Home Opener
vs Los Angeles Dodgers · Apr 3
WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Nationals Park
Washington, DCEst. 200841,339 seatsMLB
The first LEED silver-certified stadium in Major League Baseball.
PHOTO: Famartin · CC BY-SA 4.0
Architecture & History
Nationals Park opened in 2008 on the Anacostia River waterfront in Southeast DC, serving as an anchor for the Navy Yard neighborhood's dramatic redevelopment.
Build specs
- OPENED
- March 30, 2008
- ARCHITECT
- HOK Sport (now Populous) / Devrouax+Purnell
- COST
- $611M
Statues & Exterior
EXTERIOR FEATURES
Presidents Race
Outfield
Giant racing presidents (Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson, Roosevelt, Taft) sprint around the warning track during the 4th inning.
Navy Yard Boardwalk
Beyond Center Field
Waterfront boardwalk along the Anacostia River with views of the Capitol dome.
Names & History
2008–present
Nationals Park
Replaced RFK Stadium (2005-2007) as the Nationals' home.
Also known as
Nats Park
The Food
MUST TRY
Ben's Chili Bowl Half-Smoke
A half-smoke sausage with Ben's chili, mustard, and onions. Ben's Chili Bowl has been a DC institution since 1958.
SIGNATURE
Ben's Chili Half-Smoke
Ben's Chili Bowl stand
A half-smoke sausage with Ben's chili, mustard, and onions. DC institution since 1958.
LOCAL
Mumbo Sauce Wings
Various stands
Chicken wings with DC's signature sweet-and-tangy mumbo sauce.
The Beer
DC CraftLocal Only
DC Brau Penn Quarter Porter
DC Brau Brewing
DC's first packaged craft brewery since Prohibition. The porter is excellent.
Sun & Weather Guide
Day Games (1:05 PM)SUN
Sections 101-120, Right Field
Capitol City sun is strong on the first base side.
Day Games (1:05 PM)MIXED
Sections 401-420, Upper Third Base
Upper deck third base gets shade by mid-game.
Evening Games (7:05 PM)MIXED
All Sections
Potomac River breeze cools the park for evening starts.
Insider Tips
01
The One Thing
Get to Ben's Chili Bowl inside the park and eat a half-smoke. Ben's has been on U Street since 1958 and the half-smoke is the singular Washington DC food.
02
The Presidential Race
The Presidential Race happens in the fourth inning. Position yourself on the first or third base side to see the costumes at close range.
03
The Capitol View
Get to the upper deck and look beyond center field at the US Capitol dome. This is the view that separates Nationals Park from every other NL East stadium.
04
Arrive Early
The Navy Yard neighbourhood around Nationals Park is now one of the best dining and bar districts in DC. Arrive an hour early and walk.
05
Parking Reality
Navy Yard-Ballpark Metro station on the Green Line is directly adjacent to the stadium. This is the correct way to get to Nationals Park.
06
Best Value Seat
Upper level sections 300–318 along the third base side. The Capitol dome view is clearest from these sections.
2026 Promotions at Nationals Park
Japanese Heritage Day Hat
vs Los Angeles Dodgers · Apr 4
Vintage Batting Practice Pullover
vs St. Louis Cardinals · Apr 7
Pilgrim Stops Near Washington
Weird, wonderful, and worth the detour.
art
The Graffiti Warehouse
A massive legal graffiti mural wall in Baltimore's Station North arts district. Blocks of paint on brick that changes constantly. The city funded it. The art never stops.
+ 15 min detourFREE
historic
Edgar Allan Poe's Grave
Poe died in Baltimore in 1849 under circumstances that remain genuinely mysterious. His grave in Westminster Hall churchyard was a pilgrimage site before pilgrimage sites were a thing. The catacombs beneath the church are open for tours.
+ 20 min detour
bizarre
National Cathedral Darth Vader Grotesque
A stone Darth Vader holding a lightsaber, Gothic-carved on the National Cathedral.
+ 20 min detourFREE
Plan your pilgrimage
Every Park a Pilgrimage.
Plan a baseball road trip through Washington and beyond.
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