PETCO PARK

Petco Park is one of two new ballparks opened in 2004, the other being Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. Petco, named for a pet store, replaces Qualcomm Stadium, which is still being used for the San Diego Chargers.

Near the Gaslamp Gate

Petco Park is located near the waterfront, behind the Gaslamp Quarter, considered the historic heart of San Diego. A great tourist attraction in itself, the Quarter's Victorian architecture is a reminder of times past and worth some time before the game. Getting to the ballpark is easy. For those of you who want to drive to the ballyard, there are plenty of parking lots nearby, but be careful as the rate changes drastically depending on how close you are. The most expensive parking is $17; the cheapest is only $3 but is 15-20 minutes away on foot. You can try to find free street parking in the area, 6th, 7th, and 8th streets just south of Broadway offer some spots, especially on weekends. 

If driving is not your bag, use the trolley, which will drop you off at the Gaslamp Quarter station, a short walk away. If you are coming from Old Town, take the special Green Line service which is offered only for games and takes you straight to the stadium.

The first thing you will notice as you approach Petco is the unique colour scheme. The exterior is natural sandstone, in "Padres Gold" along with stucco. Inside is a white steel structure with seats of Pacific Blue. Obviously, these colours are the same as those of the Padres uniforms, which makes for a great match as well as a welcome change from the red brick/Kelly green combination that most retro parks possess.

The next thing you will notice is the price of tickets - expensive. There are a lot of seating options ranging from $55 down to $5, we recommend that you investigate the possibilities and choose for yourself. That said, the Left Field reserved seats at $12 were the best value, although you are not able to see the scoreboard above you.

Overall, there are 3 seating levels at Petco, but the second level seats around along the lines are reserved for the premium club seats, known as the Toyota Terrace. There are 4 lounges in this area, all reserved for ticket holders. At $55 and $45, these seats are not for fans, but those who want to entertain or be entertained. We suggest you avoid them.

There are 6 entrances around the stadium. The Homeplate Gate is the nearest one to the trolley, but we suggest that you walk around to one of the gates behind the park, such as the Gaslamp Gate or the Downtown Gate. You will notice that Petco has incorporated K street into the layout; this one-time thoroughfare is now a walking path behind the outfield fences. Behind K street is Park at the Park, a nearly 3 acre grass area that functions as a neighborhood park on non-game days, but turns into a seating area when the Padres take the field. The Park at the Park also contains a Little League field and Picnic Hill, where a blanket, some snacks and $5 will allow you to enjoy the game from the outfield lawn; an experience that until now was only available at minor league parks.

The Park in the Park is located behind the batters eye

As you make your way to the concourse, stop and look at the bleachers. At the front is a small area called the Beach, a sandy pit that seems to serve no purpose whatsoever. The bleacher seats are just plastic, and have no back, which makes them a bit uncomfortable, but at $8, a decent value.

Walking around the inside of the stadium, you will see the concourse is very ide and allows for free movement. The concessions are not as varied as some places, but the Pacific Wok offers some Asian specialties while Friar Franks is a great name for the hot dog stand. Randy Jones BBQ offers some great sandwiches just behind the batters eye, along K street.

The wide, open-air concourse

As you make your way around the park, you will eventually come to the signature element, the Western Metal Supply Company building in the left field corner. This building was constructed in 1909 and was retained as unique reminder of the historical nature of the area that surrounds Petco. The left field foul pole has been integrated into the building.

The first floor now contains the Padres Team store, while the 2nd and 3rd floors are party suites. For those of us without the connections necessary to get into those suites, there is the Hall of Fame Bar and Grill on the 4th floor. A large restaurant contains several lockers honouring Padre greats such as Tony Gwynn and Buzzie Bavasi. But it is the balcony which offers the best spot to watch the game - the tables there are first come first served, so if you get there early, run up and grab a spot. All you need is a ticket to get into the park and you can enjoy the game from a building that was built 95 years before the ballpark - certainly a unique experience in baseball.

Two interesting policies make watching a game at Petco a little more enjoyable. The first is the policy that encourages patrons to avoid returning to their seats while there is a batter. This reduces significantly the number of boneheads who stand up while the play is going on. Another first is the Exit/Re-Entry policy, which seems to allow for re-entry to the park, as long as you have your ticket scanned when exiting.

Overall, Petco is a great place to watch a game. Tickets should be a bit cheaper, but otherwise, the simplicity of the park is a nice change from some of the busier new parks. Combined with the Western Metal building and the colour scheme, Petco is unique among major league ballparks. We highly recommend that you take a trip to the SoCal and check out the Padres in their new digs.