From Madison Square Garden to the Metropolitan Opera House, New York is known for the iconic venues that contribute to its title of “Greatest City in the World.” But few are as storied as Yankee Stadium. And with the April 5th opening day just around the corner, you'll want to get your tickets and plans ready in time to see The Bronx Bombers in their 122nd season.
A winning tradition
With an average attendance of well over three million visitors every year, Yankee Stadium consistently tops the list of most popular destinations in The Bronx. And the reason behind that is simple: they win. They win a lot. In their 121 seasons, the New York Yankees have made the playoffs 58 times, been in the World Series 40 times, and won the title of World Champion a record 27 times. To put that into perspective, for the St. Louis Cardinals (the team with the second-best record) to even come close to the Yankees' level of success, they would have to have 16 years of consecutive wins to tie the Bronx Bombers in World Series titles.
Given the Yankees' record, it's only fitting that their home is impressive. And approaching Yankee Stadium with its 11,000 pieces of Indiana limestone on its facade, it's difficult not to have a sense of awe. But that's only the outside. Inside the stadium, you'll find a museum, first-class food that goes far beyond “peanuts and crackerjack” fare, and one of the best visitor-to-restroom ratios of any park in Major League Baseball. And this is all before you even get to your seat!
The Houses that Ruth and George Built
The current Yankee Stadium opened in 2009 and is located at 161st Street in the Bronx, a few blocks away from the original stadium (nicknamed “The House That Ruth Built” in honor of slugger Babe Ruth) which operated from 1923 to 2008. In the years leading up to the opening of the new stadium, several attempts were made to lure the team away for modern digs in New Jersey or Manhattan, where Hudson Yards was built. In the end, legendary Yankees owner George Steinbrenner secured a sweetheart deal from the city for a new stadium, and the team remained in the Bronx.
At today's stadium, fans enjoy a wider concourse,16 public elevators, 11,560 square feet of retail space for Yankees merchandise, a 59-foot HD LED video scoreboard, 56 luxury suites, 4,300 club seats, and some of the roomiest general seats of any ballpark in the MLB. And that's not to mention 25 fixed concession stands, 112 moveable stands, a host of bars, clubs, and high-end restaurants, a museum, social gathering areas, and the famed Monument Park.
Getting there
By car: You can get there by car, but you'll have to pay for parking and deal with traffic that can range from heavy to stand-still.
By subway: Take the B, D, or 4 to the 161 Street stop
By train: The Yankees-E 153rd Street station is on Metro-North's Hudson Line. It's a 15-minute ride from Grand Central Terminal. There is extra service between Grand Central, Harlem-125th Street, and Yankee Stadium for events.
Arriving at Yankee Stadium
The gates open about two hours before the first pitch and you have four entrances to choose from. Gate 2 (left field), Gate 4 (home plate), Gate 6 (right field, leads into the Great Hall), and Gate 8 (center field, by the bleachers). There are metal detectors at each gate and you won't be able to check a bag, and you'll want to be sure you don't bring in any prohibited items (listed here).
Where to sit
There are seats for all budgets at Yankee Stadium. Fans with deep pockets enjoy the amenities of luxury indoor suites that run from $8,000 to $20,000. Field MVP outdoor suites behind home plate run $200 - $1,000. But as most people will tell you, the real diehard fans are in the bleachers, where seats can run as low as $20, depending on the game.
If you're hoping to catch Aaron Judge's next homerun, The New York Post recommends snagging seats in sections 134, 135, 103, or 104.
As with most baseball stadiums, bringing sunblock is a must. But for those super-sensitive to the sun, sports venue website shadedseats.com recommends the following:
- On the first base side of the park for a day game.
- Behind home plate or on the third base side for a late afternoon/evening game
- Far enough back in one of those sections so that it's under an overhang
- In the back rows of the 400 level under the stadium roof
What to eat!
Food options abound at Yankee Stadium. So much so, that on the rare occasion that the team is losing, it's worth the trip to the Bronx just for the eats. For the 2023, returning food partners included Streetbird by Marcus Samuelsson, Bobby Flay's “Bobby's Burgers,” Lobel's, Mighty Quinn's, Chickie's & Pete's, City Winery, The Halal Guys, Sumo Dog, Benihana, Oatly and Wings of New York.
Food partners and menu items debuting in 2023 included FUKU fried chicken from chef David Chang, premium mac & cheese from Mac Truck, and cheesy garlic bread by Bronx-based chef Christian Petroni.
But the major food buzz was about former Legends Hospitality chef Matt Gibson's 99 burger named in honor of two-time MVP Aaron Judge. The burger boasts Two 4 oz. American Wagyu beef patties, New School American Cheese, caramelized onions, secret sauce, brioche bun, dill pickles. Lettuce and tomato upon request. Heavily in-demand, Yankee Stadium only sells a maximum of 99 of these burgers per game.
For the less adventurous, hot dogs and pretzels are available everywhere.
Yankees History
Like the food options, Yankees fans have more than one option to pay homage to the great players who wore pinstripes in the past.
The Great Hall - Just inside the stadium between Gates 4 and 6 is the Great Hall, a seven-story concourse lined with 20 banners of past and present Yankees superstars.
The New York Yankees Museum - on the lower level at Gate 6 boasts an array of memorabilia that include homeplates, autographs, a facsimile of a clubhouse locker, and the famed “Ball Wall” that has hundreds of balls signed by past and present Yankees.
Monument Park II - a holdover from the former Yankee Stadium, Monument Park is located behind the fence in center field and features plaques dedicated to Yankee greats.
Tour the stadium on non-game days
Can't make it to the stadium on game day, or visiting New York during the off-season? No problem! Contact the New York Yankees tour department at tours@yankees.com to book a public or private tour.
