Carroll B. Land Stadium
San Diego, CA
Review by Mike
Location, location, location is the mantra of every real estate agent since the first caveman rented a cave with a nice view of the tarpits. Carroll Land Stadium is a modest little NCAA D2 ballpark that would be a pleasant enough venue pretty much anywhere else. However, perched as it is at the precipice of the seaside cliffs of Point Loma in San Diego, with an unrivaled view of the Pacific Ocean and a refreshing offshore breeze, the nickname “America’s Most Scene Ballpark” may just be apt.
I arrived just in time for the game after a tip from the friendly groundskeeper at Triton Ballpark in La Jolla. Parking is a challenge as the ballpark is on levelled ground cut into the steep hills that descend to the sea. The result is a scattering of small lots, few of which are at the same elevation as the field, requiring a hike either up or down to reach the gate.
The stadium is simplicity itself, with five rows of seats, interrupted by a small press box, wrapped around home plate. There is a covered party deck on the 3rd base side and a small standing berm on the right field line. An office structure is behind the concourse on the 1st base side and the roof of that building is given over to hospitality and groups. The fellow guarding the stairs was nice enough to let me up there for a few photos.
A nice scoreboard in right-centerfield displays the usual information along with a small video board. The seats are really close to the field. I mean really close. A wild pitch rebounding off the back wall might reach 2nd base before a baserunner trying to advance. It’s all super cozy and intimate. Mostly, though, you just can’t stop looking at the view, which on this day was a little foggy, unfortunately. Still, the simple audacity to build a ballpark on a cliff has to be admired.
Concessions consisted of a small selection of snacks and drinks and a grill where meats were being prepared, and the pleasant smell wafted across the seating area. The stadium was packed on my visit as it was playoff time and the Sea Lions of Point Loma Nazarene University were hosting UC San Bernardino. The crowd was lively, the breeze was salty and delightful, and Carroll Land Stadium was simply wonderful.
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2026
309
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