Opening Day in LA

The beginning is near! Yes, Opening Day 2011 is less than two days away. For those of you making the trip down to LA ... here are some tips.

• Get there early, traffic and entrance to the parking lot are a major pain.
• Parking gates will open at 1 p.m. on Thursday, typically they open two hours before first pitch.
• Take a close look at your tickets, you have to enter at designated entrances.
• If you're in the Pavilion section, you're stuck there all day. Folks in the Pavilion do not have access to the rest of the park.
• Do not, do not eat a Dodger Dog, it's one of the worst things ever made!
• Tailgating is not allowed in the Dodgers parking lot, another reason why they suck. Boo to them!
• Stop by Philipe's for their world famous French Dip sandwiches. It's within driving distance of the ballpark and the food is excellent and much cheaper than the ballpark stuff.
• Once the ballgame is over hangout at the park for awhile, the traffic leaving the parking lots is insane.
• The team buses are just outside of centerfield, and Giants often sign autographs before boarding the buses. In addition, a lot of guys will get rides from friends so you can meet them when they walk out. So bring a pen and ball!
• Most importantly, look up to the skies at 3 p.m. @Hankola's plane/banner will be flying around the ballpark for an hour on Opening Day!