Headed to Petco Park’s first-ever rodeo? What to know before you go
SAN DIEGO — Calling all cowpokes! Petco Park’s inaugural rodeo will be coming to San Diego this weekend.
The nearly sold-out event hosted by Outriders in partnership with the San Diego Padres and C5 Rodeo will run from Friday, Jan. 12 to Sunday, Jan. 14, bringing together some of the best cowboys in the world to compete for an over half-a-million dollar prize.
For those that are planning to “yeehaw” the weekend away at the rodeo, here is everything you need to know about the event before you go.
Parking around Petco Park
Padres’ stadium parking lots, Tailgate Park and Padres Parkade, will open starting at 3 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and at 10 a.m. on Sunday. Day-of-parking is subject to availability, so drivers are encouraged to purchase parking passes ahead of time. Pre-paid parking passes can be secured for $50 via Ticketmaster.
There are also over a dozen parking areas for drivers in other parts of downtown. Spots can be reserved starting at $8 at one of those lots through ParkWhiz.
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How can I get there by transit?
For those that want to avoid parking in downtown or traffic congestion, the Metropolitan Transit System will be running extended service throughout the weekend to accommodate a higher number of trolley riders.
The Green Line from East County will have trains arriving at the Gaslamp Quarter station, directly across the street from Petco Park, every 15 minutes before the rodeo’s start time. After the rodeo, MTS will add more Green Line trains as needed on top of to its regular 30-minute service.
The UC San Diego Blue and Orange lines will be running with their regular weekend service. Fans coming from North County or the South Bay can still hop on these lines to get to Petco Park, disembarking at the County Center/Little Italy, Santa Fe Depot or Courthouse stations.
Fans can save money and time on downtown parking by using one of the free parking and ride lots when riding the Trolley. A list of transit center lots along all three Trolley lines can be found here.
Before heading out, MTS suggests planning your trip by using the MTS website or the PRONTO app. Children under 5 years old are able to ride for free, while kids ages 6 to 18 can ride for free with the Youth Opportunity Pass program.
Getting into the stadium
All entry gates will open two hours before its scheduled start time. For Friday and Saturday, gates will open at 5 p.m. for the 7 p.m. start. On Sunday, gates will open at 12 p.m. for the 2 p.m. start. A map of the best entry gates for different seats can be found below.
Rodeo organizers encourage guests to arrive early to make sure you do not miss any of the action, as a large crowd is expected for each day of the event.
Petco Park’s standard stadium rules will be in place for the event. This includes the limiting of bags allowed inside to single compartment bags measuring 7″ x 10″ or smaller, infant bags and medical bags. Mobile lockers are available for rent at the Premier Lot near the pedestrian bridge.
A full list of items that are prohibited from entry into the stadium can be found on Petco Park’s website. Reminder: Petco Park is a smoke-free venue.
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Are tickets still available?
Tickets for the rodeo are still available for Friday and Sunday — the first and last days of the event. Those that have not yet secured their tickets, but are looking to go to the rodeo can purchase admission via Ticketmaster. Prices start at $45.
Digital ticketing and purchases
Petco Park is a paperless venue, meaning that all ticketing is digital and no cash is accepted at any concessions or retail spots.
Digital tickets purchased for the game can be viewed on the MLB Ballpark or Ticketmaster apps. Organizers recommend that guests transfer tickets to everyone in their party so that everyone has their own individual ticket.
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