Great American Ballpark
Cincinnati, OH

Review by Gary

Cincinnati was the last stop on our family’s Roadtrip America journey and the Queen City’s great ballpark in middle America did not disappoint. Set right on the banks of the Ohio River, like it’s predecessor, Riverfront Stadium, and a few blocks from the NFL’s Bengals’ Paul Brown Stadium, Great American Ballpark opened in 2003. It is nestled among many pubs and restaurants where fans can hang out before and after the game. Despite the Reds woeful place in the standings in late August, seeing baseball’s oldest professional team with a handful of diehard fans was a truly a great experience!

PROS

No bad seat. This open stadium allows fans to walk around the entire park. Huge
multi-level concourses stretch around the outfield, where you can look up and
down the Ohio River, across to Kentucky and back into downtown Cincinnati.
The “toothbrush” light towers are a welcome change of pace to the typical light
standards.
Longines clock above the scoreboard. This replica of the original analog clock from Crosley Field is a superb nostalgic contrast to the high-def video boards of today.
The Riverboat Deck in left field is a private party area, but looks like a riverboat from the seats on the 1st and 3rd base sides.
The tall Smoke Stacks in right center field are reminiscent of the steamboats that were common on the Ohio River in the 19th and early 20th centuries. These launch fireworks and light up after every Reds home run and win. When the Reds strike out a batter, fire blows out of the stacks. Very cool.
Reds History & Pride: Mosaics, banners, statues, sculptures, and murals abound to pay respect to the rich history of the Reds and their players.
Concessions & Facilities: There is a vast selection of food and drink here and no shortage of facilities, especially ladies rooms, which my family appreciated. They
even have a nursing station!
The Reds have a Hall of Fame Museum adjacent to the ballpark, which looks great…

CONS

…The Reds Hall of Fame Museum charges admission on game days! I understand that this museum may be operated by someone other than the Reds, but certainly a discount off the $10 admission ticket by ticket holders on game days wouldn’t break the budget.
There aren’t really any notable bad things about the Great American ballpark. This was truly a wonderful experience at the end of a fantastic road trip around the country.