Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this forum article are those of the author, and are not endorsed by the Franklin Post or Franklin High School.
Summertime is approaching, and with that, the regular season of baseball starts for Major League Baseball (MLB). While the city of Portland doesn’t have an MLB team, I highly suggest going to a ball game if you’re on vacation and are looking for something to do. Throughout my life, I’ve traveled with my family to every MLB stadium — besides the temporary Las Vegas A’s stadium — and throughout this article, I will give you my ranking of each stadium.
30: Sutter Health Park – Oakland Athletics (A’s)
This is the only stadium I have not been to, as the A’s are only playing in the minor league park temporarily while their brand-new stadium in Las Vegas is being built. Due tothis, It’s only fair to place them here.
29: Tropicana Field – Tampa Bay Rays
The indoor stadium in Tampa Bay is very unique, to say the least. The turf there is teal which makes the game feel very different in comparison to games at other ballparks. The concessions felt outdated, as if time stood still — frankly reminding me of the Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Portland. Further, despite being indoors, there were many holes in the tarped roof which let humid air through and made the stadium hot.
28: Rate Field – Chicago White Sox
Regardless of being in Chicago, Rate Field doesn’t feel that way. I couldn’t see any aspects of the Chicago skyline and the stadium showed no characteristics of the city’s vibrant personality, overall making it very bland. It was outdated, lacked uniqueness, and generally felt like a place where you could only watch baseball, as there were few attractions to visit while there. If I were to build a generic baseball stadium, it would probably look something like Rate Field.
27: Nationals Park – Washington Nationals
There are many similarities between Nationals Park and Rate Field — it felt very bland. However, what gave National Park the edge, and ultimate victory among the two, was its views — which were beautiful — and their slightly more engaged fan base at the game I attended.
26: Truist Park – Atlanta Braves
There wasn’t anything special about this park, but what pushed it up further than the previous was their hall of fame area where they showed the history of the team. This aspect was very well done and definitely worth a look. I also enjoyed the surrounding area of their stadium — it was decently far from downtown Atlanta, but it felt very modern and put together.
25: Great American Ball Park – Cincinnati Reds
I went to this stadium when I was very young, so I don’t have the clearest picture of it, but, from what I remember, it was an average ballpark. However, the stadium has its own style, — a relatively unique addition being the massive jumbotron at the top of left field.
24: Angel Stadium – Los Angeles Angels
Angel Stadium is in the outskirts of LA but doesn’t possess any of the city’s traits — similar to Rate Field — I could barely recognize the city’s personality. Overall, I liked the stadium a lot. It had some cool designs in the outfield, making it interesting and unique, but it had a very small fan presence which took away from the overall energy of the stadium.
23: Kauffman Stadium – Kansas City Royals
Kauffman Stadium was very enjoyable; there were some cool water features in the outfield and the main scoreboard was in the shape of a crown, which I found extremely clever and satisfying. However, the stadium’s surroundings were boring and plain, which took away from the overall experience.
22: Busch Stadium – St. Louis Cardinals
This is another stadium I went to when I was much younger, but this one is a bit cooler, mainly because of its beautiful views of downtown St. Louis, including the world-famous arch. The skyline view is a truly beautiful addition to the overall experience at the stadium.
21: Target Field – Minnesota Twins
Located in downtown Minneapolis, Target Field is a great place to see a ballgame. The area is relatively modern, and has a great atmosphere, from both the fans and additional aspects. There’s nothing that particularly stands out about the stadium, but there’s also not any glaring cons, which is why it ends up here.
20: LoanDepot Park – Miami Marlins
LoanDepot Park is an indoor stadium, which can take away from some of the vibes typically associated with going to a baseball game, but in an extremely hot Florida summer, some air conditioning feels really good. There are some neat feels to the stadium that you wouldn’t get outdoors. Overall, it’s a great place to beat the heat and watch a ball game.
19: American Family Field – Milwaukee Brewers
This is the first stadium on the list with a retractable roof, which allows fans to watch the game indoors if there’s poor weather, or outside if the weather’s nice. The stadium had a slide where the Brewers mascot slid down when they hit a home run. It felt very kid-friendly and was an overall positive ballpark.
18: Daikin Park – Houston Astros
This park includes another retractable roof, but this one I prefer ever so slightly due to the stadium’s aesthetics. The field is very unique and pleasing to the eyes. They also have a working train that travels around the stadium’s perimeter and toots its horn for every Astros home run.
17: Progressive Field – Cleveland Guardians
Progressive Field is located in downtown Cleveland. I appreciate when a stadium is in the middle of their city as this one is, and the stadium is very well rounded. Though nothing completely stands out, overall almost everything is good. In particular, the fan base was actively rooting hard for their team the entire game.
16: Comerica Park – Detroit Tigers
Comerica Park is located in downtown Detroit, and is very similar to Progressive Field, in being very consistent, yet not over-the-top excellent at any particular thing. I did enjoy the surrounding area of Comerica Park a little better, with the shops and restaurants that surround it, which gives it a slight edge over Progressive Field.
15: Citi Field – New York Mets
I really enjoyed the experience at Citi Field — from the big apple that appeared in the center field bleachers for Mets home runs, to the overall structure of the stadium. I wanted to put it higher on the list, but unfortunately, even with the stadium being in New York City, the neighboring area dropped Citi Field to 15.
14: Rogers Centre – Toronto Blue Jays
This is the only stadium on the list outside the United States, and it’s a good one. The game had a very unique feel with the brightly-colored turf and very bright background with the jumbotron in center field. Rogers Centre also has a retractable roof. Where I sat, when the roof was off, there was a great view of the C.N. Tower, the tallest structure in Toronto.
13: Chase Field – Arizona Diamondbacks
Summertime in Arizona can get insanely hot, and there are not many better ways to beat the heat than to watch a baseball game in the air-conditioned indoors. Chase Field is one of my highest-ranked indoor parks, and that’s mainly due to its attractions. The park has many activities outside of watching the game including a swimming pool that special guests can attend!
12: T-Mobile Park – Seattle Mariners
T-Mobile Park is the closest MLB stadium to Portland — just a three-hour drive away. The stadium itself has a retractable roof and is super modernized with a great neighborhood nearby. It is also located next to some water which brings in a relaxing breeze.
11: Coors Field – Colorado Rockies
Coors Field is super nice and has a cool forest-based attraction in the center field which is attractive to look at throughout the game. Also due to the high altitude of Denver, the ball travels further, which leads to higher-scoring games for fans to see. Overall it’s a very solid and cool stadium to visit!
10: Yankee Stadium – New York Yankees
The general stadium is nothing special, but the overall vibe and experience from Yankee Stadium is something you won’t get anywhere else, allowing it such a high ranking. The subway ride over and the crazy fan engagement is like nowhere else I’ve been, and walking around the stadium does a good job of showcasing the team’s deep history.
9: Citizens Bank Park – Philadelphia Phillies
Similar to Yankee Stadium, Citizens Bank Park isn’t anything out of the ordinary stadium-wise, but the atmosphere from the rowdy Philadelphia fans takes it over the top. However, the fans are more than worth the price of attendance and were at times more entertaining than the game itself.
8: Dodger Stadium – Los Angeles Dodgers
Nothing beats that warm, fresh LA air, and for whatever reason, that feeling is exaggerated even more at Dodger Stadium. I sat in the bleachers, where there was all-you-can-eat food, and I, of course, took advantage of this opportunity. The palm trees in the view were majestic and it was an experience I definitely recommend to others.
7: PNC Park – Pittsburgh Pirates
When it comes to views, PNC Park might outdo them all. With amazing views of downtown Pittsburgh and the many bridges lining the city, the stadium is well-built and very modernized. It also borders the Allegheny River which adds to the beauty of the park. When referring exclusively to the stadium itself, PNC Park is one of the best you will find.
6: Globe Life Field – Texas Rangers
This is the last indoor stadium of any kind on the list, and in my opinion, this is the gold standard of indoor stadiums. It’s the newest stadium in the league, and you feel that novelty as soon as you step in. It’s modernized to the fullest with technology and inventions, like checkouts at concessions where you never had to physically hand your payment method to anyone, rather, it just charged you when you left the store. Some would say it’s too much, but I enjoyed the experience.
5: Oriole Park at Camden Yards – Baltimore Orioles
The game I attended at Oriole Park had one of the weakest crowds I have seen, but the stadium was so beautiful I had to put it in the top 5. The brick buildings surrounding the stadium give the overall experience a classic old-school feel, which I love, and the entire stadium was super clean and modernized.
4: Petco Park – San Diego Padres
Petco Park has one of the funniest atmospheres I’ve ever been in. It felt like everyone in attendance wanted to have a good time, and that simple factor made the place that much better. Besides the atmosphere, the overall stadium is fantastic, with iconic features like the Western Metal Supply building in left field which is one of the more iconic backgrounds in the MLB. I also believe Petco Park has the best area for kids out of all the MLB stadiums.
3: Wrigley Field – Chicago Cubs
Wrigley Field is the second-oldest stadium in MLB, and you feel that deep history everywhere you walk. The most iconic part of the stadium is the ivy that grows around the outfield walls — a feature that makes Wrigley Field unlike any other stadium in the MLB. It is also built in what feels like the middle of a neighborhood, which I think is super unique. Scott Griffith, the owner and writer on the website “Stadium Dude,” has been to every stadium himself and has his rankings on his page. Griffith thinks Wrigley is the best stadium in the MLB, saying, “Wrigley’s my happy place… If somebody said you’d have one place left to go, I’ll go to a Friday afternoon game at Wrigley. If I [were to rank] my top 10 favorite baseball games [I’ve been to] 7 of them are probably at Wrigley.”
2: Oracle Park – San Francisco Giants
The stadium borders San Francisco Bay, and the views seen from the seats are absolutely beautiful, the best in the MLB. They also have this massive interactive Coke bottle structure in the left field you can slide down. With all this, you have what I believe to be the second-best ballpark in the MLB.
1: Fenway Park – Boston Red Sox
This is the oldest ballpark in the MLB, built in 1912. The obvious attention grabber in the park is the green monster in left field, which is what a lot of people think of when they talk about baseball stadiums. Despite its historical feel, the stadium does a good job of modernizing what needs to be improved, like bathrooms and concessions. The history of this place is shown everywhere and it feels like you’re walking in a baseball museum. The iconic features and historic feel that Fenway provides are parallel to none, and that’s why it’s my favorite stadium in the MLB.
There’s no bad way to watch a ballgame and I’ll happily go to any one of these parks if the opportunity arises, but this is my ultimate ranking of each of them. I encourage readers to visit some of these fantastic stadiums themselves and share their thoughts and experiences. I’m so thankful to have seen all of these games, and I hope you can use my experience as a guide if you’re ever in the area to watch the great game of baseball!
