The setting of Dodger Stadium is a study in contrasts: It’s an urban ballpark with views of palm trees and hills; and although located near downtown, it’s surrounded by parking lots and everyone drives to the game. Welcome to Los Angeles. 

Yes, the City of Angels now has a subway and the team is experimenting with a shuttle bus from downtown, but the car is still king for Dodgers’ fans and most everybody else in southern California. That fact would usually mean a lively tailgating scene, but at Dodger Stadium it’s prohibited. And there’s no Murphy’s across the street or Cask ‘N Flagon outside the left-field fence.

Still, there are a few spots close by where Dodgers fans gather before and after games. The Short Stop bar is less than a mile away on Sunset Boulevard; it used to be a hangout for LAPD officers but now gets more patrons wearing Dodger blue. For a nearby bite to eat at a place with some character, fans go to Philippe’s, home to the French dipped sandwich; it’s also less than a mile from the stadium.

Downtown Los Angeles and the Little Tokyo neighborhood are nearby, and the stadium is centrally located in the megalopolis of greater Los Angeles. For a true California experience, head to Gladstones on the beach in Malibu, where after a dip in the Pacific you can sample some excellent seafood and a brew or two.