The Birds Nest

Camden Yards Earns Best Stadium Experience

A website makes Orioles Park No. 1 out of more than 2,000 stadiums.

Even though it’s been all Ravens all the time these past couple of weeks, we can’t forget about the neighboring stadium—that houses a fellow playoff team, mind you. A website called Stadium Journey conducts an annual survey ranking the 100 best stadium experiences, in which they review 2,050 venues and take into account food and beverage options, overall atmosphere, the stadium’s neighborhood, the fans, and overall return on investment.

And guess who ranked No. 1?

Yeah, that’s right: Oriole Park at Camden Yards. In fact, OPACY received Stadium Journey’s first-ever perfect score in its five-year history.

Admirably, the reasons why are exhaustively researched. Some key points the website hits are the influence Camden Yards has had on other stadiums, the variety of food options (especially Pollock Johnny’s sausages and Tako Korean BBQ), the “O!” during the National Anthem, neighborhood bars like Camden Pub, knowledgeable fans, proximity to I-95 and the Light Rail, reasonably priced tickets, and keeping history alive whether through John Denver or Babe Ruth.

“History was made by Oriole Park at Camden Yards,” the website writes. “Its opening changed baseball and the way fans chose to experience games. A fan will revel in its festival-like atmosphere while still enjoying the purity of quality baseball.”

We couldn’t agree more. And, man, do we miss baseball season.