It's the happ-happiest time of the year! No, not Christmas, BASEBALL SEASON! In case you didn't now, we're huge Giants fans around here, even before the 2010 World Series, and we always try to go to at least a couple of games a year.
There isn't much that we love to do as a family more than spending a gorgeous Bay Area day at the ballpark watching our favorite team take on whoever. (Does that part even matter?)
So in case you aren't as avid a baseball fan as we are, here are a few tips to improve your baseball game experience.
DO get geared up! It's fun to dress up in your team colors; even if you don't have a bunch of licensed gear, it's simple to pick up a tee shirt in your team's color and rock it!
DON'T accidentally wear the *other* team's colors! I wore a blue sweatshirt to an A's vs. Mariners game once, and my friends wouldn't let me live it down for the rest of that season! Oops.
DO pack some of your favorite snacks. Especially with Max in tow, and he is always hungry, we are sure to stick a few things in our backpack to give him so we don't end up spending a week's grocery budget on cotton candy and ice cream.
DON'T pack stuff that's against the rules or just doesn't make sense. For example, you can't bring booze into the ballpark, and personally, I would advise against packing anything that could melt or ooze. The song doesn't say “Buy me some chocolate and custard-filled donuts, I don't care if I ever go back” for a reason. Your best bet is always to check your ballpark's website to see what the specific restrictions are as far as containers, amounts, and potentially restricted items.
DO find out the ballpark's signature food and be sure to try it out! AT&T has amazing garlic fries, and the Cha Cha bowl is spectacular.
DO admire the beauty of the ballpark. Admittedly, this is probably easier at AT&T than it might be elsewhere, but I also believe that every ballpark has its own highlights and cool features! Getting the chance to go to different parks is so exciting, and I hope to visit them all someday!
DON'T steal someone's beer. Yes, this actually happened. Just last week, actually! My friend put her beer down next to her to reapply sunscreen, and the guy behind her reached down and helped himself to her beer! I mean, WHO DOES THAT?
DO have a great time! Win or lose, a day at the ballpark is always a good way to spend a day! And last, but not least…
DON'T pay too much for tickets! Scorebig.com is a great way to save on the tickets you want, every day. Offering more than just baseball tickets (did someone say Journey and Steve Miller?) you can choose your event, set your preferred “star” level for a price range on tickets, and then bid to get your deal. As you input your bid amount, you'll see your chances of getting tickets at that price level.
I'm not saying that you'll get $100 tickets for $10 or anything, but when a beer at the ballpark costs more than $10 (!!!) and a lemonade is almost $5, every penny you can save ahead of time matters! Scorebig.com makes it easy to save on tickets for all of the events you want to go to.
We are coming on a big trip to the US this summer & just scored some tickets to a Giants game while we’re there. I thought of you as I booked them!
We saw the Tampa Bay Rays play the White Sox on our last trip 3 years ago & loved it so we really wanted to catch another game this time, we have several cities to choose from but really wanted to see the Giants play if possible. Had to laugh when I realised we would be seeing the White Sox again.
Feel free to keep the tips coming & we’ll definitely be trying the garlic fries 🙂
Beer thief? That’s crazy!
Great list! I’ve never lived near a major league team, but our little local team, the Richmond Flying Squirrels, put on a fun show. Team chant: Go, Nuts!
Mmmm….garlic fries…
It’s good to know what to take to a baseball game. I want to start taking my sons to games, but I’ve never actually been to one before. Your advice about checking the ballpark’s website to see what is best to pack is a great idea!