Favorite ballparks you've been to?

[Carolina Red]

I'm in Chicago on vacation, but right now there's not much to do but laze around in my hotel room, so that gave me time to think...

...I will be at some baseball games this weekend, and I have been to so many different ballparks in my life, and I have so many memories - good and bad. I've managed to rank some of my favorite parks that I have been to (minor leagues included):

Favorites:
1 - Comerica Park (Detroit). A beautiful new stadium, wonderful architecture and shrubbery, brilliant decorations and well organized facilities (concession stands, restrooms, etc.), and great views of the game from wherever you are. I also like the fountain in center field, the giant tiger statue out front and the tigers on the scoreboard, as well as the great statues of former Tigers in the outfield concourse.
2 - Miller Park (Milwaukee). The roof was closed both times I went there, and it is great - the air circulates very well, and the lighting is great. Also, the atmosphere the Brewers create is great and full of tradition. And who could forget the sausages they sell! :p
3 - Busch Stadium (St. Louis). Very fan-friendly. The fans are very passionate about the team, and employees are friendly, and the scoreboard in center field is very beautiful.
4 - Louisville Slugger Field (Louisville Bats, International League). It's like a miniature big league stadium. The atmosphere is very festive and the place is very clean, especially for some place that's been around a few years now.
5 - Skydome (Toronto). It may look bland with hardly any fans, but the place is located in a very lively part of the city, and the Blue Jays do a great job catering to the fans, with a great sound system and jumbotron, as well as a full view of the field from most places.
Also receiving votes: Victory Field (Indianapolis Indians, IL), U.S. Cellular Field (Chicago White Sox), Durham Bulls Athletic Park (Durham Bulls, IL)

Favorite park food: Fried catfish sandwich at Five County Stadium (Carolina Mudcats, Southern League)

Favorite design: Tiger statue outside Comerica Park, followed by the fountains at Kaufmann Stadium (Kansas City)

Favorite dead ballpark: County Stadium (Milwaukee) - It had a real charm to it, with the beer keg in the outfield, the old black-and-white TV scoreboard, and the sausage houses inside the park. They still have many traditions in the brilliant Miller Park, but I think County Stadium was pretty special too.

Places I'd love to visit: PNC Park (Pittsburgh), Safeco Field (Seattle), Ameriquest Park (Texas)

What are your favorites that you've been to?

[TimTwoFace]

I've only been to two major-league parks before. One, Candlestyck Park in San Fran (though it was called 3Com Park at the time), and the other was Olympic Stadium in Montreal. One was a classic park in a beautiful part of town, and the latter was a dive, a haunting reminder of the horrible cost overruns of the 1976 Olympics. At least no beams fell on the spectators during that game. :)

-Tim

[Mad Monkey 7]

The Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati, Ohio. It stylist yet simple, plus Club 4192 rocks for those who can get in.

P.S.
I wish Griffey would have hit his 500th home-run at Great American.

[EroSennin]

This is an easy one. Yankee Stadium. Theres so much history here. Monument Park is one of the coolest things for baseball fans.

[RayChuang]

SBC (formerly Pacific Bell) Park, San Francisco, CA. Great sightlines, good seating, superb concessions, a view out into San Francisco Bay that is second to none, and superb access to public transportation (buses, SF Muni light rail, Caltrain commuter rail and even ferry boats!). It's called by many the best baseball park in the USA. http://webpages.charter.net/connectingzone/agree/8.gif

Raley Field, Sacramento, CA. Great sightlines, excellent seating, and excellent concessions. Many call it the best minor-league ballpark in the USA. http://webpages.charter.net/connectingzone/agree/4.gif

[Tapout]

I've been a huge baseball fan for seven years now and I've never been to a game, or even a stadium for that matter. I've been meaning to get up to Bank One Ballpark for years and probably will finally do it later this season assuming Jerry Colangelo doesn't rip AZ sports fan's hearts out again by trading Randy Johnson.

[The Penguin]

I have also only been to two ballparks that are currently is use and while the MetroDome the Twins play in is nothing too special, I really liked Coor's Field where the Rockies play. The park is just really nice and I like the fountain area that shoots up when the Rockies hit a homerun and the like. It's been quite a while since I was there though.

[Frank Castle]

I've only been to the new Brewers field and Wrigley field.

[BCVM22]

If you're in Chicago, you need to visit Wrigley Field. Truly one of the greatest American ballparks of all time. I don't know how long you're in Chicago for, but the Cubs' next home game is Tuesday against the Houston Astros (They play the White Sox in a 3-game set at U.S. Cellular Field going Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, with an off day Monday).

If you're not in town long enough to see a home game, then you might try taking a tour of the ballpark, which are offered most away game days, and go from the clubhouse, to the dugout, to the skyboxes, to the broadcasting booths.

[Reed Richards]

Busch Stadium and Camden Yards.

[guinaevere]

I've been to quite a few over the years.

One of my favorites to go to would be Fenway, as decrepit as it is... just the amazing aromas as you pass all the street vendors is worth sitting through a Red Sox game... mmmm.... sausage with onions and green peppers!!!!! MMMmmmmm!!

Next to that would be Texas Stadium, for sentimental reasons. But definately before it was plastered with those huge ads all over it. Last time I was there to see a game, it felt like Nike World.

I just don't like the corporate images and sponserships... :shrug: Like tearing down Boston Garden and making it into the Fleet Center... yeah, it's nice and shiney now... but the Garden* had personality.

*translated from the Bostonian pronounciation, Gaahden.

[SSJPabs]

The baseball players themselves rate Wrigley as the best overall park. But that is because of the surrounding area so it offers them stuff to do in the off hours While New Comiskey is not mentioned much, a few of the players spoken to specifically mentioned it as a horrible place to play, which causes this Twins fan a amusement to no end.

Of course the Metrodome sucks more, but hey we don't go around telling people how nice OUR ballpark is compared to the Cubs do we?

Do you speak with a Bostonian accent or something guin'?

[Icer]

Seeing as how I've only been to two:
Pro Player Stadium (Marlins)
Tropicana Field (Devil Rays)

I have to pick the less crappy of the two, since they are both crappy: Pro Player

Even though it's a football stadium

[Tienshin]

I have to go with the home town yard of Fenway. She may be old but that is a damn fine ball park.

[Dark Night]

Wrigley field is THE best ballpark--plus, the Chicago CUBS are THE best baseball team. You can't go wrong!

[NeoSerenity]

My favorite is my hometown Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs! It's very welcomin there with the brick wall and the Ivy that grows on it.

Plus my Uncle lives RIGHT across the street so we don't pay for parking, we just park in his garage!:p

[wolverine0815]

Wrigley field is a great ballpark. I would add Citizens Bank Park(Phillies) to the list to watch a baseball game.

[Good Ol' Batmanuel!]

I've been saying for a long time that someday I'd like to make a tour and visit every major league park. One I would like to have seen was Tiger Stadium. Based on a trip to Detroit a few years ago, that whole area is a dump now. :(

So far, I've only been to Skydome and it's kinda...meh. Impressive to look up and see how far away the roof is and just the sheer size of it all, but overall, there are many, many parks that absolutely blow it away as far as looks are concerned and as far as I can tell, atmosphere (though it sure was electric during the '92 and '93 World Series!). Skydome is alright, and the retractable roof is convenient, but I think open air stadiums are so much nicer! I hope to visit one someday. :p