| Durham Bulls Athletic Park (DBAP) is certainly one of the finest (if not best) AAA parks in the country. From its brick exterior which fits in perfectly with the old tobacco warehouses, to the immaculate interior featuring a cantilevered room (with large fans to keep the crowd cool on hot days), DBAP is simply a great place to see a game. The seats are comfortable, have wide aisles, and are all quite close to the action. Among AAA parks, it is certainly one the most intimate. Left Field features a mini-"Green Monster" that is about 25 feet high and contains a hand operated scoreboard as well as a large video board. The animated bull, made famous in the Bull Durham movie, has been moved from the old park, and now sits upon the left field wall. The seating bowl is split by a spacious middle concourse, something which I don't usually like, but is necessary here since the main concourse is located out of view from the field. A large gift shop is the first thing that greets you as you walk into the park. After walking up a flight of stairs, you arrive in the concourse area which is loaded with a great variety of concession stands as well as plenty of reminders of the history of baseball in Durham. Included among concessions is a Mexican stand (Moe's), burgers, and Chick-Fil-A. Oddly, there is no BBQ to be found, which is quite rare for a park in the south. Apparently Dilliard's BBQ used to be here, but since the restaurant went our of business, the Bulls have not replaced them. Prices are quite reasonable and the food tasty. I first visited DBAP in 1997 and then not again until 2012. What a difference 15 years makes ! Office buildings now surround the park in the outfield, new seats have been installed in right field, and new picnic areas have been created. I have just a couple small complaints about DPAP. First, there is not enough entranceways to the seating area - just two narrow ones down each line. Secondly, it would be great if fans could completely circle the park. I have seen some reviews that say you can, but I was unable to during my visit in 2012. As for the atmosphere, it is also one of the best you'll find in the minors. Most fans seem into the game and there are very few distractions (for either kids or adults). There really is very little not to like at DPAP - the downtown setting, excellent concessions, and fine baseball atmosphere all combine to make this a great minor league ballpark.
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