Come Have A Good Time In Downtown San Diego At The Padres Home Opener!
Whether you’re a baseball fan or not, the Padres opening day is filled with fun things to do and experience. This baseball season is already off to a great start for our beloved Padres with the signing of Manny Machado and all the excitement surrounding their young group of players. As a downtown local and sports fan, this is one of my favorite weekends in San Diego. I’ve compiled a breakdown of some of my favorite places to visit that day and recommend you get out to join the fun!
Opening Day Block Party– This event takes place right outside Petco Park in East Village. This is one of the best ways to take it all in and get your day started. This year’s 9th annual celebration will take place on Thursday March 28th from 10:00 am to 2:30 pm and Friday March 29th from noon to 7:30 pm. The event is FREE and family friendly! Attendees can take advantage and test their skills in the interactive game zone. Or, if you don’t feel like showing off your athleticism, there will be a beer garden where you can enjoy a local craft beer or baseball-inspired cocktail while listening to live music and entertainment.
After you enjoy some of the activities at the Block Party, you’re going to want to do one of two things. Either you’ll be attending the game or you will be looking for a place you can settle in to watch the game and enjoy the vibrant atmosphere. If you don’t already have tickets for the opening game and want to attend, you will have to go through a third party in order to get ahold of some since they’re sold out. If you’re like myself and would rather wait to attend a weekend game so you can visit some great local spots around the park to watch the game, then make sure to check out the places below.
Stone Brewery Tap Room– This is located right next to Petco Park at 796 J Street San Diego 92101. They usually open by 11:00 am. I like to start here because it’s right next to the block party and in the middle of all the fun. They have a good variety of different beers and usually feature seasonal beers and special releases.
Fairweather Bar– This is usually our second stop and it’s located right above Stone’s Tap Room. We like to go here because we can usually see and hear the opening ceremony for the game. Another big reason we come here is because some of the girls in our group don’t like beer and would rather enjoy a cocktail. The ambiance is great! The seating is outdoors and it feels like it’s part of the stadium. This year should be even better since we’ll hopefully get to enjoy that great San Diego weather we’ve been missing with all this rain.
Altitude Sky Lounge– This is the best rooftop to catch a Padres game. We usually get here around the 3rd or 4th inning and stay until the end of the game. Depending on how busy it is, it may be difficult to get seats that look directly into the field but you can usually catch a good view of what is going on from their standing belly bar area. They also have TVs where you can watch the game. Their drink menu is good and it usually satisfies everyone in our group since they offer wine, beer and cocktails (or you can say “since it has a full bar”). The views of the city, game and sunset from this bar are spectacular and I strongly recommend it!
Barleymash or Lolita’s Taco Shop– If you don’t get food at either of the first three stops, you’re probably going to be really hungry. There are many places you can stop for either a quick bite or a sit-down dinner. However, there are two spots we like to frequent after long days of celebrating. From the two, Barleymash is the closest to Altitude Sky Lounge and it will probably be less busy than Lolita’s. If there is a long wait for a table you can always order their full menu at the bar. Lolita’s is one of the most popular Taco Shops in San Diego. The biggest downside to going here is the proximity to the park which makes it super busy during ball games. I would suggest calling in your order so it can be ready when you get there and even just picking it up to enjoying it elsewhere. If you’re visiting from out of town and enjoy Mexican food, then I would strongly recommend you visit Lolita’s at some point during your visit.
If you feel like you still haven’t had enough fun, there’s still more going on at various locations in and around the historic Gaslamp District and East Village. As you can see, Padres Opening Day is a whole day event and it’s definitely more than baseball – it is experiencing San Diego!
And Always Remember, It Matters Who You Work With!
Give me a call today at (619) 564-2668 or email me at Favio@livingthesandiegolife.com for more information or to schedule a tour of the neighborhood! DRE#02009023
