It took me a lifetime but I have now visited all thirty major league ballparks. I dedicated my journey to my father whose life was cut too short by cancer. He told me to “stop and smell the roses” and took me to my first ballgame in the original Yankee Stadium. Below are my ballpark rankings from number one to number thirty. As you read this you will see the cities where these ballparks are located, and the fans in those cities are a big part of my rankings. There simply is no better way to see this great country of ours then to visit all the ballparks. Life flies by “Don’t Waste a Minute”.
1. Fenway Park – Boston
Fenway Park is the best overall fan experience in baseball. Combined with the culture, food, and the history of the City of Boston it is simply the best. You will never be closer to the action then you will be at Fenway Park. It is important however to keep in mind the park opened in 1912. The Field and Lodge seats have been replaced but the Grandstand Seats are very old and are very tight. If you can sit on the left field side and avoid the right field corner. Don’t even think of driving. Take the “T” and get off at Kenmore Square. Most importantly enjoy and make sure to have an Italian Sausage!
2. Wrigley Field – Chicago
There is nothing like attending a game at Wrigley Field. While it opened it 1914 it was remodeled in 2016 so today it offers modern comforts without losing that old time feel. The park sits directly in a neighborhood. There is no parking, don’t even think of driving to Wrigley. It was the last park to add lights back in 1988 and even today night games are limited by the Chicago city council. This is a must see. Go and enjoy, you will have a great fan experience. After the game hang with the locals at one of the pubs that surround the ballpark such as Moran’s.
3. AT&T – San Francisco
The view of San Francisco Bay alone is worth the price of admission! Built in 2000 you not only see a ballgame you see the Bay Bridge and downtown San Francisco. The concessions are top notch and the overall experience is priceless. I have seen a dozen games here through the years and have always have a great time. Walk the whole park, check out paddle boaters who sit in the bay ready to catch a ball. After the game remember you’re in San Francisco which is really a super city!
4. Petco Park – San Diego
Petco Park opened in 2004 and completely transformed downtown San Diego. With the city in a frenzy in 1998 after our World Series appearance we passed the proposition that got Petco built and ignited our downtown San Diego building boom. It struggled in the first few years with weak concession stand choices but new ownership listening to input from fans revitalized the concessions to a vast variety of food choices. In addition, no other ball park has as many craft beer choices. The sight lines are excellent. The Weather, well its San Diego! So, while the play on the field at times may be suspect your experience at the park will not. Petco also offers the most kids activity of any of the parks. After the game, be sure to visit the Gaslamp District for food and entertainment.
5. Yankee Stadium – New York
If I wasn’t a die heart Yankee fan Yankee Stadium would be ranked lower. I admit it I am bias. The Old Stadium would have been my number one. This Stadium is a still a sight to be experienced. It is truly New York “Lavish and Expensive”. That’s the good and the bad rolled into one. Almost all the seats on the lower deck have deep cushions and offer waitress service but the ticket prices are simply ridiculous! I did attend the first game ever played in New Yankee Stadium April 16, 2009 and that same year the World Series in October. No, it’s not the old park which sat across the street but there is still that sense of excitement, and that feeling, that anything can happen at any time, just like in the City of New York!
6. PNC Park – Pittsburg
Pittsburg is truly the rust belt city that is shaking off the rust! With a major investment in Sports facilities including Heinz Field home of the Steelers which is directly next door Pittsburg is using sports entertainment in a big way and it is working. PNC Park which opened in 2001 has great views of downtown and the bridges cross over the Alleghany River including the Roberto Clemente Bridge. PNC is a two-deck ballpark, a real throwback idea as opposed to all the three deck parks you see today. Go for a weekend, stay downtown, and walk over the Roberto Clemente to fun and excitement. It’s a small city of about 300,000 people. If you go stay in one of the downtown hotels and walk across the Roberto Clemente bridge on game day.
7. Camden Yards – Baltimore
Hard to believe it was way back in 1992 that Camden Yards Opened and started the era of building new ballparks to look “retro”. Baltimore rejuvenated its waterfront district in conjunction of building this part and it all works very nicely. Including the warehouse in into the ballpark was stroke of genius. Only minor issue to note is a rather poor placement of the cup holders in several of the seats, but this is minor and Camden Yards is truly a ballpark to be treasured.
8. Coors Field – Denver
Denver built a true retro park right in there downtown in 1995 and it truly is a homerun, something you will see a lot of in Colorado! In the upper deck, certain seats are marked in purple to indicate 5,280 feet (a mile high). They put the balls in a humidifier but it doesn’t seem to slow them from coming out of the park. You will love the pine trees in the outfield. Bring sunscreen to a day game the sun is strong at this elevation. If your flying in remember the airport is thirty minutes outside of Denver.
9. Dodger Stadium – Los Angeles
Dodger Stadium opened in 1962 and it truly is one of the last great “Stadiums”. It is not a ballpark it is a “Stadium”. A four deck Stadium. Like everything in LA traffic is an issue so go early. If you have a chance to go on a non-game day follow the blue line in the parking lot to the top for a great Stadium View. Assume after the game you won’t find your car in the biggest parking lot in baseball so just laugh! Be sure however to not make a wrong turn after you exit. Above all have a Dodger Dog, they are the best hot dogs in baseball!
10. Kauffman Stadium – Kansas City
You won’t find any friendlier people than in Kansas City. What a great town! Just something about being dead center in the county. The ballpark opened in 1973 and was remodeled in 2015. Unlike many of today’s parks it is not downtown but about ten minutes outside KC. Arrowhead Stadium home of the Chiefs is right next to it. It has a vast parking lot. It has a cool looking upper deck but I do suggest sitting downstairs. When in KC be sure to visit “Jack Stack Barbecue” for the best Barbecue in the World. Go to the “Country Club Plaza” location then later enjoy the best of Kansas City!
11. Safeco Field – Seattle
When you’re in Seattle you feel like a million miles away from home and in many ways, you are. Seattle is a great town and Safeco Field which opened in 1999 is a great ballpark. It’s on the southern end of its down town right next to Century Link Field home of the Seahawks. On a sunny day, you will enjoy great views of the Seattle skyline. On rainy days, you will witness a dome that is not really a dome but instead a retractable that doesn’t completely enclose the park so you don’t feel like your indoors. Safeco Field has a clean and simple feel to it.
12. SunTrust Park – Atlanta
This is the Brave’s third ballpark in the past 20 years. Atlantic Fulton County Stadium (torn down), Turner Field (to be used by Georgia Tech) and now SunTrust which just opened this year 2017. It’s one of the more interesting concepts. Atlantic Fulton and Turner were immediately next door to each other just south of Atlantic’s downtown. This park is northwest of metro Atlanta just south of Marietta in a suburban area filled with shopping malls, hotels, and office buildings. They are creating their own city and entertainment district featuring restaurants and condos surrounding the ballpark. It works! It’s a nice intimate ballpark and a great place to see a game. Most weekends you can get a great deal at the Renaissance which is just a short foot bridge walk from the ballpark.
13. Busch Stadium – St. Louis
Busch Stadium opened in 2006 replacing the former ballpark of the same name. It’s downtown right on the Mississippi river right next to the Arch. Most of the seats in the lower deck feature seat cushions. If you go stay next door at the Hilton or at a hotel within walking distance of the ballpark. They have a nice entertainment zone immediately next to the ballpark. St. Louis is another small rust belt city of about 300,000 people. The fans are very knowledgeable and extremely nice. Enjoy the park, enjoy the arch, but try to stay in the immediate ballpark area especially at night.
14. Miller Park – Milwaukee
Miller Park opened in 2001. It’s on the grounds of the old County Stadium once home to the Milwaukee Braves. It is several miles from downtown Milwaukee. The fans tailgate here and are very friendly. It has a unique retractable roof. The fans create a very fun atmosphere. In the top row of the top deck they have a statue of their long-time announcer Bob Uecker, in of course the “Uecker seats”. It’s has a small-town feel. Green Bay is two hours to the north and offers a great Lambeau Field tour if you have the time.
15. Target Field – Minneapolis
Target Field which opened in 2010 is directly in downtown Minneapolis. It sits on the smallest “footprint” of all the ballparks. It is literally “lot line construction”. It is a nice park with super fans. I especially liked the Twins logo in Center Field with Mr. Minneapolis and Mr. Saint Paul shaking hands. It had some of the best food of all the ballparks I visited. I learned two things while I was in Minnesota. First Minnesota offers free health care to all their citizens in need and Minneapolis has the largest Somalia population in the United States. Neither which facts have anything to do with super nice Target Field but I wanted to mention them!
16. Citizens Bank Park – Philadelphia
Citizens Park which opened in 2004 is very much like a lot of the middle of the pack ballparks. Nothing truly distinguishes from several of the other parks but it is a nice park. It is not downtown. It is outside the downtown but is reachable by a local train. It is in an area where both the football and hockey/basketball facilities are located. I had heard all the crazy stories on the fans but found them to be just good energetic fun people.
17. Great American Ballpark – Cincinnati
The Great American Ballpark sits on the Ohio River but the river is too far outside the ballpark for a batter to reach it which is a shame. It is however a home run hitters park. The balls just shoot out of here. It is the only ballpark in baseball you can’t get a souvenir soda or beer cup. It is also the only ballpark that sells shots of Bourbon. If you go stay in Northern Kentucky in Newport Kentucky and walk the bridge over the Ohio River to the ballpark. It opened in 2003. After the game consider taking the trolley to the “Over-the-Rhine” area from the ballpark district. The O-T-R area which was once a dangerous neighborhood today is a desirable Greenwich Village type area filled with Architectural treasures.
18. Nationals Park – Washington
Nothing really distinguishes Nationals Park which opened in 2008 from any other park. It simply has no real character. It did have the desired effect of renovating a bad part of DC into a now desirable area. It’s like Washington built a park to not offend Democrats or Republicans and this is what they got. Don’t get me wrong it is fan friendly. You can take the Metro there. Two weeks after you visit the ballpark you will remember it as nice but nothing else will come to mind.
19. Minute Man Park – Houston
Minute Man sits on the southern end of downtown Houston. I stayed in the extreme northern end at The Lancaster Hotel and it was walkable. Houston is a city in a building and rebuilding stage all at once. Minute Man which opened in 2000 is a fun quirky park with a retractable roof. There is a train filled with oranges above the left center field wall. The wall in left is way too short but a great place to hang out during batting practice to catch balls. Thanks to the glass in left field even with the roof closed some sunlight streams into the park.
20. Citi Field – New York
The best thing I can say about Citi Field is it is so much better than Shea Stadium ever was. It opened in 2009 during the banking crisis and Citibank bought the naming rights. When it opened, the fences were too far so they brought them in. It sits right next to LaGuardia airport in Queens a location New York building czar Robert Moses offered to Walter O’Malley and the Dodgers, and O’Malley then turned and ran to LA. Getting around the park can be a bit confusing especially if you try to circle the main level. I do like the two-scoreboard effect. It is a nice park with much lower ticket prices than Yankee Stadium. I attended Game 3 of the 2015 World Series at Citi field, the most exciting game ever played in ballpark.
21. Progressive Field – Cleveland
I attended a Sunday Day game in the month of May. It was 39 degrees and light snow flurries fell during the game. I bought a diet coke and it froze my hand! Still it was a fun experience. It opened in 1994 replacing perhaps the ugliest Stadium in baseball, old “Cleveland Municipal Stadium”. Since 1994 so many finer ballparks have opened knocking down Progressive Field to number 21 on my list. The Cleveland Cavaliers play next door in an area just outside the left field corner of the ballpark. The Rock N Roll hall of fame is a few blocks up the street on the water and a must see. Progressive Field was the only ballpark I visited that had a cemetery next door to it. You won’t have a bad time just pick a warmer day than I did.
22. Chase Field – Phoenix
When you fly into Phoenix you can’t miss Chase Field. It’s the largest building in Phoenix and could easily be mistaken as an airplane hangar. It is a huge ballpark. It was built in 1998 for a much higher ticket demand than the D-backs currently have. It’s the only ballpark built in a downtown that didn’t have the desired effect to rejuvenate the downtown area. The roof is kept open on non-day games to grow the grass. Do not sit in the upper deck. It is too high! You will enjoy much better sitting downstairs. The pool in right center is of course a must see. Like most parks with retractable roofs, it’s more fun when the roof is open which is usually just early in the season.
23. Angels Stadium – Anaheim
In 1961 baseball expanded and added the Los Angeles Angels. In 1966 they moved twenty miles to the south to Anaheim to play in the brand-new Angels Stadium which was a great baseball park. In 1980 the LA Rams moved to Angels Stadium and they expanded it for football. In 1994 the Rams headed off to St. Louis and the Angels went to the city of Anaheim and asked them to covert the ballpark back to a baseball park. The city agreed if they changed their name to the Anaheim Angels. The Angels said Yes and a nice ballpark was created once again in Anaheim. You will not find a ballpark with friendlier parking lot attendants, ushers, concession stand personal, etc. Since Anaheim is only 90 minutes from San Diego I have been to hundreds of games here. Always a great time. The weather is usually always super, just avoid the strong sun on day games. The issue now is it is starting to show its age and The Angels went back to the city of Anaheim for improvements but since the Angels went back to calling themselves “LA” the city of Anaheim told them no improvements. It’s a very friendly ballpark, with a great big parking lot, let’s just hope the Angels stay here.
24. Comerica Park – Detroit
Comerica Park is a real hidden treasure of a ballpark. The park which opened in 2000 is very well thought out and sits right in downtown Detroit which is why I can’t rate it higher. Detroit is trying to come back but since two thirds of its population has left it is a challenge. Once a thriving city of over two million people today less than 600,000 people live in Detroit. Walking around Detroit seemed empty. There are signs of life. There are blocks where major retailers and casual dining establishments have sprung up but what will be the catalyst to bring people back to Detroit? One answer at least for baseball fans is Comerica Park which is an excellent ballpark. The Tigers have done a super job bringing the fans in from the suburbs now the harder task is getting them to spend time and money in downtown Detroit after the game.
25. Marlins Park – Miami
When baseball expands to outer space this is what ballparks will look like. The crazy colors, the crazy sculpture in Center Field. It’s all a bit out of this world. The Marlins simply don’t draw so how in 2012 they got the taxpayers to pony up money for this park remains a mystery. At present the upper deck is closed. The location is a questionable. It’s not in downtown Miami, it’s not in Miami Beach, but instead in a rough and tumble neighborhood on the site of the old “Orange Bowl”. The ballpark was fun once I was inside. It’s practically brand new with little usage. The sign in the lobby commending Joe Namath and the Jets Super Bowl Three Victory was cool. I’m just not sure if it’s trying to be a ballpark or something else. Hopefully the ownership will change and new ownership will figure out how to better promote the team.
26. Rogers Centre – Toronto
The Rogers Centre should be lower in my rankings. It’s very dated. It opened way back in 1989. It was built for baseball and football but the CFL football team is now playing elsewhere. It has this cool but slow to open and close retractable roof. There is a hotel in center field but the rooms in the hotel are dated. Toronto however came across to me as the shining city on the hill. The cultural, the sense of history, it all added to my Rogers Centre experience. This was my 30th ballpark. My cousin David was with me for six innings before flying back to NY, then my wife Lori, after enduring a twenty-hour flight delay joined for the ninth inning! Everyone I met in Toronto was friendly and helpful. Granted the whole country has only 30 million people as compared to 40 million alone in California but are they all this nice? Toronto is a great city and I enjoyed the Rogers Centre very much.
27. Globe Life Park – Arlington Texas
This ballpark has gone through so many name changes since it opened in 1994 you might not know it as Globe Life Park. When the Senators first moved here from Washington in 1973 they played in a converted minor league ballpark for over twenty years so when this opened it was site for sore eyes. The problem however is it doesn’t have a roof and most of the year it’s just so darn hot in Texas. Help is on the way. They are now building a new ballpark with a retractable roof but for the time being the Texas Rangers will still call this home. I did attend one of the most exciting games ever played in the ballpark. Game Two of the American League Championship series. The play was really rocking as the Rangers beat the Yankees.
28. Guaranteed Rate Field – Chicago
You probably know this park by its former name U.S Cellular Field. Most Chicago fans still call it Comiskey Park named after the former dilapidated stadium that once stood on this site. By the last 80’s old Comiskey was falling down and the City of Chicago refused to build a new ballpark for the White Sox. The White Sox then announced they were moving to St. Petersburg Florida and construction begin on a new ballpark there for them. At the last minute, Chicago re-considered and built this rather bland new ballpark for the White Sox, and they stayed in Chicago. It is surrounded by the housing projects that board the Dan Ryan Expressway. When you go take the “L” and walk immediately inside following the directions of the police officers with the bull horns. This park is in the south side of Chicago. Go see a game, have fun, then get immediately get back to the North side of Chicago.
29. The Oakland Alameda Coliseum – Oakland
Where do I begin. It’s an outdoor stadium and unlike it’s big brother next door “San Francisco” it is usually sunny in “Oakland”. The tickets are super cheap and they mostly let you sit wherever you want. They had a tarp on the upper deck for years but this year took off the tarp except for in centerfield creating more empty seats. It opened in 1966 for the A’s and the Raiders in an era where stadiums where built for both sports and it was never good for either. Then the Raiders went to LA then came back and they added more seats for football making it even worse for baseball. Even in a front row seat you feel miles from the field. There is so much foul territory it lowers the players batting averages. Today it feels like a real throwback stadium. A few bucks get you in and you can put your feet up and relax. What the future holds with the Raiders departing for Las Vegas remains a mystery. San Jose offered to build the A’s a new ballpark but the Giants blocked the deal saying they own practically all the territorial rights in the Bay Area. With real estate prices now approaching the stratosphere in SF developers are watering at the mouth for this site. Until then go and relax and enjoy a game.
30. Tropicana Field – Tampa (located in St. Petersburg)
The “Trop’ was completed in 1990 for the Chicago White Sox who never showed up. In 1992 the San Francisco Giants used it as leverage to get a new ballpark built in San Francisco. In 1995 baseball promised St. Petersburg an expansion team but they settled in Miami at the last minute. Finally, after eight years of using the park for circus events, concerts, arena football, and hockey games in 1998 Major League baseball granted St. Petersburg an expansion team. Only conditions they had to call the city name “Tampa” and had to spend 70 million dollars on improvements. They should have left it for the circus! I like baseball, I love baseball but this is an awful park. The roof which doesn’t open, is too low. You feel like you’re in a large basketball arena rather than a baseball park. Balls on a regular basis hit the catwalks that hover over the playing field. It’s so empty the park echoes. The park is not located downtown. Some positive notes, they did replace the previous awful artificial turf in 2017. Also, the concession stands are very nice. It also has great air conditioning and provides employment to an army of seniors that man the ballpark. Finally, the ushers will pretty much let you sit anywhere you like. If you go pay to park in the lot behind centerfield. You can find free street parking in front of the ballpark but it’s a bit of a questionable neighborhood especially at night.
Joe's Favorite 30 Ballparks! 