| If you want to see all of Dodger Stadium, it will probably take you multiple visits since the Dodgers really don't urge fans to explore the park. In fact, fans are supposed to stay on the level where their seats are. Now that I've been to Dodger Stadium twice and seen the main level, I can confirm that this is a fine ballpark and one that has held up well to the test of time. I'm not exactly sure of the reason why fans are not allowed in every area of the ballpark , but one explanation could be that they want to protect all the Hollywood celebs from being hounded by regular fans. Whatever the reason, it gives Dodger Stadium a very elitist feel. The stadium is set to the north of the city on what was previously a landfill. The exterior of the stadium is well landscaped and features large murals of Dodger greats to celebrate their 50th year in Los Angeles. Parking, which used to be confusing to navigate and which created some big traffic tie-ups after the game, has been greatly improved in 2008. It will cost you $15 to park, but the egress is now now very easy. Even with a large crowd the night I attended in '08, I was out of the parking lot within 15 minutes. To discourage tailgating, parking lots only open 2 hours before the game. Despite being over 40 years old now, it is still a good place for seeing a ballgame. Sightlines appear to be good from most angles and the upper decks do not feel nearly as high as in the newer parks. Most of concourses are open to the playing field, which is certainly a rarity in such an old park. The nicest concourses (not surprisingly) are located on the field level, though they are a bit narrow. With large crowds, they can be tough to navigate during the game. In the area of concessions, there is a great variety of options, but because this is Southern California, prices tend to be on the high side (i.e. $5.75 for a bottled water). The infamous Dodger Dogs are grilled, but rather bland in taste. Other concession options include Subway, Mexican, Carl Jr's, California Pizza Kitchen, Chinese, sausages, and garlic fries. The atmosphere is interesting as Dodger fans are famous for showing up late and leaving early. Though I really haven't noticed that too much on either of my visits. During my '08 visit, the fans, though a bit belligerent at times, were mostly into the game. The setting for Dodger Stadium is gorgeous as it is surrounded by the Elysian hills and the San Gabriel Mountains. The Dodgers have to be commended for keeping the ballpark in great shape – it really does not look anywhere near its age. And they are planning on pouring another $500 million in renovations into it that will be completed by 2012. Dodger Stadium is certainly a great place to see a game, but I just wish they would make it a little less restrictive.
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