Field: Dodger Stadium
Official Site: https://www.mlb.com/dodgers
Year Completed: 1962 (third oldest in the MLB)
Capacity: 56,000 (largest in the MLB)
Covered: No (Rainout policy)
Mascot: None
The Game We’ll See: Tuesday, July 25: Toronto Blue Jays vs. LA Dodgers (see all 30 here!)
Parking & Transportation:
Dodger Stadium Express: Free transportation to/from Union Station or South Bay.
Uber is the favored car service choice.
Traffic in Los Angeles is challenging, to say the least. Allow two hours to get to the stadium from wherever you are staying if you are driving.
Stadium gates open 2 hours before game time
The cheapest lots are Lots 13 and 14. The best lots are near Gate D, C, or B. Parking is prepaid online and credit card only. Prepaid parking open until 3 hours before first pitch. Parking gates open 2.5 hours before game time. Parking rates: $27 – $55
Oversized vehicle: Lot 12, $50 in advance and $60 at the gate (although prices may vary).
Stadium Tours:
Pregame tours: 45 minutes long. Starts 3.5 hours before first pitch. Includes entry to watch batting practice and/or warm-up exercises. Tickets must be purchased in advance. About $40 – $60 pp. No batting practice before day games. Fans in Facebook’s Ballpark Chasers group gave the tour positive reviews.
General Information:
Bags: Clear plastic bag smaller than 12”x12”x6” and non-clear wristlets/clutches no larger than 5”x 8”x2”. According to fans in Facebook’s Ballpark Chasers group, they are very strict about the size. In addition, there is no mention of storage on the site. Be sure to leave bigger items in your car!
Food & Beverages: Outside non-alcoholic beverages (water, tea, etc.) of one liter or less in factory-sealed plastic bottles are permitted (no glass). Outside food is permitted only if it is in a clear bag smaller than the size above. No coolers.
Cashless transactions: All transactions are cashless.
Signs: No signs or banners of any kind.
Foul Balls: May be kept by the fan. Don’t interfere with play (of course!).
Gates: Parking gates open 2.5 hours before the first pitch. Stadium gates open 2 hours before the game starts.
Cameras: Camera lenses are limited to 6”.
Umbrellas: Umbrellas are not permitted.
Where to Sit:
According to fans in Facebook’s Ballpark Chasers group, the third base side has shade, and the first base side has lots of sun. The seats in the upper deck behind home plate have good views and are inexpensive. (Top Deck aisles 1 – 14)
The Reserve Section is one level down and has excellent views that are a bit closer. Select seats in sections 1IR to 10IR. The closer to the field the better. They are significantly more expensive than the Top Deck seats, though. If front row Top Deck seats are available, those will be much less expensive and almost as good. If you want to splurge, consider Field Box MVP seats.
According to Baseball Road Trips, the best seats are in foul ball territory: sections 18 – 28 on the third base side, and sections 19 – 28 on the first base side. Front row reserve VIP and reserve VIP (sections 1 – 9) are less expensive and good.
Avoid the outfield/left field pavilion seats because of rowdy fans.
Food:
- The stadium is known for the Dodger Dog. The original Dodger Dog is grilled pork and comes in a blue wrapper. It gets mixed reviews but is iconic!
- Their trademark food is Comacho’s Nachos.
- Churro sundaes also seem to get good reviews!
- Fans in the Facebook Ballpark Chasers group rave about Philippe’s, which is outside the park but calls itself the “Home of the Original French Dipped Sandwich.” Apparently, it always has a line but is worth the wait! It is about 1.5 miles from Dodger Stadium, so allow 30 minutes to walk each way.
First Time Visitors:
Visit the Fan Service Station for a free 1st Dodger Game button. Email fanfeedback@ladodgers.com with the date of the visit and your name for a First Visit Certificate.
Autographs:
Not likely, as the stadium personnel keep fans away from the dugout areas.
Other Stadium Tips & Highlights:
Be sure to visit the Top of the Park, with excellent views of LA. Visit the Jackie Robinson Statue in Center Field Plaza. On the fifth floor/Club Suite level, visit the Dodger Archive outside of the Vin Scully Press Box. There are artifacts in the collection that go back to the Brooklyn days.
On the top deck, visit the Retired Numbers Plaza. The officially retired numbers include:
- 1 – Pee Wee Reese
- 2 – Tommy Lasorda
- 4 – Duke Snider
- 19 – Jim Gilliam
- 20 – Don Sutton
- 24 – Walter Alston
- 32 – Sandy Koufax
- 39 – Roy Campanella
- 42 – Jackie Robinson
- 53 – Don Drysdale
They have fireworks on Friday night.
According to fans in Facebook’s Ballpark Chaser’s group, the team store closes very quickly after the game. Be sure to do your shopping before the game!
