Trip advice

[JohnU]

I will be coming in for Saturday's game, starting from Batesville on I-74.
Want to get to the ballpark by 4:30ish or 5 so we can see the Hall of Fame.
Need some idea on the best way in, which parking lot to pick and how much time to allow. I have tickets.

 

[Hit-n-Run]

Batesville is the 149 mile marker in Indiana, you're about 1 hour from the ballpark. Talk to ten people and you'd get ten different set of directions from there.

I'd continue east on 74 to the I-75 merge.
Take the Freeman Avenue exit
Freeman will run you into Mehring Way, stay left onto Mehring.
Mehring runs along the river and is the south side of GABP.
You'll pass Paul Brown stadium and there are parking lots on both sides before Suspension Bridge.
I always park in the outdoor lot on the left ($10), it allows you to turn right to get back to I-75 the same way you came. Usually traffic is lighter on the south side of the ballpark.
The next light past the parking lot is the right field corner of GABP. Fairly short walk.

At 4-5 PM on a Saturday, you shouldn't have much traffic no matter which way you go.

 

[Hit-n-Run]

Beware of the orange barrels though. There is construction on I-75 through Cincinnati.

 

[JohnU]

Thanks. I haven't been to Cincy in a zillion years and the last time I was there, I came up from Kentucky for other reasons. I am mostly interested in finding the best parking exit.
I will print this out. I appreciate it.

 

[JohnU]

Beware of the orange barrels though. There is construction on I-75 through Cincinnati.

Living in NW Indiana and near Chicago, you can tell its March 1 when the orange cones come out. On Thanksgiving, they take them in for the winter.

 

[Hit-n-Run]

Two exits before Freeman is the Western Avenue exit. Western Avenue and Findlay Street was the right field corner of Crosley. Look to the right and there's Crosley Field. I drive past it 4-5 times a week and still look to see where it used to be.

 

[JohnU]

Back in the ancient times, we used to take old US 52 into the city. I think that was Harrison Avenue. Down that long ass hill through some places I can only remember in a dream -- Dent and Cheviot, a few other lean-to's right next to the highway. I wish I had the time to take that trip again, just for the fuggovit.

God ferbid going up that thing and being behind a truck. That was long before the interstates.

Going to the ballpark from out in Brookville was not all that simple. Near Crosley, parking -- yeah, if you paid a kid 50 cents to watch your car.

 

[Hit-n-Run]

It's funny you mention US 50, it's pretty much what Mehring Way is today when you're going through downtown. It's called Riverside Dr when you get east past the ballpark heading out of town.

 

[Hit-n-Run]

Meant US 52.

 

[JohnU]

I have some hearty memories of US 50 as well, though not as much through Cincy. Used to drive it at night out of Milan, toward Evansville. I got so good at driving that hook at night I could do it at 85 ... cops were never out and only slowed down in Brownstown and Bedford. That was ... um ... during my college years. I don't drive a 327 Impala these days!

 

[Redsfan1507]

I agree completely with H&R directions. Freeman Ave is the way to go. Exit after game is easy, turn right (west) out if the lot and stay in left lane- back the way you came. HOF is cool- allow at least an hour. If for some reason the lots above are full on Mehring way, just east of GABP in parking garage on left $12.

Play the Split The Pot in the stadium-$5 could get you $7500. They draw the winner in 8th inning.

If you are looking for a food/drink spot before game, be very early. Plenty of places just accross the street-west of GABP- the girls at Toby Keith's make Hooters look Amish. Holy Grail is younger, more crowded. In the park, food is good all over, a little expensive. The Smokehouse in RF corner on field level is great for BBQ. 2 miles east of GABP is Montgomery Inn-$$$ but ribs, memorabilia and view is good.

 

[smokerch15]

I would park across the river in the Embassy parking lot and walk across the bridge...

 

[JohnU]

I thought about Kentucky, since my brother and his wife are staying in Covington but I don't do breathing very well these days and if it's humid, the walk would be a bit much. But otherwise, that was an appealing option. Cincy was always a tough town for me to negotiate, a lot worse than Evansville, with both being river cities. Cincy's hills are a bit bigger.

 

[Redsfan1507]

Is this your first trip to GABP ?

 

[Redsfan1507]

I think the hotels in Covington run a shuttle to the stadium-might check with where your staying.

 

[JohnU]

I think the hotels in Covington run a shuttle to the stadium-might check with where your staying.

I am staying in Batesville because I have an event north of Brookville the next day. My brother is going to be in Covington but he's headed somewhere else on Sunday.

I have been to GABP only once -- in 2006 and I recall we were staying at the Ramada, which was a short walk from the ballpark, which is what we did.

 

[Redsfan1507]

Enjoy. I have tix for Sunday 6/9...regrettably moved to 8:10 PM so ESPN or some such entity can have McCarver and Co. announce it like a home town Cardinals game.

 

[JohnU]

Let's hope Sunday is for the sweep.

 

[Redsfan1507]

Uh... for which team ?

 

[Redsfan1507]

I think Saturday is the best chance for the Reds to win, but they need one more to win a series.