Nationals Park

Finally, a place for Washington to cheer on its American pasttime: baseball. For the past two years, Washingtonians have been able to don a scripty W hat and take the metro to the Nationals Park by the Navy Yard to watch its new home team, the Nationals, participate in the sport each summer. This year, the team's acquired the latest pitching sensation in Steve Strassburg, explaining why his name is appearing as frequently as President Obama's in the local news media.

Nationals Park opened in 2008 with the first game of the major league season, playing the Atlanta Braves. President George W. Bush ceremoniously threw out the first pitch.

It's the first LEED-certified “green” ball park in America, the first of any major sports stadium. It seats 41,888 attendees. From some seats, the Washington Monument and Capitol can be seen at a distance. It's a family-friendly park, painted in patriot reds-and-blues but exuding more of a clean theme-park feel than a Hail-USA kind of place.

There's a corner of the park dedicated entirely to little fans less interested in the sport but fascinated by the build-your-own-mascot shop and the jungle gym. For bigger fans, there are several Nats gear shops around the park if you came without a hat or jersey to sport, and for expensive fans, there are 79 air-conditioned luxury suites from which to watch the game.

For eating, there's more than just your $8 beer and $6 hot dog because, after all, enough Washingtonians go to the ball game wearing Brooks Brothers. There's also some local favorite foods: Five Guys burgers, Ben's Chili Dogs, Dogfish Head brewery and Flying Dog Brewery beer, sandwiches, wraps and even a gelato stand. For seated dining, there's the Red Porch restaurant in center field, with patio dining on the field and concourse sides.

During the game, there are fun Washington references made, including a Presidential race around the park among Washington, Teddy Roosevelt, Jefferson and Lincoln. They are also known as the “Racing Presidents” and are peripheral mascots to the actual mascot, Screech the Eagle.

Tours of the park are available before games and on non-game days. For $15 you can check out the behind-the-scenes portions, including the dugout and clubhouse.

HelloWashingtonDC Tip: Arriving by Metro is the best recommendation for fans. If you must drive, reserve your parking on line and don't say you weren't warned.

- by Rin-rin Yu, Washington Reporter for HelloMetro  (Click to leave a message)

Rin-rin Yu

Rin-rin is an award-winning writer and journalist based in the Baltimore-Washington area. Her work has appeared in China Daily, DAYSPA magazine, Luxury Home Design, Aquatics International, Not For Tourists and other publications. Rin-rin has also worked for ABC News, WHDH-TV (NBC) in Boston and Hanley Wood Business Media. She has a master's degree from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. She is an avid world traveler and maintains a travel blog, www.mytravelhats.com.