Over the next few weeks I will put together a guide to Coors Field and the surrounding area. I will list some of my favorite places to visit before/after/during Rockies games. It will be an eight part series and will cover the following:

1. Best places to eat before a Rockies game
2. Best places to celebrate a Rockies win
3. Best places to park (or other alternatives)
4. Best corners or street vendors to hit up before entering Coors Field
5. Best food inside Coors Field
6. Best seats in Coors Field
7. Other fun things to do at Coors Field
8. Other great places to watch Rockies game, if you can’t get sunburned in person

They will all be in a top five or top 10 format and today we will visit the best places park for a Rockies game.

I have been to 18 different Big League ball parks and it amazes me how some of them have no real good restaurants, or numerous choices, to have a drink after a ball game. We are lucky in Denver that Coors Field sits in Lower Downtown Denver, or LoDo for short. After any Rockies game on a beautiful summer night in Colorado you have a myriad of options to choose from to satisfy that thirst.

I have been to numerous stadiums where the only parking available was controlled by the team with expansive parking lots surrounding the stadium. I have been to some ball parks where the only parking is in people’s yards or small lots where you might have to walk 10 or 20 blocks to get to the stadium. In Denver we have both options. There is a good sized lot behind Coors and numerous lots privately owned within walking distance of Coors.

Finding the right place to park at The Keg can be tricky, but I will give you some very good options that are priced right when visiting the Rocky Mountain home team.

Park your rear end down and take some notes…

1. South corner at 18th and Market. There are two parking garages and two large parking lots at 18th and Market. This corner is only three blocks from the home plate entrance to Coors Field. I personally favor parking garages because it is sheltered and if it rains or is real hot, your car is protected. My favorite place to park is on the south corner of 18th and Market. The parking structure there is usually a cheap $5 to park. Across the street in either of the parking lots it is normally $10 and even in the other parking garage on the west corner it is $10. Save $5 and walk across the street

2. Parking meters. This option only works on Sunday’s. The meters in Denver are free on Sunday’s so you can park right next to the stadium (almost) for free. If you are going to a Sunday game – what else would you do on a Sunday afternoon in the summer? – get down there early, check out my list on places to eat before a game and enjoy life and park for free. I can usually get a spot on Blake between 19th and 20th if I get down there around 11am for a 1:05pm first pitch. This is less than a block from the front door and Blake is a one way that goes away from the stadium for a quick escape after the game.

3. The Light Rail. Two things come to mind when some people think of the Light Rail. First they think it is expensive and second they think it is too busy and crowded for sporting events. I think of two things myself, relaxing and smart. This is what I do: I go to the Broadway station and park because there is always plenty of parking at this location. From that station it is only $2 per adult, one way. The trains come every 10 – 15 minutes so you do not have to wait to long for the next train. Besides, watching people is my second favorite past time and there is plenty to watch at a Light Rail station. While most people catch the C or E train to Union Station, I would rather catch the D, F or H train to 18th and Stout. This provides two benefits to me. The first being that the trains are a lot less busy and I can get a seat and relax. The Light Rail trains are very relaxing. The second reason is that it does provide a nice walk to Coors. From 18th and Stout it is nine blocks to Coors Field. If you do not want to walk, then this is not the best option for you. I find it nice to walk a bit to help get rid of some of those calories from the beer or hot dogs. You can also get off at either of the 16th Street stations and take the free 16th Street Shuttle to Wazee and that would only leave you four blocks to walk to the third base side entrance.

4. Rock Bottom Brewery. This is one of the many places you can eat along 16th Street. Rock Bottom, if you eat there, will validate your parking pass for the garage under the street at their location on 16th and Curtis. Getting downtown early and having lunch or dinner and then walking to Coors is a great way to save some money on parking. From Rock Bottom you can catch the 16th Street shuttle to Wazee or just walk the nine blocks to Coors.

5. Coors Field. The last place is the most obvious. Coors Field does have expansive parking to the north and northeast of the stadium. For Parking Lot A it is usually $12 to park and Lot B is $10. Both are large and they do have shuttles to help you get to the stadium. The main reason I do not like the stadium parking is because leaving the game is a headache. Trying to get out of those parking lots can take forever, or about as long as it takes for an M. Night Shyamalan films plot to develop.

Those are my top five places to park for a Rockies game. Use this to make your Coors Field experience a bit more enjoyable.

Next up – best street vendors.