turner field guide
Home to the tomahawking Braves of Atlanta, Turner Field was built in 1996 and is a great place to catch a game. The area surrounding the stadium will make you want to exercise your Second Amendment rights to “keep and bear arms,” but once inside you will certainly enjoy the game.
parking and traffic
The setting of the stadium is surrounded by interstates, and the parking lots can be sufficient if you don’t mind paying about $10. The biggest problem is the traffic getting in and out. If you have ever taken the Turner Field exit, you know just how ridiculous it can get right before a Braves game. I think the best rule of thumb is to leave early if possible. I think if you go to many games it is no secret just how much traffic you can miss by arriving earlier. The big advantage in paying for official parking is the fact that it is a little more secure. If you are really concerned with safety, this is your best bet.
parking and traffic
The setting of the stadium is surrounded by interstates, and the parking lots can be sufficient if you don’t mind paying about $10. The biggest problem is the traffic getting in and out. If you have ever taken the Turner Field exit, you know just how ridiculous it can get right before a Braves game. I think the best rule of thumb is to leave early if possible. I think if you go to many games it is no secret just how much traffic you can miss by arriving earlier. The big advantage in paying for official parking is the fact that it is a little more secure. If you are really concerned with safety, this is your best bet.
Another option is to take the MARTA shuttle from Underground Atlanta to
the game. It’s a convenient option, especially if you are a bus rider
anyway. The shuttle is free with a valid bus or rail station ticket from
MARTA. For more details on the MARTA, click here.
The savvy fans who go to Braves games quite a bit know there are a few
ways to get around the traffic and in some cases park for free. Free
parking at Turner Field is never seen by most people who attend the
game, but if you arrive early it is quite possible. Here is an in depth
article on how to avoid traffic and find free parking from a former
employee: Click here.
tickets
The budget conscious fan has some nice options at Turner Field. In fact the Braves offer $1 pavilion tickets down the left field line. These are day of game tickets which go on sale 3 hours before the game. You can’t beat that. If the game is not sold out, you may be able to move around if you can avoid the usher brigade. One place I would avoid on a hot summer night is in the right field seats down the line and behind the wall. You will have the sun hitting you in the face until 9:00 or so, which for me would really ruin the experience. I think down the third base line will provide you shade, a cheap seat, and a great view of the jumbo-tron. Now you could probably sit on your porch in Marietta and have a decent view of the Brave’s big screen. The monstrous screen in center field was easily the largest in all of baseball when constructed, it may have been surpassed at this point.
All in all I think the upper deck seats behind the plate and down the left field line provide a nice view for a great price. In my opinion, from a value perspective, you game experience isn't that much better in the lower level to warrant the higher cost.
The Braves have gotten more aggressive as of late with their ticket promotions as well. They offer a nice family value package which I recommend taking advantage of. 4 tickets, 4 hot dogs, 4 Cokes, 1 parking pass, and a $5 gas card for $59. These are in the upper deck seats of the infield, which face for $12 normally. The package is available for most home games.
Tuesday and Wednesday are also a good days to catch a Braves game on a budget. At the time of my writing they have buy one get one free tickets on these days in certain sections. The best value here is to buy the $22 outfield seats for $11 and get as close to the field as possible. Planning ahead for specials and promotions almost always pays off at Turner Field.
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.
tickets
The budget conscious fan has some nice options at Turner Field. In fact the Braves offer $1 pavilion tickets down the left field line. These are day of game tickets which go on sale 3 hours before the game. You can’t beat that. If the game is not sold out, you may be able to move around if you can avoid the usher brigade. One place I would avoid on a hot summer night is in the right field seats down the line and behind the wall. You will have the sun hitting you in the face until 9:00 or so, which for me would really ruin the experience. I think down the third base line will provide you shade, a cheap seat, and a great view of the jumbo-tron. Now you could probably sit on your porch in Marietta and have a decent view of the Brave’s big screen. The monstrous screen in center field was easily the largest in all of baseball when constructed, it may have been surpassed at this point.
All in all I think the upper deck seats behind the plate and down the left field line provide a nice view for a great price. In my opinion, from a value perspective, you game experience isn't that much better in the lower level to warrant the higher cost.
The Braves have gotten more aggressive as of late with their ticket promotions as well. They offer a nice family value package which I recommend taking advantage of. 4 tickets, 4 hot dogs, 4 Cokes, 1 parking pass, and a $5 gas card for $59. These are in the upper deck seats of the infield, which face for $12 normally. The package is available for most home games.
Tuesday and Wednesday are also a good days to catch a Braves game on a budget. At the time of my writing they have buy one get one free tickets on these days in certain sections. The best value here is to buy the $22 outfield seats for $11 and get as close to the field as possible. Planning ahead for specials and promotions almost always pays off at Turner Field.
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.
food
The Braves will allow you to bring your own sealed bottled water and food into the stadium. Therefore you are not a captive audience when it comes to paying high ballpark prices. Options around the stadium are pretty sparse, as Turner Field sits on what seems like a ghetto island. You do have a reliable KFC outside the NE corner of the stadium, but it tends to be packed right before the game. However if you are looking for a cheap option, KFC can do that for you.
If you found free parking and want to spend some money, or you would rather eat in the stadium than suffer through KFC, you are in luck: the Braves have many places to eat. The Grilleworks in the outfield has a great selection of sausage and some unique selections, like a bison dog.
If you are from out of town, I think The Varsity makes for a good option. It is a unique local experience, and very greasy and cheap. The place stays packed out, and you better know what you want when you get to the front. The staff can tend to be a bit impatient, but it’s a cool experience.
where to stay
Not near the stadium. The area surrounding Turner Field can definitely feel unsafe after dark, so this really depends on your comfort level with an “urban” area. The thing is, if you are coming in to stay for one or two nights and your only plan is to watch the Braves, I think staying at the Country Inn & Suites across from the stadium is a viable option. In that case you would only being going out at night to go to and from the game, and there will be plenty of police and fans around. The other great benefit is you can avoid the hassle of traffic and parking altogether.
If your trip to Atlanta is a more well rounded vacation than just a baseball game, you might want to look at some other areas. Atlanta is a huge city with many suburbs, but I personally like staying downtown whenever I can. I don't mean that for Atlanta specifically, but I enjoy urban areas. If I were going to Atlanta, I know that I would use Hotwire. I have had nothing but great experiences with them. Some people are scared because it doesn’t give you the name of the hotel until after you have bought it, but I would never use another travel site. Their ratings are trustworthy, and you can get a really good idea of the area you are staying on their map.
A couple of personal examples: I got a room at the Intercontinental on Michigan Ave. in Chicago for $79 per night. I also had a room at the Hilton in St. Louis, with a view of the arch for $89 per night. So it is possible to be a stone's throw from Turner Field for pretty cheap
You may or may not know about couchsurfing.com, but this is a pretty cool network where you can find people who will let you sleep on a couch or in a guest room for free. If Turner Field is one destination on a big baseball trip, this could save you some serious money. I think the risks are obvious, but to me if you use your head by making sure the person has plenty of references and pictures, you are pretty safe.
For others who may want free accommodation, I would recommend Home Exchange. You may have seen this in the movies, but basically you pay $100 to join and then you can swap houses with other families for a vacation. The safety record of this is literally unblemished, and if you are taking a baseball trip or just a vacation to the area, you might find somebody to trade places with you for a week. Its an option. However you stay, enjoy your trip to Turner Field!
If you found free parking and want to spend some money, or you would rather eat in the stadium than suffer through KFC, you are in luck: the Braves have many places to eat. The Grilleworks in the outfield has a great selection of sausage and some unique selections, like a bison dog.
If you are from out of town, I think The Varsity makes for a good option. It is a unique local experience, and very greasy and cheap. The place stays packed out, and you better know what you want when you get to the front. The staff can tend to be a bit impatient, but it’s a cool experience.
where to stay
Not near the stadium. The area surrounding Turner Field can definitely feel unsafe after dark, so this really depends on your comfort level with an “urban” area. The thing is, if you are coming in to stay for one or two nights and your only plan is to watch the Braves, I think staying at the Country Inn & Suites across from the stadium is a viable option. In that case you would only being going out at night to go to and from the game, and there will be plenty of police and fans around. The other great benefit is you can avoid the hassle of traffic and parking altogether.
If your trip to Atlanta is a more well rounded vacation than just a baseball game, you might want to look at some other areas. Atlanta is a huge city with many suburbs, but I personally like staying downtown whenever I can. I don't mean that for Atlanta specifically, but I enjoy urban areas. If I were going to Atlanta, I know that I would use Hotwire. I have had nothing but great experiences with them. Some people are scared because it doesn’t give you the name of the hotel until after you have bought it, but I would never use another travel site. Their ratings are trustworthy, and you can get a really good idea of the area you are staying on their map.
A couple of personal examples: I got a room at the Intercontinental on Michigan Ave. in Chicago for $79 per night. I also had a room at the Hilton in St. Louis, with a view of the arch for $89 per night. So it is possible to be a stone's throw from Turner Field for pretty cheap
You may or may not know about couchsurfing.com, but this is a pretty cool network where you can find people who will let you sleep on a couch or in a guest room for free. If Turner Field is one destination on a big baseball trip, this could save you some serious money. I think the risks are obvious, but to me if you use your head by making sure the person has plenty of references and pictures, you are pretty safe.
For others who may want free accommodation, I would recommend Home Exchange. You may have seen this in the movies, but basically you pay $100 to join and then you can swap houses with other families for a vacation. The safety record of this is literally unblemished, and if you are taking a baseball trip or just a vacation to the area, you might find somebody to trade places with you for a week. Its an option. However you stay, enjoy your trip to Turner Field!
