Visiting Petco Park, home of the San Diego Padres

One of my favorite stadiums!

Petco Park, home of the San Diego Padres, is one of my favorite ball parks. It gets high marks for everything that I look for in a baseball stadium. A visit to this park for me isn’t just to see a San Diego Padres game, but a full day experience. We typically take the train to San Diego and walk to the Gas Lamp District where there are so many options to join in the pre-game, fandom experience. From going to Gallagher Park, to having a beer at a local sports bar or riding to the top of a roof top bar to enjoy the spectacular views of the stadium. No matter how you plan your trip, I promise it will be an incredible day!

Petco Park Stadium Highlights

Petco Park, located in the heart of downtown San Diego, California, is the home of the San Diego Padres. It is a modern and iconic baseball stadium known for its unique features that have not only elevated the ballpark experience for us fans but also contributed to the overall revitalization of the East Village in downtown San Diego.

Below are some of the standout features of Petco Park along with some fun facts and a little bit of naming intrigue.

Petco Park - Stadium Facts

Team: San Diego Padres

Opening Day: 4/4/2004

Capacity: 41,164

Surface: Grass

Field Dimensions:

Left Field: 336

Left Center: 386

Center Field: 396

Right Center: 391

Right Field: 322

Home Dugout: First Base

Petco Park - Stadium Features

Petco Park is a relatively new stadium and its construction marked a significant milestone in the development of the San Diego Padres’ home field and the revitalization of the surrounding Gaslamp Quarter.

The idea of a new stadium to replace Qualcomm Stadium, the San Diego Padres’ previous home, had been discussed for years. Petco Park’s construction began in 2000, and it was completed in time for the 2004 Major League Baseball season.

One of the most distinctive features of Petco Park is the incorporation of the historic Western Metal Supply Co. Building into its design. The left-field corner of the stadium was built around the historic structure, preserving its unique brick façade and celebrating the city’s architectural heritage.

Petco Park - Western Metal Supply Co. Building

Originally constructed in 1909, the Western Metal Supply Co. Building served as a warehouse for the Western Metal Supply Company. In more recent history, the Western Metal Supply Co. Building gained significance as a part of the Petco Park San Diego Padres baseball stadium complex, serving as a distinctive feature of Petco Park. It’s incorporation into the stadium’s architecture is seen as a way to honor the city’s history while embracing its future.

As part of the stadium, it houses luxury suites, team store, a rooftop deck, and the San Diego Padres Hall of Fame.

Petco Park - Gallagher Square

Petco Park Gallagher Square (previously Park at the Park) was built to enhance the East Village experience. It is outside of the outfield, but inside the Park. You must pay to enter to see a game and is open 2-hours before game time. It is a 2.8 acre grassy park that includes blanket seating for games, a mini baseball diamond for kids, Bark at the Park, an area where you can bring your dog to the game and the statue of Tony Gwynn. The design behind it was to incorporate a “Town Hall” feeling for the area. The square is scheduled for an update and is slated to be unveiled in time for the 20th anniversary of the stadium in 2024. The new features are to include the following:

A new playground
Fenced, off-leash dog park.
An Improved “Play Ball” Field.
Temporary Pickleball courts.
Public art displays
Enhanced noise mitigation
A new Tony Gwynn Terrace fan viewing deck

Petco Park - San Diego Padres Hall of Fame Plaza, Museum and Honors

Petco Park Stadium has an incredible San Diego Padres Hall of Fame Museum and does a great job throughout the entire stadium grounds to engage fans with memorabilia, history and local San Diego athletic accomplishments.

Features of the Halls of Fame throughout the Stadium:

Padres Cooperstown Inductees
Padres Hall of Fame
Retired Numbers
Breitbard Hall of Fame – Featuring over 100 plaques honoring exceptional San Diego athletes.
Hat wall honoring San Diego’s High School CIF SDS Participants.

Petco Park - Stadium Food

The food and craft beer selections at Petco Park are amazing. The Mercado, located on the Field Level offers so many food options and beautiful views of San Diego Bay and Coronado Island. I am not going to lie, I have not tasted many of the food options, because I ALWAYS get Seaside Market Crack Nachos!

Petco Park - Field Dimensions

Petco Park cost $450million to build and is considered to be “America’s Finest Ballpark.”

With 42,500 blue seats, all are close to the field and are angled toward the pitchers mound.

It is a three tier grandstand that extends from the right field foul pole around to the left field foul pole which is the Western Metal Supply building.

Field measurements:

Left field Line – 334 feet

Left field – 357 feet

Left field alley – 390 feet

Center field – 396 feet

Right field alley – 391 feet

Right field – 382 feet

Right field line – 322 feet

The Petco Park field dimensions were changed due to studies showing that the field was considered an “extreme run suppressing ballpark.” With the revised dimensions, the field is still considered a pitcher’s park, but not like it was.

Petco Park - The Petco Name

The Stadium was named Petco Park after the San Diego pet health and wellness company negotiated a 22-year naming rights contract for $60 million in 2004. This contract is one of the most expensive naming deals of all time. In 2021 Petco extended its affiliation with the Stadium through the year 2027 and contracted with Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. as social media influencers for the company.

Fact or Fiction Regarding the PETA Brick? You decide.

PETA, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, led a boycott against Petco and asked the Padres to back out of the naming deal with the company. PETA claimed that Petco was responsible for animal cruelty in some of their locations, siting higher incidences of animal death due to disease and crowding at some stores.

Allegedly one of the 10,839 fundraising bricks in Palm Court Plaza was purchased by PETA. The brick is adjacent to the entrance of Left Field. It reads “Break Open Your Cold Ones. Toast The Padres. Enjoy This Champion Organization.” It is believed to be an acronym that says, “BOYCOTT PETCO.” I read that the first two brick submissions read “In memory of all the animals who have suffered and died in Petco stores nationwide” and, more simply, “Boycott Petco,” but both were denied.

To see a schedule of San Diego Padres home games click here.

For directions on how to get to Petco Park click here.

Petco Park, home of the San Diego Padres, is one of my favorite stadiums and teams! The stadium is built for baseball fans and visitors to San Diego alike. From the Hall of Fame Museum, seat selection, stadium specs, delicious food options and a family-friendly atmosphere, there’s something for everyone to enjoy at a Padres game.

Visiting Petco Park, home of the San Diego Padres

Petco Park Stadium Highlights

Petco Park - Stadium Facts

Petco Park Table of Contents

Petco Park - Stadium Features

Petco Park - Western Metal Supply Co. Building

Petco Park - Gallagher Square

Petco Park - San Diego Padres Hall of Fame Plaza, Museum and Honors

Petco Park - Stadium Food

Petco Park - Field Dimensions

Petco Park - The Petco Name

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