Iconic Baseball Stadiums to Visit Outdoors

4 Iconic Baseball Stadiums

Whether you have a favorite team or a beloved ballpark, you probably have a . Why not create some new family memories at an iconic American stadium? Some are old, some are new; most have lots of updated bells and whistles to add to the fun. Here are our picks for the best in each region, plus several more that might inspire you.

Northeast

Fenway Park Boston

No true fan's life is complete without a pilgrimage to Fenway Park, Major League Baseball's oldest stadium. Completed in 1912, the home of the Boston Red Sox preserves the magic of a different time: a bandbox with steel columns, eccentric field geometry and the Green Monster, a 37-foot left field wall. But Fenway offers more than old-school charm. Now you'll find improved seats (some atop the Monster), new food options, and — cover your eyes, purists — big video boards. Enjoy the visit with a cup of clam chowder, and check out Autograph Alley: exciting for the kids. MICHAEL IVINS/BOSTON RED SOX Fenway Park was built in 1912 and is Major League Baseball's oldest ballpark.

More to explore

Look into historic Centennial Field in Burlington, Vermont. Completed in 1906 (the year Satchel Paige was born) on the University of Vermont campus, it's home to the UVM Catamounts and the Vermont Lake Monsters minor league team. For a more modern experience, the East's best is Pittsburgh's PNC Park. Even the highest seat in the stadium is less than a hundred feet from the field. There are symbolic nods to the history of the Pirates throughout the park — the right field wall is 21 feet high, a tip of the cap to Pittsburgh's immortal No. 21, Roberto Clemente. Enjoy a local favorite: pierogi mascot races. Or rent a boat or kayak and enjoy the game on the water; you might just catch a stray ball. If you're thinking about driving to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York, consider visiting over Memorial Day Weekend and watching the Hall of Fame Classic at Doubleday Field. It's hard to get closer to big leaguers without going to spring training. ALAMY Oriole Park at Camden Yards features a statue of legendary baseball player Babe Ruth.

South

Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore Did you know that Maryland is below the Mason-Dixon Line? It is. And the modern ballpark revolution started here. Before Oriole Park at Camden Yards was built near Baltimore's Inner Harbor in 1992, most major league stadiums were soulless, modern bowls. Camden Yards showed the way to the future by embracing the past, adapting the quirky coziness of old-time parks without losing all the good new stuff — like plenty of bathrooms. Instead of rejecting the brick warehouses and rail-yard relics in the city around it, Camden Yards weaves them into its design. Decades and dozens of copycat stadiums later, it's still an essential stop for the baseball tourist.

More to explore

Another must-see in the South for architecture and baseball history geeks alike: Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama, the nation's oldest professional park still in use today. It was home to the Birmingham Barons from 1910 to 1987, and it hosted the Birmingham Black Barons of baseball's Negro leagues; Willie Mays, then 17, played here during their 1948 championship season. Even the ads are old — the outfield wall is decorated by period signage from the 1920s ("Burma Shave: No Brush; No Lather"). The stadium is now a museum for most of the year, but since 1996 the Barons have traveled back to their former home field for the annual Rickwood Classic. GETTY IMAGES Wrigley Field is known for its ivy-covered outfield wall.

Midwest

Wrigley Field

An elegant red marquee above Wrigley Field's main entrance lets you know you're in for a treat before you even walk into what Chicago Cubs fans call the "Friendly Confines," arguably America's most beloved sports venue. Inside, you'll see Wrigley's signature ivy-covered outfield wall (yes, balls do get lost in there) and a hand-operated scoreboard. The hard part is deciding where to sit. Consider the bleachers or the seats atop the apartment buildings beyond the outfield.

More to explore

Parkview Field in Fort Wayne, Indiana, is one of the nation's best minor league ballparks, home to the TinCaps. The team is named after Johnny Appleseed, who they say wore a tin cooking pot on his head, so it's no surprise the theme here is apples, apples, apples. There are apple-flavored items on every food vendor's menu. They even have an adorably awkward team of dancing groundskeepers called the Bad Apple Dancers. Another minor league gem in Indiana is Bosse Field, home of the Evansville Otters. Built a year after Wrigley, Bosse was used to film the baseball action scenes in 1991's A League of Their Own, one of our favorite baseball movies. GETTY IMAGES San Francisco's AT& T Park is a must-visit for any baseball fan.

West

AT& T Park

San Francisco's AT& T Park has it all: unparalleled close-up access to the game, bay vistas, an impossibly broad range of delicious food (from Dungeness crab sandwiches to jicama salad), statues and plaques that acknowledge the Giants' rich history — plus passionate fans who smash California's blasé stereotype. Beyond the right field wall lie a waterfront promenade and McCovey Cove, a creek mouth where boaters gather to capture home run balls that land in the bay. There's so much for families to see, do and eat here that it deserves a whole day. You'll need deep pockets, but it's definitely worth it.

More to explore

If AT&T is too much of a bank-breaker, Sacramento is less than a hundred miles from San Francisco and offers Raley Field, home of the Sacramento River Cats and one of the best baseball entertainment values in the state. Check the events calendar for pregame concerts or for free Mommy & Me days open to children under 6 and their parents (or grandparents). Head south to L.A.'s Dodger Stadium, the major leagues' third-oldest park. Known to fans as Chavez Ravine, Dodger Stadium, which turns 55 this season, had been getting a bit shopworn until new ownership invested in improvements a few years ago. But for all the new glitz, many visitors think the stadium's top attraction is still the gorgeous views of the surrounding hills and distant mountains.

Explore the links below for more information about U.S. cities that are home to Major League Baseball stadiums.

National League br

NL East br

Atlanta, GA (Turner Field)
Miami, FL (Marlins Park)
New York, NY (Citi Field)
Philadelphia, PA (Citizens Bank Park)
Washington, DC (Nationals Park)

NL West

Arizona (Chase Field)
Colorado (Coors Field)
Los Angeles, CA (Dodger Stadium)
San Diego, CA (Petco Park)
San Francisco, CA (AT& T Park)

NL Central br

Chicago, IL (Wrigley Field)
Cincinnati, OH (Great American Ball Park)
Milwaukee, WI (Miller Park)
Pittsburgh, PA (PNC Park)
St. Louis, MO (Busch Stadium)

American League br

American League East

Baltimore, MD (Camden Yards)
Boston, MA (Fenway Park)
New York, NY (Yankee Stadium)
Tampa, FL (Tropicana Field)
Toronto (Rogers Centre)

American League West

Houston, TX (Minute Maid Park)
Los Angeles, CA (Angel Stadium of Anaheim)
Oakland, CA (O.co Coliseum)
Seattle, WA (Safeco Field)
Texas (Globe Life Park)

American League Central

Chicago, IL (U.S. Cellular Field)
Cleveland, OH (Progressive Field)
Detroit, MI (Comercia Park)
Kansas City, MO (Kauffman Stadium)
Minnesota (Target Field)

Also of Interest

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