Shaded Seating Areas at Petco Park

view from shaded seats at petco park
Another sunny day in San Diego - a common sight during the baseball months

Each year the Padres play more than a dozen afternoon games at Petco Park. And if there'e one thing San Diego is known for, it's sunshine. Southern California sees sunshine about 30% more often than the average U.S. city. Unfortunately, as far as outdoor ballparks go, Petco Park is not the most-shade-friendly venue.

Most Padres day games start at 1:10 p.m. and most games last about three hours. We'll help identify the best seats for shade between 1 and 4 p.m..

Shaded Seats Are More Prevalent on the Third Base Side

third base shaded seats petco
The third base side of the field is the shaded side of Petco Park

Petco Park faces north, and as a result the sun will set behind sections on the third base side of the field. These sections - labeled with even numbers - will be shaded long before seats on the first base side.

Within the three main levels of seating (100, 200 and 300), the back ten rows are the safest place to avoid the sun.

  • Even sections 108-124: Rows 30 and above
  • Even sections 204-222: Rows 5 and up
  • Even sections 306-328: Rows 20 and above

The rows listed above describe seats that will be shaded for the duration of a 1:00 game. The rows in front of these will also see shade, but the farther you are from the row listed, the longer you will have to wait for shade to reach you.

Shaded Seats With a Home Plate View

Fans looking for a comfortable day at the ballpark need not look much further than the Premier Club seats on the lower level. In addition to comfortable seating and a view from behind home plate, most Premier Club seats are shaded by first pitch and all are shaded by the mid-innings.

upper deck home plate seats
The view from behind home plate in the upper deck

If club seats are a little too pricey, you may want to consider sections 300-305. These sections have beautiful views of the city and a head-on look at the diamond and main scoreboard. For guaranteed shade you'll want to be in a row higher than 20. We don't like being up that high and would recommend something closer to row 10. The shade will make its way to you in a few innings and you'll save time on trips to the concourse.

Are There Any First Base Seats Out of the Sun?

The first base side of Petco Park does not offer great sun protection - especially as the game wears on. As the sun moves all the way to the third base side, it will start shining on first base seats that were previously shaded. This is a common occurrence in the 200 level where the sun plays nice for the first few innings but eventually drenches all seats except those in the last row or two.

If being on the first base side is important (this is the Padres side, after all), aim for seats in the highest row possible. Even still, don't forget a hat, sunglasses and other sun protection.

Seats in the Sun at Petco Park

sunny seats at petco park
Even for night games, seats in right field remain sunny until sundown

For those who are looking to soak up the San Diego sun, here are some areas of the ballpark that are known for being extra sunny:

  • Upper Level Outfield: Sections 226-235
  • Low Rows in Right Field: Rows 20 and below of odd sections 115-137
  • Upper Deck in Right Field: Odd sections 315-329