The Atlanta Braves' home opener is today, April 10 at Turner Field. With the looming move to Cobb County's SunTrust Park and the - let's call them shifts - in the 2015 roster, it's a day that will have a feel all its own. No matter who is closing games or playing right field for the Bravos, one thing is certain; there are a handful of veteran maneuvers you can execute to entertain your friends and do Opening Day at Turner Field the right way.
Tickets
Tickets to Braves games are available through traditional routes like box offices and online. There are only a handful of tickets remaining. After that, get your wallets ready.
Travel
Getting in and out of Turner Field can be a challenge anytime, but there WILL be gridlock in the hours before the Friday night home opener. For those driving to the game, avoid gridlock by being on site before 4:00 pm. Alternative means of travel include the MARTA Shuttle Bus (which begins shuttling from Underground Atlanta 90 minutes before game time), MARTA rail (to Georgia State University station then walk the mile south on Capital Avenue to Turner Field), or by bus (#32, #49, or #55 will get you close).
Tailgate
Where you tailgate at the Ted is largely dictated by the parking passes you purchased to the game. If you want to grill out, or put up a tent it might be best to avoid official Braves parking lots. These lots don't allow any tents, and restrict grilling to grassy areas (and you must have an extinguishing agent). If beer and games are the most important thing (and they might just be), the Blue Lot is the place to be. More specifically, try the grassy knoll that separates the Green and Blue lots, perched just above the center and right field walls of Fulton County Stadium. For those that come early (3-4 hours on opening day) the shade and grass provide the perfect backdrop for corn hole, barbecue and shotgunning Budweiser. Bring your croakies and a visor.
Pre-Game
Before you try to bring a full-sized broom into the game, you should review the list of prohibited items that will be confiscated at the entry gates. Once inside, there are no less than 101 ways to entertain yourself at Turner Field. Gates open two and a half hours before first pitch — plenty of time to take a few balls to the outfield corner of each dugout — where players will usually sign a few autographs before game time draw near.
Don't forget to stick around for Friday Night Fireworks!
Food and Beverage
For the Golden Corral, try the All You Can Eat Seats. For purists, the traditional baseball fare (hot dogs, etc.) is easier to find onsite than a restroom.
The culinary world has also found a niche selling high-end fare to Braves country. The undisputed heavyweight champion of the ballpark is chef Linton Hopkins' H&F Burger; a concept so popular in bringing the famed 10 O'Clock burger to the masses that Hopkins will open another location at Ponce City Market later this year. The burger — named one of Food & Wine magazine's Five Best — is worth whatever line must be endured, and is sold in three locations around the stadium. Similarly, chef Kevin Rathbun offers steak sandwiches served with horseradish cream to the discerning visitors of section 205.
If cocktails and environment are what you seek, you essentially have four options at Turner Field: the bars of Club Level Access, the 755 Club, the many Aramark vendor stations and the Chop House. No matter where you grab a cocktail, remember that Turner Field shuts off the spout at the bottom of the seventh inning.
Viewing Options
There are wonderful sight lines throughout Turner Field. If you want to experiment with watching the game from a new location, the 755 and Chop House are great spots to start. Additional locations for the savvy gamer include the rails above the bullpens in right field, atop the Chop House at Top of the Chop or at Coke Sky Field high above the action (where you can enjoy panoramic views and have your picture made next to a 40-foot Chick-fil-A cow).
TL;DR:
You are a baller, let's do opening day in style. Take a half day at work, hit the blue lot at 4 p.m. to secure a grassy spot. Grill out and celebrate the new season with cornhole. Then join the fun at Turner Field around 7 p.m.; catch a quick picture at Coke Sky Field and snag an H&F burger before settling in for cocktails and crowd at the Chop House. After the game? Don't forget that ticket stub gains you free entrance into the Cheetah.
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