Things to Do:

With the Reds' vast history, you'd be remiss if you didn't stop by the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum, located on the West side of the park. It's probably one of the best Hall of Fames in baseball with 16,000 square feet of exhibit space spanning two floors.

On the Terrace Level you should check out Fan Zone, built on the former site of Riverfront Stadium. You'll find interactive games for kids, a playground, a huge concessions area, picnic deck, and occasional live music before a game. It's definitely a great place to meet up before a game.

Food and Drink:

There are a few sit-down restaurants open to all ticket-holders that you may want to check out pre-game. The Riverfront Club on the Club Level is a more upscale restaurant and bar, that offers in addition to a regular menu, an all-you-can-eat buffet for $20 during day games and $26 for night games. The Machine Room Grille is a brewpub on the Suite level in the left-field corner. Much less upscale, it has a fun blue-collar feel, serving things like burgers, pizza, and BBQ.  Also on the Suite Level is Club Red, with an open-are patio, a beautiful view and happy hour every Friday home game.

As for general concessions, there are plenty of local foods offered here in addition to standard ballpark fare. For the true Cincinnati experience, visit Montgomery Inn, a classic local restaurant, with a stand at Section 131 on the Terrace Level serving fantastic pulled pork or chicken. There's also the local favorites LaRosa's Pizzeria as well as Skyline Chili serving a cheese Coney dog, a small hot dog topped with sweet Cincinnati chili and a mound of cheddar cheese. And you can follow all that up with some soft serve ice cream from United Dairy Farmers. If none of this appeals to you, food is allowed inside, so don't worry.

Near the children's play area in the FanZone, you can find a $1 food vendor selling hot dogs, popcorn and small drinks - each for just $1.

Some Dugout Dog Stands offer Veggie Dogs along with other standard ballpark fare. 

There's a new addition to the park that beer-drinkers must check out. There's a new system called Bottoms Up, which is supposedly the fastest way in the whole world to pour a beer. The bartender puts a special cup on this appliance-thing and suddenly beer RISES FROM THE BOTTOM, filling the cup in 4 seconds. You'll find this new stand on the terrace level near the main entrance.

The Ballpark and Neighborhood:

Officially opening its doors in 2003, the home to baseball's oldest team is located on the Ohio River in downtown Cincinnati. The seemingly patriotically-named Great American Ball Park (it's actually named after the insurance group that owns the naming rights) is a significant step up from Riverfront/Cinergy - the team's old venue. It's more open and has a few unique touches - like the Power Stacks in right center field. Representative of the old steamboats that were once common on the Ohio River, smoke blows out of the stacks when the Reds strike out a batter and fireworks are launched from them after a Reds home run or victory. This park may not stack up (no pun intended) to some of the other newer stadiums in terms of design, but it has a cozy and intimate yet spacious feel all at the same time. 

You'll find a few bars directly across from I-71, or Fountain Square at the corner of 5th and Vine only a few blocks from the park, is Cincinnati's central commercial area. There are plenty of places to grab a drink or a meal in this district as well - many of them great little hidden gems in downtown Cincy. See our "Before & After the Game" map for some suggestions.

Getting There/Parking:

Driving is probably the easiest way to get there, unless you're staying in a hotel downtown in which case you can obviously walk. Access is fairly easy, being nestled between I-75 and I-471. Traffic can be pretty bad on game days, and there is parking very close by, but leave yourself time to sit in traffic getting in and out of lots immediately surrounding the stadium.

There are lots and garages to the East and West of the Stadium, and will be around $12-$17. Lot D to the West off Mehring Way between Elm and Joe Nuxhall Way is $12, as is Lot B also to the West and adjacent to the Central Riverfront Garage on Pete Rose Way. The Central Riverfront Garage will be the most expensive option at $17. If you're coming from the East, The East Garage is adjacent to the US Bank Arena with entrances on Pete Rose Way and Mehring Way and is $14.

You can try to find some street parking in Cincinnati proper, but a better option is to park in Newport, Kentucky and take the bridge over. The parking garage at Newport on the Levee, a large entertainment, shopping, and dining area is much less expensive and will allow you to avoid a lot of traffic congestion. Check the exterior map to find it. If you decide to park at Newport on the Levee, you'll find plenty to do, eat, or drink before or after a game in that area, which is another good reason to park there. To get to the ballpark from there, you have two simple options. Southbank shuttle bus stops are located on Third Street in front of the Levee and they will take you over the bridge, or you can simply walk 15-20 minutes over the bridge.

Another option: Queen City Riverboats has a $5 round-trip ticket from Hooters and The Beer Sellar (301 Riverboat Row) in Newport, KY. For more info you can visit: http://queencityriverboats.com/

Public Transportation:

The Transit Authority of Northern Kentucky offers service if you're coming from outside Ohio. You can take TANK's Southbank Shuttle to all Reds home games for just $1 and the service operates every 15 minutes from hotels and major attractions along the City of Covington and City of Newport Riverfronts. Southbank Shuttle service hours are extended on game days (one half hour past completion of the game). For more info visit http://www.tankbus.org/

Also be sure to read our "Info Inside the Stadium" section for some great things inside the park.