How to get to Progressive Field
Local transportation is a much smaller factor in Cleveland than, say, New York or Washington DC. With the exception of getting from Cleveland Hopkins Airport to downtown, the need for actual “transit” once you’re in the downtown area is minimal. The longest distance between any two relevant tourist points in the downtown area might be 1.5 miles … and far less for most of the places you’re likely to be going to and from.
Which means that the best way to get around Cleveland is by walking. But we also understand that walking isn’t the best option for everyone. So let’s fill you in on how to get to and from the ballpark.
Walking to Progressive Field
There’s absolutely no question that the most effective method for getting to Progressive Field is walking. Every hotel that we’ve recommended in the downtown zone is within a one mile walk of the ballpark, and most are less than that. This is an easy city to navigate, and any navigation app can get you to where you’re going.
We are also confident in suggesting that you can walk back to your hotel at night after a game. As you would in any city, you should always be aware of your surroundings, and don’t turn off the streets into any dark alleys, but there’s no reason to worry about walking around downtown at night.
Can you take the subway to Progressive Field?
Well, you can from the airport or from the suburbs/other parts of Cleveland. But you can’t take it to the ballpark if you’re already downtown. The only RTA stop in the downtown district is at Tower City, and once you’re in downtown, the subway is no longer relevant for getting from place to place downtown.
Is there a bus that goes to Progressive Field?
Sort of, but it’s just not relevant. You’d have to be staying at very specific hotels that happen to be on the bus route, and even if you were, they wouldn’t save you more than a few blocks of walking.
In addition, we don’t love recommending the bus system to visitors. Yes, it’s reasonably safe, but there have been a few incidents in recent years that are enough to make us say that this is not the transit method you should be using.
Before thinking about taking the bus, we would suggest you either A) pay the extra money for a hotel closer to the ballpark, B) take a quick rideshare from your hotel to/from the stadium, or C) rent a scooter from Lime or Bird, which are located on the streets around downtown.
Driving to and parking at Progressive Field
We mentioned in the Travel chapter the strategy of not crossing Cleveland when driving to a game. The most popular lots around Progressive Field all contend with that I-90/Ontario logjam that turns the area into a traffic-induced parking lot of its own.
If you happen to purchase parking directly from the team, it will be in the Gateway East garage just to the north of the stadium (premium parking in Lot P is also in that same garage, but has a separate entrance off of Bolivar Road).
But given the traffic we just mentioned, we don’t prefer this option. We would instead suggest finding your own parking in a nearby garage a little farther away from the ballpark.
Progressive Field recommends ParkMobile for buying parking, but we’ve found that ParkWhiz and Spothero often have better availability and prices, so we suggest doing some quick comparison shopping. Rates are so variable that there’s no way to definitively tell which app will be the better deal on any given day.
ParkMobile
ParkWhiz
SpotHero
Parking to the west
If you’re coming in from the west, parking at Tower City Center is a savvy move as there’s multiple alternative routes to getting there than down Ontario, but it can be pricey.
In general we would say anything in the vicinity of Cleveland Public Square along Superior Avenue is fine, and for day games you can even stretch above Superior to the cheaper garages near the Westin. This also applies for those coming in from the southwest on I-71. Anywhere in that direction is a good bet and parking apps are the best way to find a spot.
Oftentimes, advance fares for parking will be less expensive than winging it downtown on gameday.
Parking to the east
If you’re coming from the east, there are a lot more options. Anywhere between the Wolstein Center and Progressive Field is a good option as those are safe, highly-trafficked areas just a few blocks from the ballpark. This also applies for those coming in from the southeast on I-77.
We consider parking garages between Progressive Field and East 18th Street to the east to be safe and reasonable to walk to. And anywhere north and west of the ballpark within reasonable walking distance is also safe and well-lit.
Options due west, south, and southwest are limited given its proximity to the Cuyahoga River and interstate highways. But for good measure, stay north of the highway and east of the river.
A couple of parking places that we would not suggest are:
The JACK Casino garage
They often charge exorbitant rates during events downtown.
Gateway East Garage
Though conveniently located and sometimes reasonably priced, the half-mile stretch on Ontario from I-90 can be a nightmare traffic-wise.
Taking a rideshare to Progressive Field
If you look at the Guardians’ website, it will tell you that there’s a Lyft pickup zone on the northeast side of the ballpark, at Erie Court and 9th St. But that’s wrong.
We’ve verified this with the Guardians front office, and the pickup zone is actually on Ontario Street, right in front of the main team store.
But the reality is that you don’t have to use this spot. You can just as easily walk a few blocks into downtown and order a rideshare from any hotel location. In fact, getting a few blocks away from the ballpark may help your driver avoid traffic getting to you.
Bottom Line
Progressive Field is a very easy park to get to. As we said, walking will be your best friend while you’re in downtown Cleveland, and it’s absolutely the best way to get to the ballpark. But driving is fine, and rideshares are relatively easy, too.
