Let’s Talk Sports, Orange County

Baseball season is just around the bend, as on April 2nd, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim take on American League heavyweights the Cleveland Indians. First pitch is at 7:07 pm Pacific time, and if you’re on the West Coast, watching from your couch with some of your buddies is plenty of fun. Being there in person, though, is a whole lot better.  

The fact is, if you’re looking for events, Orange County, there are few more enjoyable than a baseball game. The Angels, along with new phenom Shohei Otani, will look to contend in the American League West, but even if you’re not a diehard Angel fan, it’s worth it just to get to Angel Stadium at least one time. “The Big A,” as it is sometimes known by locals, opened in 1966, and has undergone several renovations since then, but the basic structure remains the same. With a seating capacity of a little more than 40,000, it’s an impressive piece of architecture, and there are plenty of public transit options for getting there.

If you visit, aside from the excitement of taking in a ballgame, there’s lots more to see and do. If you’re hungry, there are multiple food courts, where, in addition to the requisite peanuts and Cracker Jack, you can get such grub as spicy chicken wings, garlic fries, churros, and short-rib grilled cheese sandwiches. Yes, you read that right. There are also areas to which you only get access with higher priced tickets, like the Knothole Club, the Diamond Club, and the Home Plate Club. Fear not, though. Even if you got cheaper seats, there’s not a bad spot in the park to watch a game.

Wherever you end up, you’re sure to enjoy such features as the “California Spectacular,” in left centerfield, where streams splash down a mountainside of artificial rocks and real trees. There’s even a geyser that erupts periodically. And, of course, there’s the big “A” towering over left field. Overall, there are few ballparks in all of Major League Baseball that are more appealing, and every resident and visitor to the O.C. should have this on your bucket list. Who knows if the team will be any good this year, but a trip to the ballpark always will be.