Since Im a Cubs (Wrigley Field) fan, I will bite...

1) Seat location. For a unique Chicago Experience, the short answer is Rooftops.  Though you are not truly in the stadium and are missing out on that part of the experience.  If your in the stadium, anything aisles (they use aisles, not sections at Wrigley) between 10 and 32 are where you want to be.  Those are expensive tickets, so as an alternate 114 - 130 also works. Avoid the 200 sections as they can have severely obstructed views.  Bleachers are also an experience, but Im not a huge fan.  

2) Parking. Don't drive, take the L.  If you need to drive use spothero to grab a spot in someones driveway around the stadium.

3) Food & Beverages. Its Wrigley, the food is not good.  Though Hot Doug's if you are in the Bleachers is good.

4) Extras. Need to stay for the entire game.  7th inning stretch is iconic as well as the singing of Go Cubs Go when they win.

I can give you a few pointers on White Sox and Cubs. 

White Sox:  Nice stadium - modern and updated.  Good food & drink.  But it is a go and leave type of place.  Not much around.  I think they still allow tailgating, so go early for a 7:00 game.  Parking is good, plenty of room.  Personally, I like seats around home plate, between the dugouts.  But seats in the outfield by the patio section can be cool too (got to see mariano riviera warm up).  If you want to do more upscale, figure out how to get into the stadium club.  We went once, and it is first class baseball eats (not hotdog and beer) - carved meats and such. 

Cubs and Wrigley:  What can you say?  It's a classic.  They have finally started updating it - video boards are nice.  It's an all day event -- arrive early, leave late.  Hit the bars and the scene around the ball park.  Don't plan on driving - parking sucks.  If you do drive - go when the remote lots are in operation -- short bus ride.  Go in the summer when it is warm -- Then you'll see the half naked young ladies.   

BTW, forgot to add, if you want a traditional Cubs experience go to a day game.  While there is not much difference in the atmosphere, traditionally Cubs games are played during the day.  Its considered a valid excuse to skip work to go to a Cubs game at most companies around here.  Grab lunch at one of the Pubs around Wrigley, head into the park for the game and grab a beer or two after the game at one of the bars in Wrigleyville.  As Golfman says, its an all day affair to properly attend a Cubs game.

Fenway Park ...

SEATING

1) Monster seats just for the experience. 

2) Bleachers to sit with the real people. First ten rows for decent view.

3) Sections 29-31 (infield grandstand) for best bang for the buck

4) At least I'm in the park: top rows of bleachers or standing room behind the plate

PARKING

Dont even think it for a second. Take the T to Kenmore or Fenway (Riverside line)

FOOD

The food is awesome everywhere. But it's very expensive. A beer and a hot dog is $17. It's a party in the street (blocked off) before the game. All the food is awesome. I like the shish-kabob from the street vendors or a Cuban from Tiants. There are great sandwiches in the stadium under the stands. Sandwiches are about $15 depending on what you buy.

EXTRAS

I can do without it. But the fans go nuts singing Sweet Caroline during the 7th inning stretch. 

I sometimes wonder how many genuine fans are at the game and how many are casual fans there for the experience. Fenway is expensive. The diehard fans are watching at home and in bars every night.

I was at an afternoon Cubs game in the fourth row near the dugout. Tony Muser was the third base coach. He ran a runner into an out at home. A guy near me said, "Muser, you suck!" not much louder than a conversation. Muser turned and looked. He heard him. You're that close to the action.

When I was VP of Sales and Marketing I traveled the country. Often the last night of my travel I hit a baseball, hockey or basketball game wherever I was. Between that and where I've lived the biggest events I've been to were Fenway, Yankee, Wrigley, Busch, Dodger, Astrodome, Boston Garden, MSG, LA Forum, Montreal Forum and Maple Leaf Garden.

The most raucous place I've been is the Montreal Forum. And no, I didn't wear any Bruins clothing. I was never out of town on the weekend unless there was a special event to hang around for. The place I want to see a game is Lambeau.

joes87 posted:

BTW, forgot to add, if you want a traditional Cubs experience go to a day game.  While there is not much difference in the atmosphere, traditionally Cubs games are played during the day.  Its considered a valid excuse to skip work to go to a Cubs game at most companies around here.  Grab lunch at one of the Pubs around Wrigley, head into the park for the game and grab a beer or two after the game at one of the bars in Wrigleyville.  As Golfman says, its an all day affair to properly attend a Cubs game.

 

 

Day games are great.  First one I took my son to there was a group of young ladies walking down the street with bikini tops and C-U-B-S on their mid sections.  Next thing I know, they are sitting a few rows behind us.  Soriono was mesmerized.  He'd stand in the on-deck circle and stare.  It was funny as heck.  Nothing like a day at the old ball park. 

If you're stopping by AT&T -- look for seats in sections 126, 127, 128 along third base line.  Not the most expensive but not the cheapest either.  Been sitting  in section 127 for 16 seasons.  Kinda cool to watch the pitchers warm up right in front of you.  

On the main concourse -- by the left field corner -- there is a hot dog stand where you get the best Giants dog or Brats with grilled onions.  Same  general location there is a Ghirardelli ice cream stand.   Garlic french fries are everywhere.  

Night games in April are cold.  Then again, the coldest winter Twain ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.  Seriously though -- you have to bring a blanket for many night games even in the dead of summer.

SF is a walkable city -- there is parking, the CalTrain if coming from the south, and the trollys along Embarcadero. 

Having been to a lot of stadiums, have to say AT&T is my favorite (I admit, I'm  biased)

AT&T Park:

1) Seat location. For me, no doubt best seats are club level:  2nd deck, good angle without being far from the action, upgraded food available only to club level and field club/luxury ticket holders, wider seats and mostly shade during day games.  For day games, being in direct sun in SF in August or September sucks.  Another area I like is arcade...sits right above the brick in right field.   

2) Parking.  I come in from about 1.5 hours away so driving into the city is the only way I go.  I could park by Oakland and take the Bart in but I just don't prefer it.  As for parking, I save the $30-35 and park about 7 blocks away for free street parking.  If you park on the street within those 7 blocks, it's $25 I think that you feed the meter.  Walking is great for you anyways.  There's a lot along the Pier, it's $30 I want say....but it's right next to the Bay Bridge so it's VERY easy in and out if you have to cross the bay.

3) Food & Beverages. You can probably guess you can get the typical baseball food of hot dogs and Sierra Nevada to the obvious San Francisco concessions of clam chowder and crab sandwich and sushi.  So yeah, whatever you're hungry for...but I'd go with the hot link and garlic fries. 

MAM posted:

If you're stopping by AT&T -- look for seats in sections 126, 127, 128 along third base line.  Not the most expensive but not the cheapest either.  Been sitting  in section 127 for 16 seasons.  Kinda cool to watch the pitchers warm up right in front of you.  

Night games in April are cold.  Then again, the coldest winter Twain ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.  Seriously though -- you have to bring a blanket for many night games even in the dead of summer.

Having been to a lot of stadiums, have to say AT&T is my favorite (I admit, I'm  biased)

 

A friend has season tix right in front of the visiting rubber two rows back and sat there a few times...pretty cool I must say.  And yes, bring a jacket for any nite game. 

At Fenway, I'm not sure there's many "comfortable" places other than perhaps luxury boxes to watch a game. Most seats are cramped - in some places in RF you're facing the bullpen with home plate to your left. Think about it - the footprint of the ballpark hasn't changed in 100 years and neither have those damn wooden seats! Heck Ted's red seat is still out there in RF. There are seat view guides online - so it's easy to check. We got standing room on the Wall at Fenway before we moved away - might've been the most comfortable seats I could afford at Fenway!  While standing for a couple hours may seem a lot - it's not like many haven't done it before at their son's baseball games.  There's also a RF "major beer company" pavilion which looks like it could be pretty good too...

Parking at Fenway is a major pain in the wallet and is "sparse". It can take some time to get out with all the foot traffic around after the game.  Park in some T lot outside the city (Alewife and Sullivan Square were our two choices) and take the T in. Give yourself some time to get there as it gets pretty busy/crowded on game day.

I cannot think of anything that's uniquely an inside Fenway type fare. There's so much ballpark fare around the stadium that's a better deal than the overpriced fare inside, so no need to go in hungry (or thirsty as the beer is overpriced too).  Although if you do end up on the wall, save space for at least one Wachusett Green Monsta IPA ;-).  At least when you're standing in line for one you don't miss the game.

Great post! I'll take the Phillies and Citizens Bank Park. 1000% improvement over it's predecessor, Veteran's Stadium! 

1) Seat location. Best bang for the buck? Sections 102, 201 or 301. These are in right field and overlook the bullpens below, and also positioned very close to Ashburn Alley with all the food and drink establishments you will want. If you want to splurge, go for Diamond Club seats on Craigslist or one of the 2nd hand sites. You can get good deals on the best seats you will ever have right behind home plate close enough you can call balls/strikes. A cool perk of these seats is the private dining/bathrooms AND you can see through a window down into the Phillies batting cage behind the dugout. Cool story...I took my 11yr old son a few years ago and we were getting a bite to eat and went to check out the cage. Utley had not started that night and it was the 7th and the Phils were trailing (shocker). Anyway, we see Utley set up the L screen on the left hand side (think SS/LF), and starts peppering line drives off it from the tee. We take note and go back to our seats. Next inning he comes up w/men on base and what does he do? You guessed it, single to LF scores 2! So cool to watch the process of a big leaguer first hand!!!!

2) Parking. No real deals to be had, but parking is plentiful and you won't have a problem. If you are staying downtown you can take the subway (Broad Street Line) right to the ballpark and I'd recommend that. 

3) Food & Beverages. I have to disagree with OP that "crab fries in Philly are awesome". I don't understand why people stand in line for cheap frozen formed fries with Old Bay seasoning sprinkled on top. There's no real crab people!!! Feel better to get that off my chest. Having said that you can't go wrong with Bull's BBQ (former Phillie Greg Luzinski), Tony Luke's for a Roast Pork Italian or cheesesteak. Other local restaurants w/outposts at the park: Federal Donuts and Campo's (Hoagies). Don't waste your money on Season's Pizza - terrible. McFadden's at the Ballpark for local craft brews.

4) Extras. Phillies Hall of Fame in Ashburn Alley is cool and worth a look. Mitchell & Ness has a shop in Ashburn Alley for cool, retro jerseys, hats, etc... Stay to sing "High Hopes" with our HOF Voice of the Phils, Harry Kalas on video, may he rest in peace. Of course Phillie Phanatic is the best mascot in all of professional sports and worth following throughout the game for a laugh. 

Maybe we'll have a team worth checking out in a few years - sure was nice spending Halloween 2008 in a parade of over 2 million of my closest Phillies fans. Ok, I almost got divorced for missing Halloween with my young kids, but I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Halloween comes every year, Phillies World Championships are generational at best!

Royal you have a PM

If you go for a Wrigley you can actually park on the street in the neighborhood for DAY games..provided the games don't go extra innings (have to move car by 5PM). As for a night game, be prepared for shelling out $35 or more for parking(definitely take Mass Transit L-Train from your hotel).  As for the food it's OK. Best tip I can give you on food is GET TO THE PARK EARLY. (if you buy food & drink 60-90 minutes before first pitch) it's discounted 20%. It makes quite a difference if you bring a family. 200 level are OK tickets.. Was near HP area..great view. And I'll agree to the earlier posters who referenced the "natural beauty" around the park, especially during the hot summer games. If you have bleacher seats , I think they are GA so get to the park early.

Thank you for the helpful advice so far!

It sounds like we are going to miss out on some aspects of the game at Wrigley being a night game... I guess that just means I'll have to return someday.

Does anyone go to the Twins, Brewers or Tigers games??

Brewers:  It is called "Wrigley North" when the Cubs play there, which was the event when we took the kids.  It is an easy drive for those Cubs fans, and much easier (at the time) to get tickets, for the Brewers series.  I remember the high seats being very steep.   The retractable roof is pretty cool.  One of the few places where you tailgate before a baseball game.  They have the racing sausages between one of the innings.  Parking is plentiful, but there are bars/restaurants around town that will shuttle you in and back.  Be sure to get some kind of sausage/brat and fried cheese curds.

Twins: 

1) Seat location. As you know our Twins aren't exactly the best team making tickets very cheap and available..I have sat lower level about 15 rows up for $17 buying the tix on gameday and this was in JUNE. You can't have a bad experience on the lower level as the park has great seating but what I've found fun is sitting in the bleacher seats on the overhang of right field its an interesting experience with the overhang and short porch to begin with

2) Parking. There is a ramp connected to the stadium if you are coming from I-94 which is Ramp A (Ramp B is connected to the target center but is still right next door to the stadium) it will cost you about $12 but is very worth the money as city parking is a mess in MPLS

3) Food & Beverages. If you have the chance, go to a wednesday game, dollar dog days. The hot dogs are your average ballpark dog but for $1 can you really complain? For food in the city, the best juicy lucy, Minneapolis specialty, (it is a burger but the cheese is inside of the meat, they are fantastic) you are going to get is at 5-8 club which is right in Minneapolis you cannot go wrong with that restaurant

4) Extras. Right as you enter the stadium from gate 34 there are a bunch of statues of old players like Harmon Killebrew as well as this gigantic statue of a glove with the twins logo that is a great photo op especially for the kids. There is also a pretty cool view of Target Field when you are coming down I-35 onto I-94 you get the top of the jumbo tron as well as the Twins logo on top of it. 

Hope this helps!

LHP2017 posted:

... food in the city, the best juicy lucy, Minneapolis specialty, (it is a burger but the cheese is inside of the meat, they are fantastic) you are going to get is at 5-8 club which is right in Minneapolis you cannot go wrong with that restaurant ...

The best Jucy Lucy is spelled without an "i" and is found at Matt's!   

Nats Park...

FOR GOD'S SAKE KEEP METRO OPEN PAST 11:30!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

DOPES ALL!!

keewart posted:

Brewers:  It is called "Wrigley North" when the Cubs play there, which was the event when we took the kids.  It is an easy drive for those Cubs fans, and much easier (at the time) to get tickets, for the Brewers series.  I remember the high seats being very steep.   The retractable roof is pretty cool.  One of the few places where you tailgate before a baseball game.  They have the racing sausages between one of the innings.  Parking is plentiful, but there are bars/restaurants around town that will shuttle you in and back.  Be sure to get some kind of sausage/brat and fried cheese curds.

A friend of mine was in the bullpen for the Brewers. He would send a fan for a brat in the first inning. 

As you know our Twins aren't exactly the best team making tickets very cheap and available..I have sat lower level about 15 rows up for $17 buying the tix on gameday and this was in JUNE. 

At Fenway if you don't purchase lower good seats the day they go on sale you will pay $75-100 through a ticket dealer.