San Diego- Petco Park

Petco Park

Year Built: 2004

Capacity: 42,302

Surface: Bulls Eye Bermuda Grass

Cost to Build: $450 million

Overall Grade: A

Return Someday: Yes

Ah San Diego...such a fantastic city with nearly year-round perfect weather, and easy going friendly people. Petco Park is located on Tony Gwynn Way right in the heart of beautiful downtown San Diego's Gaslamp District.  This is a very nice venue to enjoy a Padres game.  I often will drive down to this ballpark to catch a game when the Giants are in town, as this is a much safer alternative compared to the other southern California NL stadium.  Padres fans are much like Angels fans, very mellow.  This ball park is very fan friendly.  There is a great kids' area where the young fans can play in the sand box just outside the outfield fence or play wiffle ball on the mini diamond in the park.  It is very safe to attend these games as a visiting fan wearing your team's gear.  In fact, this was where I brought my daughter for her first MLB game.  She has a blast every time we visit this stadium. It is always a really cool treat to see the Padres honor the military and wear their camo uniforms.  The surrounding area is full of shops, restaurants, hotels, and bars.  There are tons of public transportation options with the San Diego Trolley stop right outside the stadium making getting around the city very convenient.  The ticket prices are decent and it is  very easy to be able to walk up to the ticket window and purchase your tickets the day of the game, since it seems like they never sell out. The food options are good.  I really like the inside nacho bar area on the 2nd floor.  Big portions and reasonably priced.  The design of the stadium pays homage to San Diego's culture & history.  The sand colored walls represent the beaches, the light towers symbolize the bell towers of the California Missions, and the all brick original Western Metal building is a cool addition to the left field area. The priceless view beyond the outfield walls is of the San Diego bay and the Coronado Bay Bridge. Do yourself a favor and make it out to this extremely friendly stadium!

2010 Caribbean Series Starts TODAY!!!

Yes, it's finally that time...time for the Serie del Caribe (Caribbean Series). Bring the heat, latino baseball style! I have been a fan of this championship tournament since 2005. I watch it religiously every year on TV, and this year it is being broadcasted once again on the MLB Network in English and also on ESPN Deportes in Spanish. If you've never watched it, give it a chance. The level of play is very exciting and the fans are extremely passionate. The series began in the 1940s and involves the champions from each of the Latin American winter leagues. The teams involved are Mexico, Puerto rico, Dominican Republic, and Venezuela. They rotate the location among the four countries every year. This year's contest is taking place in Venezuela. Next year will be in Puerto Rico- I hope to go to next year's tournament, as I have always wanted to go visit Puerto Rico, and mixing beisbol (baseball) while on vacation, would make it perfect. Check it out, I promise that you won't be disappointed !

I'm going to Hotlanta!!!

I just found out that I get to go to Atlanta for a work conference in June. And the best part of it all, the Yankees are in town that week playing the Braves. I've never been to Atlanta, and I am definitely going to one of the night games at the famous Turner Field. Woohoo!!! Another ballpark to cross of my list. I will be at 18 out of 30 current stadiums...only 12 more to go, that is until they tear down some of the current ones and build new ones. Then I have to go to those too! Which isn't a bad thing at all. I love traveling to new ballparks!!!