Well we finally made it to all 30 MLB with the opening of the Marlins new ballpark. First of all let me say, as everyone else has in Miami, "At least it has air conditioning!" I'm going to break up the review in several parts from family friendly parts, to not so family friendly, to areas I liked better than most and other areas of the ballpark.

My son and I were seated in the Clevelander area of the ballpark. I chose this area of the park because you can look right into bullpen of the Marlins players and see them warm up. In addition I thought it was the best place to catch any batting practice ball. After the experience I felt that the area was too upscale and too adult for any child under 12. As the tickets suggest children must be with an adult above 21 to enter the Clevelander area. I should have listened the warning because after the game began it was not an area for children whatsoever. I was sorta disappointed because it was the adults who were acting foolish around the bullpen rather than the kids. And after sitting there with my son I felt that we were getting forced out. Food at the Clevelander was nothing fancy and not worth the price.

Now for other food options in other parts of the park there is plenty of options to choose from. From the traditional ballpark fare, hamburgers, pizza and of course local Cuban food. There were sushi and other specialty fare items as well. There is enough to keep everyone happy. As for the concourses they were wide and spacious and open. You shouldn't have a problem moving around the areas with ease.

The one area of interest is that they have a small bobblehead museum that seemed to get alot of foot traffic.

On the history note they did have one giant display that signified the area being the location of the old Orange Bowl but it was paltry and did not include any artifacts on display. The only other item of interest in relation to the Orange Bowl was the half buried light mural on the north side of the stadium.

As for kids there wasn't much. I didn't see any play areas or anything operating that seem to be a family focus.

Now a really big plus. The scoreboard has more statistics on it then most average fans needs. On one particular player I saw his stats from the past 5 years against the particular pitcher. I like stats just like anybody else but this was sensory overload. But the time you got the first line another stat line appears.

Now after the game there are several large televisions outside for fans to view the game at their leisure. It was a plus who couldn't get tickets but also for those who wanted a brief break away from the crowds.

Now, for parking. IT'S A NIGHTMARE! Prepay for your parking so you can park in the parking structures. If you don't you will be parking on someone's lawn. If that is your cup of tea then so be it.

On a scale from 1 to 10 I give Marlins Park a 7.

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Comment by Mary (17) on April 11, 2012 at 8:21pm
As a Nats fan I totally agree with you re Loria! On the other hand, I can't hold it against the park - I totally hate Peter Angelos, but totally love Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
Comment by Thequesters Too on April 11, 2012 at 5:55pm
I would suggest getting some pre-paid parking in the structures close to the stadium. It is more expensive than the "local" lots in front yards, vacant lots etc. It may add some charm for some but for me I was extremely hesitant. However, with that being said, there are some Cuban restaurants close by that serve some excellent meals if you are up for it.

As for the lime green...eh....I'm not a big fan of the park for the main reason Loria and his corrupt behavior that has killed one team (Expos) and will kill another (Marlins).
Comment by Mary (17) on April 11, 2012 at 9:41am
Would there be enough parking if the game was not a sellout, say ballpark half full? Thanks for a good report, though. We are hoping to get down there for a series, gradually getting to all the parks. We may wait a couple of months until they have figured out the flow, which they can't know in advance, like a new restaurant.
Comment by Tim Choiniere on April 8, 2012 at 7:33pm

Congrats on all 30.  I have 9 to go including Marlins Park.  I dont care for the new park on TV.  How does all the  lime green look in person? Thanks for the tip on parking as I will be doing that in June

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