turner field guide
Home to the tomahawking Braves of Atlanta, Turner Field was built in 1996 and is a great place to catch a game. The area surrounding the stadium will make you want to exercise your Second Amendment rights to “keep and bear arms,” but once inside you will certainly enjoy the game.
parking for free (or just cheap) at turner field
The setting of the stadium is surrounded by interstates, and the parking lots can be sufficient if you don’t mind paying about $10. The biggest problem is the traffic getting in and out. If you have ever taken the Turner Field exit, you know just how ridiculous it can get right before a Braves game. I think the best rule of thumb is to leave early if possible. I think if you go to many games it is no secret just how much traffic you can miss by arriving earlier. The big advantage in paying for official parking is the fact that it is a little more secure. If you are really concerned with safety, this is your best bet.
Another solid option is using Park Whiz to reserve your parking spot ahead of time. This site lets you search game by game, and there are different lots and just individuals that will let you reserve a spot for a fixed price. Certainly this can cut out some stress if you have a specific destination in mind, and you don't have to drive around lost.
Here is a list of spots for upcoming Braves games:
Another solid option is using Park Whiz to reserve your parking spot ahead of time. This site lets you search game by game, and there are different lots and just individuals that will let you reserve a spot for a fixed price. Certainly this can cut out some stress if you have a specific destination in mind, and you don't have to drive around lost.
Here is a list of spots for upcoming Braves games:
Another option is to take the MARTA shuttle from Underground Atlanta to
the game. It’s a convenient option, especially if you are a bus rider
anyway. The shuttle is free with a valid bus or rail station ticket from
MARTA. For more details on the MARTA, click here.
The savvy fans who go to Braves games quite a bit know there are a few
ways to get around the traffic and in some cases park for free. Free
parking at Turner Field is never seen by most people who attend the
game, but if you arrive early it is quite possible. Here is an in depth
article on how to avoid traffic and find free parking from a former
employee: Click here.
tickets
The budget conscious fan has some nice options at Turner Field. In fact the Braves offer $1 pavilion tickets down the left field line. These are day of game tickets which go on sale 2 1/2 hours before the game. You can’t beat that. If the game is not sold out, you may be able to move around if you can avoid the usher brigade. Here is more details from their website: "SKYLINE ($1) TICKETS - The Braves are proud to offer a limited number of $1 tickets for every home game! These tickets go on sale 2-1/2 hours prior to each home game and are available for purchase at the Ticket Office window located next to the Museum entrance in Monument Grove. There is a strict one (1) ticket per person limit, and you must enter the ballpark immediately after purchasing your ticket. $1 tickets can only be paid for with cash. $1 tickets are sold on a first come, first served basis and cannot be purchased or reserved in advance. $1 tickets are located in Sections 422L and 437R."
One place I would avoid on a hot summer night is in the right field seats down the line and behind the wall. You will have the sun hitting you in the face until 9:00 or so, which for me would really ruin the experience. I think down the third base line will provide you shade, a cheap seat, and a great view of the jumbo-tron. Now you could probably sit on your porch in Marietta and have a decent view of the Brave’s big screen. The monstrous screen in center field was easily the largest in all of baseball when constructed, it may have been surpassed at this point.
All in all I think the upper deck seats behind the plate and down the left field line provide a nice view for a great price. In my opinion, from a value perspective, you game experience isn't that much better in the lower level to warrant the higher cost.
The Braves have typically have different value days (ofter sponsored by Coke) from year to year. Here is a link to their current ticket specials. Many times, despite all the specials, you can get your best deal working with a ticket broker site. Here is a rundown of the 2 you should consider.
Stubhub is the official marketplace for MLB tickets, and they protect you against fraudulent tickets. If you want to buy on Stubhub, you are usually better off if you can wait until close to game time. For baseball, you usually print your tickets at home after you buy. This means you can often buy tickets up until a couple hours before game time. From the seller perspective, Stubhub encourages sellers to reduce their price incrementally as the event gets closer so they aren't stuck with the tickets. So when you are looking at a game that starts in just a few hours, it is likely you are going to find some great value.
tickets
The budget conscious fan has some nice options at Turner Field. In fact the Braves offer $1 pavilion tickets down the left field line. These are day of game tickets which go on sale 2 1/2 hours before the game. You can’t beat that. If the game is not sold out, you may be able to move around if you can avoid the usher brigade. Here is more details from their website: "SKYLINE ($1) TICKETS - The Braves are proud to offer a limited number of $1 tickets for every home game! These tickets go on sale 2-1/2 hours prior to each home game and are available for purchase at the Ticket Office window located next to the Museum entrance in Monument Grove. There is a strict one (1) ticket per person limit, and you must enter the ballpark immediately after purchasing your ticket. $1 tickets can only be paid for with cash. $1 tickets are sold on a first come, first served basis and cannot be purchased or reserved in advance. $1 tickets are located in Sections 422L and 437R."
One place I would avoid on a hot summer night is in the right field seats down the line and behind the wall. You will have the sun hitting you in the face until 9:00 or so, which for me would really ruin the experience. I think down the third base line will provide you shade, a cheap seat, and a great view of the jumbo-tron. Now you could probably sit on your porch in Marietta and have a decent view of the Brave’s big screen. The monstrous screen in center field was easily the largest in all of baseball when constructed, it may have been surpassed at this point.
All in all I think the upper deck seats behind the plate and down the left field line provide a nice view for a great price. In my opinion, from a value perspective, you game experience isn't that much better in the lower level to warrant the higher cost.
The Braves have typically have different value days (ofter sponsored by Coke) from year to year. Here is a link to their current ticket specials. Many times, despite all the specials, you can get your best deal working with a ticket broker site. Here is a rundown of the 2 you should consider.
Stubhub is the official marketplace for MLB tickets, and they protect you against fraudulent tickets. If you want to buy on Stubhub, you are usually better off if you can wait until close to game time. For baseball, you usually print your tickets at home after you buy. This means you can often buy tickets up until a couple hours before game time. From the seller perspective, Stubhub encourages sellers to reduce their price incrementally as the event gets closer so they aren't stuck with the tickets. So when you are looking at a game that starts in just a few hours, it is likely you are going to find some great value.
Another great 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:
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:
food
The Braves will allow you to bring your own sealed bottled water and food into the stadium. Therefore you are not a captive audience when it comes to paying high ballpark prices. Options around the stadium are pretty sparse, as Turner Field sits in a sketchy feeling area. You do have a reliable KFC outside the NE corner of the stadium, but it tends to be packed right before the game. However if you are looking for a cheap option, KFC can do that for you.
If you found free parking and want to spend some money, or you would rather eat in the stadium than suffer through KFC, you are in luck: the Braves have many places to eat. The Grilleworks in the outfield has a great selection of sausage and some unique selections, like a bison dog.
If you are from out of town, I think The Varsity makes for a good option. It is a unique local experience, and very greasy and cheap. The place stays packed out, and you better know what you want when you get to the front. The staff can tend to be a bit impatient, but it’s a cool experience.
where to stay
Not near the stadium. The area surrounding Turner Field can definitely feel unsafe after dark, so this really depends on your comfort level with an urban area. The thing is, if you are coming in to stay for one or two nights and your only plan is to watch the Braves, I think staying at the Country Inn & Suites across from the stadium is a viable option. In that case you would only being going out at night to go to and from the game, and there will be plenty of police and fans around. The other great benefit is you can avoid the hassle of traffic and parking altogether.
If your trip to Atlanta is a more well rounded vacation than just a baseball game, you might want to look at some other areas. Atlanta is a huge city with many suburbs, but I personally like staying downtown whenever I can. I don't mean that for Atlanta specifically, but I enjoy urban areas. If I were going to Atlanta, I know that I would use Hotwire. I have had nothing but great experiences with them. Some people are scared because it doesn’t give you the name of the hotel until after you have bought it, but I would never use another travel site. Their ratings are trustworthy, and you can get a really good idea of the area you are staying on their map.
A couple of personal examples: I got a room at the Intercontinental on Michigan Ave. in Chicago for $79 per night. I also had a room at the Hilton in St. Louis, with a view of the arch for $89 per night. So it is possible to be a stone's throw from Turner Field for pretty cheap
If you are looking to save more money and perhaps meet some cool local hosts in the process, I'd try Airbnb. This is a great way to stay in a unique place for much less than a hotel. I've done it myself and really enjoyed the private BnB experience.
If you found free parking and want to spend some money, or you would rather eat in the stadium than suffer through KFC, you are in luck: the Braves have many places to eat. The Grilleworks in the outfield has a great selection of sausage and some unique selections, like a bison dog.
If you are from out of town, I think The Varsity makes for a good option. It is a unique local experience, and very greasy and cheap. The place stays packed out, and you better know what you want when you get to the front. The staff can tend to be a bit impatient, but it’s a cool experience.
where to stay
Not near the stadium. The area surrounding Turner Field can definitely feel unsafe after dark, so this really depends on your comfort level with an urban area. The thing is, if you are coming in to stay for one or two nights and your only plan is to watch the Braves, I think staying at the Country Inn & Suites across from the stadium is a viable option. In that case you would only being going out at night to go to and from the game, and there will be plenty of police and fans around. The other great benefit is you can avoid the hassle of traffic and parking altogether.
If your trip to Atlanta is a more well rounded vacation than just a baseball game, you might want to look at some other areas. Atlanta is a huge city with many suburbs, but I personally like staying downtown whenever I can. I don't mean that for Atlanta specifically, but I enjoy urban areas. If I were going to Atlanta, I know that I would use Hotwire. I have had nothing but great experiences with them. Some people are scared because it doesn’t give you the name of the hotel until after you have bought it, but I would never use another travel site. Their ratings are trustworthy, and you can get a really good idea of the area you are staying on their map.
A couple of personal examples: I got a room at the Intercontinental on Michigan Ave. in Chicago for $79 per night. I also had a room at the Hilton in St. Louis, with a view of the arch for $89 per night. So it is possible to be a stone's throw from Turner Field for pretty cheap
If you are looking to save more money and perhaps meet some cool local hosts in the process, I'd try Airbnb. This is a great way to stay in a unique place for much less than a hotel. I've done it myself and really enjoyed the private BnB experience.
free stuff at a braves game
- As a service to our guests, the AAA Club will provide free emergency road service to any guest parked in the Turner Field parking lots experiencing car trouble during/after all home games. Guests requiring service should raise the hood of their car and see the parking attendant. Please put your 4-way flashers on.
- Courtesy of ARAMARK, guests who would like to be their group's designated driver can go to the Designated Driver Booth located in the plaza near Aisle 145 to sign up and receive a coupon for a free soda.
- Children 14 and under are invited to join the Atlanta Braves Kids Club presented by Chick-fil-A! Every member receives two free tickets to a future Braves game, a Braves drawstring backpack, VIP access to Kids Run the Bases presented by Children's Healthcare of Atlanta following Sunday home games, Turner Field benefits, official news about the team, and exclusive kids club prizes. Memberships are valid for the entire season and are only $25.00 per child. For registration information, log on to braves.com/kids or email [email protected].
- Adjacent to the Grand Entry Plaza on the north side are the Ivan Allen Jr. Braves Museum and Hall of Fame, Braves ticket windows, and a non-ticketed, free-to-the-public area called Monument Grove. The Hank Aaron, Phil Niekro and Ty Cobb statues from Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium have been relocated to Monument Grove along with the bust of Hank Aaron. In 2003, a statue of Warren Spahn, the winningest pitcher in Braves history, was added to the collection. Trees, park benches and picnic tables are scattered throughout the Grove, an ideal meeting place for fans and friends. Additional attractions include the retired number statues from Braves History.