Dodgers travel guide to Tropicana Field

Adric at Tropicana Field. May 28, 2023. | Michael Elizondo / True Blue LA

So you have decided to heed the call to adventure. Good for you.

If you need to recall what the Guide is or who I am, please refer to the included links.

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The shabby ice rink that God forgot

The Guide has the following to say about going to a game at Tropicana Field (“the Trop”), home of the Tampa Bay Rays:

Saying the truth feels like bullying, all things considered. But at the end of the day, no one told these jokers to reduce their insurance coverage while living in an area prone for hurricanes. Still, could be worse — you could be at loanDepot

Park.

The main adjective that comes to mind when I think about Tropicana Field is “shabby.” The Trop opened in 1990 as a multi-purpose arena, sharing its facilities with the Rays and the Tampa Bay Lightning of the NHL, who moved in 1993 before departing in 1996.

From the lighting to the views to the overall vibe while walking around the stadium, it is as if you've been magically transported to an off-brand circus, a sketchier version of the now-animal-free Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. While the venue had a permanent roof, it was air-conditioned, which helped during Memorial Day 2023.

Keeping the above in mind, it is impossible to discuss this ballpark without acknowledging the ecological elephant in the room: Hurricane Milton. On October 9, 2024, Tropicana Field was indeed the shabby ice rink that God forgot. The following day, God remembered and took the stadium’s roof as recompense.

Now that the sun is up, here’s a 360-degree view of the damage Hurricane Milton caused to Tropicana Field’s roof and the inside of the ballpark. Absolutely heartbreaking pic.twitter.com/ZCtPHv6rE9

— Ryan Bass (@Ry_Bass) October 10, 2024

Accordingly, in 2025, the Rays are playing at George M. Steinbrenner Field, the spring training home of the New York Yankees. Unlike the Trop, this facility is an open-air stadium, which makes sense in March, when the weather cooperates. In the summer, in the blistering, unforgiving Florida humidity and rain, having an open-air stadium borders on madness.

To no one’s surprise, the Rays’ schedule in 2025 was adjusted to front-load home games to the earlier part of the year. Unfortunately, for the Dodgers, they visit in the height of the dog days of summer.

Will the Trop seem like paradise after three games in exposed Florida air in August? Yes, probably. Any Florida ballpark that has air conditioning in summer is a godsend, as the 2025 Dodgers are likely about to find out.

I have no guidance as to the games in August 2025, except to recommend staying home. With the smaller venue, ticket prices have soared, and I would expect Dodgers/Rays tickets to be a premium affair, even being exposed to the elements.

As the Rays are scheduled to return to the Trop at some point in 2026, this Guide will proceed as planned, which will be small comfort to those fending off the Florida elements.

The Trop suffered from numerous, maddening flaws, and yet still is the superior baseball experience in the Sunshine State. As one of the smallest venues in MLB, one will generally respect the passion of those fans who manage to show, and yet be appalled by the quality of the experience.

Michael Elizondo / True Blue LA

The Trop from the Air. May 26, 2023.

Yes, it is a shabby venue that you can quickly walk around, but if forced to choose, I would return here over loanDepot Park. Here is everything you need to know when attending a Dodgers/Rays game at the Trop.

The Five Questions of the Guide

1. Is it worth going here?

No, but if you have to go to a Dodgers game in Florida...

Michael Elizondo / True Blue LA

Section L117. Tropicana Field. May 26, 2023.

Much like its cross-state cousin, the Trop offers a subpar baseball experience. Yet, one can find nice things to say about the ballpark without much effort. The ballpark’s fatal flaws are the stadium’s location and the underlying cheapness of the operation.

The Rays on the field are generally fine to good, somehow McGuyvering themselves into playoff contention every year with a shoestring budget, some pluck, and some glue. The venue feels like an amateurish attempt at being a Major League stadium, which is a bit unfair considering the literal minor league ballpark in West Sacramento masquerading as a proper MLB venue.

There are lighting issues with the Trop, but they are not as severe as in Miami. This same view would have caused me a migraine, whereas in St. Petersburg, unless I look directly at the light, I can enjoy a baseball game.

The food was fine, if unremarkable. Anyplace that serves a vodka vanilla donut milkshake (with a heavy pour) on a Sunday morning cannot be all bad, especially when all hell is breaking loose on the field. The Trop did offer souvenir sodas that one could both fill themselves and offer unlimited refills for the duration of the game.

Suppose you wanted to take a tour of the Trop, you are out of luck, as they are not offered. I knew this fact before my trip in 2023, and proceeded to make my quasi-photo tour, including the ray tank where one can pet rays at no additional cost. No one warns you about the smell, though. The lower level is partially blocked off with alcoves containing team memorabilia.

I found exactly one Customer Service table that had to be cajoled into giving me a physical First Game Certificate, which was about as plain as they come.

Michael Elizondo / True Blue LA

First Game Certificate. Tropicana Field.

Rays’ fans are generally a faithful, if small, and rowdy bunch. Considering the logistical hurdles they have to navigate to get to St. Petersburg, they are attentive and committed to their team.

2. How should I get there?

Michael Elizondo / True Blue LA

Outside Tropicana Field. May 26, 2023.

If you live in California, one typically gets to Florida by plane. But landing in Tampa International Airport is only half of the battle. YouTuber Kevin Linkowski (aka UTree) published a video essay in 2021 describing the logistical headache of getting to Tropicana Field.

Fair warning, the intro of this video essay did not age well because Wander Franco had not been arrested or convicted of sexual abuse in the Dominican Republic at the time of the video’s publication.

The logistical headaches present in 2021, described by Linkowski, have persisted. Imagine if Dodger Stadium were in Pasadena or Oracle Park were in Vallejo; the traffic bottlenecks would be nightmarish at best, and you would have an understanding of how much of a pain it is to get to St. Petersburg.

Yes, new ownership is coming. Yes, the Rays abandoned the moronic plan to split time in Canada. No, the bridge construction is not done yet — think Spring 2026.

Yet, the Rays persist like a weed in an inhospitable environment. Assuming you take this Guide’s advice, you can walk to the ballpark with a modicum of effort. Anything beyond that, you will be forced to drive yourself or take a rideshare, as there were no public transportation options to get to The Trop when I visited in 2023.

Traffic around the ballpark clogs rapidly and intensely before and after games. Still, if you are willing to wait in the parking, eventually the area clears out and feels weirdly abandoned once the congestion works itself out.

3. Where should I stay?

If actually getting to the ballpark is the most significant hurdle to going to a Dodgers game in St. Petersburg, then finding the right place to stay is the second-biggest hurdle. Unlike other ballparks, there is a correct answer as to where to stay when going to a Dodgers game in the Tampa area.

Screenshot courtesy of Google Maps

The hotels near Tropicana Field.

There are four hotels within a short walk of the Trop. Pick one and you will be fine. There are even some local restaurants and bars on the same street as the Tru by Hilton, which are reasonably priced and usually filled with locals and tourists before and after games. I waited out the crowds by getting a bite to eat and drinking too much before returning to my awful hotel a couple of miles away.

Personally, I would probably not pick the Staybridge Suites unless the other options were sold out because of the car traffic one would have to navigate. This selection of hotels allows you to go to and from the ballpark with relative ease. The area near the Trop is hardly what I would consider pedestrian-friendly, but it is a small price to pay for bypassing the hurdle of driving or ridesharing.

The problem with these hotels is that they will likely rival your airfare as your largest expense. When I went in 2023, the hotel prices near the ballpark were about $1,000 for the entire three-game series.

I stayed elsewhere for significantly less money, further into St. Petersburg, which was a spectacular mistake as the area gets pretty rough, pretty quickly. Honestly, if you are going to travel to Florida from California, spend the money to be closer to the ballpark to save yourself the headache.

Screenshot courtesy of Google Maps

Don’t do this. 2.7 miles is sometimes a lot further than you think.

Sometimes 2.7 miles is a lot further than you think, especially in an area designed for having a car. Imagine the drive somehow taking 20 minutes, and you will experience a portion of the frustration I felt while trying to go to Dodgers/Rays games in 2023. The pedestrian unfriendliness gets even worse the farther you get from the stadium. Staying in Tampa proper is not a viable option for the previously mentioned logistical issues.

4. Where should I sit?

Michael Elizondo / True Blue LA

From the Rays Club. Tropicana Field. May 27, 2023.

One of The Trop’s saving graces is that tickets are not that expensive. As you can see from the footage, the field has this desaturated look that arises as a combination of artificial turf and the stadium’s indoor lighting, which was more annoying than painful.

Like American Family Field, you get what you pay for. The main flaw with seating in this ballpark is that, unless you are in the very front row by the field, being in the front row of the section leads to obstructed views of people going back and forth. Moreover, there is a limited selection of viable seats to watch the game.

While the Rays did have sales for seats for $20, even with the Dodgers visiting, one has to take care to follow the advice in this entry, as a seat where you cannot see anything due to people walking by, a bad angle, or a claustrophobic seat is no bargain to speak of.

Map courtesy of the Tampa Bay Rays / Illustration by Michael Elizondo / True Blue LA

Sit in the blue L and you will be fine.

Generally, you will want to sit at least four rows back to get that sweet spot of view without people obstructing your view of the game. There is a walkway bisecting seats on field level, think rows PP-TT, which can feel claustrophobic and are often blocked by people going to and fro.

Michael Elizondo / True Blue LA

Section L117, Row PP, Seat 5. Tropicana Field. May 26, 2023.

Like loanDepot Park, The Trop’s upper deck is sealed off due to a lack of attendance. The catwalks are a unique feature of the ballpark, but honestly, they are a testament to the bad design of the ballpark.

If you have made the effort to go to St. Petersburg and get a hotel that is within walking distance of the ballpark, there is no reason to sit in the outfield, as the game plays out with almost a reverse-batter’s eye, a solid wall of blue seats that makes watching the game difficult.

Michael Elizondo / True Blue LA

First row of Center Field. Tropicana Field. May 28, 2023.

One might be tempted to default to “luxury” seating at The Trop. You can upgrade your ticket after scanning it and entering the ballpark for a fee on the MLB Ballpark App. This option allows you to watch the game from Rays Club seating, located in Sections 104 to 126, as indicated in purple on the diagram.

Food, drink, including some alcohol is included with your ticket in this section of seating. Unless you are a glutton, there is no way that you are going to recoup the costs of your ticket in food. The main drawback to this section is the high number of seats packed into each section. The seats are too close together by row.

If I were shorter, I would not have noticed any issues. As I am taller than Mookie Betts, my knees were banging against the seat in front of me for the entire game I sat there. Overall, seating will not likely be an issue, so pick someplace where I suggested at a price that works within your budget.

As a final note, one might be tempted to sit right behind home plate. The narrow seat issue is not as bad here, but for how empty the ballpark is, you will quickly be surprised by how cramped it can actually be.

5. After your trip, is it worth going back?

Michael Elizondo / True Blue LA

The rotunda upon entering Tropicana Field. May 27, 2023.

In the disclaimer to the Guide, I described the informal range of subjective outcomes that can occur after visiting a location. So far, I have attended three games at Tropicana Field in 2023, during which the Dodgers won one. After this visit, my rating of going to Tropicana Field is:

• Hey, that was somehow NOT fun. Why did I put myself through all of this work?

The Trop is a flawed, shabby ballpark. One could easily call it a dump, but there is a rough-hewn charm that makes the place endearing for a single visit. But to some, it’s home.

Will the Trop seem like paradise after three games in exposed Florida air in August? Yes, probably. Any Florida ballpark that has air conditioning in summer is a godsend, as the 2025 Dodgers are likely about to find out.

How would I fix the Trop? Easy, a new ballpark that is in downtown Tampa, which does not feel like a hockey rink. I am not asking for a second version of PNC Park. If the consensus is that your home ballpark is a dump, that fact cannot be waived away as being snooty. The fans of the Rays deserve better, and hopefully, within the next few years, they will get something better and something that rewards their ongoing faith in their plucky franchise.

The Trop avoids the bottom rank of the Guide through its passionate fans, being slightly cheaper and less irritating lights than its cross-state neighbor. For its many, many faults, it is a major league ballpark, which some other venues cannot credibly claim. Here’s hoping the St. Petersburg faithful get to watch games back home very soon.

Michael Elizondo / True Blue LA

Adric: See you next time!

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