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Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles
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Dodger Stadium

What a visiting fan needs to know: where to stay, getting in from LAX, parking and tailgating, what to eat and where to sit.

  • Los Angeles, CA
  • Home of the Dodgers
  • Fly into LAX
  • Stadium tours
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Games at Dodger Stadium

Where to stay near Dodger Stadium

Where visiting fans stay

From a specialist guide
  • Downtown LA near Union Station
    charisma barriger, Google Maps

    Downtown LA near Union StationVisiting fans pick this

    20 min by transit. Walk or ride Metro to Union Station and take the free Dodger Stadium Express, which uses a bus lane on Sunset Boulevard. You skip parking and the lot traffic.

  • Echo Park and Silver Lake
    Dan Pye, Google Maps

    Echo Park and Silver LakeVisiting fans pick this

    10 min by rideshare. The Sunset Boulevard bars are here, so you can drink before the game and ride up. Expect short-term rentals and small hotels more than big chains.

  • Pasadena
    American “Doll” Girl, Google Maps

    Pasadena

    45 min by transit. Ride the Metro A Line to Union Station and switch to the Express. Calmer and often cheaper than downtown, with an easy run to Burbank airport.

  • Hollywood
    mike isshac, Google Maps

    Hollywood

    40 min by transit. Take the Metro B Line to Union Station for the Express, or ride Metro Bus 2 or 4 along Sunset to Vin Scully Avenue. Good if you want the sights on an off day.

Around the stadium

From a specialist guide
The closest bars sit on Sunset Boulevard in Echo Park, below the Sunset Gate on Vin Scully Avenue (The Short Stop, The Douglas, El Compadre, Lowboy). Chinatown, along North Broadway and North Spring Street to the southeast, has breweries and quick food. There are almost no hotels next to the ballpark, so most fans sleep downtown.

Map of the area

Tap a pin to see the place.

Getting to Dodger Stadium

From Los Angeles International

From a specialist guide
LAX. About 20 miles by freeway: take the 105 east to the 110 north and the Dodger Stadium exit straight into Gate E. Allow 40 to 90 minutes depending on traffic.

On game day

Checked at the source
Dodger Stadium Express (Union Station), about 15 min. Behind center field, at the Centerfield gates. Dodger Stadium Express (South Bay), about 45 min to behind the outfield pavilions. Metro A Line to Chinatown Station, then walk, about 20 min. Chinatown Station at Alameda and College streets, a 3/4-mile uphill walk to the ballpark. Metro Bus 2 or 4 on Sunset Boulevard, about 20 min. Sunset Boulevard and Vin Scully Avenue, 1/4 mile from the Sunset Gate (Gate A).

Parking and tailgating at Dodger Stadium

Tailgating

Checked at the source
Tailgating is banned on all stadium property. The team counts eating, drinking alcohol or gathering in any parking lot as tailgating, before, during or after the game. Eat in Echo Park or Chinatown before you drive up. Parking gates take prepaid passes or credit cards only. Prepaid parking sells until 3 hours before first pitch. Have your pass open in the MLB Ballpark app when you reach the gate.

Game day at Dodger Stadium

Getting in

Checked at the source
  • Bag policy: No backpacks, coolers or large purses. Allowed: clear plastic bags up to 12 x 12 x 6 inches, small clutches up to 5 x 8 x 2 inches, and diaper bags. Bag lockers in Lot H and Lot N cost $15 per bag.
  • Cashless: All purchases inside are cashless. Five cash-to-card kiosks turn cash into a prepaid card with no fee.

Touring the stadium

Checked at the source
Tours in English run daily, in Japanese on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Sundays and some game-day mornings, and in Spanish on Saturdays. They include the Top Deck view, the press box, the trophy hall, the dugout and the warning track. Book at dodgerstadiumtours.com. Early entry through Gate E (Downtown Gate), a walk through the history hallway and batting practice from the pavilions. It starts at the Left Centerfield Gate; arrive 30 minutes early. You need a game ticket and a tour ticket, and parking must be bought in advance. About 45 minutes. A guide walks you down the warning track right after the game. About 2 hours. The full stadium tour plus a look at the renovated Dodger clubhouse.

After the final whistle

From a specialist guide
Every parking gate connects to every freeway, and staff send you to the closest exit, so do not fight to leave by the gate you came in. The Sunset Gate (Gate A) is the slowest way out; Golden State Gate C and Academy Gate D move better. The Express back to Union Station runs until one hour after the final out, which skips the lot traffic.

One thing to avoid

From a specialist guide
Driving in without a parking pass. General parking costs more at the gate, the gates take cards only, Preferred is sold in advance only, and lots can sell out at full games. Prepay (sales close 3 hours before first pitch) or take the free Express.

Food and drink at Dodger Stadium

Bars near the stadium

From a specialist guide
  • The Short Stop
    Zach Cox, Google Maps

    The Short Stop

    1455 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026

    An old Echo Park dive with baseball on the walls, a pool table and game-day happy hour specials. After 10 p.m.

    Away fans: this is the city's best-known Dodgers bar, so expect a room full of blue. Keep it friendly and you will be fine.

  • The Douglas
    The Douglas, Google Maps

    The Douglas

    1400 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026

    A small bar near the Sunset Gate with draft beer specials and fried food. It has a few indoor tables and sidewalk seats.

    Away fans: a self-described Dodgers bar packed with home fans on game nights. Visitors in road colors get ribbing, not trouble.

  • Lowboy
    Lowboy, Google Maps

    Lowboy

    1540 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026

    A dark, roomy bar and restaurant with cocktails, beer and a burger menu. Bar Flores, a quieter cocktail bar, is upstairs.

    Away fans: a neighborhood bar first and a Dodgers bar on game nights. Away fans blend in.

  • El Compadre
    Gi L, Google Maps

    El Compadre

    1449 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026

    A classic Mexican restaurant with strong margaritas and TVs showing the game. It works well for a group dinner before first pitch.

    Away fans: a family Mexican restaurant with a bar; mixed crowd, easy for visiting fans.

Things to do around Dodger Stadium

Listed in the order they happen on game day. Each one earns points.

  1. Eat40 points

    Lunch at Grand Central Market

    A downtown food hall open since 1917, with tacos, Oaxacan food, ramen and coffee under one roof. Eat here on game day, then ride Metro to Union Station for the Express.

    $$. 4 hours before first pitch

  2. Tour75 points

    Postseason pregame tour

    Enter through Gate E hours before the crowd, walk the history hallway and watch batting practice from the pavilions. It is the closest you get to the field on an NLCS day.

    $$$. 3 hours 30 minutes before first pitch

  3. Eat50 points

    French dip at Philippe The Original

    A Chinatown deli famous for its beef dip sandwich, a mile from the ballpark and near Union Station. Order it wet; the line is long but moves fast.

    $. 3 hours before first pitch

  4. Drink40 points

    Pregame drink at The Short Stop

    The best-known Dodgers bar in the city, a dive on Sunset Boulevard below the ballpark. Have one here before you walk or ride up the hill.

    $. 2 hours 30 minutes before first pitch

  5. Ritual50 points

    Ride the Dodger Stadium Express

    The free bus from Union Station runs up a dedicated lane on Sunset Boulevard and drops you behind center field. It is the local way to skip parking, and the ride back runs until an hour after the final out.

    Free. 2 hours before first pitch

  6. Eat50 points

    Tacos at Angel's Tijuana Tacos

    Tijuana-style tacos about two minutes from the stadium entrance on Sunset. Expect a line around 5 p.m.; get the quesotacos.

    $. 2 hours before first pitch

  7. Landmark40 points

    Centerfield Plaza trophies and statues

    Centerfield Plaza has giant replica trophies for the 2024 and 2025 titles, an oversized ring you can step into, and the team's bronze statues. It is the ballpark's front door and its best photo spot.

    Free. 1 hour 30 minutes before first pitch

  8. Photo40 points

    Skyline photo from the Top Deck

    From the Top Deck behind home plate you see downtown Los Angeles, which grew up around the ballpark after it opened. Go before first pitch while there is still light.

    Free. 1 hour before first pitch

  9. Eat40 points

    Eat a Dodger Dog

    The foot-long Dodger Dog has been the ballpark's signature food since it opened in 1962, and it now has its own statue. Get it grilled at most stands or steamed at the Dodger Dog Traditional stands.

    $. 45 minutes before first pitch

  10. Eat30 points

    Takoyaki at Tsukiji Gindaco

    A Japanese takoyaki stand inside the ballpark, a nod to the team's long ties to Japan. It is a good second snack if a hot dog is not enough.

    $. 30 minutes before first pitch

  11. Drink30 points

    Craft beer at Homage Brewing

    A Chinatown brewery with a stadium-food menu and every game on big screens. Good for the next night if you are in town for more than one game.

    $

  12. Outing40 points

    Walk Elysian Park

    The city park wraps around the ballpark, with open hillsides, trails and views over downtown. Walk it on a morning before the game.

    Free

  13. Outing50 points

    Griffith Observatory

    A free public observatory on the hills above Los Feliz with views of the city and the Hollywood Sign. It is the best non-baseball half day near the ballpark.

    Free

Seats and shade at Dodger Stadium

Where the sun lands on a day game, and which seats stay dry when it rains.

Shade and cover

From a specialist guide
  • Third base side (odd-numbered sections), Field level 13 to 31. The third base side gets shade first. Shade moves from the back rows forward, so the front rows stay in the sun longest.
  • Field Box rows T to X. These rows sit under the Loge overhang. Row X is fully shaded and covered from rain, but the overhang can hide pop-ups and deep fly balls.
  • Loge level (100s), back rows. The last 6 or 7 rows of each Loge section are under cover in afternoon games.
  • Infield Reserve sections 1 to 11, row M and up. The Top Deck overhang covers these seats. Reserve sections 12 to 19 have no cover.
  • First base side, right field pavilion, Reserve 60 and Top Deck 58. NLCS games start at 5 or 6 p.m. Pacific, before sunset. The first base side and right field get the low sun and glare in the early innings, while the third base side is shaded.