It's the first time SunTrust Park has had to prepare for some serious October action. And it's the first time the Atlanta Braves themselves have had to ponder fall baseball since 2013.
Yes, the NLDS is nigh in Cobb County — and the Los Angeles Dodgers are coming to town.
A couple days after series start times went public, Braves announced how it would handle parking.
DEEP DIVE | Party scene around Braves' SunTrust Park stadium missing one piece
The first two games will be played in L.A., and game three will be at the home of the Braves.
Below you can find everything that is known about how to navigate SunTrust Park during this NLDS run.
Parking
You’ve found the best parking guide this side of the Chattahoochee. (For out-of-towners, that’s a river. Some people call it “The Hooch.”)
The Braves predicated their entire parking system upon you figuring it out ahead of time and buying a parking pass early online, and that won’t change.
A playoff change is that the four lots usually only for season ticket holders — Orange Valet Deck, Delta Deck, Braves 9 and Braves 11 — will be open to the public. Season ticket holders will have had a two-hour head start to buy parking passes online.
There are about 14,000 official parking spots at SunTrust. The late Turner Field had almost 8,700.
Here's how it works during the regular season, if you'd like to compare.
What and where to eat
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From peanuts and Cracker Jacks to oysters and mofongo, there’s lots to eat at the ballpark and it’s attached mixed-use behemoth The Battery.
There are joints from celebrity chefs like “Top Chef” judge Hugh Acheson and Atlanta food scene staple Linton Hopkins.
But don't you dare pass up fried tomahawk pork chop or the only Waffle House outpost that sells beer.
What you can bring in
No sticks nor clubs, and leave your brooms at home. Booze and rollerblades are also a no-go.
If you were planning on bringing all those things in:
1. We should party together.
2. You should really read the rules.
Quirky things to know
Speaking of rules, SunTrust Park has some particular ones that might be good to know about.
For instance, you get something out of being a designated driver besides sloppy pats on the back. And, there’s a gluten-free concession stand.
Also, no selfie sticks.
READ | SunTrust Park has its first proposal — and it was in an airplane
Hotels
If you’re staying in a hotel, we’re assuming you’re from out of town. So welcome to Cobb County!
Here's a primer: We recently got a baseball stadium, in case you hadn't heard about it. We can be hip, but we're known as a slowly changing suburb. We use a 56-foot-tall animatronic chicken to give directions — The Big Chicken, it's a thing.
Now that we’ve been introduced, we appreciate y’all spending money here.
Map, seating chart, entrances
This one is also (presumably) for the non-Atlantans. The stadium has 41,000 seats and that means you might need some help finding yours.
Clicking the link above will also tell you when the gates open, if you really want to get to your seat.
One more tip for those visiting: DON'T CALL IT HOTLANTA.
Memorabilia/What to see
With the claim of being the oldest continually operating MLB team comes some history.
Just take the Hank Aaron goodies: there’s things to look for of all sizes, from small silhouettes of Hank Aaron’s famous 715th home run on each aisle’s end seat to a statue of Hammerin’ Hank.
There are plenty more.
Tailgating
With their parking announcement came confirmation that tailgating will only be allowed in lot N29, which is on Circle 75.
There are lots of rules and you should follow all of them.
And then there’s The Battery, which has many bars.
Official watch party
If for some reason you can’t drop everything and travel to Los Angeles with only a couple days of notice, the Battery is hosting watch parties for the Braves road games this postseason.
The Heavy Hitters drum ensemble and ATL Breakers dancing crew will hype up the crowd between innings.
And you can get a selfie with unnamed Braves alumni and the 2018 NL East Championship Pennant.
Batting practice
This right here is for the real fans.
Batting practice is a great way to see a more relaxed version of the players you see on television.
There are even different packages you can guy to get a full BP experience.
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