I recently visited Tropicana Field to watch the Rays take on my Oakland A's. My expectations for the Trop were low, so when I finally visited it I was very pleasantly surprised. So let me describe what to expect in various categories.

Location: Tropicana Field is located about 1 mile west of the heart of Downtown St. Petersburg, Florida. The Trop is located at the intersection of several interstates (275, 175, 375) and is impossible to miss when entering St. Pete. The drive from Tampa is typically around a half hour and it is extremely easy to find by car. Parking at the ballpark is $6 and there is tons of parking availible. It didn't seem like there were many parking or traffic problems getting in or out. There are also several $5 lots just a few blocks from the Dome.

Food: The food at the Trop is what surprised me most. Tropicana Field has a huge selection of traditional ballpark times, local specialties, bars, and other dining options. There is an all you can eat buffet in the "batter's eye" restaurant which is located directly above center field. I think the cost for the buffet is $25-30. So you might as well bring your appetite. The location provides a very unique view of the field, as most parks do not have any center field seating. There is also patio that over looks the field and is out in the open of the dome. In addition to this there are several bars located in the center field concourse and a cigar bar.

Fans: Another pleasant surprise was the enthusiasm of Devil Rays fans. Rays games usually attract around 10,000 fans per game which is a relatively small number. However I found that the fans that attend and are attached to their rays are quite knowledgable and into the game. In addition to this they were all very kind and friendly, even though i was cheering for the opposing team.

Seating: Because a typical crowd at the trop is only 10,000, there is a large selection of seats at each game. The seats I chose were $5 upper deck infield seats. They were nice comfortable seats, with plenty of room to strech out and make the space your own. Be warned not to buy $5 "beach" seats. These seats are in the outfield and once you enter the beach section you are not allowed to leave until the game is over. Infield seat prices range from $15-$150 and seem very close to the action. The $150 seats include entrance to a private club with food and free parking.

Music/PA/In-game entertainment: The PA system worked well, good PA announcer, stadium music was sub par. There were several fan contests and other things to keep fans occupied between innings. Ray's mascot "raymond" was continously interacting with the fans and was pretty hilarious.

Aesthetics: The interior of the dome is not very pleasing at all. The starch white roof is anything but exciting. The scoreboard nice, highly visible, and showed out of town scores as well. The extorior is slightly more interesting because of the entrance dome and the slantedness of the dome.

Transportation: It should be noted there is very little public transportation to the game, and No public transport on the way home (for night games). I had to take greyhound to get back to my hotel in Tampa. Having a car is highly recomended for the Trop.

Intangibles: The trop is really a pleasant place to watch a game. The field turf is the next best thing to real grass, being indoors isn't as good as being in the sunshine, but it is somewhat justified because of Florida's high temps in the summer and frequent thunderstorms. Overall I was very pleased with my expirience at the Trop. It's worth a visit for any baseball fan.

Recommended: Yes

Parking Availability: No Problemo
Seat Location: Upper Deck