angel stadium guide
Angel Stadium of Anaheim underwent major renovations starting in 1996. The team underwent major renovations when they paid the big bucks for Pujols. Finding value may be increasingly tough if the team continues to add payroll, because in the end, the fans pay the payroll. However, let's dive in and see what we can find.
parking near angel stadium
Throwback's Free Shuttle To Angel Stadium
You will undoubtedly receive many opinions when it comes to parking and/or traveling to an Angel's game. One thing is certain; the Angels have an enormous parking lot surrounding the stadium. The official parking will run you about $10, and for most people that is a fair price to pay when you can exit pretty quickly. If you are going to go that route it is important to consider your exit strategy. One such strategy is to enter the lot via State College BLVD. and park in the front if possible. Typically you can be out of the lot in less than 10 minutes after a game. You really should not be afraid to drive to an Angels game as the ample parking makes it very driver friendly.
Perhaps the best way to get free parking at Angel Stadium is to visit Throwbacks Sports Bar before the game. From their website "Throwbacks features a shuttle bus that will drop off and pick up customers at Throwbacks before and after all Angels home games. Shuttle leaves 30 minutes before game starts, and will pick you up 20 minutes after game ends. So come in and have some dinner and drinks and let us take you to the game." Free shuttles like this are a great way for fans to save money. First of all, you can pay real world prices for food and drink before the game. Secondly you don't have the hassle of fighting traffic yourself and you have to walk a lot less as you get dropped off closer to the ballpark.
Depending on where you are coming from, the Metrolink will drop you off at the edge of the Angel Stadium parking lot. If you live in town you know where the closest station is, but if you are an out-of-towner you probably want to check for stations near your hotel.
Most of the stations offer free parking and from there you can ride the train right to the stadium. This is the better option if your palms start to sweat at the mention of navigating through traffic. The cost of the ride may equal out to that of parking, but you have to factor in the cost of your time and of course gas money.
Here is a link to tickets and pricing. Free parking near Angel Stadium can also be had around the stadium if you don't mind walking a little further. For me that is not a big deal, but if you have little kids or you don't like to walk more than 10 minutes to the stadium, I would do one of the first to options.
The area across Orangewood Ave. has several side streets where free parking can be had. This is a more feasible option for a night game, but keep an eye out for any street signs or meters to make sure you are not parking illegally.
A final parking option worth mentioning, and it is a pretty good one, is Park Whiz. This is a site where you can pay for parking ahead of time at various places, and have a reserved spot. It is nice because you know precisely where you are headed and you don't have the stress of searching around. Click here to check it out.
Perhaps the best way to get free parking at Angel Stadium is to visit Throwbacks Sports Bar before the game. From their website "Throwbacks features a shuttle bus that will drop off and pick up customers at Throwbacks before and after all Angels home games. Shuttle leaves 30 minutes before game starts, and will pick you up 20 minutes after game ends. So come in and have some dinner and drinks and let us take you to the game." Free shuttles like this are a great way for fans to save money. First of all, you can pay real world prices for food and drink before the game. Secondly you don't have the hassle of fighting traffic yourself and you have to walk a lot less as you get dropped off closer to the ballpark.
Depending on where you are coming from, the Metrolink will drop you off at the edge of the Angel Stadium parking lot. If you live in town you know where the closest station is, but if you are an out-of-towner you probably want to check for stations near your hotel.
Most of the stations offer free parking and from there you can ride the train right to the stadium. This is the better option if your palms start to sweat at the mention of navigating through traffic. The cost of the ride may equal out to that of parking, but you have to factor in the cost of your time and of course gas money.
Here is a link to tickets and pricing. Free parking near Angel Stadium can also be had around the stadium if you don't mind walking a little further. For me that is not a big deal, but if you have little kids or you don't like to walk more than 10 minutes to the stadium, I would do one of the first to options.
The area across Orangewood Ave. has several side streets where free parking can be had. This is a more feasible option for a night game, but keep an eye out for any street signs or meters to make sure you are not parking illegally.
A final parking option worth mentioning, and it is a pretty good one, is Park Whiz. This is a site where you can pay for parking ahead of time at various places, and have a reserved spot. It is nice because you know precisely where you are headed and you don't have the stress of searching around. Click here to check it out.
angels tickets
Fans will tell you that the ushers at Angel Stadium take great pride in there job of making sure you sit where your ticket says. Many will not let you down on the lower level to take a picture without a ticket for that section. So the long standing tradition of cheap ballpark goers of moving down to better seats can be difficult at this ballpark.
That being said, it becomes debatable when you start discussing where the best values in Angel Stadium are. If you are going to a day game it might be worth a little extra to sit in the Terrace box seats. I would shoot for section 206 where you are under an overhang so you avoid the sun, and you get an excellent view of the scoreboard. If it were me, I would go with upper deck seats down either line. Angel Stadium is known for exceptional views from anywhere in the park, and for my money I would rather pay less for a bird's eye view. If I am not going to really splurge and sit right behind the plate, many other seats are pretty equal as far as the quality of view. If its not a sellout game, I find that sitting up high and down the lines can provide a nice breeze and a little bit of breathing room from other fans. No matter where you sit, prices have gone up recently and the Angels do dynamic pricing on tickets. This means the price varies based on the opponent, day of the week, etc. I'd seriously consider 3rd party options to find better value.
My favorite place to buy tickets is from Score Big. Let's face it, most ticket broker sites are the same but this one is actually different. It is kind of like the Priceline of sports tickets. Essentially you can search events in your area, and make an offer on tickets and get an instant answer on whether your bid is accepted.
Here are a couple of screenshots of how it works. You can select a quantity, and then it gives you different tiers. It gives you an approximate discount percentage, and shows on the seat map which sections your tickets could possibly be in.
Next you enter in a price, again it gives you an idea how how likely that is to be accepted. I made the comparison to Priceline, and it is true, you have to put in payment details prior to making an official offer. But if you are going to the game, what a great way to save money on tickets!
Here are deals on upcoming games:
That being said, it becomes debatable when you start discussing where the best values in Angel Stadium are. If you are going to a day game it might be worth a little extra to sit in the Terrace box seats. I would shoot for section 206 where you are under an overhang so you avoid the sun, and you get an excellent view of the scoreboard. If it were me, I would go with upper deck seats down either line. Angel Stadium is known for exceptional views from anywhere in the park, and for my money I would rather pay less for a bird's eye view. If I am not going to really splurge and sit right behind the plate, many other seats are pretty equal as far as the quality of view. If its not a sellout game, I find that sitting up high and down the lines can provide a nice breeze and a little bit of breathing room from other fans. No matter where you sit, prices have gone up recently and the Angels do dynamic pricing on tickets. This means the price varies based on the opponent, day of the week, etc. I'd seriously consider 3rd party options to find better value.
My favorite place to buy tickets is from Score Big. Let's face it, most ticket broker sites are the same but this one is actually different. It is kind of like the Priceline of sports tickets. Essentially you can search events in your area, and make an offer on tickets and get an instant answer on whether your bid is accepted.
Here are a couple of screenshots of how it works. You can select a quantity, and then it gives you different tiers. It gives you an approximate discount percentage, and shows on the seat map which sections your tickets could possibly be in.
Next you enter in a price, again it gives you an idea how how likely that is to be accepted. I made the comparison to Priceline, and it is true, you have to put in payment details prior to making an official offer. But if you are going to the game, what a great way to save money on tickets!
Here are deals on upcoming games:
If you are thinking last minute, check Stubhub. As someone who has sold on Stubhub, they encourage you to set a declining price. This means your prices gets cheaper as the event draws closer, working down to your minimum price. Therefore, as a buyer you are able to get good value on the day of the game. If the game is at 7:00, check out Stubhub at about 4:00. You get to print your own tickets at home, so no need to worry about a shipping delay.
food at angel stadium
The food at Angel Stadium is nothing spectacular. The concessions are run by Aramark, so it is pretty typical fare. They do have vegan hot dogs available for all of you anti-meat types, and they can be found pretty much across the stadium. They will officially let you bring in sealed bottles of water with you, and depending on the security guy they might also let you slide by with a sealed non-alcoholic beverage. Besides that, they typically let you bring your own snacks and food into the stadium.
Some fans will tailgate before the game, in the official Angels parking lot. They have pretty restrictive rules about tailgating, you aren't supposed to have alcohol and you aren't supposed to use a charcoal grill. So, keep that in mind if you plan to bring food with you. You may want to have red Solo cups for your drinks, and food that is ready to go.
Besides the bottled water, you can also bring a soft sided cooler with your own food to the stadium. This is perfect if you are bringing a bunch of kids with you, because little snacks add up at ballpark prices!
Some fans will tailgate before the game, in the official Angels parking lot. They have pretty restrictive rules about tailgating, you aren't supposed to have alcohol and you aren't supposed to use a charcoal grill. So, keep that in mind if you plan to bring food with you. You may want to have red Solo cups for your drinks, and food that is ready to go.
Besides the bottled water, you can also bring a soft sided cooler with your own food to the stadium. This is perfect if you are bringing a bunch of kids with you, because little snacks add up at ballpark prices!
lodging near angel stadium
If you are looking for a place to stay near Angel Stadium, you should first look at places within walking distance. I always start my search with Hotwire, and have had many success stories of saving big money with them. The advantage of staying near the ballpark of course is that you can walk there, often saving the price you may have paid for parking.
If you are looking for something a little more unique and affordable, let me personally recommend Air BNB. This is a website where people turn their extra rooms or space in their house into a bed and breakfast. It sounds a little strange, but if you are on the adventurous side it is a great way to meet local hosts and save some money in the process. There are a number of great places in Anaheim to stay, so check it out.
My personal experience was actually for a Notre Dame football game. We tried out Air BNB after having trouble finding a nearby hotel at a fair rate. We ended up staying with some great people who made us feel so welcome, and fixed a killer breakfast. Be smart, read the person's reviews, but I would highly recommend this as an alternative to a traditional hotel when you head to Anaheim.
If you are looking for something a little more unique and affordable, let me personally recommend Air BNB. This is a website where people turn their extra rooms or space in their house into a bed and breakfast. It sounds a little strange, but if you are on the adventurous side it is a great way to meet local hosts and save some money in the process. There are a number of great places in Anaheim to stay, so check it out.
My personal experience was actually for a Notre Dame football game. We tried out Air BNB after having trouble finding a nearby hotel at a fair rate. We ended up staying with some great people who made us feel so welcome, and fixed a killer breakfast. Be smart, read the person's reviews, but I would highly recommend this as an alternative to a traditional hotel when you head to Anaheim.