Oracle Park Overview

San Francisco, known for its charming victorians, famous hills, infamous chilly summers, cable cars, sourdough bread bowls and, of course, Oracle Park, home of the San Francisco Giants. With more hearts left in this city than you can count, it’s no surprise that this stadium is widely considered one of the most beautiful ballparks in the U.S. 

While the park has undergone a comical number of name changes since its opening in 2000, its kooky, welcoming, and vibrant spirit has remained the same. Situated on the east edge of the city, and directly overlooking the Bay, the stadium boasts views alone that are worth the price of admission.  And when you’re not looking at the views, you’ll be trying the food, which I think is some of the best you’ll find at a ballpark. You’ve heard the stories about the garlic fries, and trust me, they’re all true. Just bring some extra gum with you in case you get caught on the Kiss Cam.

Oracle Park and its surrounding area is full of recognizable spots, such as the iconic Coca-Cola slide, the remarkable Willie Mays statue at the park’s entrance, and, of course, McCovey Cove, where you will regularly see diehard Giants fans bobbing around in kayaks waiting to catch a homerun. At the heart of it all is the Giants 4K Video Board, a $10 million undertaking that was unveiled in 2019. 

Oracle Park provides an undoubtedly unique and indelible game-day experience to local and traveler alike. So layer-up, crack open an Anchor Steam, and read on to get ready for an adventure done the way only San Francisco can. 

In this five-part guide, I will walk you through every aspect of planning the perfect S.F. baseball trip.

1. Travel: How to get to SF 
2. Lodging: Where to stay in SF 
3. Local Transit: How to get to Oracle Park and around town
4. Tickets/Seating/Premium: Where to sit, how to buy, which seats are worth it
5. Gameday: What to do before, during, and after the game

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Why you should visit Oracle Park

How many games should you see?

Well, you definitely need to catch at least both a night game and day game, since they are such different experiences. Day games are a blast and allow you to go out and explore the city nightlife afterwards, but night games have a palpable energy. 

Not to mention, the experience you’ll get in the bleachers versus the one you’ll get behind home plate are two entirely different worlds (and both with their unique charms!). Add on the plethora of food and drink options, and I would suggest a bare minimum of two games (but go for three if you can!).

When should you go to Oracle Park?

This depends on your preference. Do you want the quintessential San Francisco experience of being bundled up as the fog rolls in and you turn in your beer for a hot coffee? Come any time between May to July (yes, that’s right, May to July). If you want to be here for our warmest, sunniest, shorts-weather days, come in September. 

(There is a caveat to this: as climate change has reared its ugly head, San Francisco has been experiencing an unprecedented amount of warm days. Your best bet is to stay open minded to whatever weather experience you might have, come prepared, and make a visit to the park based on what works best for your schedule.) 

In terms of ticket availability, when the team is doing well, this place can be really packed. We averaged close to sellout crowds from 2011-2018. But in the last few years, that has dipped with the team’s performance. But a closer look shows that many weekend games still sell out, while it’s the weekday games that are less attended. So watch the standings: if the Giants are doing well, you’re going to want to buy your tickets earlier and prices may be higher, and if you’re coming on the weekend, you should do the same. But if you’re here during the week, then tickets shouldn’t be a huge problem.

Of course key opponents like the Dodgers, Cubs, Braves, Yankees, and Red Sox will always sell well, especially on the weekends.

One more thing to consider is that the park can be especially packed on holidays, like Father’s Day and July 4th, for instance. If you want to avoid bigger crowds, steer clear of these busy dates.

Where is Oracle Park located?

Oracle Park is located on the east side of San Francisco, in the SoMa (South of Market) district, at the corner of 3rd and King streets. More specifically, it’s in a pocket of SoMa called South Beach, which is a walkable area with the Embarcadero on one side, and numerous hospitality establishments on the other. 

It’s located directly off a Muni (San Francisco Municipal Railway) line, making it extremely easy to get to via public transportation. I’ll dive into that more in the transportation section here.

A note about crime and homelessness in San Francisco

We know … you’ve heard that San Francisco has become hell on earth. Crime is everywhere and the homeless have taken over the city and we’re all fleeing to Texas. Well … not quite yet. Yes, we have issues here. Yes, there’s a serious problem with homelessness that the city is struggling to solve. And yes, we’ve got some issues with crime, although the only way you’re likely to be affected by that is if you leave your car parked on the street.

But let’s separate the noise from the truth. San Francisco is an amazing city, and despite our problems, it is still a great place to live, and a great place to visit. We will do what we can to tell you what you need to know about how to navigate the city safely, and what you should be on the lookout for. But there’s no reason to believe you can’t have a fantastic trip to the Bay Area for baseball, and whatever else you have the time to do here.

And if you don’t believe us, take it from the folks at The Points Guy:  It’s a Great Time To Visit San Francisco.

About your Oracle Park Insider

Hi there! I’m Lauren, and I was born and raised in the beautiful Castro district of San Francisco. I have been going to Oracle Park since its opening at the turn of the century, when I was just a kid and more fascinated with the Coca-Cola slide than what was happening on the field. While a lot has changed, Oracle Park continues to be my favorite playground, but with more beer and (slightly) less meltdowns than in my formative years. 

My ideal seating at the park is way up in Section 315, with Gilroy Garlic Fries in one hand and an Anchor Steam beer in the other. I like to sit up here partially because of my odd need to get up and move every ten minutes (way more acceptable in the nosebleeds than directly behind home plate), but more so because it always seems to be filled with friendly strangers and lets me get close enough to the San Francisco stratosphere that I can almost touch the fog as it rolls in. When I’m not sharing insights and tips about my favorite San Francisco stadium, you can find me playing music, making potions, advocating for basic human rights, and trying to get my cat to tell me the meaning of life.

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We hope you enjoy this insider look at Oracle Park.