So that you’ve determined to heed the decision to journey. Good for you. If it’s essential to refer again to what the Information truly is or who I truly am, please check with the included hyperlinks.

A Cheater’s Information to a second residence on the east coast

The Information has the next to say about going to a sport at Nationals Park, residence of the Washington Nationals:

It’s a good stadium, you cheat! You haven’t been to a sport right here since 2015!

Honest sufficient. I’ve not been to a Dodgers/Nationals sport in Washington D.C. for the reason that summer time after my first yr of legislation college in 2015. I did return to the stadium in 2023, however that go to was to take a tour and see what had modified within the space of Nationals Park.

I used to be scheduled to go to a Dodgers/Nationals sport in Might 2022, however my well being prevented me from going. It was a disgrace as a result of I did take pleasure in my time on the ballpark. As chances are you’ll know, the primary Dodger sport I went to exterior of Los Angeles was in Washington, D.C. Nationals Park (“Nats Park”) might be an odd alternative for some on this regard, however the circumstances of my life led me to first see the Dodgers in our nation’s capitol relatively than up north or down south. (I might by no means suggest that anybody go to Angel Stadium.)

Nats Park is just not an elite park, however it has a delicate spot in my coronary heart. For these keen to journey to Washington, D.C. for Dodger baseball, you will see a enjoyable, partaking baseball expertise. The next is all that you will want to find out about going to a Dodgers/Nationals sport at Nats Park.

The 5 Questions of the Information

1. Is it price going right here?

Sure, however it helps when you’ve got a love of nationwide monuments.

Nats Park is the lesser ballpark of the 2 ballparks within the D.C./Baltimore space. Nevertheless, taking part in second fiddle to Oriole Park at Camden Yards is not any actual slight as going to a Dodgers/Nationals sport in D.C. is often a strong expertise.

The very first thing that jumps out for the first-time customer to the Capitol is how compact all the things is and the way straightforward it’s to navigate D.C. by rail, particularly the Washington Metropolitan Space Transit Authority (“WMATA” or “Metro”).

Right here is my basic rule of thumb, ask your self the next: are you making an attempt to go to Georgetown?

If the reply is sure, please rethink what you might be doing together with your life as a result of snootiness is as snootiness does. Kidding apart, you’ll have to take a cab or automobile to get to Georgetown, as a result of WMATA doesn’t service the neighborhood. It’s as if Marin County, California NIMBYness discovered a house in a portion of D.C.

In case you are not going to Georgetown, odds are you may get wherever you’re going in D.C. through WMATA and/or your individual two ft.

For the first-timer at Nats Park, you may get a First-Sport Certificates from Visitor Companies, which is likely to be a bit plain however comes on strong paper inventory, which is a step up from having to print the doc your self.

Courtesy of the Washington Nationals / Michael Elizondo / True Blue LA

The Nationals do supply excursions, and when you’ve got further time, it’s price it to do the Off-Day Tour, so to go into the Nationals dugout and bullpen. Even the common tour is a strong alternative if solely to go to the World Collection trophy virtually gift-wrapped by Dave Roberts’ managerial blunders within the 2019 Nationwide League Division Collection.

Grid View

2. How ought to I get there?

Except you reside in Washington, D.C., or on the East Coast, odds are excessive that you’d fly into D.C. at both Washington Dulles Worldwide Airport or Ronald Reagan Washington Nationwide Airport. There are WMATA stations at each airports that may take you into D.C. correct or close by parts of Maryland and Northern Virginia if that’s the place your lodge is. Ridesharing/taking a cab into D.C. can be an choice if you don’t want to cope with public transportation.

Technically, Baltimore/Washington Worldwide Airport in Baltimore can be an choice to get to D.C. There’s a commuter prepare (the MARC) that may get you into D.C. In my day, the commuter prepare was strictly a weekday-only affair, however the MARC commuter prepare does run on weekends. I might nonetheless double-check earlier than committing to this selection as attending to D.C., from Baltimore is a colossal headache and not using a automobile.

Now, if the schedule permits, attending to D.C. by prepare (Amtrak) is sort of straightforward and reasonably priced, particularly if you’re arriving from New York or Philadelphia. Union Station in Washington, D.C. is just not as iconic as Union Station in Los Angeles or Moynihan Prepare Corridor in New York Metropolis, however it serves as a central hub the place you possibly can both catch WMATA or a rideshare to get anyplace else in D.C.

Courtesy of WMATA

Typically, one ought to take Metro to get to Nats Park as there’s a devoted cease on the Inexperienced Line that drops passengers off a couple of block from the stadium, with satisfactory signage that makes it just about not possible to overlook the stadium.

Contemplating the regional nature of WMATA Metro, I can’t suggest taking a automobile (both rental or rideshare) to Nats Park. A number of streets shut at sport time, making arriving on the stadium by automobile prohibitive. Furthermore, many of the parking tons are a number of blocks away from the stadium, so one will seemingly nonetheless arrive on the ballpark on foot.

3. The place ought to I keep?

Courtesy of Google Maps

Now, most arriving Dodger followers are both locals, who don’t want this Information, or out-of-towners, who flew into one of many three regional airports. As such, most guests to Nats Park ought to seemingly not have a automobile. There are a few accommodations close to Nats Park, however D.C. is sufficiently small to catch Metro nearly anyplace within the metropolis and nonetheless simply get to Nats Park through the Inexperienced Line.

Courtesy of Google Maps

As you possibly can see, there isn’t any scarcity of accommodations in D.C. correct. If you happen to finances properly, you could find an choice that matches your preferences pretty simply. I’ve three further items of recommendation that I’ve gathered in my time residing within the nation’s capital to get probably the most out of any go to.

Don’t underestimate the dimensions of the Nationwide Mall

Courtesy of DC Circulator

The Nationwide Mall is a must-see vacation spot for anybody visiting Washington, D.C. From museums to artwork galleries to monuments to memorials, the Nationwide Mall has you lined. You possibly can simply spend months within the Mall and never see all the things.

When you are within the Mall, there are WMATA stations at numerous factors adjoining to the Mall, you’ll primarily be counting on journey by foot, by bike, or by Segway. As you see beneath, it’s best to consider the Nationwide Mall as an upside-down upper-case T. On one finish of the T, you have got the Lincoln Memorial, on the opposite finish of the T, you have got Congress. On the junction, you have got the Washington Monument and on the backside of the T, you have got the White Home.

Whereas all the things is extra condensed than you would possibly suppose, don’t underestimate how lengthy it should take to get from one finish of the mall to the opposite, as a result of the vast majority of WMATA stations are on the best facet of the T. There’s a WMATA station on the identical avenue because the Lincoln Memorial, however it’s a couple of mile away and a minimum of a 20-minute stroll.

Contact your elected representatives

Alongside these traces, with out venturing into politics, it’s price noting that your native congressional consultant is a superb useful resource for scheduling excursions of varied authorities buildings in D.C. No matter politics, their respective staffs are a wonderful useful resource in arranging free excursions of locations together with the White Home (want six months’ discover), Congress, the Library of Congress, the Kennedy Heart, and lots of extra.

Don’t cross the Anacostia River at night time, and keep away from the fringes of the Inexperienced Line

As you possibly can see on the Metro map above, the Inexperienced Line is one of the simplest ways to get to Nats Park. D.C. does have a fame for crime as main cities do and there are rougher elements of the realm.

My basic guidelines of thumb are this:

1. Don’t cross the Anacostia River at night time. There is no such thing as a purpose for a vacationer to move to that a part of the area at night time. Traditionally, rougher neighborhoods are on the opposite facet of the river, so until you have got a selected purpose, I might keep away from the realm, particularly at night time.
2. Don’t go north of Howard College at night time. You’ll be able to attain Howard College by the Inexperienced Line, I might suggest Ben’s Chili Bowl on U St for a half-smoke (deliver money) as it’s fairly good whereas sober and transcendent if you’re intoxicated. Except you might be with locals, until you have got a selected pressing want, an everyday vacationer doesn’t have to be in that a part of D.C.

4. The place ought to I sit?

Michael Elizondo / True Blue LA

As with different East Coast ballparks, you’ll have to cope with the query of climate when visiting. I’ve gone to video games at Nats Park in the course of the summer time and if you’re unfortunate, D.C.’s fame for being a moist swamp will probably be omnipresent and inescapable.

As I’ve written above, Nats Park is a pleasant ballpark, which was inbuilt a modular vogue. That stated, apparent recommendation is apparent recommendation. In case you have come from the West Coast, there isn’t any purpose to be sitting within the higher deck. Ticket costs are usually not filth low-cost, however they’re hardly unreasonable in any vogue.

Courtesy of the Washington Nationals / Illustration by Michael Elizondo / True Blue LA

Plus, when you’ve got splurged to return to the East Coast, you possibly can seemingly afford to see at subject degree. Contemplating the reasonability of the ticket costs, if you wish to sit on the subject degree, you have to be in a position with minimal effort. If you wish to sit behind residence plate or behind the Dodger dugout, it should value accordingly.

Now, like Goal Area and Wrigley Area, relying on the time of yr, if you’re attending, you might be seemingly taking part in Climate Roulette. For that purpose, I can’t suggest sitting within the outfield, until you need to hang around by the Dodgers’ bullpen, and as such, I like to recommend one space of seating that’s cheap in worth, supplies a beautiful view of the sport, and supplies cowl if the situations are too wet, too chilly, or too muggy to benefit from the sport: the FIS Champions Membership, sections 206-221. If you happen to want to splurge, sit in sections 212-215, that are the FIS Champions Membership MVP part.

Michael Elizondo / True Blue LA

As you possibly can see from the supplied pictures, you have got a surprising view of the sport, however the actual draw is definitely behind you with the climate-controlled indoor space, with entry to meals, drink, and concessions.

As you possibly can see the part is break up up into two linked halves offering the comforts of residence whereas watching a Dodgers/Nationals sport within the nation’s capital.

5. After your journey, is it price going again?

Hey, that was enjoyable! I can hardly wait to return!

Michael Elizondo / True Blue LA

I’ve been to Nats Park for 4 video games, three Dodgers/Nats video games, and one Mets/Nats sport. The Mets/Nats sport took place as a result of the primary sport of the 2015 Dodgers/Nats collection was suspended as a result of {an electrical} failure, which was initially blamed on the earlier night time’s Taylor Swift live performance. Due to the outage, as an alternative of the requested refund, they gave out vouchers to a different residence Nats sport in the course of the season.

Oddly sufficient, the sport itself was advantageous, however I fell asleep in the course of the sport and needed to lookup the end result for scripting this Information entry, the Nationals received.

If you happen to pair a go to to Nats Park, with different sights in D.C., you’ll seemingly have a tremendous journey. That stated, for those who go solely for baseball, it’s a strong, cheap expertise. However severely, go benefit from the capital and get a half-smoke at Ben’s Chili Bowl after the sport.

Nats Park is just not an elite ballpark, however it’s a strong ballpark. Like Milwaukee, you get what you pay for.

Michael Elizondo / True Blue LA