How to do a Padre game.

Fresh cut grass, spending time with family and friends, a cold beer in the brisk San Diego evening, there are few things better than a baseball game in San Diego at night. Just because the game itself will always be fun, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t maximize the experience you can have the day of.

There are 3 big things you need to make sure you do so you can have the most enjoyable day especially if you’re a tourist or don’t make your way downtown often, this will all be scheduled assuming you are going to a night game.

1.     Parking:

Parking will always be a pain going to baseball games and as the Padre’s playoff hopes have gone up the prices have gone up with them, the best thing you can do is get there early, there is a parking lot right next to the stadium called “6th and K Parkade” it will be expensive, but it will be coinvent.

2.     What to do before the game:

Going to a baseball game should be a whole day endeavor, downtown San Diego has much to offer. If you have kids that you’re bringing to the game, go a couple hours early and check out SeaPort Village, there are plenty of little shops and restaurants right by the water that are perfect for families.

If you are going with your friends, go an hour or two early and check out “Bub’s at the Ball Park” on Tony Gwynn Dr and J.

No matter what you plan on doing or who you’re doing it with, you’re going to want to make sure that you’ve eaten, and you can drink a couple beers before going into the stadium, stadium food and drinks are expensive.

3.     Make sure that you have good seats:

Petco Park is jaw-droppingly beautiful, but there are better seats than others in the stadium, obviously anything in the 100 sections by the field will be perfect, but some of my favorite places in the stadium are sections 235-227, you have the chance to catch a homerun, and the seats are normally extremely reasonable.

If you don’t feel like spending all your money on the seats so you have some to spend on merchandise, get yourself Gallagher Square tickets and go to the “Cutwater Agave Club” located by section 220, it’s a cutwater bar where the seats are first-come first-serve with an amazing view and easy access to a bar.

But, above all else, make sure to just enjoy the game! It should not be taken lightly how amazing this ballpark we get to call home is. I’ve been all over the states to different ballparks and sports bars and whenever “What’s your favorite stadium?” or “What’s your dream stadium to go to?” gets brought up, the answer is always Petco.