Ahh, Spring is definitely here. Time pull out my ball caps, reiron my shorts, and start thinking about a suntan. Yesterday, while fighting the flu, I sat back and watched the opening day festivities of Major League Baseball. Though I wouldn't consider myself to be a sports addict, there is something very wonderful about sitting outside with a hotdog and a drink and watching a Major League Baseball game. And now is the absolute best time to do it! The weather is still cool, the ball clubs are in good spirits, and people are genuinely in wonderful moods on a cool April afternoon.

Fortunately, I am blessed to live in a town (Dallas) where sports are an intricate part of the city. It is one of the few places that boasts a football, basketball, baseball, and a hockey team within driving distance. Though I have a good time at each of these events, there is no experience quite like attending a baseball game at the Ballpark in Arlington. It is without question the most beautiful stadium I've ever seen.

The Architecture

What makes the Ballpark in Arlington such an incredible sight? Well, for me it starts with the physical appearance. The Ballpark looks like it belongs in the 1920's. Old-fashioned columns support the brown and green exteriors. All of the parking lots are sectioned off and dedicated to famous Texans. When you arrive at the ballpark, stadium personnel operate trolleys that take you straight up to home plate. It's a convenient service that's easy on the legs.

If you would take the time and explore the area surrounding the stadium you would notice various stars and statutes covering the sidewalk These are dedicated to influential athletes and famous people in Texas history. Also, there is the "brick row" where each contributing member to the site has a brick engraved with his/her personal name. These tours are a wonderful sideshow prior to entering the stadium. You can easily spend a good hour just looking around. Trolleys await any guest to shuttle them right to the ballpark entrance and a pretty creek runs along the south entrance.

The interior of the Ballpark is absolutely beautiful. The field is covered with Bermuda grass and part of the center field wall is actually cut away to reveal a grassy courtyard. This really adds to "playground atmosphere" that the ballpark is trying to capture. Seats at the ballpark are comfortable and plush. I remember sitting out at the old ballpark and consequently baking b/c the seats were made of metal that quickly roasted ones behind. Apparently the new ballpark recognized this problem b/c the new seats are spacious and cool. The design of the ballpark is wide open. There are no obstructions (i.e. foulpole) so any seat in the ballpark will be a good one. Sitting in the upper deck is almost as good as the lower one and group tickets would be a plus. If your interested in viewing scores or statistics about the players two huge jumbotrons hang at the north and south side of the stadium. Also, all of the score are routinely displayed from various points around the stadium.

Concessions

No good ballpark review would be complete without a trip to concession stand. Fortunately, the ballpark has some of the best food I've ever seen at a stadium. Of course they carry all of the traditional favorites such as hot dogs, nachos, and burgers, but they also dig a little deeper to please a wider range of consumers. Imagine ordering a chicken fajita, or smoked sausage, or roasted chicken, all of these are available at the ballpark. My personal favorite however, is the soft ice cream. Served in (what else) a ball cap the soft ice cream is to die for and will put a smile on even the foulest of parties.

Ticket Choices

There are a wide variety of options available to please anyone from the blue-collar worker to the corporate president. The ballpark is also especially good at working with families as they offer many reduced price tickets for families of four. Tuesday is half-price night at the ballpark. Bring your Tom Thumb reward card to any location and purchase any upper deck seat for half the cost. This is a wonderful deal. The price of tickets range from $6 in the extreme outfield, to $25 dollars for box seats, to well, a pretty penny for a suite ticket. Although no reasonable person can afford a suite ticket, the rooms are an interesting thing to view. All of the suites are specially designed and dedicated to a old time ball player (i.e. the Ty Cobb suite). Each is just a little different and quite remarkable. I had the pleasure of being invited to sit in the Dizzy Dean suite two years ago and it was an incredible experience. The staff brought in a catered dinner, filled the fridge with drinks, and kept the room cool. I definitely felt important that day.

Two tricks that I've learned when purchasing tickets is to a) buy them at the booth 5 minutes after game time or b) eat at Friday's. I've learned from previous experience that the ticket booth rarely sells out a game. If you approach the booth in the middle of the first inning they will usually let you in for an extremely reduced price. Once, I even got in for free b/c there were so many tickets remaining. The other tactic that works really well is to reserve a table at Friday's for lunch. Overlooking the ballpark is a T.G.I. Friday's. If you choose to eat there they include with the cost of your bill an admission ticket. I've noticed that the prices at Friday's are slightly higher, but they do not overshadow the cost of an admission ticket. Beyond that, viewing the game from Friday's is like sitting in a suite. I warn you however, that tables fill up quickly and you would be well advised to book a table early.

Well I hope this article gives you an idea of what lies ahead at the Ballpark at Arlington. It is a wonderful place for family and for fun.






Recommended: Yes

Parking Availability: Better Get There Early
Seat Location: Upper Deck