Favorite stadiums

[TracyThom]

This weekend I am going on a 3 stadium roadtrip. (Friday night Minneapolis, Saturday night Kansas City, and Sunday afternoon St. Louis.) A buddy and I are going to try to go on a stadium roadtrip every year. I enjoy going to different ballparks, both major and minor league. As far as major league stadiums go, I've only been to County Stadium, Miller Park, the Metrodome, and Turner Field. For minor league parks, I've been to Pohlman Field, Fox Cities Stadium, Appalachian Power Park, and Principal Park in Des Moines.

My favorite major league stadium is Miller Park and minor league is Appalachian Power Park by default since the others are really nothing special. So, what stadiums/ballparks have you gone to and what's your favorite?

[owbc]

Been to:

-County Stadium

-Miller Park

-Metrodome

-Wrigley

-US Cellular

-Old Busch

-Cinergy/Riverfront in Cincinnati

-Great American Ballpark

-Comerica Park

-Rogers Centre

-Old Yankee Stadium

-Camden Yards

-PNC Park

-Dolphins Stadium

 

I hate the Cubs, but Wrigley Field was my favorite. In fact, it really isn't even close. The atmosphere/experience at the newer ballparks doesn't even come close. However--I will note that I was at Wrigley in 1999 so things might have changed since then.

[Funketown]

I've been to:

 

Miller Park

Metrodome

Wrigley

Rogers Centre

Ballpark in Arlington

Coors Field

 

If I had to rank them, I'd say, purely speaking of the stadium, it goes:

 

1) Arlington

2) Miller Park

3) Coors Field

 

3) Wrigley (in all seriousness, the drunken frat-boy Cubs fans we find there really take away from the experience and the "classic" feel)

 

4) Rogers Centre

 

The Metrodome comes in sixth. That place was horrendous for watching baseball.

 

Edit: I watched Claudio "ball-goes" Vargest give up a boatload of runs at Coors in 2007. I like to forget that game.

[bucks2281]

I've been to:

Miller Park

County Stadium

3 Com/Monster/Candlestick

Tropicana

Land Shark/Dolphins/Joe Robbie/Pro Player

Nationals Park

Old Yankees

Fenway

Shea

RFK

Rogers Centre

PNC

Cinergy Field

Wrigley

Comerica Park

Metrodome

New Busch

 

I love New Busch. IMO, it's an absolutely beautiful park, both inside and outside. I love Comerica, too. I found Nationals Park to be very bland. There's nothing impressive from any standpoint. It's also in a weird part of town.

[GAME05]

i haven't been to many at all, but since nobody has mentioned Coors Field yet i'll add that it's a beautiful park. sit in the bleachers for a night game and you get the sunset over the mountains to your right, and the immediate city skyline to your right. the fan atmosphere is atrocious, but a gorgeous park.

[Marc Newfield of Dreams]

Target Field is awesome. And in a very fun area as well.

[beno78]

Have been to about half of the MLB stadiums. We were doing at least one every year (until the baby came last Nov, which has slowed things). I think anything with in 10hrs driving has been accomplished and our honeymoon was all 5 in Cali. In addition to others we have knocked out over the last 9 years.

 

By far our favorite was PetCo in San Diego. Lots of cool things there. After you go to a bunch of stadiums you want the next one to have something different/unique. PetCo looks cool inside with the building fronts (since it is built right in downtown), you can stand behind the left fielder on the field level (if you go out the back of their store), there is a Wiffle Ball field behind the scoreboard for bored kids and a monitor on the back of the scoreboard so parents there can keep up with the game.... out list goes on for this one.

 

Comerica was much nicer than we had planned for. The area around isn't great, but a few bars etc within walking.

 

Miller Park is always at the top of our list as well, partly due to familiarity, but mostly due to the fact it IS a great stadium.

 

New Busch was not good for us. Actaully pretty boring for a new stadium IMHO. We sat on the second level and were much further away than when you would be at Miller Park or most other stadiums.

 

Target Field on the radar for 2011.

 

Could go on and on...

[jimmyjeromehardy7]

Petco in San Diego is my favorite for many of the same reasons beno listed above. Fenway was great to see. I don't see how Wrigley comes close but that may be more to do with the team/fans inside than the stadiums.

 

Oriole Park at Candem Yards was a disappointment - loved the warehouse but the concourse around the seating bowl was closed off like the older stadiums which I thought made it less impressive.

 

Also been to Miller Park, Comisky, Old RFK (horrible seating - from behind homeplate I couldn't see a popup or flyball higher than about 20 feet), Great American, Comerica and Citizens Bank. The last 3 were nothing special and I would rate behind Petco and Miller Park for the newer stadiums I've been to.

 

Next on the list is Busch the last weekend of the season.

[DocLuna7]

I've been lucky and been able to get to:

 

Turner Field

Wrigley Field

Riverfront

Great American Ballpark

Coors Field

The Astrodome

County Stadium

Miller Park

Shea Stadium

PNC Park

Old Busch

New Busch

Nationals Ballpark

Fenway

US Cellular Field

Jacobs Field

Comerica Park

The Metrodome

Old Yankee Stadium

The Rogers Centre

 

I've got to agree with an earlier post and give it to the old classics: Fenway and Wrigley (despite my hatred of both the Red Sox and Cubs.) I would definitely recommend Coors Field though as far as newer stadiums go. I think that Coors and PNC were definite highlights over the past several years. The new ballparks in CIN and StL are ok, but nothing special even though the cities themselves were great. Can't wait to get out to NYC next summer for the the new Yankees and Mets ballparks.

[Buckylovesbeer]

On a west coast swing last year, my wife and I hit up Petco and Dodger Stadium. Petco was very cool. I would go to a game there again in a second! Good seats are fairly cheap, very nice place, and the surrounding area is very fun. The fans were very "into it" and gave me a hard time for cheering for the crew. The wife really enjoyed it. Dodger stadium was the opposite....pretty boring place, waaaayyyy to expensive for what you get, old, fans were boring....just not very fun. Dodger fans arrived late, taunted the Angels fans who were there causing general chaos, and just made it an odd experience. And I saw the brewers kick butt.....

 

I also agree that Coors is a cool place, as is Comerica. I have been to both, but not for Brewer games....

 

I envy anyone who has been to many stadiums and definately have visiting them all on my bucket list.

[burnzy24]

Target Field is awesome. And in a very fun area as well.

I've been to Target Field and was underwhelmed. The outside looks good and all, but the minute I walked inside and I couldn't stop thinking about the fact that it looked like a stadium that was built on a very tight budget. I did love the fact you can hop right off the train and you are right there. Don't get me wrong its not bad, just not that impressive. I just think that when compared to the Metrodome, people get really excited and think its the Taj Mahal, not that I blame them.

 

A little off topic, but there is a commercial up here in MN where Twins players state that Target Field is better than Lambeau, Fenway, Wrigley, MSG, and Cowboy Stadium. Really makes the Twins look foolish IMO.

 

I've also been to Wrigley and MP and County and I think my favorite, sad to say, is Wrigley. That place is in my mind, what a baseball diamond should look like, just with a different team playing there.

[JimH5]

Been to:

 

County Stadium

Miller Park

Metrodome

Old Comiskey

US Cellular

Wrigley

Chase Field

Coors Field

Fenway Park

Old Yankee Stadium

Shea Stadium

Veterans Stadium

Oriole Park at Camden Yards

Tropicana Field

Sun Life Stadium

 

My favorite was of course County Stadium, though for strictly emotional reasons. For the park itself, I'd pick Coors as the best. Beautiful combination of new and old, good food, beautiful view. Awesome mountain skies. Convenient parking.

 

Now that we're back in the US, I hope to check a few more off my list. . .New Yankee, Citi Field, Citizens Bank, Nationals Park. . .all close enough to drive.

[Blancofan1]

MLB Been to:

Miller Park

Wrigley

Busch

PNC

Great American

Kaufman

Comerica

Jacobs/Progressive

Camden Yards

Metrodome

Rogers Centre

 

MiLB been to:

Fox Cities

Nashville

Akron, OH

 

Favorites are probably Camden Yards and PNC and would highly recommend going to the Aeros park in Akron if you ever are in the Cleveland area and there is a AA game going on. It's a great park set right in downtown Akron---it least it was 8 years ago when I lived down there.

[Outlander]

Been to:

 

County Stadium

Miller Park

Candlestick Park

Camden Yards

Coors Field

Wrigley Field

US Cellular

Jacobs Field

PNC Park

Old Yankee Stadium

Fenway Park

Great American

Metrodome

Skydome

Olympic Stadium

Comerica

 

My favorites are PNC Park, Old Yankee Stadium and Fenway. My least favorite are Great American Ballpark and Metrodome. Olympic Stadium was pretty bad too but the fans were rather interesting and the Expos were good that year so it was fun.

[hawing]

In addition to lots of games at both Milwaukee County Stadium and Miller Park, I've attended games at the Metrodome, Wrigley Field, Comerica Park, PNC Park, Coors Field, Nationals Park, Kauffman Stadium, Safeco Field and Progressive Field. I've also been to Chase Field and Fenway Park, but only for tours. The only time I have seen the Brewers play on the road was in Washington, so for all the games I've watched in other parks, I have been a relatively neutral observer.

 

Overall, my favorite non-Milwaukee park is still PNC. I like the facility and its setting. I feel like I understand where Pirates fans are coming from (knowing some of their pain) and as long as the Brewers aren't the opponent, I'll enjoy a game there and root for the home team.

 

My favorite ballpark food to date is the salmon sandwich I had at Safeco.

 

We've received a few giveaways at other parks, and my favorite of those is probably a tie between the Royals powder blue retro logo t-shirt, the Pilots cap at Safeco (we went on Turn Back the Clock day) and a Homer Simpson Pez dispenser we got at Wrigley once.

 

The cushiest seats we've had at a road game came at Nats Park in April, where we stumbled across an in-seat menu service section in center field, with seats padded thicker than Miller Park's club level. The in-seat menu options were not bad, but not awesome.

 

The most exciting fan atmosphere we've been in on the road was probably at Kaufmann. The Royals were actually just percentage points behind the White Sox when we visited in August 2003, the 40,000 Royals t-shirts were snapped up in 40 minutes by a capacity crowd, and everyone around us was pumped up. Oddly, the second most exciting fan experience for us probably came in Pittsburgh, because everyone was so happy to see the Pirates beat Barry Bonds and the Giants (I think in that order).

 

It was also super cool to see Russell Branyan have a 3TO day (home run, K, walk) at Progressive Field last year, but as he was playing for Seattle, the Indians fans who turned out for that game weren't so jazzed about that.

[dhoffman19]

I've been to:

 

County Stadium

Miller Park

Fenway

Old Yankee

Old Comiskey

New Comiskey

Wrigley

Old Busch

Shea

Camden Yards

RFK

Nationals Park

Veteran's Stadium

PNC

Dolphins Stadium

Chase Field

Dodger Stadium

Angel Stadium

Candlestick

Skydome

Metrodome

Tiger Stadium

Comerica Park

Coors Field

 

My favorite is still Fenway, although Coors and PNC were pretty great as well. Tiger Stadium was pretty cool too. The Metrodome was by far the worst.

[Polish Falcons]

I have been to 20 MLB stadiums. Fenway is by far and away my #1 favorite. It is a beautifully designed park and has held up very well with old age, and will never be beat. Every game there is sold out and has exciting atmosphere.

 

I really liked Tiger Stadium and am sad it had to be torn down, as is the case with a lot of other old ballparks I never had the chance to see.

 

Although I am moved by the classic stadium, I didn't think the old Yankee Stadium was that great. I like Wrigley but it is nowhere near to being on the same scale as Fenway.

 

Camden Yards is a perfectly designed ballpark in my opinion which has not been outdone by any of the newer stadiums that have tried to replicate this style. I heard recently that Camden Yards is the 8th oldest ballpark in MLB, which really saddens me because I feel that most of the new parks are more or less the same. The new trends in MLB stadiums have really deteriorated the excitement of baseball travel for me. After seeing so many of the modern stadiums, I feel they are more or less all the same. There are exceptions I'm sure, stadiums like Citi Field, Nationals Stadium, Progressive Field and Citizens Bank Ballpark are severely lacking in character in my opinion. I also don't care for the silly field dimensions at places like Citi. The new Yankee Stadium is pretty cool, and contrary to most people's understanding they do have some really cheap seats available there. However it baffles me to think they spent $1.5 billion on a stadium that is not that remarkable in comparison to other new ballparks. I really don't understand it.

 

I'm looking forward to going to PNC Park soon, as well as AT&T Park and Petco at some point because these seem like the best of the new.

 

I hate to say it but I would put Miller Park fairly low on my list. Don't get me wrong I really enjoy the Brewer game experience, but I feel it was a big mistake to place the stadium in the middle of nowhere surrounded by parking lots and interstates. Architecturally speaking the dome is rather ugly. The music they play in between batters strikes me as particularly bad compared to other parks, where the bar has already been set incredibly low.

 

I've also seen some great minor league parks. Centennial Field in Burlington, Vermont is a historic park with one of those classic grandstands behind homeplate which unfortunately don't exist barely at all anymore due to the need for luxury boxes. A few other great parks I've seen include Brooklyn Cyclones stadium and Staten Island Yankees in NYC. The reason these parks are so great is because they have successfully encorporated the surrounding area so well; In Brooklyn it is the Coney Island theme park and Staten Island's park is on the water front with views of Manhattan and all the big barges that float through the waterways. Minor League stadiums are also plagued by cookie cutter trends and I have seen some places with complete lack of character, to the point where I won't bother checking out minor league stadiums anymore without researching them first.

[TracyThom]

Back from my weekend roadtrip. I found Target Field to be underwhelming. I liked the outside of the stadium. I liked the scoreboard, wide concourses, and food selection. However, I get the impression that they had to really squeeze as much as they could into a small piece of land. I didn't see any kids areas. There really was not a whole lot besides the ballpark, if that makes sense.

 

I liked Kauffman Stadium a lot. In fact, it's probably my favorite stadium. The whole stadium seems balanced. Great scoreboard, I liked the water fountains, and there is plenty to do with the kids. (Like a mini golf course behind right field.) I also liked the activities between innings. Even though the Royals stink, the fans were rocking. Finally, Kauffman has the most friendly staff that I have come across. I received plenty of "Welcome to Kauffman Stadium" or "Welcome to the K." I'll definitely be back if the Brewers play in KC in 2012.

 

Busch Stadium was okay. The outside of the stadium was terrific. Lots and lots of red brick. Inside, I thought the food selection was terrible. Not a whole lot of variety. The PA announcer drove me nuts. He would announce names with no excitement or inflection in his voice. "Now batting, Albert (2 second pause) Pujols." They really could use a new scoreboard. What also drove me nuts is the smugness of the Cardinals fans. The PA announcer said, "Welcome to Busch Stadium. Welcome to baseball heaven." Also, there were multiple scoreboard messages saying that Cardinals fans are the best fans in baseball.

[hawing]

The Kauffman staff were friendly in 2003 too. I would have to say the Progressive Field staff were friendliest to me. Last year no fewer than three employees commented favorably on my Brewers hat. Two of them remarked on how nice it was of us to host them for those snowed out games in 2007.

[lodiness]

I'll Second Progressive Field, and I've always had a good time at the new Busch Stadium

[TracyThom]

Since I made this thread 3+ years ago, I've added a bunch of stadiums to my list to include:

 

Yankee Stadium: Big and grandiose, but lacks character

Fenway Park: My new favorite. Great park, great fans, and an overall great experience.

Wrigley Field: A dump. Fenway is charming, but Wrigley sucks. However, Wrigley has the most friendly ushers out of all the parks I have been to.

Comerica Park: The Tiger statues outside the park are neat. On my walk to the stadium, I was constantly bothered by people trying to sell me tickets or candy. There is graffiti on the trash cans in the park. When I was there, someone was smoking weed in the men's bathroom. The food selection sucked. Other than all of that, the park was nice. Detroit is terrible.

Rogers Centre: Canadians are super friendly. Rogers Centre is okay, but it really needs improvement to its outside facade and the creation of a primary entrance.

PNC Park: Amazing views. One of my favorite parks. I had a Primanti sandwich at the ballpark and was disappointed.

Progressive Field: Cleveland is a rough city. Not as bad as Detroit, but still pretty bad. Progressive Field is just a nice stadium.

[brewcrewdue80]

I'm going to bump this thread up as I've figured out that traveling home I can visit the Brewers game at St Louis/Busch Stadium June 2nd/3rd one of those 2 games likely. Wondering on advice for hotel to stay in, food to grab to eat, bar whatever comes highly recommended if you've been there. I'm only going to be there one day probably from about Noon to gametime (on 2nd most likely) with spending the night at the hotel. I've only been to County/Miller and the Marlins stadium before the new one was built. I'll try going to the new one this year with pics.

Thanks for any advice.

 

Edit Add: Is there a way to post pictures taken from seat at a stadium? I have some from the old Marlins stadium vs Nationals and think it's hilarious they built a new stadium when the old one for the game I attended had maybe 2500 fans in it. It's eerie how empty the entire stadium was, and embarrassing that a pro team is playing in front of such a non-crowd.

[Funketown]

Well, I haven't attended an MLB game since moving to Carolina. The Durham Bulls Athletic Park is a great place to catch a minor-league game though. Ten bucks for a great seat and a night of watching the likes of Bill Hall and Russell Branyan (and the much-loved Chris Dickerson), with a better beer selection than I remember at any MLB games (that's probably changed in five years).