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Chase Field itinerary by Wise Guides

If you're in town for a game in spring or early fall, kill time before opening pitch by getting outside and soaking up some desert sun. Sit by the pool, play some golf (the Phoenix area is home to more than 200 courses) or take a hike. Camelback Mountain is right in the middle of everything and offers hikes for beginners as well as the more experienced. ... Chase Field is located in downtown Phoenix but finding parking usually isn't a problem. If you want to leave the car at home, you can now take the Metro Light Rail line to the park; it stops at Washington and 3rd Street. ... Chase Field has a retractable roof that makes summertime baseball possible in the Valley of the Sun, but the team actually tries to keep it open for the D-backs' typical 6:40 p.m. starts (unless it's a real scorcher outside). ... One of the park's most famous features is the swimming pool in right-center where home run balls occasionally splash; the pool area is open for group rentals, so make arrangements ahead of time if you want to do that. Wander down from the upper deck with your swimming trunks expecting to take a dip and you'll be disappointed. ... For eats, find a Hungry Hill Sangwich stand for one of their excellent Italian sausages. It's an Illinois company but somehow has found a home in the desert. Also unique is the Taste of the Majors stand that features signature items from other ballparks. ... If you're looking for a craft beer, hit one of the Gordon Biersch stands, where they also offer their famous garlic fries. ... To sit down for a drink and bite, the best option is Friday's Front Row Sports Grill overlooking left field. Ok, it's a chain, but for ballpark eats it's pretty good, and you can watch the game while you eat. ... After the game walk a couple of blocks west to Alice Cooperstown across from America West arena. Named for the legendary rocker, an Arizona resident, it's where sports and rock n' roll meet. The food and drink are pretty good, too. ... For another unexpected experience in downtown Phoenix, walk over to Mrs. White's Golden Rule Café just northeast of the park for some awesome soul food at great prices.

More info at Wise Guides

Arizona Diamondbacks - User Comments Add your own

Chase Field (RIP. The BOB) is Awesome -- 2005-09-26

Parking is as easy and cheap as it gets for any major event I have been to. But who cares about that. There is A/C being pumped the who time while the roof is open during night games. MMMMMM Baseball in A/C?? This is what I call heaven.

Eric

Eric

BOB -- 2003-03-10

First, I've been to all the old and new major league ballparks, except Oakland, SF, Seattle, Florida, and of course Great American in Cincy. I will visit these first three omissions during this coming season.

On my recent trip to spring training I took a tour of BOB. I went on a Sunday to avoid the traffic, and there were a few parking spots on the street within 2-3 blocks (one actually right in front of the ticket window). I would suggest street parking, as it's quicker and more convenient. I arrived about 35 minutes early for the 1:30 tour, but it was sold out, so I had to take the last tour at 3:00. There's not much to do in the interim nearby, but you can take the Copper Bus (free fare), which runs a constant regular route every ten minutes or so throughout downtown.

I wasn't impressed with BOB. To me a dome is a dome (retractable roof or otherwise), and I'll take an open air ballpark any day. If I had to rank a dome # 1, it would probably be Skydome and I would rate BOB no better than Minute Maid (formerly Enron) Field or Miller Park. Enron and Miller are more aesthetically pleasing from the outside. The tour cost $6 and the only thing that you see that you wouldn't see attending a game is the visitor's clubhouse, a luxury suite (if you've seen one you've seen them all), the D' Backs dugout, and the batting cage behind their dugout. I wouldn't buy a ticket in the upper deck (33% incline). You have an unobstructive view but it's still a long way to the field. I thought the swimming pool and putting green beyond the right center field fence were strictly bush league. Only those bored with baseball would be interested. All the new ballparks are fan friendly and have a varied menu. I'd suggest eating on the way to the ballpark and giving the difference to a homeless shelter. One nice thing about BOB is that the pressbox is still on the mezzanine, as in most new ballparks pressboxes are anchored from the roof of the top deck in the park with the luxury suites commanding the closer views of the second deck. Besides most of these new hanging pressboxes are ugly. All in all, I suggest skipping the tour and going to a game if you have that option.

Fred

-- 2002-04-05

The BOB is unquestionably one of the nicest ballparks in the majors. PNC and Pac Bell may have more picturesque settings but as far as looks, comfort and amenities go, the BOB has to be at the top. The best thing about the BOB is that it has a grass field and a retractable roof. There can't be any rainouts and nobody will ruin their knees on astroturf either. The BOB is the original retracatable roof/grass field ballpark and is much nicer than copycats such as Enron Field and Miller Park. The BOB is much bigger (holds almost 50,000) and much more impressive looking than both Miller and Enron (The BOB houses a much better team too). If you havent been to the BOB yet I highly recommend it.

Jim Hench

'02 at BOB -- 2002-02-08

Five words: Game 7 of the World Series

WOW!!!

Dylan Wright

Better than nothing -- 2001-09-26

Having grown up in Cleveland, of course I'd rather see baseball played under an open sky. However, having lived in Phoenix most of my adult life, I'd rather see live baseball under a roof than only be able to watch it on TV. While the lady from Atlanta talks about 95 degrees etc., how many days a year is Atlanta 95 or better? In Phoenix from mid-May 'till late September, it's 100 degrees or better just about every day ('till after midnight). And that's in the shade, in the direct sun it's 120+. Bad enough for the fans, the players would literally die if not for the roof. I'll keep going to BOB and be thankful for the days it cools off enough to open the roof. You purists can sit there in the rain hoping the game doesn't get cancelled and this off-season while you're shoveling snow, we'll think about you while we're lining up our putt on the back nine.

Les

Too much Advertisement -- 2001-08-22

Bnak One Ballpark (BOB) is the most advertiesment friendly park in either league. Now, starting my review of this ballpark with that comment does not bode well. My son and I had a thoroughly unenjoyable time at THIS "old" ballpark. Ads, ads, ads dominate every nook and cranny. The roof was closed which made the playing field look strangely dark. Couple the dark playing field with the Phoenix fans who sit on their hands during the game, you get a nice mausoleum effect. (See my review on Pac Bell Stadium)

Donn

Worst Ballpark I've Been to Yet -- 2001-08-16

My wife and I came out to Phoenix for her graduation with UoP, and decided to attended a Rockies/Diamondbacks game. The game was well played - or at least from what I could see of it. We sat in the Upper Deck on the first-base side....terrible view of the field, as the seats are geared towards the AWFUL scoreboard in the outfield, rather than the home plate section of the field. The roof is a good touch, but Enron Field was a better ballpark by far. The swimming pool is a moronic touch, bordering on minor-league gimmicks for fans.

On the plus side, there are TONS of food vendors...on the negative side, you will need to sell your first-born child to buy food there.

Sorry to say, but BOB is terrible for MAJOR League Baseball....

Tommy Elf

It was really exctiting! -- 2001-08-10

I had a lot of fun going to Bank One Ballpark. It is a great place to go and watch a game. There were two homers hit at the game I went to. Overall, it was a great expierience!

Jeffery

Bank One Park -- 2001-08-01

BOB was interesting. I am from Boston, so I had never attended a stadium with a roof, or a National League Game. Of the 5 ballparks I traveled to in July, this was one of the more expensive parks $43 to sit on th field level. There are cheaper seats though I am told. Roof was closed...was weird watching a game indoors, but with it 109 degrees outside, I'm glad the roof was closed.

Gerry DeViller

Enjoyable Park -- 2001-07-17

We enjoyed our visit to Bank One. Parking was easy, sat in right field bleachers; good game, won by Arizona on a homer in the 13th. We are from Baltimore and understand summer humidity. The day we were there (July 1) it was 113 degrees at game time. Humidity or no, we would not have lasted the 3 hours, 45 minutes without a roof (or with it open).

Richard Keller

Bank One -- 2001-07-13

I've only made one visit to the BOB, but I enjoyed it. Most seats in the park have good views, as most of the newer parks do. The heat isn't as bad as you might think....I caught a game there in early June and roof was open, and it wasn't bad at all.

Almost any parks nowadays, sadly, will try to artificially stimulate the crowd and get them to make non-game-related noise, so the earlier post mentioning that can basically be discarded. True baseball fans can ignore that and simply enjoy the game.

Despite a first-place position in the NL West standings at the all-star break this season, D-Back tickets are very easy to come by...if you're going to Phoenix and the D-Backs are playing that night, check out a game.

Tom

Not worth going if they are going to have the roof closed -- 2001-07-13

There's something seriously wrong with watching a baseball game indoors with the air conditioning on. I was cold & miserable. The game I went to was 97 degrees outside with NO humidity (which is a world of difference from 97 degrees with 100% humidity like in my home city of Atlanta), yet they had the roof closed. If we can sit at a day game in Atlanta when it's 100 degrees with 95% humidity (which feels more like your 120 degrees), then I think you could deal with 97 with no humidity.

Heather

The BOB -- 2001-06-23

If you're seven years old and need a scoreboard to notify you when you're supposed to cheer, this is a great ballpark. This place is covered with vendors selling cotton candy, cookies and rice crispy treats. Unfortunately, I'm not seven. I want to watch a baseball game, drink a beer and eat where amazingly you're forced to buy the corporate sponsor food: McDonald's, Little Ceasar's, Subway and even TGIF's; all located inside the park! The people of Phoenix deserve better but, luckily for the owners, they don't know any better.

Michael

nice park -- 2001-06-11

They have retractable roof- a/c for hot days and the seats are all good. We had freebees but I'd pay to go to a game there. Watching Randy Johnson pitch which is awesome in itself and there was a bench clearing fight. Talk a walk in the outfield a peek at where Bonds hit a homer (dead center). That's a bomb. THe swimming pool isn't that big..but it's nice.

Chris

to sit in the front rows of the home team dougout -- 2001-06-08

i think that you should see there to get a better view of the game

rosalyn ayres

Modern, yet traditional -- 2001-06-04

I like the outfield walls, though they are an umpire's grounds rules nightmare. I also like the dirt path to home plate, though it's something that a pitcher can trip on while catching a pop-up. They need a refractable roof to beat the 100+ degree Arizona summer heat.

David Bryant

General comment -- 2001-05-31

What a HUGE waste of time and money! And, I got in for free :)

Gary Isabusyguy

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