With the official start of summer approaching, we wanted to give you some ideas for some outdoor activities around the state that can be done in a day. On Monday, we took in a Brave’s game at the new(ish) Suntrust Park for the first time since the move from Turner Field in downtown Atlanta.
Fortunately for us we live a few exits from the stadium, so an $8 Lyft ride was a no brainer for us, but if you aren’t that lucky Suntrust has plenty of parking starting at $20. We actually tailgated last season in one of the two tailgating lots with Maple X and it was ok, but it was really obvious the designers of Suntrust really want you to pregame at the Battery.
Once arriving at the designated ride share drop off and pick up locations, we headed into the Battery to take in all the pregame activities. While we waited to meet up with our friends Staples InTents and my parents, we were entertained by a drum line, dancing Home Depot characters and a juggler on stilts. After our fellow game attendees arrived we headed to H&F Burger right inside the Chop House Gate. Stadium prices we’re definitely in effect the $15 burger meal with fries was better than typical stadium food.
Getting into the stadium was quick and easy, security lines we’re short and staff was friendly. Another cool thing was the lack of physical paper tickets, instead we had QR Codes on our phones which eliminated the sketchy ticket scalpers when approaching the Battery.
After eating, we headed up to the Coors Chop House to get some some beers and wine, but there was also liquor behind the bar for those wanting mixed drinks. The bar tenders and staff at the Chop House were awesome, and one even invited us to the Home Depot Clubhouse to watch the game in the outfield. We headed that way and spent the first three innings in the HD Clubhouse and then headed to our seats. One thing that really stuck out to us is not only was there not a bad seat in the stadium, but everywhere you looked there were places to hang out and watch the game. The social atmosphere that Suntrust created was a really unique experience.
Finally at our seats in the 200 section, we settled into enjoy the brutal crushing of the New York Mets 12 – 3. Aside from a brief spot of rain in the 6th inning, it was a near perfect night, and one of the best professional sports experience we had ever had. Getting out of the stadium however, was a bit tricky, as everyone else had the same idea as us when we left in the 8th inning. If there was one thing that they could work on is easier pick up and drop off locations for those choosing to ride sharers.
So, if you’re looking for a way to get the family out of the house this summer, we recommend heading down to Suntrust Park to check out a Braves game to cheer on the Bravos!
