The Padres are the Major League Baseball (MLB) team in San Diego and the locals have embraced this team since 1969. 

The Padres are the Major League Baseball (MLB) team in San Diego and the locals have embraced this team for 50 years. During that time, the Padres have won two National League pennants - in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both years. They have had 14 winning seasons in franchise history, with the last being in 2006.  There has been a lot of hype and build up for the 2019 season when the Padres signed free agent Manny Machado for a 10-year, $300 million contract.  At the time, it was the largest free-agent contract in American sports history.  However, the Philadelphia  Phillies signed Bryce Harper two weeks later for $330 million, surpassing the Machado record.  

Whether you are a baseball fan or not, experiencing a Padres game is one of the funnest things you can do while in San Diego.  The Padres play at Petco Park, one of the best ballparks in American sports. Petco Park differentiates itself from many other Major League ballparks built in the same era by eschewing "retro"-style red brick and green seats. The stadium is clad in Indian sandstone and stucco; its exposed steel is painted white and the 40,209 fixed seats are dark blue. The design is meant to evoke the sandy color of San Diego cliffs and beaches, the blue of the ocean, and the white sails of boats on the nearby bay.

Architects pulled restaurants, administrative offices and other amenities away from the seating bowl itself into other buildings surrounding the bowl. As a result, the ballpark's concourses are open not only to the playing field but also to the surrounding city. Unlike many outdoor ballparks, in which the batter faces northeast, at Petco the batter faces due north, and fans in the grandstands are treated to a view of San Diego Bay and the San Diego skyline. The Park at the Park, a grassy berm sloping above the outfield fence, is open during games, allowing fans to sit and watch games for $10. When no games are being played, the Park at the Park serves as a free local park for area residents. In 2012, Fox Sports San Diego began hosting pre-game and post game programming at Petco Park. 

Everyone has their own routine when coming to Petco Park.  I like to attend the day games, so I can take in the view and appreciate the warmer daytime temperatures and avoid a chilly night at while watching a game.  When the Padres are in town on a Sunday, they always play at 1:10 p.m.  Most weeknights they play at 7:10 p.m. and Saturday games are usually at 5:40 p.m.  There are occasional day games on Wednesdays, but I'm usually at work and unable to attend. My favorite seats are in the lower 300 section just to the right of home plate.  This allows us to be in the sun and stay warm (average temps in San Diego are about 70 degrees) and be able to see the HD videoboard head on.  There is usually a west wind coming off the bay, but the seats here are blocked by that breeze.  So it can be quite warm while many other parts of the stadium can be so cold.  While still on the top level, these seats are just below the nosebleed section and are often far cheaper than sections in the 100's or 200's.  They offer a perfect view of the city skyline and of the field.  If you want an added level of attention, I suggest sitting in the Toyota Terrace on the 200 level.  Here you can order from a select menu at your seat without ever having to miss a moment of the game.  But personally, I prefer to get up and get my own food and experience what Petco Park has to offer.  

The $450 million Petco Park officially became home to the San Diego Padres in 2004.  It was originally scheduled to open in 2002, but legal and political fights prevented it from opening as scheduled.  Therefore the Padres continued to play at Qualcomm Stadium during those seasons - also home to the former San Diego Chargers National Football League (NFL) team.  The construction of Petco Park was the start of the downtown revitalization that spurred the development in the East Village area of downtown San Diego.   

When building Petco Park, the architects wanted to preserve the history of the Western Metal Supply Co. that was originally built in the 1920's. This brick building, currently in left field, was once the site of a booming business that supplied cars parts and sporting goods.  The business went bankrupt in the 1970's, but now the the building houses suites for games, a bar for entertainment and a retail shop for Padres gear.