A First-Timer's Look at Fenway

Official Review by Dan Seward, Stadium Journey Co-Founder

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Fenway Park is a living piece of baseball history. This is a complete must-see for any baseball fanatic - stepping through the gates of Fenway is like taking a step back in time to the days when baseball was a young, fresh sport and stadium construction was not a multi-billion-dollar enterprise. You can almost see the old wool uniforms and taste the crackerjack. However, there's a reason newer parks aren't built like Fenway. While incredible to experience, there are plenty of challenges accessing the stadium and - in case you hadn't heard - it's really expensive to attend. As a newcomer to Fenway, I was able to take a look around the place with a critical but unbiased eye, and this stadium puts up a strong showing despite a few flaws.

Food & Beverage   3/5

Fenway’s food selection is pretty standard. You can get Fenway Franks, sausage, soft pretzels, peanuts, cracker jack, ice cream, huge sodas, and beer for highly inflated prices. At the beginning of the game, by the gates, the lines can get pretty long for food, but once things are underway it’s not a huge chore to get yourself something to eat. Clam chowder is the standout regional offering.

On cold nights, you can purchase a steaming Dunkin Donuts hot chocolate at your seat, which is a nice touch. There’s a good variety of beer on tap, and an upper-deck bar with TVs and no good view of the field, for those who don’t mind going to a stadium but not actually watching the game.

Food is priced oddly – for example, a Fenway Frank runs $4.60. You’ll never see that change; when you fork over a five dollar bill, the vendor will pocket the change automatically.

Atmosphere   5/5

This is an amazing stadium, and it says something for the management that official capacity remains just over 36,000. With the enthusiasm of Sox fans, they could probably sell twice as many tickets without significantly lowering prices, but as of now there are no plans for any notable expansion. The result of this conservational approach is a ballpark that feels like a step back in time. From the noticeably rundown facilities (which are well-maintained, simply old), to the banners, manual scoreboard, and quirky layout, you’ll really feel as though you could be in the place where MLB was born. Because the park is always full of fervent fans, even during “meaningless” games just before the post-season, every single game at Fenway feels as though the outcome really matters. This is an easy place to get swept up by the sport of baseball.

At least some of the concessions around the field are outdoors, meaning that you’ll often look up and see the sky (or the bottom of the bleachers) as you wait in line. Boston is a densely-packed city and Fenway is no exception, but this all just works to enhance the one-of-a-kind time traveler’s vibe.

Sweet Caroline during the middle of the 8th is a crowd favorite, and the irritating strains of Neil Diamond will be streaking through your head days after your visit to Fenway.

Neighborhood   5/5

Fenway has the very pleasant distinction of being embedded in a geographically confined, yet worldly city. What this means is that you can walk 1-2 miles in any direction from the park and have access to essentially any sort of Boston area entertainment, any cuisine you could imagine. Just north across the Charles River is Cambridge, the east coast corollary to the People’s Republic of Berkeley, home to Harvard and MIT. Each of these schools is worth visiting, with their own standout cultures and interesting museums. Cambridge notably offers a wide array of quirky, high-quality eateries.

Heading east along Commonwealth Ave or Beacon St will bring you to the beautiful Public Garden and Boston Common, the city’s largest green space. Just beyond the parks is the heart of downtown, the New England Aquarium, and the historic North End. If you have a day to kill, most tourists take the time to walk the Freedom Trail, which hits colonial American highlights and brings out Boston’s historic flair. The Trail ends at the USS Constitution, an old warship still in commission and staffed by sailors in period dress.

Just south of Fenway is the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston’s best general-purpose art museum. If you’re feeling adventurous, decipher the T routes and head down into Jamaica Plain for a Sam Adams Brewery tour. Hey, what’s better than free beer?

There really is a lot to do in Boston and a pretty good chunk of it is within a 30-45 minute walk from Fenway Park.

Located at 648 Beacon Street, Boca Grande is, simply put, an amazing burrito bar. There’s nothing critical to know but that the food is dirt cheap, filling, and relatively tasty. Expect bad counter service and order mistakes. The reason you’re reading about it is the cheapness, as you can eat a VERY full meal for about $5 ($7 with authentic horchata), which stands in stark contrast to Fenway Park itself. This is a great stop for the budget-conscious visitor.

Fans   3/5

The fans at Fenway are loud, enthused, and they are always present. These are all pluses, and most of the attendees are there to have a good time. Most fans – even the substantial population of bandwagoners – are knowledgeable about the sport, their team, have favorite players, and can speak with authority on the past decade of Red Sox baseball. However, there’s an element of crazy in the air. Don’t ever make the mistake of letting these people know you’re rooting for another team. We know of someone who had his childhood baseball glove stolen off of his seat by a fan who realized this person was rooting for the opposite team. If you’re an outsider, you will not be welcomed, and in fact may be enthusiastically encouraged to leave. Leave your team’s jersey at home.

Sox fans pride themselves on being the “best” fans in the world, so take care not to challenge this assertion. Management is more than happy to cater to this belief. The hyper-fandom can feel a little bit contrived to the newcomer.

Boston itself is not known for its politeness, so don’t expect anything out of the ordinary.

Keep in mind that this is the perspective of someone who’s not really a Red Sox fan. If you ARE a Red Sox fan, Fenway is your Mecca, and the fans are your fellow pilgrims. You will find instant and deep-seated camaraderie, as long as you don’t mind being jostled, cut in line, or otherwise abused by your newfound friends.

Access   3/5

Driving to Fenway is really inadvisable. Parking is $30-40+ and you will spend a significant amount of time waiting to get out of your car. You will spend even more time in your car as you try to leave the vicinity.

Subway (T) access is pretty good, depending on where you’re coming from. Two Green line stop are equidistant, within a short walk of the park. The MBTA maps are somewhat helpful as you plan your route. Buses in Boston are mostly reliable, but the routes are usually confusing. You can find a cab after a short wait, and for the ladies there are rickshaws pedaled by fit young men.

If you are flying in for the game, take the silver line tram from Logan to South Station, the red line train to Park Street, and the Green line D train to the Yawkey or Fenway stops.

Bathrooms at Fenway can be crowded, especially the women’s room. The men’s room gets busy, but as is typical, moves pretty quickly. There aren’t really enough sinks for hand washing. In terms of wheelchair access, Fenway is tightly packed and winding, so while it must technically be up to code, it would be a challenging place to visit.

Return on Investment   4/5

Attending Fenway is a great experience, highly recommended to anybody. But it’s not cheap. The Red Sox’s average ticket price, at just over $40, is the highest in the Bigs. Standing room seats can be had for $30 or so, but if you’re the sucker who bought standing room seats during an important or weekend game, you’re going to have a hard time seeing the game and may end up watching on a TV screen in the back part of the stadium, away from the field. As an unfortunate consequence of the age of the stadium, there are a lot of obstructed view seats because support pillars for the upper deck are built right into the lower seats.

If you’re willing to shell out a lot of money, you will get one of the best baseball experiences available in America. But you have to spend big to ensure that it’s all that it can be.

Extras   5/5

Fenway is a living piece of baseball history. It’s a really fun, interesting, and unique place to watch a baseball game. The atmosphere is electric (occasionally jolting). The park is wonderfully situated so as to give access to a whole slew of pre- and post-game activities. The Green Monster is a sports icon. There are a myriad of hidden treasures and gems to be found in the area – you could spend a week entertaining yourself, using Fenway as a home base.

Final Thoughts

This is the most expensive ballpark to attend, but it’s also one of the most memorable. For any true baseball fan, a trip to Fenway is really a must. A sense of history and love for the game of baseball permeates the stadium. Boston is busy enough and interesting enough that it makes for a pretty good one-stop vacation on a long weekend, or a week off. All in all, highly recommended.

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