Fenway Park - Boston Red Sox vs. Toronto Blue Jays 7/4/11

July 3rd and 4th, 2011 are days that I will always remember. They will go down as my first visit and first game at Fenway Park in Boston. While on an East Coast trip to celebrate my aunt and uncles wedding in nearby Rhode Island, my family and I made a trip up to Boston to celebrate the 4th of July and catch at game at Fenway. On the afternoon of July 3rd, we were able to catch one of the last tours that day of Fenway, rain or not. Just before the tour, we got a bite to eat at a restaurant called Game On. It backs right up to the Green Monster portion of the park so it gives you the feeling like you are in the park. The tour starts inside of the Red Sox team store directly across the street from Fenway. The team store itself is an experience itself as a fan of baseball could easily spend nearly 20-30 minutes inside of it just seeing all of the history combined with the size alone. Those who are fortunate to take the tour are given a detailed historical tour that makes Fenway the ballpark that it is.

During the tour, our guide took us through-out Fenway including the famed Green Monster, Press Box and Red Sox Hall of Fame. The next day, we ventured out early to Fenway as it was a day game against Toronto. Fenway is the perfect location for a baseball stadium as the surrounding streets are closed before and after the game. Here you will see many street cart vendors and fans coming and going from the local bars and restaurants. Not even 8am is early enough for the diehards to start pre-gaming before a 1pm game. As a tip to any first timers, eat before the game or wait in line at the bottom of the stadium for your food. There are no vendors through-out the stadium you will have to get out of your seat to get food at the lower level during the game. If you are planning on catching a game at Fenway, purchase your tickets in advance as much as possible. I had to purchase mine on StubHub many months in advance.

TD Garden - Boston Celtics & Bruins

TD Garden was the conclusion of my 30th birthday trip last year. While in Boston, I ventured to the famed TD Garden for WWE Night of Champions PPV. The arena is home to the NHL's Boston Bruins and NBA's Boston Celtics. The TD Garden replaced the legendary Boston Garden in 1995 after it had become obsolete. The Garden was built only inches away from its predecessor atop Boston's North Station, a major transportation hub. Hopefully someday I can make it back here to catch either a Bruins or Celtics game.

Chase Field - MLB Arizona Diamondbacks

Becoming the fastest expansion to win a World Series (2001), the Arizona Diamondbacks became an expansion team during the 1998 MLB season. Built as the first stadium with a retractable roof in the United States, the Diamondbacks have called Chase Field in Arizona home since their debut in the National League. During my trip to Phoenix last year, I was able to take in two games and a tour of the stadium. It was also my last time to see Atlanta Braves 3B Chipper Jones during his farewell tour before retiring at the end of the 2012 season.

The tour itself is a treat unlike many others, you get to see an experience a lot many fans don't. The tour started just outside of the team store prior to departing into the interior of the stadium containing the 2001 World Series Trophy and items from the 2011 MLB All Star Game.

During the tour, we were allowed access to many areas of the park that are usually off-limits to fans including the press box, media room and dugout. There is also the chance that you run into a player like we did, Philadelphia Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon. What other MLB stadium can also boast that they have an operating hot tub within the confines of their stadium? While we were in the press box and dugout, we were fortunate enough to catch a portion of the Phillies batting practice.

The stadium itself has one of the best atmospheres in the game for any fan of baseball. Cheap food and beer along with crowd participation. If you are one of those who prefers to eat before the game, I suggest checking out TGIF Fridays located in left field. A portion of the restaurant faces the stadium and offers outdoor seating. Did I also mention that if you arrive early enough that you can watch batting practice from it?

University of Phoenix Stadium - NFL Arizona Cardinals

In April 2012, I decided to make a trip out to Phoenix with a good friend to take in a few baseball Arizona Diamondbacks baseball games. Along the way, we arranged a tour in nearby Glendale at University of Phoenix Stadium, home to the NFL's Arizona Cardinals and NCAA Fiesta Bowl. This was my second time to the stadium but the first time I actually was able to experience it as a fan. While working for Fan Foto, I made the trip to Glendale with a few co-workers to cover the 2008 Fiesta Bowl between the Oklahoma Sooners and West Virginia Mountaineers. Growing up, I was used to the atmosphere of an NCAA Football game going to several UCLA games each year at the Rose Bowl. The Fiesta Bowl completely blew me out of the water seeing the mass amounts of fans who made the trek for this annual bowl game at the conclusion of the season. The stadium is located in a site located nearly 15 minutes west of downtown Phoenix that also includes Jobing.com Arena (NHL Phoenix Coyotes) and a strip mall. Those of you who are sports junkies like me know how important it is to have quality food locations near the stadium before and after the event.

At first glance, the stadium appears to be a giant UFO situated in the middle of the desert but is loosely modeled after a barrel cactus. It features the first fully retractable natural grass playing surface built in the United States that allows for the playing surface to be exposed to daylight. Just outside of the stadium, the Cardinals named the plaza surrounding their stadium in honor of former NFL player Pat Tillman who gave up his football career for the Military before dying in combat.

The tour is a must do for any sports fan as it highlights what makes the stadium unique. Fans are treated to how local history was contributed into the design of the stadium, a trip to the visitors locker room and the teams press box. The tour guide was not only very knowledgeable but answered any question that they had directed at them.

Heritage Field - Yankee Stadium Hollowed Grounds

Following its closure in 2008, "The House That Ruth Built" began its transformation into parkland named Heritage Field. Located on the hollowed grounds where Yankee Stadium once stood, was incorporated into three natural turf baseball fields, the largest oriented in the original direction of Yankee Stadium. Heritage Field is located directly across the street from where new Yankee Stadium is located. A portion of the façade from Yankee Stadium can be seen in the photo above. If you ever have the opportunity to make a trip to NYC, the site is worth a trip to visit.

Ebbets Field Site - Brooklyn Dodgers

The home of the Brooklyn Dodgers from 1913 - 1956 before they moved to Los Angeles. The grounds where the stadium once stood is now home to the Ebbets Field Apartments. The exterior facade of Citi Field in nearby Queens was influenced by Ebbets Field. Ebbets field was home for 5 NL Pennants and the 1955 World Series for the Brooklyn Dodgers, their only before relocating to LA. The photo is from a bus tour I took in Brooklyn, NY in August 2011.

Petco Park - MLB San Diego Padres

I had the opportunity to pay a visit to Petco Park in May 2012, home of the San Diego Padres. The stadium opened in 2004 as the replacement for nearby Qualcomm Stadium which served as home for the Padres from 1969 - 2003. The open-air stadium is located in downtown San Diego within walking distance of the famed Gas Lamp District was built into the historic Western Metal Supply Building located in left field. It offers fans easy access to the stadium from the nearby trolley and provides views of the downtown skyline and neighboring cities.

Prior to that evenings game against the Miami Marlins, I booked a tour of the stadium along with about a dozen other fans. While most tours MLB stadiums provide access to portions of the stadium usually not accessible to the general fan (field, club house, press box), sadly Petco Park didn't. During the treat we were taken around several parts of the stadium that were limited to a portion of the press box (below it), the Padres Hall of Fame and the Western Metal Supply Building before ending up in the lower bowl as batting practice commenced.