{"id":7754,"date":"2014-09-09T10:00:22","date_gmt":"2014-09-09T14:00:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hoohaa.com\/?p=7754"},"modified":"2014-09-09T09:26:14","modified_gmt":"2014-09-09T13:26:14","slug":"summer-of-baseball-philly-is-a-great-place-to-see-mlb-action","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hoohaa.com\/?p=7754","title":{"rendered":"Summer of Baseball: Philly is a great place to see MLB action"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"The

The Bank.<\/p><\/div>\n

Ahhh Philadelphia \u2026 the City of Brotherly Love.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s the city where my parents grew up and where I still have a lot of family. And, it\u2019s also the home of the Philadelphia Phillies \u2013 my favorite MLB team.<\/p>\n

I usually try and get down to see a game or two each summer at Citizens Bank Park. It\u2019s a great place to watch a game as the park features an open concourse and seating that is extremely fan friendly. The lone time I didn\u2019t like my seat was one year we went and were stuck out in centerfield \u2013 and the seats just weren\u2019t great for watching a game \u2013 at least on that day.<\/p>\n

\"My

My first MLB game in my Eephus League Halfliner.<\/p><\/div>\n

This year\u2019s trip was done at the last second. In fact, a minor league game had been being planned but when Cole Hamels and Stephen Strasburg were scheduled to face off.<\/p>\n

Score!<\/p>\n

Tickets were soon purchased and we did this as a day trip. The seats we had were awesome, pretty much just off to the right side of home plate and on the first level. Needless to say, in all of the trips I\u2019ve made to Citizens Bank Park, these were probably the best seats I\u2019ve had.<\/p>\n

Anyway, back to the park.<\/p>\n

Like many major league stadiums, the parking is simple and the stadium is close to major highways. I got tickets through Stub Hub, which included a parking pass. Therefore, we didn\u2019t have to pay for the parking. That being said, it\u2019s like many other big-league places \u2013 there are big-league prices. Parking, if I remember right, was $15. That\u2019s pretty steep, especially in a complex that includes the home of Philly\u2019s NFL, NBA and NHL teams.<\/p>\n

\"Mmm

Mmm crab fries!<\/p><\/div>\n

The stadium offers many things for fans of all ages. There\u2019s a fine selection of food (including Bulls BBQ, cheese steaks, the normal ballpark fare and Chickie and Pete\u2019s famous crab fries). The beer selection is pretty solid, too, considering each small stand had a different choice. There are microbrews and your everyday beers, too. So it\u2019s nice. Prices for those are pretty normal for a MLB park.<\/p>\n

Obviously, souvenir stands and the team store are well-stocked. The prices are what you would expect, but there aren\u2019t many things you couldn\u2019t get there. When I make my trip down, I usually pick up a program and the media guide for the year and it\u2019s usually quite affordable. Sometimes, I\u2019ll walk out with a hat or something as well. This year I didn\u2019t leave with much, but prices were all pretty normal for what you\u2019d see at places like this.<\/p>\n

For the most part, it\u2019s a friendly park. But, like any place with so many people working, there are those who are a little more \u201cbusiness-like\u201d in their approach. The vendors are usually quite easy to get along with and customer service always does quite well when I\u2019ve needed to use them.<\/p>\n

\"Play

Play ball!<\/p><\/div>\n

It\u2019s an easy park to navigate. No matter where you are, you can see the action. There is also a running \u201ccounter\u201d around the park, so if you are eating and can find a spot, you can stand at the back of the seats and watch before heading back to your seat.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s definitely a modern stadium. Like many newer ones (Citizens Bank Park opened in 2004), it has an old-time feel with many modern amenities. You\u2019re brought closer to the action, too, which is nice. But in the end, it\u2019s not cheap to go to an MLB game, but this spot is well worth the trip.<\/p>\n

Park Notes: \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Citizens Bank Park<\/strong>
\nPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania<\/em>
\nHome of the Philadelphia Phillies
\nVisited on: Saturday, July 12.
\nOpponent: Washington Nationals<\/p>\n

Ratings (out of 10)<\/p>\n