at&t park guide
The San Francisco Giants opened this award winning ballpark in 2000. Here is the AT&T Park history page if you are interested. One thing that I respect about this ballpark is that it was the first privately funded stadium build since 1962; that is impressive. It was recently voted the number one sports venue by the Sports Business Awards, and boasts some of the best views in all of baseball. If you can get past the fact that it’s in San Francisco you will really love it. (it’s a joke, calm down.)
Oh yeah, and they have free WIFI which is pretty cool. Your mobile internet device will love this place too.
parking
Impossible.
Well, in regards to free parking, which I discuss often; it is nearly impossible. Most people, including the Giants themselves, recommend taking public transportation and I can’t disagree. It is generally more convenient and much cheaper to take the BART or another method of public transit. I will discuss in a little more detail later.Cheap Fan ContestLet me first point out a couple of places to look for free parking near AT&T Park if you are going to drive. I will qualify this by saying that if it doesn’t work out, there aren’t many cheap pay garages around. Most metered parking in San Fran is only in effect until 6pm, but you should always check the meter. See the image below for 2 places where you can park for free if you arrive early. It is at least worth swinging by to see if anything is available.
The places you are going to be looking is on and around Townsend street between 5th and 7th, and around the intersection of 16th and 3rd. Both are about a mile away, but I would walk that anytime vs. paying $30 or so to park.
Oh yeah, and they have free WIFI which is pretty cool. Your mobile internet device will love this place too.
parking
Impossible.
Well, in regards to free parking, which I discuss often; it is nearly impossible. Most people, including the Giants themselves, recommend taking public transportation and I can’t disagree. It is generally more convenient and much cheaper to take the BART or another method of public transit. I will discuss in a little more detail later.Cheap Fan ContestLet me first point out a couple of places to look for free parking near AT&T Park if you are going to drive. I will qualify this by saying that if it doesn’t work out, there aren’t many cheap pay garages around. Most metered parking in San Fran is only in effect until 6pm, but you should always check the meter. See the image below for 2 places where you can park for free if you arrive early. It is at least worth swinging by to see if anything is available.
The places you are going to be looking is on and around Townsend street between 5th and 7th, and around the intersection of 16th and 3rd. Both are about a mile away, but I would walk that anytime vs. paying $30 or so to park.
Honestly though, there is more public transportation to AT&T Park than any other Major League stadium. Here is a rundown from ballparksavvy.com expert, Dan Celenza:
• If staying in San Francisco, you can take the Muni Metro. Lines N and T go directly to the ballpark and let you off on King St. Lines 10, 30, 45, & 47 also stop near the park (one block away from AT&T)
• If coming from the Peninsula or the South Bay area, you can pick up CALTRAIN throughout Santa Clara and San Mateo and take it within one block of the ballpark. In addition, you can ride BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) from Milbrae, SFO (Airport), South San Francisco, San Bruno, Colma, or Daly City to downtown San Fran and transfer to the MUNI METRO N or T @ Civic Center, Powell, Montgomery, or Embarcadero stations
• You can ride various ferries to the park from other parts of the bay area as well. From the East Bay (Alameda and Contra Costa), you can take the Alameda/Oakland Ferry.to the park. In addition, from the North Bay, the Lakespur Ferry will bring you to the park from the Marin and Sonoma areas.
I would say that the Ferries are pretty cool because it’s a unique experience, especially if you are from out of town. The fare is going to be about $12 - $16 round trip per person, but you should always plan ahead and check the necessary company for schedules, parking, and pricing.
You can also get more details from the Giants homepage, but I didn’t want to get too into the transportation thing here as it’s a bit lame. The takeaway for visitors is to figure out where you are staying relative to AT&T Park, and then plan your transportation accordingly. It can vary greatly depending on what part of town you are starting from.
tickets
The Giants get pretty good crowds despite a not so great baseball team. Usually you can walk up and buy tickets, but if you want to be sure you may want to buy online through the team or through eBay. I personally would recommend trying eBay first, with the soft demand for many things right now there is good value to be had.
Here is my advice for ticket buying on eBay; wait until the last minute. I know that sounds crazy, and you would think that closer to the event the prices would shoot up; but that is not the case. I have bought and sold plenty of tickets on eBay and I have found that when I sell them early I get top dollar because there is less competition. As the event gets closer, everybody in America who is selling tickets begins to list them at auction. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that when the market is flooded with supply the price is driven down. I don't know if there are any published numbers to back me up, but I have seen it time and time again. So if buying on eBay, buy late. Here are a couple of auctions ending soon with a current bid under $50.
• If staying in San Francisco, you can take the Muni Metro. Lines N and T go directly to the ballpark and let you off on King St. Lines 10, 30, 45, & 47 also stop near the park (one block away from AT&T)
• If coming from the Peninsula or the South Bay area, you can pick up CALTRAIN throughout Santa Clara and San Mateo and take it within one block of the ballpark. In addition, you can ride BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) from Milbrae, SFO (Airport), South San Francisco, San Bruno, Colma, or Daly City to downtown San Fran and transfer to the MUNI METRO N or T @ Civic Center, Powell, Montgomery, or Embarcadero stations
• You can ride various ferries to the park from other parts of the bay area as well. From the East Bay (Alameda and Contra Costa), you can take the Alameda/Oakland Ferry.to the park. In addition, from the North Bay, the Lakespur Ferry will bring you to the park from the Marin and Sonoma areas.
I would say that the Ferries are pretty cool because it’s a unique experience, especially if you are from out of town. The fare is going to be about $12 - $16 round trip per person, but you should always plan ahead and check the necessary company for schedules, parking, and pricing.
You can also get more details from the Giants homepage, but I didn’t want to get too into the transportation thing here as it’s a bit lame. The takeaway for visitors is to figure out where you are staying relative to AT&T Park, and then plan your transportation accordingly. It can vary greatly depending on what part of town you are starting from.
tickets
The Giants get pretty good crowds despite a not so great baseball team. Usually you can walk up and buy tickets, but if you want to be sure you may want to buy online through the team or through eBay. I personally would recommend trying eBay first, with the soft demand for many things right now there is good value to be had.
Here is my advice for ticket buying on eBay; wait until the last minute. I know that sounds crazy, and you would think that closer to the event the prices would shoot up; but that is not the case. I have bought and sold plenty of tickets on eBay and I have found that when I sell them early I get top dollar because there is less competition. As the event gets closer, everybody in America who is selling tickets begins to list them at auction. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that when the market is flooded with supply the price is driven down. I don't know if there are any published numbers to back me up, but I have seen it time and time again. So if buying on eBay, buy late. Here are a couple of auctions ending soon with a current bid under $50.
As far as best value seats in the ballpark, I would recommend the upper deck behind home plate. Tickets range from $18 to $32 here, which is good value for San Fran, but you get a majestic view of the game and the Cove. Ideally you should shoot for something in or around section 315 and as close to row 1 as possible. Most of the reasons for sitting in the first row are obvious, but one big benefit is all of the late people won’t be walking in your view for 4 innings. I hate that. So I would ask for row 1, and somewhere in the middle of the row and you will be set.
If you are going to a game with kids, you may think the left field bleachers are a better value. The prices are about the same as above, but AT&T Park has an awesome wiffle ball stadium behind the left field section where kids can play during the game. I like when kids watch the game and enjoy it, but if they are bored it’s better to have an option to entertain them than to be annoyed to death. There is also a slide inside the giant Coke bottle, which is a nice novelty as well.
Keep in mind all of the outfield seats are bleachers with no back, including left field. The last row of the section will allow you to lean up against a brick wall behind you, which is preferable in my opinion. If you sit in 139, ask for row 26 and get a little back support and a closer walk to concessions and entertainment spots. Some sections have 29 rows and some 26, so just ask or check the AT&T Park website.
The big scoreboard and jumbo screen are in dead center field. I wouldn’t advise sitting in the center field bleachers for this reason. I think the modern game gets so much added to the experience by seeing the information and entertainment on the big screen.
food
2 words: Garlic Fries.
Everybody loves them, and if you are coming from out of town or you live in the Bay area but haven’t tried them; you must. They will set you back about $8, but I would say it’s worth it to splurge a little when you can.
Like many other ballparks, if you are looking to save money at AT&T Park you can bring your own food and drink. This includes pretty much any food and sealed plastic bottles with non-alcoholic beverages. You can take a small soft sided cooler, so pack some lunches from home or pick up something cheap on the way and you can easily save $40 vs. buying food for a family at AT&T Park.
Another option that I consistently recommend is Restaurant.com Here you can buy $25 gift certificates to local restaurants for $10. You can also do a google search for "Restaurant.com coupon codes" and almost always get an extra 60 - 80% off that. I often buy these $25 certificates for $2. That is the best way to eat a decent meal before or after the game and save a chunk of change. When you follow the link, just type in the zip code of AT&T Park (94107) to see what restaurants are nearby.
If you are going to a game with kids, you may think the left field bleachers are a better value. The prices are about the same as above, but AT&T Park has an awesome wiffle ball stadium behind the left field section where kids can play during the game. I like when kids watch the game and enjoy it, but if they are bored it’s better to have an option to entertain them than to be annoyed to death. There is also a slide inside the giant Coke bottle, which is a nice novelty as well.
Keep in mind all of the outfield seats are bleachers with no back, including left field. The last row of the section will allow you to lean up against a brick wall behind you, which is preferable in my opinion. If you sit in 139, ask for row 26 and get a little back support and a closer walk to concessions and entertainment spots. Some sections have 29 rows and some 26, so just ask or check the AT&T Park website.
The big scoreboard and jumbo screen are in dead center field. I wouldn’t advise sitting in the center field bleachers for this reason. I think the modern game gets so much added to the experience by seeing the information and entertainment on the big screen.
food
2 words: Garlic Fries.
Everybody loves them, and if you are coming from out of town or you live in the Bay area but haven’t tried them; you must. They will set you back about $8, but I would say it’s worth it to splurge a little when you can.
Like many other ballparks, if you are looking to save money at AT&T Park you can bring your own food and drink. This includes pretty much any food and sealed plastic bottles with non-alcoholic beverages. You can take a small soft sided cooler, so pack some lunches from home or pick up something cheap on the way and you can easily save $40 vs. buying food for a family at AT&T Park.
Another option that I consistently recommend is Restaurant.com Here you can buy $25 gift certificates to local restaurants for $10. You can also do a google search for "Restaurant.com coupon codes" and almost always get an extra 60 - 80% off that. I often buy these $25 certificates for $2. That is the best way to eat a decent meal before or after the game and save a chunk of change. When you follow the link, just type in the zip code of AT&T Park (94107) to see what restaurants are nearby.