LOS ANGELES DODGERS---DODGER STADIUM
BALLPARK CHASER RANK-10TH

GETTING THERE

LAX AIRPORT-Your only real alternative for night games is to drive a car in Los Angeles and brave the traffic—that is if you wish to watch the full game. Read after how to take transit to the games, (you can do this for matinee games).
You have to catch a shuttle bus from any of the waiting area’s outside where it says “COURTESY SHUTTLE FOR CAR RENTAL.’
All of the rental car places are a good 10 minute shuttle ride from LAX—that is where your preferred card programs of: AVIS/THRIFTY/NATIONAL/HERTZ/NATIONAL can help you bypass the counters. Both Northbound and Southbound highways will take you to the 110 highway east or west—you want exit 24B for DODGER STADIUM.

IF YOU FLY ON FROM JOHN WAYNE APT—TAKE HIGHWAY 5 TILL THE MERGE TOWARDS N-110 PASADENA FWY.

PUBLIC TRANSIT FROM DISNEYLAND (FOR THOSE BRAVE ENOUGH TO SAVE A FEW $)
From South Harbor BLVD you board the 460 metro express bus to downtown LOS ANGELES—It is a 2 hour ride that features 70 stops—but is not a bad way to see lots of the city—From there you take the 45 LINCOLN HEIGHTS-YOU BOARD THIS BUS FROM 6TH AND BROADWAY—It will take you to BROADWAY/BISHOPS/ where you walk up the hill 20 minutes—same deal on the way back take the 45 SAN PEDRO-ROSECRANS to 5th and Broadway then take the 460 DISNEYLAND EXPRESS BUS.
CHECK OUT LOCAL BUSES at www.metro.net

This is just a way to stay in the DISNEYLAND AREA—and or combine with LA ANGELS/SAN DIEGO PADRES.

DODGER STADIUM FOOD
Four words for you: “DODGER DOGS/FARMER FRANK.”

DODGER TICKETS:
While you ARE stuck to the given area-the 'TOP DECK LEVEL' tickets only go for $9.00 and you have a great sightline of the surrounding area.

PARKING
THERE IS ONLY ONE LOT FOR $15—I do recommend buying your parking pass when you buy your ticketS ONLINE as you can skip some cars in line with your ‘preferred pass in a dedicated preferred lane.’

HOTELS

I would recommend staying in ‘ORANGE COUNTY’ to save money---there are 2 hotels near ‘DISNEYLAND’

CANDY CANE INN-- www.candycaneinn.net For just over $100 a night plus tax you are 3 miles from DISNEYLAND/ 2 miles from ANGEL STADIUM and 18 miles from DODGER STADIUM. You receive an amazing hot continental breakfast-and a free shuttle ride to “DISNEYLAND.”

BALLPARK CHASER TIP-For $50 Roundtrip you can book the ‘DISNEYLAND SHUTTLE BUS’ from LAX to any of the hotels near DISNEY including the CANDY CANE INN.

Motel6-ANAHEIM STADIUM-ORNAGE COUNTY ON W CHAPMAN AVE/I-5. Again more for Angel Stadium but in downtown there are no cheap hotels. This one is for $50-65 per night and you have a 24 hr-Denny’s conveniently located in the same parking lot---you are walking distance to ANGEL STADIUM and buses to DISNEYLAND/KNOTTS BERRY FARM.

BALLPARK CHASER SPECIAL
LOS ANGELES HI HOSTEL—FULLERTON- www.hihostels.com
$22.00 per night for this deal—yes like the others it is bunk beds at a golf course-but is quiet and where else can you get that deal? I stayed there after a matinee day--and slept all day until an early morning flight out of LAX—only works as a singular traveler and have a car-it is 10 miles from ANGEL STADIUM and is 28 miles up HWY-5 north to DODGER STADIUM. These hostels are perfect to shower, sleep and catch up on laundry while you are on the road!

INTANGIBLES AT DODGER STADIUM
Maybe the best backdrop of mountains in the MAJORS-the crowd is also the liveliest at its peak in the majors. Designed beautifully in that you never feel crowded—most rows are 10-12 seats longs with aisle in between. It is quite the hike to your seats the higher you go so take that into consideration. This STADIUM is way better in person then it looks on TV.

DOUBLEHEADER ATTEMPTS
Natural attempt with the L.A ANGELS across the freeway-and also with the San Diego Padres just 100 miles down the road. With the LA Dodgers it is easier with those SD matinees at 12:35 to have it as the second leg of the trip.

ARIZONA D’BACKS- Surprised? I had a friend do this last year---the rare 12:10pm DODGER game matinee game during the week opened it up—he got a 2 hr game-made it to LAX by 3:30 and flew a Southwest flight from 4:55 in LA and landed in PHX at 6:10pm—he hailed a cab to the game on my recommendation-and made it for 1st pitch.

GREYHOUND BUSES
With their being a bus depot in Orange County close to ‘ANGELS STADIUM’ they also have a depot downtown in San Diego that flow between cities around the clock-and the trip takes about 2 hours only. The cost for a one-way ticket is $18-22-Ideal for that early AM bus to get you out of town to the next city.


ANGEL STADIUM
BALLPARK CHASER RANK-25TH

GETTING THERE
We covered from LAX- we covered the hotels and transportation mostly except this is a good area to talk about JOHN WAYNE APT (SNA). Again with both of these airports mostly all carriers are available and you can get good rates. Of course most of the overnight flights are out of LAX. I have flown out from LA at 1:30 to land in Detroit Michigan at 10:30--and also flown all night to JFK also. From SNA AIRPORT, it is a quick jaunt up hwy 55-north to the park. The good news is the car rental facility is right across the street from SNA—
Note to Chasers here***** ‘SNA’ is the worst airport for security line-ups in AMERICA at an avg wait of nearly-45 minutes. Also the car rental facility is miles away from a gas station—Hit a station a few miles before getting off hwy 55-preferably in SANTA ANA area or off of CHAPMAN AVE.
There are some cheap non-stop ‘ALASKA AIRLINES’ flights within the PAC COAST FROM SNA
—TIP***IS TO ALWAYS CLICK ICON AT www.kayak.com in ‘the nearby airports column below said city,’ this can give you cheaper flights at close by airports.

PARKING AT ANGELS STADIUM

EXTREME BALLPARK CHASERS TIP**** I FOUND A FREE PARKING PLACE just off of W Chapman---and hwy 5 past the Ramada Inn s turn onto RAMPART STREET NORTH—keep driving a mile or so up road until you reach S Town Plaza Center Pl Street—right after that the parking on the right is free if you can find a spot and you only have to walk up the to the light and cross over the street of E orangewood street. It is my gift to you. Of course if you stay at the motel 6 you only have to walk 2-3 miles up Rampart Street anyway as it is across from the ‘RAMADA INN.’

FOOD AT ANGEL STADIUM
Not badly priced at all—the owner likes to give cheap prices on hot dogs $3—and Nachos are cheap. Of course you must eat California Pizza Kitchen’s Pizza--next to MINUTE MAID PARK it is the best ZA!

INTANGIBLES
The staff used to be in 'CRACKER JACK UNIFORMS' when I first visited the park IN 2005-but have since retreated a little from that—still one of the nicest staff’s in all of baseball. I like the WATERFALL in CENTERFIELD and of course there are great pictures to be had near the big ‘A’ outside

TICKETS
LIKE DODGER STADIUM-ANGEL STADIUM still offers cheap tickets for those hardcore fans. The Park really loses marks just for its outdated look--and it can’t compete with iconic OLD parks like FENWAY/WRIGLEY AND DODGER STADIUM.


DOUBLEHEADER options are only LA DODGERS AND SAN DIEGO—BUT WITH A SLATE OF 12:55 PM SAT GAMES-there are lots of opportunities for this combination.

SAN DIEGO PADRES-PETCO PARK
BALLPARK CHASER RANK-20TH
GETTING THERE/PARKING/FOOD/SIGHTSEEING

Well, you are probably coming from the South or flying—Greyhound Bus from and to Los Angeles is always a good idea—rarely does SAN DIEGO AIRPORT-(SAN) have cheaper fares then LAX OR SNA-DELTA AIRLINES AND AIRTRAN flights from the mid-west would be the only cheaper options to fly into SAN DIEGO. You really do not need a car in SAN DIEGO-if you are staying downtown. It is only a $15 cab ride in . Most 2 star hotels and higher offer free shuttle buses. However, should you need a car-parking is reasonable at $10-12 dollar right outside ‘PETCO.’
If you should wish to visit ‘SEAWORLD’ public transport is available with light rail going to and from ‘PETCO PARK’ right into HISTORIC ‘OLDTOWN--to connect to the local buses to 'SEAWORLD.'—(Another great sightseeing day is to visit ‘OLD TOWN’S VILLAGE’–and eat dinner at the (“JOLLYBOY’S Restaurant’) Afterwards check out the gift shops that feature MEXICANA clothing shops with great styles of leather—particularly with wallets, belts and boots. http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=25387

FOOD AT PETCO PARK
There is a great range of hotdogs from ‘WIENERSCHINTIZELS-to CARL’S JR.-to probably the best ICE CREAM PARLOR in the MAJORS. I also really love the 'FROZEN LEMONADES in a cup--SAN DIEGO hS THAT NAILED AT SEAWORLD TOO."



TICKETS
Always shop for the bargains-they are out there. Lots of ½ price deals if you buy your tickets FOR SINGLE GAMES when they go on sale in March.

HOTELS

BEST WESTERN MISSION BAY—FOR THOSE TRAVELERS WHO LIKE TO HAVE ALL THE AMENITIES AND BE CLOSE TO SEAWORLD--$125 A NIGHT AND UP

MOTEL6 DOWNTOWN—3 MILES FROM THE PARK AND $50-60 PER NIGHT

BALLPARK CHASER SPECIAL****
HOSTEL AT SAN DIEGO- www.hihostels.com is the most convenient of all of the hostels in the USA—YOU ARE LITERALLY A BLOCK FROM PETCO PARK for $28 per night—there is a SUBWAY NEARBY—and you are a few blocks from the ‘GASLAMP QUARTER DISTRICT’. I highly recommend this for Ballpark Chasers-who like the ‘nightlife.’

DOUBLE HEADERS
LA ANGELS AND LA DODGERS—much more attainable for San Diego as 1st leg since they start matinee’s at 12:35pm



INTANGIBLES

The Park loses some luster for having lots of space unoccupied in the building. Also, Petco Park staff-based on my reviews are the worst in the majors. The sightlines from the concourse are very hard to see-and the backdrop of under construction buildings hurt the ranking. I am not even sure I like the overhang of the' Western Metal Supply.' I don’t get the fascination with the park—out of the new parks it is one of the worst. It is not the most picturesque from the outside either. Don’t get me wrong, it is a brand new ballpark—I like the bleacher area’s on both sides—and they are in the top third for food for sure—at 20 there are still 10 parks that are worse right?