Petco Park Pointers: Take Me Out to a Padres Game

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If it’s taken you three consecutive winning seasons and two division titles to finally jump on the San Diego Padres bandwagon, then you have no more excuses to stop you from checking out a game at Petco Park.

Once again, the Padres find themselves in the middle of a tight pennant race, battling the rival Dodgers and pesky Diamondbacks for summertime supremacy in the NL West.

In spite of their mini division dynasty status, home games have not exactly been selling out, except for the big promotion nights. This is no doubt due in part to the lack of a big-name bopper in the lineup like a Tony Gwynn or Ken Caminiti. But the Padres league-leading pitching staff still gives fans plenty to get excited about.

Selecting a Game

If you are particularly particular about who’s on the mound, consult the sports section to learn who the projected starters are before the next homestand, and buy your tickets for the games that Jake Peavy, Chris Young, and future Hall of Famer Greg Maddux are pitching.

If you need free floppy hats, T-shirts, and fireworks to get you out to a game, then buy your tickets well in advance. Those goodies are doled out on Friday and Saturday nights, while Sunday games always offer freebees for kids.

Where to Roam

Speaking of kids, if you have some or would just like to avoid them, be aware that the “Park in the Park” grassy knoll provides ample acreage for the younglings to run around and play. “The Beach,” a giant sandbox behind the right-center field fence, is a great place to catch a homerun ball or get sand kicked in your face by a 2-year-old, but is restricted to bleacher ticket holders only during the game. Another family entertainment area dubbed the Padres Power Alley, beneath the right field grandstand, features interactive games and a batting cage.

Over-21 kids should check out the Hall of Fame Bar & Grill on the fourth floor of the Western Metal Supply Building—but they need to arrive early to get a table.

Ever wonder how fans get behind that fence in the left field corner? That would be via the Padres Team Store on the ground level of the WMS Building. All these choice spots can be had with a $5 park pass, which also entitles you to primo standing areas around the field level seating areas.

Where to Sit

For those of you who prefer to sit down during a three-hour baseball game, expect to pay as little as $8 to sit in the aforementioned bleachers, or as much as $48 for field-level boxes. That is, if you buy in advance. For the first time, the Padres are taking advantage of procrastinators by charging more for day-of ticket sales and even more for so-called “premium games,” like weekend matchups against the Dodgers.

For your money, the best deal is the $12 upper reserved area, which puts you pretty darn near first or third base, and not too high up—provided you buy early enough.

If money is no object and you want to impress your honey with the best seats in the park, season ticket holders legally scalp, or rather, auction off their tickets at the Padres online Ticket Marketplace.

Prefer to feel pampered at a baseball game? Seats in the Toyota Terrace ($45–$65) come complete with seat-side concession service (spa treatments optional).

Parking’s Not So Bad…

The Padres Web site directs you to several lots owned and operated by Ace Parking with fees ranging from $20 to $8, depending on proximity to the ballpark. Of course, there are plenty of other lots downtown and metered spaces in the area are free after 6pm and all day Sunday.

Another great option: avoid traffic altogether by taking the San Diego Trolley, which has two stops within two blocks of Petco Park.

Where to Eat

With so many options both inside and outside Petco Park (too many to cover in the space of this article), you are no longer limited to just hotdogs and crackerjacks. And while fans can bring sealed 20oz water bottles and juice boxes into the ballpark, consult the other no-nos posted on the Padres Web site ahead of time.

Play ball!