Just as I’m sure you do, I’ve got my list of favorite MLB and MiLB ballparks.
But regardless of how I rank any park that I visit, there are always a handful of things that I enjoy about the park. For me, these are the things that augment the experience.
This is the first entry in a series in which I’ll be looking at five things that I love about each park I’ve visited. I’m presenting the parks in no particular order, other than I’ll be alternating between MLB and MiLB facilities.
Some of my favorite things at various ballparks are obvious — and are probably your favorite things, too. But there are other things that may be more subtle, and I hope that reading about them encourages you to not only look for these things when you visit the park in question, but to also think about what things you most enjoy about every park that you visit.
Here are five things that I love about PNC Park, home of the Pittsburgh Pirates:
1. The View
Any discussion about the joy of visiting PNC Park has to begin with the view that this National League Central facility offers fans. It’s arguably the most celebrated view in the big leagues, and with good reason. From the majority of the seats, you get to enjoy a breathtaking view of the city’s skyline. There are too many buildings to name, but some notable structures are U.S. Steel Tower, which is the tallest in the city, Fifth Avenue Place, One PPG Place and Gulf Tower. If you’re high enough in the seating bowl, you’ll have a good view of the Allegheny River, too — one of three rivers that meet up just a short distance from the ballpark. The skyline view is equally breathtaking during day and night games, and I’ve frequently found myself sitting in the ballpark’s upper bowl and just enjoying the view for a few minutes at a time without necessarily focusing on the game.
2. The Approach
When I say “the approach,” I’m talking about the path that you take while walking to PNC Park. While there are obviously lots of different ways that you can get to the ballpark, walking across the appropriately named Roberto Clemente Bridge (which is also a key part of the park’s backdrop) from the city’s South Shore to the North Shore is as good as it gets. I always stay on the south side of the Allegheny River when I visit Pittsburgh, in part because I want to see PNC Park across the river and walk across the bridge toward it. But, I suspect that even if I were staying elsewhere in the city, I’d find a way to cross the bridge on the way to the park. Closed to vehicle traffic on gamedays, the bridge is an exciting blend of Pirates jersey-clad fans, street performers and vendors. You don’t have to look far to see fans snapping selfies and panoramas from the bridge, and you shouldn’t be surprised to see wedding portraits taking place on the bridge on weekends. Cross the bridge early enough, and you’ll even see fans playing catch along it.
3. The Riverwalk
Walking along the banks of a river is always a good time, but being close to a river while listening to the sounds of a ballgame and digging into some ballpark fare? Well, that’s just about heaven. At PNC Park, the place where you’ll get to experience this bliss is the Riverwalk. Nestled behind the right field stands, the Riverwalk has concession stands along one side and a wall on the other side that separates the park from the Three Rivers Heritage Trail, which runs in the narrow space between the Allegheny River and PNC Park. The Riverwalk is especially enticing at night, when the lights from the city’s skyline reflect off the water. I always make a point of spending some time on The Riverwalk, just leaning against the wall and looking out over the water. You won’t miss the game in this spot, as the Riverwalk is lined with TVs that allow you to keep an eye on the action.
4. The Home Plate Gates
At the corner of West General Robinson Street and Mazeroski Way, you’ll find PNC Park’s home plate gates. I absolutely love the look of this area — the tan limestone construction, the arches above the three gates, the stylish PNC Park signage and the steel home plate rotunda that looms overhead. And let’s not forget the statue of Pirates hall of famer Honus Wagner, arguably the greatest shortstop in the history of the game. In honesty, I don’t think the overall exterior look of PNC Park gets enough credit for its beauty. A long walk around the park’s perimeter should make it clear to you how perfect this park looks from the outside, and I think no exterior area is better looking than the space around the home plate gates.
5. The Left Field Rotunda
In my mind, no visit to PNC Park is complete without a visit to the left field rotunda, which is one of the ballpark’s standout sights. Stretching high above the seats in left field and providing a uniquely close view of the video board, the rotunda offers a slow, scenic way to ascend from the main concourse to the upper deck. Escalators will get you to the upper deck faster, but the gentle incline of the rotunda — and the spectacular views of the field, city skyline and river that it provides — make this walk a lot of fun. During the game, the space along the rotunda’s railings will quickly fill with fans, so if you’re keen on watching a bit of the action from this vantage point, it’s best to secure a spot early. I always make a point of watching an inning from the rotunda and I inevitably walk up and down it a couple of times during each visit.
What are your favorite things about PNC Park?