Going to the home of the San Francisco’s Giants at AT&T Baseball Park was one of Brenda’s ‘Must Do’ activity so off we went. This time caught at the 19th Ave and Judah St stop the Express bus that stopped off at Montgomery St in the Financial District. So it was only a short walk along 3rd St passing the Yerba Buena Gardens and nearby where the Salesforce Dreamforce team were getting an early morning presentation to get to the AT&T Park in time for the 10.30 am tour.

Because of tonight’s “The Concert For Kids”, a fundraiser that will benefit UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital and Children’s Hospital & Research Center Oakland presented by the Salesforce.com Foundation in conjunction with their Dreamforce conference and gala, part of the normal tour had to be altered but several other areas not normally included were opened to us.

Tonight’s concert festivities included live music, cocktails and special presentations plus headliners include Grammy-award winning rockers Green Day, Rock N’ Roll Hall of Famers Blondie and local rapper MC Hammer. A sound check was being done during our tour. Plus it started to rain and I fear the worst for tonight’s based on the day’s wet forecast.

Thomas our tour guide for just the 4 of us was both very knowledgeable and informative. He provided lots of history and stories of the Park. Besides seeing the press box, the visitor's dugout, home plate (you can't go onto the grass, though!), and the indoor batter's cage, the luxury suites were incredible. Pity that the concession stands were closed. The club levels and even the displays full of memorabilia and now the Championship Trophy was impressive. AT&T Park has been named one of the most sustainable ballparks (better known as being environmentally conscious). Even though we didn't get to see any baseball players, it was still a wonderful experience.

From the AT&T web site:
AT&T Park, Home of the World Series Champion San Francisco Giants, offers public "behind-the-scenes" tours of the park at 10:30 am and 12:30 pm almost every day. It's one of the few ballparks in America where home runs can become "splash hits."

Where the breathtaking Bay views from the park rivals the action on the field.

Where one of baseball's most hallowed franchises plays inside an architectural landmark.
 
On the tour of the ballpark, you will go where the players go when you visit a dugout, the Visitors' Clubhouse and field.

I now know a little bit more about baseball including who Willie Mays is and what a “splash hit” is.