the purchase of an adult ticket, and the Guardians have a fan club for kids that includes some cool Guardians swag, discounts on gear, and exclusive experiences for a price that makes it worth it.

The cool part is high-fiving a third base coach.

Sundays are Kids Days, with animals or other attractions in the plaza on Eagle Avenue; kids can actually interview players and are allowed to run the bases after the game. The run the bases promotion is very popular, so you may want to bring the kid to the first base side early. They also set up a Kids Play area with bounce houses and such on Kids Days.

Hey, I get excited about Sugardale too.

The Indians run Sugardale Hot Dog Races after the fifth inning of each game. The hot dogs are Guardians employees disguised as franks covered with various condiments. Ketchup wins a lot of races, but is known to cheat. When not racing, the Sugardale dogs will greet fans in the concourse areas.

At Guest Services you can put a tag on your kid with the seat location, and get them a first game certificate they’ll file away forever.

I haven’t been there since they changed the team name, but I’m sure the scoreboard is just as impressive.

Progressive Field Guide, Part 6: Photo-Ops + Other Tips

OK, we’re almost done…thanks for sticking with me this far! Just a few things…starting with a few of my favorite photo-ops here:

Hitters hated facing him almost as much as the Japanese did.

Progressive Field Photo-Op #1) Player Statues. You can find statues of Indians greats Bob Feller, Jim Thome, Larry Doby and Lou Boudreau outside the ballpark in their classic poses, including Feller’s high leg kick windup. Good meeting spot for fans too.

Cleveland has some cool baseball history. Not just the movie “Major League”. Although that counts.

Progressive Field Photo-Op #2) Heritage Park. The Heritage Park area in the outfield commemorates Cleveland baseball greatness, including a statue of Frank Robinson and a dedication to Ray Chapman, an Indian who died from being hit by a pitched baseball. It’s worth a look for baseball history buffs; get there early to avoid the crowds.

Smart move to add a skyline view to a ballpark. Probably have the Orioles to thank for that.

Progressive Field Photo-Op #3) The Big Board + Skyline. I’ve said earlier that the view of the huge scoreboard and Cleveland skyline is worth sitting on the first base side of the field; its especially impressive from the upper level. I haven’t been there since the team’s name change, so this is the latest edition I have of the view.

Wide highways, as far as the eye can see…the vision of Ohio is indeed a grand one!

Progressive Field Photo-Op #4) The Upper Concourse View. Even if you’re not sitting in the upper level, take an escalator up and have a look at the surrounding area from the upper concourse. It’s pretty boffo, especially at sunset.

Chicks dig the blog!

Progressive Field Photo-Op #5) Hot Dog Race Mascots. Before the game you can usually find the hot dog mascots that will be running in the race, and they’re happy to pose with fans as shown with this lanky goofball.

Progressive Field is a beautiful ballpark…there’s a lot of great spots to point your camera.

The obviously not so secret escalator, but secret enough.

Getting around the ballpark, it’s a long way to the top (if you wanna rock ‘n’ roll) of the Prog, so there are several escalators to use; the impressive main escalator is near the team shop on the first base side; the other is the previously alluded to “secret” way to get to the mezzanine in right field. Escalators go up only, but you can use an elevator at Section 559 to get down.

Gate A is the most popular entrance, being near the box office, play areas, and home run porch. If you want to avoid long lines at the gate, you’re better off with Gate D near Broadway Avenue. Or use the redesigned Right Field Gate, with the impressive statue of Bob Feller. This gate is the first to open; for the first hour or so fans are confined to the outfield, but with the food selection there that’s all good.

Don’t mention it. The menu was worth it.

Whew! No idea there was so much to know, right? Anyway, I hope you’ve enjoyed this Progressive Field guide and that the tips I’ve shared here help you save money, time, and aggravation, and enjoy the wonderful experience that is baseball in Cleveland. If you’ve got any questions, by all means drop a line…and there’s more stuff below if you’d like more details, by the way.

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Planning a Phillies game? Visiting Philadelphia for some baseball? This highly detailed and useful Citizens Bank Park guide will help you land cheap Phillies tickets, choose the best seat for your budget, find a good parking spot, and choose what to eat from the impressive Phillies game menu. It’s all here…everything you need to know.

I live about 20 minutes away from the Phillies ballpark; I’ve been there many times and know all the tricks. Stick with me; I’ll help you save money at Citizens Bank Park and get the most bang for your buck at your next Phillies game.

Welcome to the first capital of the United States.

I’ve got a lot of great and helpful tips for you, so let’s break this down:

Finding The Best Deals on Phillies Tickets
Choosing A Great Seat
The Best Way(s) To Get To A Phillies Game
What To Eat At Citizens Bank Park
Bringing The Kids To A Phillies Game
Citizens Bank Park Photo-Ops + Other Tips

So after this quick word from our sponsor, we’ll get started!

Gametime has your cheap Phillies tickets…with a lowest price guarantee, panoramic seat view photos, and great last minute deals…even after the game starts!

(See why Ballpark E-Guides loves Gametime here!)

It’s almost like they don’t want you to know there’s a box office.

Citizens Bank Park Guide, Part 1: How to Score Cheap Phillies Tickets

You have a number of ways to get Phillies tickets…and finding the best deal on tickets is a function of choosing the right avenue and contest. If all you want is to visit the ballpark, low demand games are in April and May, and September if the Phillies aren’t contending. Friday and Saturday nights are the toughest tickets; midweek games are much easier.

If you really want to see the Mets, Yankees, Red Sox, or fireworks nights, plan ahead and try getting tickets when they first go on sale; it’s a good idea to subscribe to the Phillies ticket alerts. They’ll let you know when tickets go on sale, where face value is often the best price. The newsletter will also alert you to theme nights, giveaway nights, etc., so it’s well worth it.

A World Series game is usually a “premium” game.

But if you just want to visit the ballpark, try a game against a West Coast opponent (other than South Jersey native Mike Trout’s Angels, who always draw a crowd); the Marlins only have about 60 fans so they are almost always a cheap game too.

There are several advantages to gathering a group of folks to go to a Phillies game…certain games are available much more cheaply and the group leader will get tickets to a future contest. If you know a lot of Phillies fans, try looking into this.

Just because she doesn’t look enthusiastic doesn’t mean it’s not a good deal!

The Phillies have a “Fightin’ Phils Fan Club”, where for a small membership fee you get a decal, a hat, discounts on merchandise, and best of all, game tickets and pre-sale opportunities. It’s well worth the price, especially if it can get you into a game against, say, the Red Sox at face value.

So that’s a short primer for buying tickets online.

Go straight ahead, and then make a right, where the old McFadden’s used to be.

The main ticket office is at the third base gate, and there are other ticket windows around the ballpark. You won’t pay fees at the box office, and that’s a considerable chunk of change. If it’s not a high demand game, you shouldn’t have a problem getting tickets.

Neither one is any easier for left handed people.

There are also ticket kiosks at the box office where you can buy and/or print your purchased tickets, and I don’t think you’ll pay the convenience fee using them either. Definitely beats waiting in line for tickets…or paying fees.

You forgot to sign up for the newsletter, didn’t you? Sigh…

If you’re going with a low demand game or failed to plan ahead, include third parties in your search; Gametime is my favorite because they often have the best prices around, and they only show you the better deals. If you want to compare prices with the Phillies website or another third party, be sure to go all the way to the checkout screen to see what you’ll really be paying for tickets. It can be a big difference.

With third party sites, most of the time tickets will become cheaper and more available closer to gametime, so wait until the last minute if you can…remember, though, that ticket sales shut down two hours before game time. If the game is important for you to attend, keep checking for a deal you can live with starting about a week before.

These seats should be very cheap on a hot day.

If you’re flexible and can go to a game on a moment’s notice, and demand being what it is for Phillies tickets when they’re good, try waiting for a hot, muggy day or perhaps a cold day in April, when season ticket holders might decide against coming to the ballpark. You might score a worthwhile deal on Gametime especially then. You can also usually land a great deal on a cold day in September if the Phillies are out of the race.

No, the bar codes do not recycle after 12 years. This ticket is no longer valid.

Even though it is illegal and the Phillies make this clear, I have seen scalpers practically right at the gate of the ballpark. They frequently hang out around the marquee across from the Mike Schmidt statue, and they get desperate to unload their tickets as game time approaches.

When the Phillies are good, scalpers can be tough negotiators, but when the Phillies aren’t performing well brokers are less plentiful and more eager to unload, and you might score a great deal. It’s at your own risk of course, check your tickets for the date and the opponent if you try it.

I’ve written more about buying baseball tickets on Craigslist here. The sellers there aren’t all crooks and you might score something, but treat them the same way you would a scalper…again, check the date and opponent on your ticket, and look for smudges or other irregularities. Trust your gut, especially with a high demand game.

Go ahead, just pick one. They’re all good.

Citizens Bank Park Guide, Part 2: Choosing A Great Seat

There is a general opinion among forum dwellers that most all of the seating at the Bank offers an acceptable view of the action. I don’t disagree; I’ve had what could definitely be called bad seats and have never been terribly unhappy. In most all cases, seats are angled towards home plate, and very little of the field is obstructed even in the furthest seats.

When buying tickets on the Phillies website, you can now choose individual seats on their seating map, which is great for landing aisle seats or two and two in front of each other, whatever works.

I’ve written a much more detailed guide to the seating at Citizens Bank Park here, but I’ll keep it simple and break it down by budget here for you.

Cushioned seats and cup holders say “We care”.

Premium Phillies Game Seats: Diamond + Hall of Fame Club

As premium seats go, the high end club seats at Citizens Bank Park are fairly reasonable by MLB standards. A full season package in the Hall of Fame Club works out to about $65 a game, and if you pick the right contest you should be able to get a great deal on Gametime. Try for a midweek game against Miami or Colorado.

The Diamond Club seats are directly behind home plate; in the front rows you’re closer to home plate than the pitcher. The seats are padded and wider, and you can order food from your seat.

Nothing says “you’ve made it in life” like a meal in a ballpark club.

Diamond Club members have access to the Diamond Clubhouse Lounge, a beautiful climate-controlled spot with gourmet chef-prepared dining (the burgers are all that). Most of the food and drinks aren’t free, but there are some complimentary side dishes like pasta salads. The Clubhouse also features a view of the batting practice cages.

Because we should all have better seats than sportswriters.

The Hall of Fame Club seats are on the 200 press level, just above the suites. In addition to a nice bird’s eye view of the action, these seats are also wide and padded with more leg room. (That matters to big dudes like me.) There’s only a few rows in each section, so it’s easy to get to your seat.

Just in case they run out of baseballs during the game.

The large Club behind the seats is also climate-controlled, and includes food and bar stations. The food isn’t included, but this privilege allows folks to wait in short(er) lines for food items (including Chickie’s and Pete’s fries), which can come in handy in a rain delay.

Again, you can sometimes find good deals on third party sites for Club tickets; remember my “uncomfortable weather” tip; I’ve seen tickets available for less than half the face value on low demand nights.

Popular seats as you can see, even out of the shade.

Large Budget: Field Level Seating

The Infield and Baseline seats at Citizens Bank Park are not cheap, but there isn’t much of an incline and the view is great from just about anywhere. There is a notable price decrease as you move towards the outfield; Section 115 is significantly cheaper than Section 114, for example. The Phillies charge more for the front few rows in the infield sections.

The most important thing I can tell you about the lower level seating here is that the sun beats hard on the first base/right field side late in the day especially. If your timing is wrong it can be fairly miserable on a hot day; I’d go for the third base side.

That aside, most of the lower level seats here are great, and the Bank is a place where lower seating is preferable, for reasons I’ll get to in a minute.

The plentiful ushers might have tissues in the event of a nosebleed.

Medium to Small Budget: Terrace Level Seating

The upper deck seats at Citizens Bank Park are called the Terrace (300 sections) and the Terrace Deck (400 sections). Like in the lower level, the price drops as you get further from home plate.

With the suites, the Hall of Fame level, and open concourses pushing things up, upper levels here are pretty high, and these seats aren’t for the acrophobic. I’m not saying they’re bad seats by any means, though; the Phillies did a nice job of angling upper level seats for a great view of the field.

This is the easy part.

Another thing to keep in mind in the is that the 400 seats (Terrace Deck) require about a dozen steps just to get to your section. Try to get your food and take care of nature’s call beforehand, because this can be a pain. If lots of steps are a problem for you, spend a couple of extra bucks for the 300 sections.

Incidentally, if you need to duck out of the weather (Philadelphia gets both ends of weather extremes), the High & Inside Club on the upper concourse is a good spot. The game is on TV there.

The Scoreboard Porch, so named for its lack of view of the scoreboard.

Small Budget: Outfield Seats + Scoreboard Porch

The outfield seating is typical of any ballpark here, but it does have the advantage of being close to Ashburn Alley and the world class Philly food items that I’ll get to in a bit.

The Scoreboard Porch seats are just below the scoreboard; these are pretty far from the field and obviously don’t offer a view from the scoreboard. (There is a smaller scoreboard in right field that works just fine for needed info, however.) These and the upper seats in right field are my least favorite seats in the ballpark, but the Porch is a popular spot for groups if you’re interested.

“Hey pitcher! Your mom is inconsistent!”

In right field, the outfield seats are also close to the bullpens, where you can offer Philly-brand encouragement to opposing pitchers. Remember what I’ve said about the sunlight; right field is the last place to see shade for night games.

For people ready to catch a 600-foot home run.

Tightwad Budget: Rooftop Bleachers + Standing Room

The Rooftop Bleachers section is a small makeshift-style grandstand above Ashburn Alley in right field, below the neon Liberty Bell; it’s made to look like the stands people built on rooftops across from Connie Mack Stadium. They are, I believe, the cheapest seats in the ballpark, and with good reason…they’re quite a distance from the field. If the game bores you, it does offer people watching in Ashburn Alley.

You know it’s a good spot if it’s where ushers hang out.

Standing room in Citizens Bank Park is a pretty good deal. There are counters around the concourses everywhere in the ballpark to lean on and rest your food, and you might even land some barstool seats in center field if you’re early enough (good luck with that). If you get tired from standing late in the game, the folks at Harry The K’s might let you take a seat.

The Phillies offer a standing room only Ballpark Pass; for a reasonable fee you can attend every home game for a month. Well worth it if you use it a few times.

This is the point where you can shut off your GPS.

Citizens Bank Park Guide, Part 3: The Best Ways To Get To A Phillies Game

In most cases, driving your car is the best and easiest way to get to Citizens Bank Park. There is ample parking in the sports complex, and traffic generally isn’t terrible for a ballpark.

If you’d like to get into some detail about parking at Phillies games, including tailgating, the Taxi Crab and other stuff, check out this much more detailed guide to Citizens Bank Park parking!

The only exception is when there is another event going on, especially an Eagles or Flyers game…if you can’t get to the ballpark very early on such days, you might prefer the Broad Street subway. If there is another event, your best bet is to approach the ballpark from the north on Packer Avenue.

Coming from Penrose Avenue offers advance warning for when you’re about to see some serious parking.

Penrose Avenue from the west, I’ve learned through experience, is a good route to approach the park, since it’s accessible from I-76 and I-95 and you can turn onto Pattison Avenue towards Penrose getting out, away from the frequently used exits that get backed up after the game.

If you find yourself with tickets for a Friday night game during the summer months, don’t even try to use I-76 eastbound. The traffic headed to the Jersey Shore could well make you miss half of the game. Use I-476 and I-95 north to get around it all, or look into using a Regional Rail train and just make sure you can get back.

A helpful and detailed map to help you find parking at the ballpark, once you’ve parked.

The lots owned by the Phillies are all north of Pattison Avenue and mostly west of the ballpark; pre-paid lots for season ticket holders are close but don’t offer any kind of easier out. You can buy a pass ahead of time from the Phillies, but if you’d like something cheaper, easier to exit, or more tailgate friendly, read on.

Don’t let a little rain stop your pre-game party!

Tailgating is not permitted in the Phillies lots; for pre-game partying you can use the lots south of Pattison Avenue. Lincoln Financial Field (Eagles) has sizable lots; the Linc is the most popular of tailgating spots. There are ample port-a-potties, and large solar panels covering rows of parking that provide cover or shade from the weather.

East of Lincoln Financial is the Jetro Warehouse, also a popular tailgate destination. Jetro doesn’t offer the “car ports” that the Linc lot does though, and it isn’t any cheaper except from a good distance away, so if tailgating is your thing and you’re early, try the Linc lot first.

If you use my Penrose suggestion, you won’t be too tired from the traffic to pay someone else to park your car.

The Xfinity Live! complex west of the Linc lot offers valet parking for about the same price as other parking (although you’ll probably tip the valet guys a few bucks). It’s just steps away from the ballpark and good if you want to hang out here for the party afterward.

Colorful shuttle buses are a part of baseball.

Chickie’s and Pete’s on Packer Avenue valet parks your car for a bit less than what Phillies charge, and they run a free shuttle called the “Taxi Crab” that will take you from their restaurant to the game and back. I’m a fan of this option if you’re making a day of it…enjoy a somewhat less expensive meal at a popular local institution, avoid waiting in line for their famous crab fries, catch a ballgame, and generally avoid the traffic leaving. (Please don’t drink and drive, at least not in that order).

Just so you know what it looks like, in case you follow my next suggestion.

There is a church (the Stella Maris Catholic Convent) on 10th Avenue north of the ballpark that is cheaper than the Phillies lots, and it’s also an easier out. Not too long of a walk and a nice view coming towards the ballpark, just use caution crossing Packer Avenue. This spot is just a five minute walk from Oregon Steaks, incidentally, if you want a popular Philly cheesesteak.

Off of Pattison Avenue east of the ballpark, you can often find lots that are a few bucks cheaper and easier to exit.

With bicycle racks at the front entrance for an added level of security.

The lots behind Lincoln Financial Field are further and aren’t any cheaper, but there is also a lot behind the Jetro warehouse that offers a cheaper rate. This one is a hike and dark at night, however, and they claim to prohibit tailgating.

Get any closer and I’ll ticket you, I mean it!

If you love to beat the Man and park for free, your best bet for free street parking might be on the western side of 7th Street north of Packer Avenue; I saw cars parked there and employees of the team coming from that direction. I’ve done this without a problem, but you need to be early and it’s a bit of a hike.

People used to park on South Lawrence Street, but the city started handing out $50+ tickets for this, so I wouldn’t try that one.

You’ll want to be closer than this.

Speaking for myself, in my opinion the cheaper parking at Citizens Bank Park isn’t worth the considerably longer walk, unless you’d like to get out more easily. My favorite lot is Lot G south of Pattison; it’s almost across the street from the ballpark and it’s easy to exit going west on Pattison towards Penrose.

Remember when they called them “stadiums”?

The Distant Second Best Way to Get to Citizens Bank Park: SEPTA

The Broad Street Line is a SEPTA subway line that drops off fans at the NRG Sports Complex Station, a short walk from the ballpark. Because of the crowds, the subway is considered generally safe for games, but I would avoid going north of City Hall.

Gangway! Philly sports fans coming!

SEPTA runs a Sports Express service to and from Citizens Bank Park on game days; these trains make for a much quicker ride. Usually there are 4-5 of them starting about an hour before the game. Coming from the PATCO Line in South Jersey, the Express will take you straight to the ballpark non-stop from Walnut-Locust. If you get a chance to use the Express, do it. You’ll thank me.

The Broad Street Line isn’t the most pleasant train you’ll ever ride (it probably won’t even make your top 20), but it is good for avoiding traffic, which can be very slow. It’s popular especially with people visiting Philadelphia and staying in the heart of the city, but it doesn’t get too packed like NYC or Chicago ballpark trains do.

Well yeah, I guess some Phillies fans live in NJ.

Coming from South Jersey where I live, the Broad Street Line is easily accessible from PATCO. Riders can take PATCO to the 12th/13th Street or the 15th/16th Street station, and from there follow the orange signs to the Broad Street Line, about a five-minute walk. Coming back, exit the SEPTA train at Walnut-Locust.

Here’s a Tightwad Tip for PATCO: You can get a discounted round trip transfer ticket that includes the Broad Street ride at the PATCO station, which is slightly cheaper than two SEPTA tokens and considerably cheaper than driving and parking from NJ.

If you live somewhere on this map, you can take a train or two to the game.

All of SEPTA’s Regional Rail suburban train lines stop at Suburban Station, about a 5-10 minute underground hike to the Broad Street Line. Regional Rail is a much nicer ride from most areas of southeast PA, but check the schedule if you do this and know when the last train leaves.

The tricky part is making that left turn in ballgame traffic.

Citizens Bank Park isn’t in an area that would be a short bike trek for most people, and I don’t recommend bicycling in the area, but should you make the trip on two wheels, there is a bicycle rack on the north side of the ballpark, and Packer Avenue nearby has a bicycle lane.

Philadelphia has a shared bicycle rental service called “Indego”, and there’s a station next to the NRG subway station. It even has some electric bikes, but there isn’t a large quantity there, so I wouldn’t depend on there being one after the game.

This is why you come to Philadelphia.

Citizens Bank Park Guide, Part 4: What to Eat at Citizens Bank Park

If you’re really interested in making a solid food choice at a Phillies game, I go into much more detail about the menu in my Citizens Bank Park food post here, but here’s a shortened version of all of that. I’m not bothering with the Club items, I’ve already talked about that a bit.

If you’ve never had cream of artichoke soup before, here’s your chance!

Harry The K’s is named for the Phillies’ late broadcasting legend Harry Kalas. Harry’s has an outdoor but covered seating area behind the left field seats and serves adequate tavern fare at reasonable prices for a ballpark.

Each season the Phillies introduce new food items to Harry’s menu; they might have unusual hot dogs or different kinds of turkey club or roast pork sandwiches. Harry’s is a good spot to find healthy items; I enjoyed a fairly good vegan cheesesteak there some years ago.

This nation was founded so people could eat good pizza at the ballpark.

Then there’s Pass and Stow and the Shake Shack, sit down eateries that took over the space once occupied by McFadden’s restaurant. Pass and Stow is mostly for outside libations, but they do have a brick oven pizza on their menu, and Shake Shack of course features the ever-popular Shackburger, fries and shakes, all of which I can testify are very good.

This is a Campo’s “Heater” chicken cheesesteak sandwich with the “Works”. Ask for it by name.

If you want to enjoy the taste of Philly stuff at Citizens Bank Park, head out to Ashburn Alley in center field…that’s where you’ll find the two iconic cheesesteak sandwiches: Tony Luke’s and Campo’s. I’m a Campo’s guy, but Tony Luke’s does have a good roast pork and provolone sandwich with broccoli rabe. For a great and spicy cheesesteak, get the “Heater” from Campo’s. (Ask for it with the “Works”!)

No need to get your donuts at the state level.

But don’t pass on the other Philly favorites here…there’s P.J. Whelihan’s and their flavorful boneless wings, amazing Federal Donuts and their chicken sandwich, and of course the popular Philly favorite…

Tell them you want the ones that spilled out too.

Chickie’s and Pete’s crab fries…crinkle-cut fries with crab seasoning, one of the most iconic food items in Philly. I’ve talked about Chickie’s and Pete’s on Packer Avenue earlier…at the restaurant you get two cups of cheese sauce, here you have to pay extra for that. Might be worth using the Taxi Crab, just saying.

Mr. Manco likes to make pizza with his alter ego.

Manco & Manco’s Pizza is new but long overdue; it’s a very popular pizza shop from Ocean City NJ’s boardwalk, and it’s much better than the generic pizza. (Philly area folks don’t excuse bad pizza.) Colbie’s Southern Fried Chicken has chef-inspired fried chicken sandwiches, and they’re part-owned by former Phillies slugger Ryan Howard, so you’re supporting local baseball.

Here’s your tip of the day.

Finally, don’t miss Bull’s BBQ, named for 1970s Phillies slugger Greg Luzinski, who chats and poses with fans most games. The large BBQ area in the left field corner serves up first-class pulled pork, big turkey legs, addictive mac and cheese, and the “Bull Dog”, a huge glazed kielbasa. You can create a nice sampler plate. As ballpark BBQ goes, it’s one of my faves.

Just about everything I’ve tried in Ashburn Alley has been great; it’s worth the few extra bucks to get your Phillies game grub on there. Get there early; it gets crowded.

Hopefully this helps you find the hot dogs at Citizens Bank Park.

The rest of the concourse areas mostly feature generic ballpark items; aside from Hatfield hot dogs (another local legend), the cheesesteaks, fries, wings and other stuff is adequate but unremarkable. The sausage and pepper sandwiches are very good. Of course, you can get Richman’s ice cream in a small Phillies helmet.

The Phillies occasionally have Dollar Dog Nights; it’s a popular promotion but lines can be long.

Nothing gives a deli credibility like a decorated van.

Finally, you can bring your own food into Citizens Bank Park (in a 16*16*8 bag), and there’s some decent selections not far away. I’ve already talked about the Taxi Crab from Chickie’s and Pete’s; bringing takeout crab fries will save you a few bucks.

If you’re using the Taxi Crab, the Chickie’s plaza also has a popular deli called Pastaficio’s, it’s a prime spot to order a high quality and cheaper sandwich you can bring in with you. (You can take my word on that.)

Check them out…they ain’t kiddin’!

My favorite trick as a South Jersey native is to go upstairs after exiting the PATCO train, and stopping at Nuts 2 You, which is in the path to the Broad Street subway. They have an amazing selection of fresh roasted peanuts, snacks, and candy, and the still warm peanuts keep me fed all night for just a few bucks.

Parents aren’t allowed in the habitrail, but it doesn’t stop them from trying.

Citizens Bank Park Guide, Part 5: Bringing The Kids

The home of the Phillies is one of the most kid-friendly ballparks I’ve been to; there are two play areas here that are both great fun for little ones. The Phanatic Phun Zone features a habitrail that makes me jealous when I see my kids running around it, and The Yard in the left field corner has a wiffle ball field shaped like a mini-version of the ballpark.

Kids can also pretend to operate a concession stand, and get started young living the dream of being a ballpark concession worker. The Phillies smartly placed only one entrance at the Phun Zone, so parents can safely wait there.

It’s not actually 401 to straightaway center; unless that’s some metric measurement.

The Yard in the left field corner is an artificial turf (normally frowned upon in baseball, but probably a good idea here) wiffle ball field that’s made to look like a miniature Citizens Bank Park. And it’s got a short porch in left…if you get a hold of one, you can easily reach the scoreboard with it!

You have to wait in line to get your licks at the plate, but the kids can play in the field as much as they like. It’s a great opportunity to teach your child the value of strong defense up the middle. The Yard gets crowded pretty fast, so try to get there when the Left Field gates open (a half hour before the rest of the gates).

Phillies employees can put a curve on a wiffle ball pitch with the best of them.

If you’re bringing the kids, the first base side is usually better, since the Phanatic Phun Zone is near the first base entrance and the Yard is in the right field corner. It’s also a better view of the Phanatic dancing on the Phillies dugout. However, keep in mind that this spot can see some serious sun; if that’s a concern try the third base side, or bring water and sunscreen.

If you want to save a few bucks on tickets for the kids, check out the fan clubs. Membership is relatively cheap and usually includes two game tickets, plus souvenirs like a drawstring bag that you wouldn’t think to buy otherwise; both clubs include discounted ticket opportunities. The Phillies don’t have many “run the bases” days, but the fan club offers front of the line access for it, and that’s well worth it if it’s in your plans.

“Go ahead, swing for the fences kid!”

Kids under two get in free, but they have to sit on the parent’s lap (which is mighty difficult for nine innings), and you can either check in a stroller or fit it under your seat.

There are Phanatic Kids Corner stands selling smaller dogs and PB&J sandwiches at reduced prices for kids, so you can save a few bucks on food that way…and don’t forget about bringing in your own snacks.

Finally, you can bring the kid to the Guest Services booth and get them a First Game Certificate…they’ll treasure that forever.

If you didn’t know who he was, you probably wouldn’t let him in either.

Citizens Bank Park Guide, Part 6: Photo-Ops + Other Tips

I’m listing some of my favorite photo-ops at Citizens Bank Park, you’ll want some shots of these things when you go:

It’s even cooler at night, just saying.

Citizens Bank Park Photo-Ops, #1) The Liberty Bell. Try to get video of this after a Phillie hits a home run or the Phillies win. It’s also cool to get close to it and see how huge it really is.

This statues talks about as much as Lefty did. He let his curveball do the talking.

Citizens Bank Park Photo-Ops, #2) Phillies Statues. Steve Carlton, Mike Schmidt, Richie Ashburn, Robin Roberts, and longtime announcer Harry Kalas are all enshrined at the ballpark; Harry’s statue is inside the ballpark near the restaurant that bears his name. Everyone in Philly loved Harry.

Blending a ballpark in with a bunch of tall buildings is harder than it looks.

Citizens Bank Park Photo-Ops, #3) The City Skyline View. The Phillies got some grief for not placing the ballpark in the heart of the city, but this view works. Check it out from the upper level concourse in left field. (Nice view of the Walt Whitman Bridge there too.) Worth the trek up the ramps.

Does anyone think the Athletics should move back to Philly? I’m in that camp.

Citizens Bank Park Photo-Ops, #4) The Philly Baseball Walk of Fame. Some very good teams played baseball here; not just the Phillies but also Connie Mack’s Athletics. You can find this in Ashburn Alley, on the other side of the batter’s eye wall. It’s a fun timeline to read.

I was these kids’ age when most of these guys were playing.

Citizens Bank Park Photo-Ops, #5) The Diamond Club Mural. You may need to ask permission from an usher if you’re not a ticket holder to see it, but inside the Diamond Club is a very cool mural of a clubhouse full of Phillies greats; in the picture are Mike Schmidt, Steve Carlton, Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, and of course, the Phanatic, Harry Kalas and Richie Ashburn. Pete Rose isn’t in the picture…he’s represented by fallen rose petals.

It would have been a bear writing a fan’s guide for this one.

Citizens Bank Park Photo-Ops, #6) Connie Mack Stadium Replica. Connie Mack Stadium was my father’s favorite ballpark; I unfortunately was born too late to visit it. But they do have a replica in the Hall of Fame Club, again, you might need permission to go in and see it.

And last but most definitely not least…

I think Stallone chose to film Rocky in Philadelphia because he liked the Phanatic.

Citizens Bank Park Video-Ops, #1) The Phanatic. The Phillie Phanatic, the best mascot in sports, drives his ATV out on to the field in the middle of the fifth as the cleaning crew smooths out the bases…he’s always a blast to watch, carrying on and behaving like a Philly fan (check out my interview with original Phanatic Dave Raymond here). He also dances on top of the Phillies dugout in the late innings, and his antics can get R-rated at times. Get some video of him if you can…you’ll laugh.

Feeling smarter about your next Phillies game? Great! Just a couple more things.

Personally I liked the Spectrum better.

Xfinity Live! across the street is kind of a sports mall food court, with Philly sports-themed restaurants like the Spectrum Grille and the Broad Street Bullies Pub, and very large TV screens showing games featuring local teams, anything a fan needs for a post-game party or to gather with other Philly fans.

It’s definitely not the cheapest place for a post-game meal or drinks, but it’s easily the most convenient, and you have choices for whatever grub you’re interested in, including Geno’s Steaks and Lorenzo and Sons Pizza.

Oh, like your city doesn’t do this stuff…

Finally, about those Phillies fans. For half a century now, the story of Eagles fans throwing snowballs at Santa Claus has been cited as proof that Philadelphia is home to the meanest, most hideous sports fans. I’ve written about the Santa Claus story here; give it a read if you’re not familiar with it. The actual story is probably very different than what you imagine, and it’s actually pretty funny. R.I.P. Frank Olivo.

In truth most Phillies fans are perfectly well behaved and can be as passionate as any in the game. Yes, there are some obnoxious ones, like there are in every city, but you probably won’t encounter much more than good-natured heckling if you come here wearing Mets or Nationals gear. (Cowboys or Penguins gear might be a different story.) Don’t poke the bear and you’ll be fine.

Don’t forget the space. You’d be surprised how many fans leave out the space.

If any fans get on your nerves or you have some other problem, you can send a text message to the staff and they’ll come running. The ushers and staff are very nice here, and will make you think Philly is full of nice people after all.

Which it is.

I hope that this Citizens Bank Park guide has been helpful to you and saves you some time, money, and aggravation at your next Phillies game…because after all, this is supposed to be fun! Have a look below at some more tips for the home of the Phillies…and please support our sponsors.

Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you at the yard!

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