7 of the Coolest Baseball Stadiums Our Cities Have to Offer
May 10, 2019
If you ask us, the best way to celebrate summer is to fall back on the tried-and-true traditions. We’re talking beach getaways, picnics with your pals, and trips to the ballpark.
Luckily, city-dwellers don’t have to travel far to seek out some of the country’s coolest baseball stadiums. We’re rounding up seven of the best places to catch a game—both Major and Minor League—around the country. The views are exceptional, the stadium amenities top-notch, the competition spirited, and as for the caliber of the snacks? Let’s just say it gets way better than peanuts and Cracker Jack.
1. AT&T PARK: Home to the San Francisco Giants since 2000, AT&T Park is routinely ranked among the best stadiums in the MLB. It's hard to beat the optics, for starters: The blue waters of McCovey Cove lie just beyond the diamond, which makes homeruns—known as "splash hits" when they land in the water—all the more of a thrill here. Add in a fun, retro vibe and those famously fragrant Gilroy Garlic Fries, and you've got one winning combination.
Image courtesy of Bryce Edwards/Flickr.
2. MCU PARK: Speaking of seaside views (and breezes), it doesn't get much more summery than MCU Park. Home to the Brooklyn Cyclones, the Coney Island-based Minor League stadium is within batting distance of the boardwalk and its many amusements, including the orange loops of the Thunderbolt roller coaster. And while hot dogs are normally a ballpark cliché, here we'll happily make an exception for the Nathan's Famous dogs.
Image courtesy of Brooklyn Cyclones.
3. ORIOLE PARK AT CAMDEN YARDS: Built in 1992, Camden Yards in Baltimore is also enshrined in baseball lore: It was built on the site of a café owned by Babe Ruth's father. Cool trivia aside, the stadium remains a popular destination for its urban accessibility (and for the presence of Boog's BBQ, revered for its pit beef sandwiches, in right-center).
Image courtesy of Visit Baltimore.
4. DR PEPPER BALLPARK: Sure, it's a bit of a drive from Dallas to Dr Pepper Ballpark in neighboring Frisco. But the commute to the stadium—which is host to the Frisco RoughRiders—is worth it. After all, which other ballpark has a lazy river right in the outfield? Don your most fetching bathing suit, and don't forget the sunscreen: This is one refreshing way to beat the Texas heat and get your seventh-inning stretch on.
Image courtesy of Aston Majors – Frisco RoughRiders.
5. WRIGLEY FIELD: Iconic is an overused word, but within the world of baseball, Wrigley Field genuinely counts. The century-old stadium is a bona fide Chicago legend (particularly since the Cubs managed to break their 108-year-long Curse of the Billy Goat by winning the World Series last year), with the classic looks to match. No wonder it's shown up in movies as diverse as Ferris Bueller's Day Off and The Blues Brothers.
Image courtesy of B-Cru/Flickr.
6. FIRST TENNESSEE PARK: Located in the heart of Nashville (seriously, just check out the surrounding skyline), First Tennessee Park has plenty of fun quirks, including a giant, guitar-shaped scoreboard. Hit the stadium to watch the Nashville Sounds play; when the seventh-inning stretch rolls around, head to The Band Box in right field for table hockey, ping pong, shuffleboard, and some enviable snacks. (Think Korean fried chicken sandwiches.)
Image courtesy of deldevries from Mount Juliet, TN, USA/Wikimedia Commons.
7. COORS FIELD: Nope, it's not your imagination: The balls really do fly faster and farther out here, thanks to Denver's high altitude. But physics—and the increased homerun odds—aren't the only reason to hang out in Coors Field. Its recently redesigned Rooftop area is another, given that it provides incredible views overlooking the stadium, city, and even to the Rocky Mountains beyond. Its terrace bar is the place to hang, and its CHUBurgers (a local burger slinger based out of Longmont, CO) make for hearty noshing.
Image courtesy of Visit Denver/Coors Field.
1. AT&T PARK: Home to the San Francisco Giants since 2000, AT&T Park is routinely ranked among the best stadiums in the MLB. It's hard to beat the optics, for starters: The blue waters of McCovey Cove lie just beyond the diamond, which makes homeruns—known as "splash hits" when they land in the water—all the more of a thrill here. Add in a fun, retro vibe and those famously fragrant Gilroy Garlic Fries, and you've got one winning combination.
Image courtesy of Bryce Edwards/Flickr.
2. MCU PARK: Speaking of seaside views (and breezes), it doesn't get much more summery than MCU Park. Home to the Brooklyn Cyclones, the Coney Island-based Minor League stadium is within batting distance of the boardwalk and its many amusements, including the orange loops of the Thunderbolt roller coaster. And while hot dogs are normally a ballpark cliché, here we'll happily make an exception for the Nathan's Famous dogs.
Image courtesy of Brooklyn Cyclones.
3. ORIOLE PARK AT CAMDEN YARDS: Built in 1992, Camden Yards in Baltimore is also enshrined in baseball lore: It was built on the site of a café owned by Babe Ruth's father. Cool trivia aside, the stadium remains a popular destination for its urban accessibility (and for the presence of Boog's BBQ, revered for its pit beef sandwiches, in right-center).
Image courtesy of Visit Baltimore.
4. DR PEPPER BALLPARK: Sure, it's a bit of a drive from Dallas to Dr Pepper Ballpark in neighboring Frisco. But the commute to the stadium—which is host to the Frisco RoughRiders—is worth it. After all, which other ballpark has a lazy river right in the outfield? Don your most fetching bathing suit, and don't forget the sunscreen: This is one refreshing way to beat the Texas heat and get your seventh-inning stretch on.
Image courtesy of Aston Majors – Frisco RoughRiders.
5. WRIGLEY FIELD: Iconic is an overused word, but within the world of baseball, Wrigley Field genuinely counts. The century-old stadium is a bona fide Chicago legend (particularly since the Cubs managed to break their 108-year-long Curse of the Billy Goat by winning the World Series last year), with the classic looks to match. No wonder it's shown up in movies as diverse as Ferris Bueller's Day Off and The Blues Brothers.
Image courtesy of B-Cru/Flickr.
6. FIRST TENNESSEE PARK: Located in the heart of Nashville (seriously, just check out the surrounding skyline), First Tennessee Park has plenty of fun quirks, including a giant, guitar-shaped scoreboard. Hit the stadium to watch the Nashville Sounds play; when the seventh-inning stretch rolls around, head to The Band Box in right field for table hockey, ping pong, shuffleboard, and some enviable snacks. (Think Korean fried chicken sandwiches.)
Image courtesy of deldevries from Mount Juliet, TN, USA/Wikimedia Commons.
7. COORS FIELD: Nope, it's not your imagination: The balls really do fly faster and farther out here, thanks to Denver's high altitude. But physics—and the increased homerun odds—aren't the only reason to hang out in Coors Field. Its recently redesigned Rooftop area is another, given that it provides incredible views overlooking the stadium, city, and even to the Rocky Mountains beyond. Its terrace bar is the place to hang, and its CHUBurgers (a local burger slinger based out of Longmont, CO) make for hearty noshing.
Image courtesy of Visit Denver/Coors Field.