PLEASE NOTE, THIS POST MAY INCLUDE AFFILIATE LINKS, MEANING THAT IF YOU CLICK ON A LINK AND MAKE A PURCHASE, I’LL RECEIVE A SMALL COMMISION. THIS WILL COME AT NO COST TO YOU.
As we circle the concourses at the Toronto Blue Jays Ballpark, I’m panicked. Specifically, I’m panicked over helmet ice cream. Helmet ice cream is a staple at most stadiums and is important to our ballpark goals, but today, at Rogers Centre, it is elusive.
Canada is a hockey country. I’ve heard that there is a lack of fervor when it comes to baseball.
As I stand in the entrance line to enter the Toronto Blue Jays Ballpark, I feel misinformed. The senior ladies in front of us are decked out in their Blue Jays finest. I’m envious of the sparkly blue sequins. The father and son standing behind us discuss the players in today’s line-up. The young boy is excited to watch his favorite athletes. His baseball glove is ready with the hope of catching a ball. The fandom radiates. Canadians are, in fact, passionate about baseball.
Getting There/Parking/Leaving
Staying at the Ballpark
The easiest way to get to the Toronto Blue Jays Ballpark is by sleeping there. The Toronto Marriott City Centre Hotel is the first hotel built inside a stadium. You can book a field-view guest room and watch the game from your room’s floor-to-ceiling window. Call room service, and they will deliver hotdogs and beer right to your room. Yes, we did consider spending a night or two. It’s a pricey splurge, and in the end, though it would be an awesome experience, we feel it would not provide an authentic ballpark experience.
Driving and Parking
I’d only suggest driving if you have no other options. The Blue Jays Ballpark sits right in Toronto’s downtown. It’s only steps away from major Toronto tourist attractions like the CN Tower.
From our observation, the traffic is nightmarish, and due to its downtown location, you will have to pay to park in a parking garage.
Walking
We used our World of Hyatt points to stay at the Hyatt Regency. The hotel is only blocks from the Rogers Centre. It was a pleasant walk, and as the game was our first Toronto activity, it gave us a chance to pass restaurants, coffee shops, and attractions to visit during the week.
Taking the Train
Toronto has one of the best and cleanest public transportation systems we’ve encountered in our travels thus far. Depending on where you are staying in the city, you can take the TTC (Toronto Transit Commission) train to the Union Station stop and walk to the Blue Jays Ballpark. If you want to spend the day sightseeing around the city before the game, you can purchase a PRESTO day-pass and use the train and buses all day for one price.
Leaving
The grass is always greener. I’ve heard people say how neat it is that Philadelphia has all of the sports stadiums/arenas in the same place. It’s one-stop for all of your sports needs. The problem is you can’t just walk to the main tourist attractions or restaurants from the ballpark. We love cities like Toronto, where you can exit the stadium and are overwhelmed by the number of walkable attractions and restaurants. Since we attend an afternoon game, we savor the ability to exit the ballpark and walk a few blocks to dinner.
The Stamp
As soon as we enter the Blue Jays Ballpark, we head to the Jays Shop. As soon as the staff see us holding the MLB Stamp book, they get the stamp ready.
It is very easy. As we turn to walk away, a staff member approaches. Though we are dressed in Blue Jays colors, we are getting a stamp, so he asks where we are from and if we are visitors. We respond yes, we are visiting from Philadelphia. The staff member is an avid baseball fan. He names his favorite Phillies players. We discuss the Blue Jays’ and Phillies’ seasons so far and hopes for a post-season. Thanks, Zachary. We had a great time talking baseball with you.
Overall, we find all of the staff at the Rogers Centre to be friendly and welcoming to ballpark visitors.
The Stadium
We greatly anticipated our first dome. It did not disappoint.
It’s an afternoon game, and the temperature outside is hot, humid, and sweaty. What an absolute delight it is to sit in a temperature-controlled building, under cover, not dripping with sweat or baking in the sun. It’s lovely to enjoy the game with zero weather concerns.
The concourses are bright thanks to the walls of windows. The seating areas are clean and comfy. There is a section with bleachers.
If you travel up to the 500 level, there are several social spaces with bars, food stands, and cool places to chill.
I also appreciate the ballpark’s photo op spots.
Rogers Centre is easy to navigate, and although it is a well-attended game, the concourses
never feel crowded.
Restrooms are clean and plentiful. There are minimal to no lines for the entire game.
The Blue Jays allow you to bring an empty reusable water bottle into the ballpark. They have an ample number of water bottle refill stations.
In our experience, Blue Jays fans are polite and friendly. They love their team, but there is no cruel hostility towards their opponents. No one is too drunk or disorderly. Everyone is here to enjoy a day of baseball. It’s refreshing.
Food
I feel conflicted about what food to get at the Blue Jays Ballpark. There are several popular items. The question is, do we go with the most tasty or the best content? Poutine is the food of the Canadian people. The Ballpark has traditional poutine over fries and a poutine dog. The poutine dog is a hot dog topped with gravy and cheese curds. In my research, no one found the ballpark’s poutine or the poutine dog delicious. Since we already had our poutine experience at Poutineville in Quebec City, we get the highly recommended foot-long hot dog at Schneiders Porch.
We top our hot dog with sauerkraut and mustard. It is a tasty hot dog. It has a good bite and isn’t mushy. They do not skimp on the sauerkraut. The bun is soft. Cutting the foot-long in half to share is a messy affair.
We eat at a standing table. Consuming it at our seats will surely lead to a mustard-covered disaster.
If you feel like baseball and hot dogs are a traditional winning combo, get the foot-long at Schneiders Porch. It’s a level above your basic ballpark dog.
I see them all over social media. They are the cotton candy fries. French Fries topped with a blue garlic mayo sauce and blue and white cotton candy. It’s a sweet-savory combo, but even more makes a perfect social media picture. The online advertising works. A lot of people are carrying around cotton candy fries. Most people rank the taste somewhere between okay and gross, so we skip the creative fries and stick with our favorite ballpark dessert, ice cream in a helmet.
Ice Cream in a Helmet
It’s our second lap around the concourses. We see ice cream, we see helmets, but we do not see ice cream in a helmet. Finally, we stop and ask. We are told that the ice cream stands are out of helmets. There are no helmets. Panic. In addition to our stamps, we collect a helmet at every ballpark we visit. There are plans for an ice cream helmet display. Uncertain when we will visit Toronto or Canada again, we are flooded with disappointment. Then we remember. We did see a stand with helmets.
Ascending to the 500 level, a stand comes into view. It’s selling a dessert with brioche, topped with a berry sauce and whipped cream. It’s served in a helmet. It’s time to problem-solve.
We share the brioche dessert. A relief washes over me as I hold the miniature plastic Blue Jays helmet in my hand. The sauce is flavorful, but the brioche is dry. What it could really use is…ice cream. Later, we get a cup of vanilla ice cream. Like the Minnesota Twins ballpark, Toronto is a sprinkle-less. I set the cup of ice cream in the helmet.
It is our Blue Jays ice cream in a helmet work-around.
Celebration
Unfortunately, it’s not the Blue Jays, best game today. We don’t witness any celebrations, but there are some fun other extras.
We get to hear the Canadian National Anthem open the game.
I’m jealous that the Blue Jays have their own song. During the seventh inning stretch, fans jump to their feet for an “OK Blue Jays” sing-along. There are even arm motions. Everyone is wildly enthusiastic.
It is terrific.
Between innings, there is a Blue Jays old-school Super Mario mash-up. It’s a Gen-X dream.
This is our first illuminate the stadium with your phone to usher in the closing pitcher.
Fan participation makes a game extra entertaining.
Conclusion
There is something special about a nighttime baseball game in an open air ballpark where you can look out at a glittering city skyline. However, I think both open sky and dome experiences have their merits. Rogers Centre is a brilliantly designed stadium. Blue Jays fans are great, and the overall ballpark experience is fun. The Blue Jays ballpark makes our list of excellent ballpark visits.
Find A Great Place to Stay in Toronto
