Field: loanDepot park
Official Site: https://www.mlb.com/mets/ballpark
Year Completed: 2012
Capacity: 37,446
Covered: Yes
Mascot: Billy the Marlin
The Game We’ll See: Monday, August 14: Houston Astros vs. Miami Marlins (see all 30 here!)
Parking & Transportation:
loanDepot park has four garages and six parking lots surrounding the field. There are specific driving directions to each one, and advanced purchases are strongly recommended. For the game we plan to attend, the cost is $20.
There is no information about tailgating on the MLB site for the Marlins. Other sites have mixed reports. As a result, I’m not sure whether tailgating is allowed or not!
In addition to onsite parking, fans recommend parking on the lawns of nearby residents (with their permission, of course!). The fee is typically less than it is in the official garage. However, fans also warn that it is easy to get stuck behind others parking in the same yard, and the stadium area is not particularly safe at night.
Oversized vehicle: Bus parking is available inside West Lot 3 (1680 NW 5th Street) and should be purchased in advance. For the game we plan to attend, the cost is $35.
Fans can also attend the game using mass transit. Routes and other information are available through the Parking & Transportation link above.
Stadium Tours:
loanDepot park does offer tours, but not on home game days. Tours are offered on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays when the team is on the road.
General Information:
Bags: loanDepot park requires that bags be 16” x 16” x 8” or smaller and be clear plastic. Small clutches (under 6” x 8”), medical bags, and diaper bags are exempt from these restrictions.
Food & Beverages: Fans may bring in one single-serving food item per person, packaged in a clear plastic bag and, in the case of fruit, sliced. Each fan is allowed to bring in one, factory-sealed bottle of water that is 20 ounces or smaller.
Cashless transactions: All transactions are cashless.
Signs: Signs are permitted if they are smaller than 3’ by 5’, do not contain wood or metal, don’t interfere with the game or contain advertising or other offensive materials.
Foul Balls: Fans may keep foul balls, as long as they don’t interfere with play or enter the playing area to retrieve them.
Gates: Gates open 90 minutes prior to first pitch.
Cameras: loanDepot park does allow cameras and video cameras with lenses less than 8”. However, they do not allow mono- or tri-pods, or selfie sticks.
Umbrellas: The MLB site does not mention an umbrella policy for the Marlins.
Where to Sit:
If the roof is open, Baseball Road Trip recommends the back rows of the first base line, in Sections 5 – 9, for shade. Sections 207 to 211, 9 to 11, and 18 to 20 are also good seats. The best bargain tickets are Sections 306 – 310.
The Ultimate Baseball Road Trip suggests FL1 through FL8, Boxes 1 through 25, if you can find tickets on the resale market. Sections 7, 8, 20 and 21 are also great options. They are near the higher-priced Sections 9 – 20, but somewhat less expensive.
The best value tickets are on the Home Run Porch, Sections 134 – 141, toward the field. For cheap tickets, they recommend Sections 302 – 305 or 324 – 327, in rows B through J.
Food:
- Facebook’s Ballpark Chasers group recommends Cuban sandwiches. Unfortunately, the reviews I found at Ballpark Savvy appear to be out of date. It took a little searching, but it looks like the Cubano Gigante is the newest addition to the menu. It is 34 inches long and weighs 2.5 pounds. It features ham, pork, cheese, pickles, mustard, and a special sauce, and feeds four to eight people!
- The Ultimate Baseball Road Trip concurs with the recommendation of Cuban sandwiches and arepas. From their perspective, Cuban food is the trademark of the Park. Bites del Caribe, in Section 8, sells arepas, and Rincon Habana, in Section 223, sells Cuban sandwiches.
- I couldn’t find a reference to an official dog, although Ballpark Savvy does recommend Mia BBQ’s mega “picnic dog.” The $3 o $5 menu at Familia Faves (Section 36) and Obie’s (Section 13) both offer a $3 ballpark hotdog.
- Thrillist recommends the Goya Sazon Dog, a traditional baseball dog with a pink sauce and crispy potato sticks. Top Dog sells the hotdog in Section 40.
- Mobile ordering is available via the CHEQ app. Scan the QR codes located throughout the stadium to order food and beverages for pickup.
- Outside the stadium, Ballpark Chasers frequently recommend the Cuban restaurant Versailles.
First Time Visitors:
The official site does not include information about certificates or other special items for first time visitors to loanDepot park.
Autographs:
Fans may request autographs until 45 minutes prior to the first pitch.
Other Stadium Tips & Highlights:
Facebook Ballpark Chasers encourage fans to check out the Bobblehead Museum (Section 34), a nodding collection of nearly 600 figures from across Major League Baseball. Then, before the game begins, stop by the massive saltwater aquariums between the dugouts.
The Marlins have no officially retired numbers other than #42, Jackie Robinson’s number, which was retired by the MLB. There has been some discussion of retiring #16, Jose Fernandez’ number. Fernandez was killed in a boating accident in 2016. However, that has not yet happened.
