Where: 24 Willie Mays Plaza, San Francisco, CA
‘Tis the season…baseball season, that is! There’s nothing better than taking your kids to see the San Francisco Giants and introducing them to the classic game of baseball. As an added bonus for us San Franciscans, our home field—Oracle Park, formerly known as AT&T Park—just happens to be beautiful, easy to get to and super kid-friendly. From great eats to awesome slides, here’s what you need to know when cheering on the Giants with kids in tow.
Don’t drive there
It’s no secret that parking by the stadium is either expensive or next to impossible. Our advice: Take public transportation. You can either hop on the N-Judah, the T-Third or take BART or MUNI to the Montgomery St. Station and take a nice (long-ish) walk from Market Street to the ballpark.
Check out the updates to the newly-rechristened park
With a new name comes new and exciting things to the Giants’ home base! Perhaps most exciting is the new scoreboard, which (at $10 million) is the most expensive improvement they’ve made to the park since it opened in 2000. This puppy is three times as large, has twice the resolution and will boast in-depth statistics and high-quality videos. And, in true Bay Area style, it will also be the first 4K display in the MLB. Also exciting is the new social gathering space, dubbed The Waterfront, at the Bay and McCovey Cove. They basically removed some bleachers under the scoreboard to give fans like you the best view of the game. The destination was created by removing the last few rows of bleachers under the scoreboard and is open to all fans.
Enter via the Marina Gate
There are seven different entrances to the ballpark and they are not all created equal. The Willie Mays Gate (at Third and King Streets) and the Second and King Street Gates always seem to have huge lines. Instead, walk to the Marina Gate (along the Port walk behind center field), where there is rarely a line. Bonus: You get a great view of the Bay and the boats!
Orient yourself in the park
Where: Rather than heading straight to your seats when you get there, do a lap around the ballpark to get oriented with where everything is and your options for food and fun. One of the big things you’ll want to take note of is where the closest bathrooms are to your seats. If your child is in diapers, you should also pay attention to where the family restrooms are (thankfully, there are many options). Another perk: There are baby changing tables in all of the restrooms at the park. If you are a nursing mother and would like to feed your baby in private, head to the Mother’s Lounge located at the Alaska Airlines Club Level Guest Services Desk adjacent to the Willie Mays elevator. The Alaska Airlines Club Level is accessible only to Alaska Airlines Club Level ticket holders, but the lounge is open to all nursing mothers.,
Know where to play
Odds are, at some point during the game, your kids will get antsy. Thankfully, there’s plenty for those wiggly worms to do. One of the best places to swing by is the Fan Lot! There are four slides for kids that are hidden inside an 80-foot wooden Coca-Cola bottle, a Fan Lot Fantasy Photo Booth and Little Giants Park, a mini field where little kids can run the bases. There’s also the opportunity to take home a player’s signature by doing a rubbing from one of the many autographed plaques.
Visit on a Sunday
After every Sunday day game, weather permitting, kids ages 14 or under can run the bases. (Note: From time to time, the event is canceled due to extenuating circumstances.) If your child would like to get an authentic signature from a San Francisco Giant, Sunday is the Giants official autograph day, where players, coaches and alumni will sign autographs (from the Bullpen Boxes in Sections 104/105 and 126/127) after the end of batting practice. Keep in mind that autographs are only for kids ages 14 and younger (guests must have a special ticket to get an autograph, and ballpark ushers begin giving out tickets on a first-come, first-served basis as soon as the gates open at the top of each designated section).
Know where to eat
One of the best things about going to the ballgame is indulging in all that delicious, yummy, decadent ballpark food. Oracle Park has quite a few options that the whole family will love from nachos served in a Giants helmet and the legendary Gilroy garlic fries (which you can now also get in a Giants helmet!) to Orlando’s Cha Cha Bowl. Make sure to splurge on dessert—we love the CREAM ice cream sandwiches. Click here for a full list of options!
See where your food comes from
Speaking of food, make sure to pay the organic garden a visit. Located behind the center field wall, right under the scoreboard, is an edible garden that offers a wide array of produce. Blueberries, strawberries, avocados, tomatoes, peppers, squash, lettuces, lemons, kale and more are harvested and used in dishes at two bistros located right inside the garden, the Hearth Table and Garden Table. The garden is open to all ticket holders two hours prior to the first pitch, and throughout the entire game.
Tips for your visit:
- Children ages two and older must have their own ticket. If you have a baby with you, they must sit in your lap.
- If you have a stroller, you must check it at the Guest Services Office on the Promenade Level. (If you have a small fold-up stroller, you can store that under your seat.)
- You are allowed to bring your own food and non-alcoholic beverages (sealed plastic bottles only) to the ballpark. If you bring your own water bottle, you can fill it at the water station located on the Promenade Level in front of the Ticket Windows right next to the Guest Services Office.
- You can bring in paper and recycled grocery bags, fanny packs, backpacks, lunch bags, diaper bags, soft-sided containers, purses, handbags and briefcases (as long as they are not larger than 16″x16″x8″) into the park.
