We love visiting the smaller baseball stadiums, especially in Michigan. The LCMU is definitely on our list of best ballparks in that category. First, easy to order our tickets and parking pass online, especially since I have the MLB app on my phone, that was a bit of luck. We even got a small discount, $22 instead of $24.50, per ticket (we sat in the section right behind home plate). And no surcharge!!! The ballpark is cashless, so be prepared to use your phone or plastic for everything. I am currently experiencing issues with my knees, so what a nice surprise to see they have a place to drop off the mobility challenged very close to the elevator side entrance. Otherwise, lots of steps or a very long ramp are the other options. There was also special parking for us, not handicapped, I don't have a sticker, so that was a huge plus. The ballpark is beautifully designed, with thick cushioned seats! What a lovely surprise. I usually travel with a portable cushion or a thick blanket I can fold up to use as a cushion. Very comfy seats. The concessions offered some unique items, like a Dubai chocolate and strawberry sundae, which was yummy, though a bit pricey at $12.50, but you get that cute thick plastic baseball cap bowl (which we threw away, so I do wish they had a paper option). Burgers, dogs, soft pretzels, corndogs, and fries, are some of the regular fare we see at most of these parks though. Boozy smoothies were also a unique item, though we didn't try one this time. Offered sans booze as well. Also, they have a roving concessions person with the basics, like cotton candy, peanuts, popcorn, bottled water, beer and other na beverages. So while the sundae was excellent, my foot long corndog was lukewarm. But hubby loved his soft pretzel. So a mix of feelings about the food we had. Microbrewery beer was very good though. So while I loved almost everything about this park, there was one big negative. The scoreboard. They have a big fancy digital board that displays each players' stats, which we love, but they use an old school scoreboard to display the score, balls, strikes and outs. No biggie normally, but the lights indicating the balls, strikes and outs, were not working! Someone manually changed the runs, but that was it. If you turned away for anything, you missed where things stood. I had to pull up the game on my phone to be able to tell where things stood, it was annoying. Still, if that doesn't bother you, ha-ha, you can disregard this part of my review. Also, no pitch speed display, something we like to see. Friendly staffers everywhere, another huge plus. It's really a great stadium, except for the food inconsistency (but it is ballpark food, so my expectations were on the low end anyway), and the scoreboard issues. Great for families and the mobility impaired. Fireworks after Saturday night games too, so cool. Worth the two hour drive, easily, in my opinion. read more

It has been years since we came to a game as a family and not part of a large group in the Pepsi Stadium Suite. We came on a Tuesday night, and it happened to be a night they were passing out bobbleheads to the first 1,000 people - our kids thought they were the coolest! There was a line of people waiting to get in at gate opening (5:15pm) but it moved quickly. Once inside we found our seats and we grabbed some food from one of the main concessions stands. They have a fairly big menu, so not just hot dogs. We got a corn dog, three hot dogs, a large fries and two sodas and it came to 61.80 with tip. The food was your standard stadium food - no complaints. We did also get two popcorns, a large cotton candy, and two bottles of water for 41.93 with tax. Here are my main reason for 5 stars: CUSTOMER SERVICE & HOSPITALITY. I was literally so impressed! When we got to our seats with our food, our 5-year-old knocked over our full (not even a sip out of it yet) soda. An employee, no idea his job title, saw what happened and asked us what it was so he could replace it for us, and he did. Totally unexpected and very much appreciated! Also, when my kiddos were standing near where the players were practicing before the game, there was a group of older kids and adults huddled around trying to get autographs. My kids were a little intimidated, so they stayed to the side. Another WC employee noticed this and was able to get a ball and toss it over to my boys. They were elated! A small act that made a huge impact. They were so excited. Our seats happened to be the first row to the left of the WC dug out (awesome seats!) and during the game a player stuck his head around the corner and saw my kids and tossed them another ball. They were on cloud nine! The whole experience at the game was impressive. Lots of fun things to keep us and the kids entertained during lulls in the game. Playground and inflatables for the kids, we took advantage before the game started. Lots of food options, although, we didn't get a chance to try out any of the other options. Lots of local beer options, too! Overall, just a fun night that my kids won't soon forget. We are looking forward to another family outing! read more

Love the Whitecaps! The seating is great, buying tickets is easy, and watching is fun. The concessions are great - there are sooooo many options for food. They also have a craft beer room, so if you aren't a domestic person, they have you covered. Thursday's are the cheap night - $3 beers and dogs. The lines are very slow most of the time, but you can see that they are all trying to be as fast as they can. read more

West Michigan Whitecaps - Burger - Professional Sports Teams Near Me - Comstock Park, Michigan

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So disappointed in their cashless policy. Not everyone can or wants to use a credit card. They say that you can use cash to buy a gift card but of course they will pocket any change instead of returning it. This is a very un-American way to treat patrons of the All-American sport. Not cool West Michigan Whitecaps. read more

I grew up going to whitecaps games, especially since my dad worked with the stadium often. When I turned 16, working at the whitecaps became my first job and I loved it! Such a fun, family environment. This place is great for kids, and adults to enjoy. The stadium is clean, and has a nice variety of concessions to choose from. What I really like is the entertainment that the stadium has out on the field! Such a fun place, and I HIGHLY recommend it to anyone who lives in Grand Rapids/near, and for anyone who is visiting! Always making great memories there! read more

West Michigan Whitecaps - Professional Sports Teams Near Me - Comstock Park, Michigan

Amazing staff and managers. I have had the privilege of working here the past few weeks. Yes it's a job I'm paid for, but it's like getting paid for a night out. The people I work with and the clients we have make the work hours go fast and are a lot of fun. read more

Still would rather to see the Whitecaps that drive to Detroit to Comerica. (That has nothing to do with the season the Tigers are having- I just enjoy Fifth Third more!) Prices a reasonable and quality of the baseball is pretty good- they are young ball players after all and have a lot to learn. The stadium staff has always been king, caring, professional and more often than not part of the fun. A great place for all and always a great time! read more

Update: I was invited back to enjoy Whitecaps baseball one more time. It was suggested that I try the 5/3 Burger, which is 1.67 lb of beef (precooked) with a 1 lb bun and toppings to match. Never one to refuse a reasonable challenge, I drove instead of flew the 1,000 miles back to take on this mammoth. First, it's attainable. The burger's a little smaller than photos would suggest, about the size of a medium deep dish pizza. I've eaten a few of those, so I knew this would be easy. What I didn't know is that they keep track of time, so I dawdled early on before picking up the pace, and that probably cost me the record (I finished in 18 minutes, the record is 17). It's cut into quarters, so I just imagined each one as its own sandwich and scarfed the four sandwiches. I was still hungry afterwards, so I went for another baco, and that made sure I was full. Second, it's delicious. Because they use 5 patties instead of one large one, each one is cooked like a normal hamburger, so retains the flavor and juiciness. It also makes it easier to break up the sandwich into manageable chunks. The toppings include nachos, salsa, and sour cream, essentially resulting in a large Mexican burger. I told the staff that this would make a great regular-size sandwich, and they agreed to pass that note along. Third, if you finish, you get a T-shirt. Your $24 may or may not be worth it for a T-shirt and an overly stuffed feeling, but I estimate there are only about 100-200 T-shirt winners so far, based on there being about 16 winners this year and six seasons of the burger's existence. Everything from my previous review still applies. I might have to make this a yearly ritual to come back and try some more of their varied menu items. read more

Even though I'm from California I still like me a good burger. Just saw this article on msn and I would like to barter a bottle of Napa valley wine for someone to Fedex me this burger monstrosity. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29879843/?GT1=43001 5 beef patties + 5 slices of cheese + 1 cup of chili + salsa and corn chips + 8" sesame seed bun = 2001 Duckhorn Sauvignon Blanc Plus if you finish this burger they give you a free t-shirt. Sounds like a Man vs. Food challenge to me. But something tells me a bottle of beer would go better with this meal instead. Go Giants! read more

West Michigan Whitecaps - Breakfast, lunch and dinner. - Professional Sports Teams Near Me - Comstock Park, Michigan

The experience visiting ballpark, amenities, food, etc. is well done. My most important suggestion is that the pace of the game needs to be accelerated. We were at almost 3 hours through 6 innings. The score was only 4-1. Every change over had some promotion on field. Do we need that every inning? Also the teams need to make quicker changeovers. No need to throw ball around for 3-4 minutes. These guys are 24 and already warmed up. Play ball!! read more

A great team for the single a level. Some strong players make the game exciting to watch. Several championships under their belt and more to come. The team won't disappoint and their home stadium is a pleasure to visit. read more

West Michigan Whitecaps - Professional Sports Teams Near Me - Comstock Park, Michigan

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I made it back to see the West Michigan Whitecaps in all their "glory" (they have the worst record in the league this season) and got to see their asses kicked in the 9th inning. You know what? I didn't care. It was awesome. For the first time since 2005, I made it back to a White Caps game. My dad rented a box for my extended family, like he's been doing the last 5 years, but I've been for lawn and regular seats as a kid and always really enjoyed myself. The game we went to showed the White Caps are still around and better than ever! It was Jedi night - can you say 10-20 years behind the times? what whatever - and we were treated to all kinds of ridiculously-dressed people coming to our booth who wanted their photos with us. Oooh, and the mascot came too! I had all the cocktails and beer I wanted, plus I got to order food of my choice for dinner and dessert. Our food and drinks came quickly - what's not to like about that? The game, and the after-game fireworks, were the ultimate in ridiculousness as I watched goofy games, side-shows, and hysterical sound effects while my relatives' beloved minor league team got the asses pounded. I've decided that I love this and can't wait till next time. It sure beats my relatives' dry weddings! read more

My hubby and I agreed that our experience here made us not want to pay the big bucks to go see MLB games anymore. We had a blast here (even though they lost). Parking was really easy and relatively cheap ($5 I think?), getting into the park was a breeze, and the best part is the tickets are so cheap, you can get the best seats right behind home plate for like $14! Concessions are also ridiculously cheap compared to the $14 6 oz beers you get at MLB games. The park was also very well maintained and clean. I will admit, the game was kind of boring BUT it was made much better by the between-innings entertainment. They had some sort of funny activity going on between each inning that had us chuckling almost every time. This is a great place for groups, kids, couples, you name it, who want to have fun on the cheap on a Friday night! read more

Single-A baseball. Goofy promotions. A fog horn when they hit a dinger. Two Midwest League championships in the last two years, and three in the last four years. What's not to love? read more

Great Grand Rapids entertainment for anyone who's ever sat sweltering in a MLB park, hassled with parking the car a half mile away, squandered gobs of cash on $4.50 sodas, 9.00 beers, and 4.50 hot dogs, and then wondered, "Why am I supporting these guys? It's hot as hell, I'm tired, and every single dude on the field excluding the umps, is a gazillionaire". Oh yeah, that would be all of us, at one time or another. There is an alternative: See Single-A ball for less in admission than one MLB beer costs; park in a beautiful lot hugging the ballpark; drink a 2 buck Coke or a 3 buck beer and eat a 3.00 fresh-grilled chicken sandwich; be completely entertained with pro ball and all sorts of corny shenanigans between every half inning. And watch solid baseball by the up-and-comers, future major leaguers. My wife and I stayed for almost entire game, and neither uttered nor heard nary one complaint about anything. Imagine smiles everywhere. Officially done with Major League Baseball; when traveling I will now opt for a great time at minor league parks and support the local small economy. Good times were had by all, from 8 to 80 year-olds. Felt like a real American along with a few thousand others. Beats just about everything else on a nice summer evening. HIGHLY RECOMMEND. BONUS: Big Al Kaline from way, way, way back-in-the-day Tigers, was there signing autographs. And Larry Parrish, former Tigers catcher great, is now Whitecaps 3rd base coach. read more

I love baseball. I love affordable tickets. I love watching the team that I am cheering for win. I love being annoyed by small children that have no parental control. Actually, I only love three of those things. I secretly (wait, no I openly!) hate one of them. Without all of the damn kids running around ruining my ability to concentrate on baseball, the Whitecaps would be the ultimate in baseball. Unfortunately, people take their kids to the game and treat the section ushers as their paid sitters. Ok people, you pay 7 dollars for a baseball ticket, 10 rows from the field, at least keep your kid on a leash or leave it at home. Enough about that. 5/3 Ballpark is a great place to watch a game. They have a great on field product most years, and it is cool to watch Tigers prospects who may or may not have a shot 3 or 4 years down the road at the big show. The prices are phenomenal, with walkup tickets available for almost every game or you can score online tickets and print them out at home. The concessions are great. The beer vendor on the first base concourse, she is the best. She is a bit rough around the edges and surly, but that is how I like em. Food is decent, but I would encourage upgrading to the premium priced hot dogs over the rack rate dogs, The don't sit wrapped in foil as long! Lots of fresh barbecue too! Thursday nights are the best bargain, I guess that is why they are called Thrifty Thursday. It can be pretty cold for games in April and September, so dress accordingly or drink lots of $2 beers if it is a Thursday! read more

Take your kids and have a fantastic family experience. We took all our boys to a game this past Sunday. On most Sunday's the kids get a free hot dog, chips and a drink. This particular Sunday, kid's tickets were $2 and our 2 year old was free! General seating is $6 for lawn seats. The kids had a blast. We caught some candy being thrown around, my son almost caught some coupons being thrown out, and we missed catching a foul ball by about a foot. The between inning games are fun too. The kids enjoyed the human sandwich, and the blow-up eyeball race. The items in the store are expensive, but thats expected at any ballgame. Kids ended up with a foam finger and light sabre. read more

Minor league ballparks generally fall into two camps: 1) ones that try to harken back to the (g)olden days of baseball; and 2) ones that try to appeal to families. If you are looking for the latter, Fifth Third Ballpark is a must visit. I've been to dozens of minor league ballparks and Fifth Third is one of the most family friendly, amenity-laden ballparks around. HOMERS: -- Amazing concession selection. 5/3 Ballpark has as many choices as any major league ballpark. To top it off they have the legendary 5/3 Burger as featured in Man vs. Food. -- Tons of amenities for the kids: kids run the bases, kids play catch on the field, bounce house, playground, between inning games... you name it and this place has it. -- First pitch experience: Usually to throw out the first pitch at a game you have to be a minor celebrity, a military hero, or work for a team sponsor. Here, RK was able to be one of the people throwing out a ceremonial first pitch through the team's First Pitch Experience. Definitely worth it. -- The staff here is as friendly as they come. From the ticket takers to those working behind the scenes. Good Midwest hospitality. -- The team's Tigers connection really shines through. From banners of Tiger players who played for West Michigan to orange seats from Tiger Stadium to Tiger alumni appearances, they do a great job of connecting the minor league experience to the big league team. -- For a single-A stadium, there are tons of great areas for groups and parties. Not just luxury suites but outfield decks and seating down the line that would make for a great work outing. STRIKEOUTS: -- Architecturally, the place is totally blah. There's no grand entrance or anything really remarkable about the stadium itself. It's look is similar to dozens of others built in the 90s and 00s. read more

This ballpark is really nice! Clean, and great for kids! :) the food is great too, they even have elephant ears! :)

For single A baseball the west michigan whitecaps atmosphere feels at least like triple A baseball. The stadium is in an unique area and the fans are very nice and loyal and things like their "monster" burger want you coming back for more. Although due to there loyal fan base parking really does suck if you don't get there early , you may get stuck with the parking that is at least a quarter mile away. All in all it was a really fun time and I can't wait to go back read more

A great place to take the family for a reasonable and entertaining evening! Highly recommend.