Houston Astros, Houston

Minute Maid Park is the baseball stadium of Houston. It is home to the Astros, the professional baseball team of Houston. The main feature of the building is its retractable roof. By the way, it used to be called "Enron Field"... Go to http://houston.astros.mlb.com/ for info on the Astros, tickets and stadium.

Driving Directions:

Northeast part of downtown Houston

From I-10 West:
Exit Smith Street to Downtown

From I-10 East:
Exit San Jacinto/Main to Downtown
Exit McKee Street to Downtown
Exit Hamilton to Downtown

From US 59 South:
Exit Spur 527 to Travis, take Travis to Downtown
Exit Spur 527 to Louisiana, take Louisiana to Downtown
Exit Gray/Pierce, take Chartres northbound to Downtown

From 1-45 North:
Exit Milam Street to Downtown
Exit McKinney Street
Exit Dallas/Pierce to Jefferson

From US-59 North:
Take Hamilton (ramp that reads "DOWNTOWN DESTINATIONS"; inside lane (left side) after you cross I-10).

From 1-45 South:
Exit Scott (Downtown) to Pease or St. Joseph Parkway
Exit Scott (Downtown) to Pease to Dowling north

From SH 288:
Merge to US 59 North, exit Gray/Pierce, take Chartres northbound to Downtown
Exit Chenevert St. to Downtown

Equipment: To avoid the expensive parking fees, you can park somewhere along the new tramway line (see my Transportation Tips), take the metrorail ($1 per person one way), and walk to the stadium.

Minute Maid Field is a recently built, state-of--the-art stadium made to look like an older building. When it was first built its name was ENRON Field, but for obvious reasons a new sponser was found. Thw whole stadium can be covered by a retractable roof in case of inclement weather.
And just a few blocks to the South is Toyota Center, home of the Houston Rockets basketball team.

We went to 2 games and I have to say, this ballpark is really a nice place to watch a game....

Aside from being a dome (so you don't have to worry about a rain-put!), the park was nice and clean, seats pretty comfortable, and food was above average.

There are a few bars right across the street, which were pretty fun to stop in before the game!

4 more images

Minute Maid Park is a state-of-the-art ballpark, formerly known as Enron Field, which opened in 2000. It changed its name for obvious reasons - Enron went bust - and is now sponsored by the Minute Maid orange juice company. I come from England and we have no stadium for any sport in the same class as this. Its design is beautiful, the seating is spacious and comfortable and the variety of bars and restaurants inside the ballpark is incredble. Make sure you eat inside before or during the game as there is nowhere in the area to eat afterwards. There is a retractable glass roof so you never need to get too hot or cold. One unique feature of Minute Maid is the replica 19th century train which runs along 800ft of a track INSIDE the ballpark whenever a home run is scored.

I booked our tickets online at the Astros website (see link below) and picked them up at the box office on Texas Avenue. I needed to have the credit card I'd booked with and some form of ID - in my case, a passport.

I went to see the Astros play the Chicago Cubs (the Cubs won 7-2 and I think they'll go on to win the World Series this year). I guess the only disappointment for us was that the Astros' star player, Lance Berkman, struck out (see photos). We had $44 tickets, Second Level Club II. I think if I went again I would go for $39 Field Boxes in sections 105-111: they have the sun behind them and a closer view of the action.

2008 ASTROS INDIVIDUAL GAME TICKET PRICES
Location (sections) Individual Pricing
Dugout Boxes (112-126) $50
Field Boxes (105-111, 127-134) $39
Crawford Boxes (100-104) $34
Bullpen Boxes (150-156) $26
Second Level
Club I (211-229) $52
Club II (205-210, 230-236) $44
Mezzanine (250-258) $20
Third Level
Terrace Deck (305-338) $22
View Deck I (413-425) $15
View Deck II (409-411, 427-431) $12
Outfield Deck - adults (405-408, 432-438) $7
Outfield Deck - children (ages 3-14) $1



Equipment: It's worth taking a pair of binoculars and a camera.

Baseball in Houston is a great afternoon or evening out.
The Astros made it to the 2005 Championship but haven't faired so well this year.

Equipment: Spectator Sport