dodger stadium guide
Here is the link to the Dodger Stadium Page for more information on the history of the stadium. Most will tell you that there are few better places to watch a baseball game than Chavez Ravine. Los Angeles is famous for many things and it is infamous for traffic and being over-priced. The traffic may be tough to avoid, but going to a Dodger game doesn't have to be that expensive.
parking
Free Parking near Dodger Stadium can definitely be had, but it's not plentiful. The team also provided a free shuttle from Union Station to the game in 2008 that made a couple of stops on Sunset Blvd. along the way. Here are the details on how it worked: they leave from Union Station every 10 minutes starting 90 minutes before the game and they return up to an hour after the game. You do have to pay to park at Union Station, which for me kinda defeats the purpose. However the parking there is cheaper than the Dodger parking lots and you have the advantage of reduced game traffic that you have to deal with. For me, I don't mind being stuck in traffic as much when I am just a passenger - but I hate driving in traffic. A trolley isn't a bad option. There are some questions about who is going to pay for this in 2009, so right now the trolley is on hold. They may start running it again, but nobody knows at this point.
My number one choice if going to Dodger Stadium would be searching for free parking. One such spot is in front of the hospital on Stadium Way, which is just outside the Elysian Park Ave. entrance to Dodger Stadium. An additional benefit to parking for free is the lack of parking lot traffic after the game. You can also park for free near Dodger Stadium at Academy Rd. which is right off of the 110 Freeway. The curb parking is just past Park Rd. and North of Solano Canyon. A third place to look for free parking at Dodger Stadium is on Academy Way just off of Interstate 5. In my opinion that may be your safest option because you are right next to the Police Academy and there is a decent amount of free parking to be had. See below for an overhead view of exactly where you will be.
parking
Free Parking near Dodger Stadium can definitely be had, but it's not plentiful. The team also provided a free shuttle from Union Station to the game in 2008 that made a couple of stops on Sunset Blvd. along the way. Here are the details on how it worked: they leave from Union Station every 10 minutes starting 90 minutes before the game and they return up to an hour after the game. You do have to pay to park at Union Station, which for me kinda defeats the purpose. However the parking there is cheaper than the Dodger parking lots and you have the advantage of reduced game traffic that you have to deal with. For me, I don't mind being stuck in traffic as much when I am just a passenger - but I hate driving in traffic. A trolley isn't a bad option. There are some questions about who is going to pay for this in 2009, so right now the trolley is on hold. They may start running it again, but nobody knows at this point.
My number one choice if going to Dodger Stadium would be searching for free parking. One such spot is in front of the hospital on Stadium Way, which is just outside the Elysian Park Ave. entrance to Dodger Stadium. An additional benefit to parking for free is the lack of parking lot traffic after the game. You can also park for free near Dodger Stadium at Academy Rd. which is right off of the 110 Freeway. The curb parking is just past Park Rd. and North of Solano Canyon. A third place to look for free parking at Dodger Stadium is on Academy Way just off of Interstate 5. In my opinion that may be your safest option because you are right next to the Police Academy and there is a decent amount of free parking to be had. See below for an overhead view of exactly where you will be.
Keep in mind when driving to the game that you have to factor in LA traffic. If you are from out of town you may under estimate this because you live somewhere normal. I have a reader that recently took my advice and found free parking, but they had about a half hour trip turn into a 2 hour trip because of traffic. You have been warned.
tickets
Los Angeles Dodgers tickets are fairly affordable compared to other large market teams. You can sit in the upper deck for $11, which is cheaper than an upper deck seat at my home town of Cincinnati. There are some stadiums where I would suggest ponying up the cash to get some better seats than the upper deck, because the value trade-off isn't worth it. Dodger Stadium is not one of those places. In fact, the upper deck views from behind the plate are some of the best you can find. You will have a breath taking view of the surrounding hills, trees, etc. in the sunset. I personally like some nose bleed seats when it enhances your view of the surrounding area, Chavez Ravine is clearly one of those ballparks - a bargain seekers dream in my opinion. For the same amount of money you can sit in the pavilion, but it might not be as smart of a move. If there are obnoxious fans at Dodger Stadium they tend to sit in the outfield pavilion seats. You won't by any means be overwhelmed by them, but we have all been there when you happen to get seats right next to a jerk - it ruins the game. I am not saying it can't happen in other seats, but I think the odds are higher in the outfield.
Tickets are always available on eBay as well. 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.
The Dodgers historically didn't offer much in the way of ticket promotions. However they have started something in June of '09 which is pretty unique and a great deal in my opinion. They offer all inclusive packs which go way beyond just all you can eat. In fact, they are sold in increments of 3, which is weird, but they start at $33 a piece and include a Reserve ticket, Dodger dog, Drink, a pretty cool t-shirt, bag of peanuts, and parking. That is a serious value. The prices go up from there for better seats or different packages which include more stuff. For me, I think this cheapest package includes all you really need and the other packs start throwing in crap you will never use (i.e. baseball cards, flags, etc.).
They also offer great pricing on their mini ticket packs - so if you plan on going to several games in the year, this can really save you some money. For instance they have a 12 game pack where you can get upper deck seats for $4 each which is 64% off; that's ridiculous. You could spend $48 per seat on one game at Dodger Stadium depending on where you sit. I like deals like this because if you are web savvy at all, you can sell the games you can't make it to and make some of your money back. These deals may be past for '09 but keep it in mind at the beginning of future seasons.
food
Dodger stadium is of course famous for the Dodger Dog. If you are going from out of town or visiting the ballpark for the first time, you should probably try one. However to save some money you can take food and sealed plastic bottled beverages into the park. Many stadiums have this policy and it is a great way to save money - ballpark food prices are insane.
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 Dodger Stadium (90012) to see what restaurants are nearby.
They also offer great pricing on their mini ticket packs - so if you plan on going to several games in the year, this can really save you some money. For instance they have a 12 game pack where you can get upper deck seats for $4 each which is 64% off; that's ridiculous. You could spend $48 per seat on one game at Dodger Stadium depending on where you sit. I like deals like this because if you are web savvy at all, you can sell the games you can't make it to and make some of your money back. These deals may be past for '09 but keep it in mind at the beginning of future seasons.
food
Dodger stadium is of course famous for the Dodger Dog. If you are going from out of town or visiting the ballpark for the first time, you should probably try one. However to save some money you can take food and sealed plastic bottled beverages into the park. Many stadiums have this policy and it is a great way to save money - ballpark food prices are insane.
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 Dodger Stadium (90012) to see what restaurants are nearby.