Friday, June 20, 2008 - After visiting the first of the retro parks in Baltimore, we loaded our bus and headed to Washington DC to see the newest Major League ballpark. All of the ballparks that are at the top of my favorites list have great surroundings that enhance the experience - Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, and Camden Yards all have great atmospheres. Other parks have great views from their parks - AT&T Park looks out at the Bay and PNC looks out towards the bridges over the river and downtown Pittsburgh.
The New Nationals Park doesn't have great surroundings nor does it have a great view from the ballpark. The views won't likely change much - I suppose that new construction could impact the views over time - I'm thinking about PETCO Park. I really hope that the district continues to build around the park and doesn't cancel the projects the same way that things have happened in St. Louis around the new Busch Stadium.The inside of the park was open and spacious but felt kind of sterile as we made our way to the seats. Our seats offered great views of the field. We were in the lower level just one section over from where this picture was taken. Notice the big landing area right behind home plate? That appears to be a gathering place for Nationals' owners and other VIP's. It also appears to be a waste of valuable real estate.
The game lasted 14 innings with the Nationals finally pulling of a 4-3 win. While we enjoyed the game and our great seats, I think the consensus from everyone on our baseball trip was that we were underwhelmed with the new ballpark.
