Summer of Baseball: Harrisburg give options for watching

Note: I am finishing my 2015 Summer of Baseball stadium reviews. I have two left, including the one below.

As the end of the 2015 baseball season approached, I was still interested in trying to add a couple of more parks and it appeared there was a chance to do a two-in-one-day trip.

So, hey, why not?

On a nice and hot early September weekend, two of us headed down into Pennsylvania to see two games, with the first being in Harrisburg, home of the Double A Senators. I ordered tickets ahead of time in the “cheap seats,” but when we got there, things would change. More on that later.

The ride down was easy enough and, once we got there, parking wasn’t too bad. But let me tell you something about Metro Bank Park – it’s on an island in Harrisburg. There’s one bridge on and off the island. Some suggestions are also to park off the island and walk to the game. On a normal day, we may have considered this. But with a short window to get to our second game (in York), we needed to have the ability to try and get in and out fast.

We headed down a little early, as normal, so we would have time to check things out before the game. Parking on the island turned out to be pretty easy for us (for when we got there), but I could see where it might be harder closer to game time. It only cost a few bucks to park on the island, so overall not too bad.

We then walked to the stadium, picked up the tickets and headed in. I have to say – this is a cool stadium. Though there are parts that seemed a little “cookie cutter,” I really liked the feel of the stadium. You could circle the stadium, but have to go up and down and over and around in parts. Oddly enough, that was kind of cool as it was different.

Behind home plate, you could walk around the stadium in a shaded atmosphere. The outfield was open for watching the game, which made it cool. The big screen in right field was just that – huge!

Our seats were in left field and with the sun beating down, that wasn’t going to be fun. Down the first-base line, there was a tent area that was kind of cool, but it might not have been the best sight line. So we ended up settling on a spot below the scoreboard, which engulfed that whole area in shade. There were places to stand with a mini table and we parked it there for the game. It turned out to be a smart move.

What a great spot to watch the game from, too! That was the one great thing about Harrisburg — though you had a seat, you had several options on where to watch the game from and it wouldn’t interfere with anybody else. Parks like that are a plus in my mind.

The team store was nice (and air conditioned) and had several good choices. Food at the stadium wasn’t too bad overall. Prices were decent. Before the game, we went to an area where there’s several food options. I ended up with pulled pork and it was pretty good. Later in the game, of course, I grabbed a hot dog. I thought that was decent as well, especially because I got it at the spot below the scoreboard and they made it to order. Made it even better.

The people we chatted with seemed friendly and welcoming, so that’s always a bonus.

It appears the Senators have changed the name of the stadium to FNB Field, so I am sure that means I’ll have to get down there again for a new stamp!

Overall, this trip was a solid experience and it was a good place to take in a game.

Park Notes:  

Metro Bank Park
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Home of the Harrisburg Senators (Double A affiliate of the Washington Nationals)
Visited on: September 6, 2015
Opponent: Akron Rubber Ducks (Double A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians)

Ratings (out of 10)

• Stadium: 8.5/10
• Concessions: 7.5/10
• Parking: 7.5/10
• Ambiance: 8/10
• Friendliness: 9/10

I am continuing the Summer of Baseball from 2014 and hope to blog about each new stadium I visit in 2015. Ones visited in the past can be viewed linked up in the 2014 version.

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook!