Oracle Park: Home of the San Francisco Giants

Oracle Park, the home of the San Francisco Giants since 2000, lives up to its iconic reputation, offering more than just a place to watch America's pastime. Oracle Park was built with an intentional design, thoughtful details, and undeniable energy that give this park its personality. You’ll find nods to Giants history dating back to their days in New York all the way up to their 2010s championship era where they won it all three times in five years.

Walking into the ballpark, I was a little unimpressed with the surrounding area but I was quickly reassured. Located just past the city piers, fans often start their gameday at local bars such as Red's Java House and Hi Dive which offer a great pregame atmosphere. As you get closer to the stadium the Marina along McCovey Cove greets you when entering Oracle Park.

Location/ Scenery/ Amenities (5/5)

With breathtaking views of the marina and bay, Oracle Park continues to earn its reputation as one of the finest ballparks in the world. The park boasts many amenities including a wiffleball field in left field. Fun fact, the Coca Cola bottle in left field isn't just an advertisement but a slide as well!

The concourses can get a little crowded especially with the sold out crowd that showed out. However, any drawbacks to the stadiums are immediately drowned out by the architecture and design of Oracle Park.

While the ballpark sits a few miles outside of the city center, the walk for fans on the Embarcadero is quite enjoyable and public transportation lines make it easy to get to the park on gamedays.

Food (4/5)

Oracle Park offers some great food options but before you get too excited, be prepared to make a dent in your wallet. I enjoyed the Crazy Crab Sandwich (24.79), crab salad, made with Dungeness crab, nestled between two slices of buttery, grilled sourdough bread, and topped with fresh tomato slices. While it was a great way to experience the seafood in Bay Area, it was very hard to justify the price for how small it was. Other ballpark specialties include Garlic Fries ($12.15) and the Ghirardelli World Famous Hot Fudge Sundae ($16.50) that will set you back a pretty penny.

Entertainment (4.9/5)

There was never a dull moment at Oracle Park with the crowd engaged throughout the game. Between innings, the Giants put on a well-paced mix of crowd games, video features, and fan cams on its massive scoreboard. While there wasn't exactly a ton of on field entertainment, the vibes of the ballpark created an electric atmosphere for fans to enjoy. Hopefully, you might hear the home run fog horn followed by "Bye Bye Baby" after every Giants home run!

Sam's Score: 92.6/100

Oracle Park claims the top spot on my list of MLB ballparks, thanks to its stunning design, prime location, and forward-thinking features. Few ballparks blend beauty, character, and charm quite like Oracle Park. The only downside? Concessions can be pricey, so budget accordingly. Still, this ballpark is an absolute gem and a must-visit for any baseball or ballpark enthusiast. But don't forget to bring a jacket!

Did You Know?

• Oracle Park is one of MLB’s greenest ballparks, winning 13 Green Glove Awards for top waste diversion. Thanks to its on-site sorting facility, only about 10% of waste ends up in landfills—most is composted or recycled.
• Oracle Park boasts several nods to Polo Grounds, their former home in New York before relocating in 1957. The right field fence is 24 feet high, honoring Willie Mays, and 415 feet to right center, creating 'Triples Alley", similar to the unique dimensions of Polo Grounds.
• Fans can watch Giants games for free through the right field archways, a nod to old ballparks where individuals peeked through fence holes to catch the action.
• Oracle Park is built on a landfill that stretches 250 feet beneath the stadium. The ballpark was also constructed into six different segments which allow the structure to withstand earthquakes.

Travel Tips & Tricks

• No car? No problem. Oracle Park is easily accessible by public transit, with MUNI trains and vintage streetcars stopping just outside the gates. Connections to BART and CalTrain make it easy for fans coming from outside the city. From Oakland, Ferry service is available to and from the right field gate with the ferry arriving one hour before first pitch and departs 30 minutes after the last out.
• Oracle Park participates in the MLB Go Ahead hands free entry. Once you have purchased tickets in the MLB Ballpark App, consider registering in the Go Ahead Entry to avoid any lines at security. For more information, visit https://www.mlb.com/apps/ballpark/go-ahead-entry .
• If you plan to stay in a hotel, consider staying towards the city center around Chinatown or North Beach which will position you closer to iconic landmarks you will not want to miss.
• While in the bay area don't miss out on the incredible food scene. The bay area is home to some of the best asian cuisines (specifically Vietnamese, Cantonese, and seafood).

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