San Diego Padres

Taking the trolley to the downtown ballpark has become a cherished event for many fans and families, and the comfortable, spacious ballpark allows you to enjoy the San Diego weather while watching Major League baseball at its highest caliber. The park has the usual baseball fare such as hot dogs and cotton candy, but you can also taste California cuisine with fish tacos and sushi. From April through October, taking in a game at Petco Park is always a fun experience. And you never know when the Padres might throw their first no-hitter!

The Padres history goes back to its expansion-team status in 1969, and includes two Hall of Famers, Dave Winfield, and Tony Gwynn, perhaps the most beloved of all Padres. Gwynn, whose 3,000 hits was a career milestone, lead the 1998 Padres club to their first World Series appearance since 1984, though they were routed by the Detroit Tigers. Tony Gwynn continues to coach a new generation of players by managing the baseball team at San Diego State University where a beautiful baseball complex makes for another enjoyable outing.

The new Padres are manned by a veteran pitching staff lead by future Hall of Famer Greg Maddux, David Wells, and Jake Peavey, along with the leading closer in the history of baseball, Trevor Hoffman. Padres players are major contributors to the community and it’s not uncommon to see a player show up at a local school to talk to the kids or take part in a baseball clinic at the many camps in the area. There is a rich history of baseball in this area. The Padres name was also used by the earlier minor league Padres who played at historic Lane Field when players like Ted Williams were growing up in greater San Diego

The easily-accessible new ballpark, Petco Park, has sparked a renaissance of downtown building that has rejuvenated the area with restaurants, nightclubs, as well as housing and businesses. Petco Park sits comfortably in its space and the mission architecture reminds you of the uniqueness of the area and allows the cool ocean breezes to come into the park during night games. There’s even a beach outside the right field wall, where you can watch the game for a mere six dollars.

Enjoying a San Diego Padres baseball game is a great way to spend a summer afternoon or evening and people new to the area quickly become Padres fans, waving their white handkerchiefs and hoping for a World Series. Go Padres!