By: Kevin Plaza
Everything is better in New York right? As a New Yorker, I tend to think that whatever is produced, built or just flat out made in New York is the best. It is the greatest city in the world, ya know the whole Big Apple song and dance, but what many people do not realize, is that there is other places outside of New York that have plenty to offer. Baseball stadiums comes to mind, with the new stadiums for the Mets and Yankees, New York has taken over the baseball stadium scene with style, imagination and class, which has lead many people around the the country to praise both Citi Field and Yankee Stadium as two of the best stadiums around. So to me and many of my fellow New Yorkers, why would you want to go anywhere else, when you can drive to Flushing or the Bronx to sit in two luxurious stadiums that were built for the fans to have the ultimate experience at a baseball game. But, like I mentioned before, there are other places and stadiums around outside of NY. I have been to a few of them and these are the five stadiums that every baseball fan has to cross off of their bucket list.
1. Safeco Field, Seattle
Safeco Field is the best example of a retractable roof in all of Major League Baseball. The reason? Even when the roof is fully closed, the stadium isn’t enclosed. There’s an area above the left field seats that stays open all the time so it doesn’t feel claustrophobic and still has the feel of a traditional, open-air baseball stadium. Plus, the open area provides for an excellent view, including Mount Rainier, Seattle’s business district, and Puget Sound, depending on where you are sitting.
2. Coors Field, Colorado
Everyone knows Coors Field as the home run heaven, so that should be reason alone to check out a game and try to catch some dingers. Coors Field is one of the nicest parks in the country. Not only does it offer fantastic views, but because of the use of brick and its unique entryways, Coors Field “has the most spectacular exterior in all of baseball,” according to many baseball experts. It also offers cool features like its mile-high upper deck. The row of seats – which is actually 5,280 feet high – is painted purple.
3. Fenway Park, Boston
Now I know many Yankee fans are not going to be happy with me putting the home of the Red Sox on the list, but I am a Met fan so I don’t care. Just a joke, well not really because I am still telling you that you have to check out this park. Home of the “Bahsten” Red Sox, Fenway Park is wicked awesome and wicked old. Built in 1912, it’s the granddaddy of them all. Bostonians are fiercely loyal to their park and would never hear of tearing it down in favor of something more modern. Instead of building a new park, they built more seats: on the third base, first base, and right field roofs, and on the far left field wall, the legendary Green Monster. But because it’s such an old park built along city blocks, Fenway has many obstructed views, especially down the right field line. But the view isn’t exactly what Sox fans come to Fenway for; every game sells out.
4. Wrigley Field, Chicago
The team never goes wins but hey, the ballpark is old and rife with history. Built in 1914, the park is surrounded by Chicago’s Wrigley neighborhood and fits its surroundings beautifully. The park features high rises and bleachers built right onto the roof. I’d rather sit there and watch a game than anyplace else in baseball. The vantage point stretches for miles and miles. So check out this ballpark, who knows you may be the Cubs good luck charm, we all know they need one.
5. PNC Park, Pittsburgh
Since PNC Park opened in 2001, it has dazzled almost all who enter. The Pittsburgh Pirates might have a losing record, but the city has a winner of a park. What the architects call the footprint gives you the spectacular view from the seating bowl, especially on the third-base side. From the stadium you get a view of the Allegheny River, the Roberto Clemente bridge, the very impressive skyline, and perhaps best of all, Mount Washington. There are also two incline railroads that ride up and down this hill and you can watch the trains going up and down the hill from your seat in the park. This stadium is definitely a site to see.
Now I understand that there were a lot of stadiums and ballparks left out, but these were the ones that really impressed me, not just as a baseball fan but as a person who can take everything in, the atmosphere, the scenery and the overall experience, these stadiums won out. If you have a favorite stadium that you would like to vouch for, feel free to chime in at our comments section below.
