Ballpark · Baseball
Fenway Park
Fenway Park is the oldest ballpark in Major League Baseball and the best argument for why the old ones should be kept. It was squeezed into an existing street grid in 1912, and every quirk in the building comes from that constraint: the thirty seven foot left field wall exists because the lot ran out, not because anyone designed a feature. The result is a park where the dimensions are asymmetric, some seats face the wrong way, and the atmosphere is better than at anything built since.
Approximate and configuration dependent. Day and night games have historically carried slightly different published figures, and the park has added and removed seating repeatedly.
What happens here
The teams and events that put this venue on a fan travel itinerary.
Home teams
Major events
- MLB regular season and playoffs
- NHL Winter Classic
- Concerts
- Soccer
How it got here
The history that still shapes what you see on a visit.
The park opened in April 1912, days after the Titanic sank, and has been in continuous use ever since. The left field wall was covered in advertising for decades before being painted green in 1947, which is where the Green Monster name comes from. Seats were added on top of the wall in 2003, and a long renovation programme through the 2000s saved the building at a point when replacing it was seriously discussed.
Getting there
Including what changes on the way out, which is usually the harder half.
Transit summary
Kenmore station on the Green Line B, C and D branches is a five minute walk and is the main route in. Fenway station on the D branch is a similar distance from the other side. Lansdowne commuter rail station sits directly behind the left field wall. The park is close enough to Back Bay to walk in about twenty minutes.
Parking and rideshare
Parking around the park is scarce, expensive and mostly in small private lots that fill early. The surrounding streets are residential permit zones. Rideshare pickup is pushed several blocks out because the streets around the park close to traffic on game days. The Green Line is the only sensible answer.
Where to stay, eat and drink
Nearby hotel areas
- Back Bay (best base, twenty minute walk or two stops on the Green Line, wide hotel range)
- Fenway and Kenmore (closest, walk to the gate, good value outside the season)
- Longwood and Brookline (quieter, good value, short Green Line ride)
- Downtown and the North End (best food, fifteen minutes on the subway)
- Cambridge (better value across the river, one change to reach the park)
Bars and restaurants nearby
- Lansdowne Street directly behind the Green Monster, the main pre-game strip
- Jersey Street outside the main gate, closed to traffic on game days and turned over to the crowd
- Kenmore Square, busy and convenient, a mix of bars and chains
- The Fenway and Boylston Street for better food a short walk south
Tours and visits
Fenway runs one of the best stadium tours in American sport, operating year round and almost every day, taking in the Green Monster seats, the press box and the field where the schedule allows. Tours on game days run in the morning only and follow a shorter route. Book ahead in summer.
Practical tips
Planning a visit to Fenway Park
- Check for obstructed views before buying. The park is over a century old and steel support columns genuinely block sightlines in some sections.
- Some seats in the grandstand face the outfield rather than the infield, a legacy of the original layout. Read the seating chart carefully.
- Take the Green Line. Driving to Fenway is close to pointless.
- The Green Monster seats are a distinct experience and priced as one. They sell out well ahead for good fixtures.
- Games against New York sell and price very differently from a routine home fixture. Identify which one you are buying into.
Bags, security and accessibility
A bag policy limiting size is enforced and there is no storage on site. The park is cashless. Accessibility is genuinely constrained by the age of the building: accessible seating exists but is limited and located in specific areas, so arrange it when booking rather than on the day.
Related teams
Clubs that play here, and others we cover in the same city
Boston Red Sox travel guide
Baseball · Major League Baseball
The oldest ballpark in the sport, wedged into a working neighbourhood
Open guideBoston Red Sox travel guide
Baseball · Major League Baseball
The oldest ballpark in the sport, wedged into a working neighbourhood
Open guideBoston Celtics travel guide
Basketball · National Basketball Association
The most decorated club in the league, above North Station
Open guideRelated destinations
The wider city guide around this venue
Related competitions
How the leagues and championships behind this actually work
MLB guide
Baseball · League
Thirty clubs play 162 games from late March or early April into September, in series of two to four games against the same opponent. Twelve teams reach the postseason, six per league, playing a wild card round, division series, league championship series and then the World Series. Spring training runs through February and March in Florida and Arizona.
Open guideWorld Series guide
Baseball · Series
A best-of-seven series between the American League and National League champions, played in a two-three-two home pattern: the club with home-field advantage hosts games one, two, six and seven, the other hosts three, four and five. Games five, six and seven are played only if required.
Open guideWhere to go next
Frequently asked questions
What is the Green Monster?+
The thirty seven foot wall in left field, so tall because the original 1912 lot ran out of room at that point. It was painted green in 1947 and had seats added on top in 2003, which are now among the most sought after tickets in the park.
Is Fenway Park really the oldest ballpark?+
Yes. It opened in April 1912 and has been in continuous Major League use since, which makes it the oldest in the sport by two years over Wrigley Field.
Should I worry about obstructed view seats?+
Yes, check before booking. The building predates modern cantilever construction and steel columns block sightlines in parts of the grandstand. Some seats also face the outfield rather than the infield.
Last updated August 19, 2026
Sources and verification
- MBTA Green Line and commuter rail information
- Boston Red Sox official ballpark, tour and access information
Capacity figures are approximate and configuration-dependent. Transit routes, bag policies, and tour access change around fixtures and construction. Verify before travel.
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FanForged has no affiliation with Fenway Park, its operator, or any team or event staged there. Venue names are used descriptively and no venue marks are reproduced here.