Girls Guide to Braves Baseball: A Fun-Filled Weekend at Truist Park & The Battery Atlanta
Growing up, my parents weren’t big sports fans. My childhood memories around watching sporting events on tv are limited to the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving and the occasional Super Bowl… unless you count my dad’s Sunday afternoon naps accompanied by the sounds of cars turning left as the NASCAR race played in the background.
My exposure to sports started to shift when I went off to college at Appalachian State in the prime football years - beating Michigan in 2007 and attending 2 of 3 national championship games. These days, if there’s a sport being televised, it’s probably on at our house and I’ve adopted the teams my husband grew up loving. We both Carolina natives (Asheville, NC & Charleston, SC) putting us in the heart of “Braves Country.”
When we moved to Greenville,SC in 2020, we realized we’d drastically cut down our travel time to Atlanta. We found ourselves doing quick weekend trips during the 2021 season, including attending game 2 of the NCLS and the watching a World Series game on the big screen just outside the stadium. In 2022, we joined the A-List as partial season ticket holders and haven’t looked back. On any given Saturday between April-September, you can find us at Truist Park.
Truist Park Tips for Gameday
This 41,000+ seat ballpark opened in 2017, making it one of the newest ballparks in Major League Baseball. Here are some pro-tips to help you plan your game day:
Beat the heat:
Atlanta lives up to its nickname, “Hotlanta," especially in the dog days of summer.
Seating along the first base line, especially as you get closer to home plate gets the most shade and are some of the ONLY shaded seats during day games. If you want to be the first to get relief from the sun look for seats in one of those sections.
One of the best kept secrets in Truist Park is the indoor bar/lounge located just beside the Blue Moon Beer Garden on the 300 level - you won’t event see this bar listed on the map. It offers AC, comfy lounge seating and two single stall restrooms. It’s the perfect place to cool down.
Ballpark Eats:
There are a ton of restaurants throughout the ballpark, offering a little something for everyone. Whether you want a classic hotdog or something a little more
Chick-fil-a: Born in Atlanta, it would be a sin not to have a Chick-fil-a in Truist Park. The menu is limited but you can still get classic nuggets, chicken sandwiches, waffle fries and milkshakes. If you’re looking for something on the healthier side, they also have CoolWraps. Just like their other restaurants, the ballpark locations are closed on Sunday’s.
Coops: In my opinion they offer one of the best values in the whole stadium with their chicken bucket featuring 12 chicken tenders and fries a less than half the price of a footlong corn dog.
H & F Burger: Located next to the Chophouse Gate, their burgers and fries are the best in the ballpark.
King of Pops: Cool off in the Atlanta heat with these locally made popsicles.
Bag Policy
Truist Park has a no bag policy. Small, single compartment clutches or clear bags no larger than 5 x 9 inches and small clear bags are allowed.
Pro-Tips:
You can take a sealed water bottle into the game. We always swing through Savi Provisions, a bodega located in The Battery on the bottom floor of the Aloft, to grab a couple.
If it’s your first time visiting Truist Park, plan for extra time in the ballpark before the game to take a walk through the ‘Monument Garden.’ Located on the 100 level behind home plate, the display walks you through 150+ year history of the organization. Additionally, this is where you can find the World Series trophies on display.
What to do at The Battery
When the Braves built their new stadium, which opened in 2017, they didn’t just build a ballpark. They built an expansive mixed-use neighborhood with hotels, shops, dining, a music venue, apartments, office space and other entertainment venues. Honestly, if you didn’t care about seeing any other parts of Atlanta, you could spend your entire weekend at The Battery and still have plenty to do.
Shopping:
The Braves Clubhouse Store : This store is located inside the stadium with entrances open to The Battery and offers all the traditional merchandise like jerseys, hats, baseballs and more. They do have a women’s specific section of tee shirts and other cute team items. On game days, the Braves Clubhouse Store Battery entrances close one hour before gates open and can only be accessed by ticket holders in the ballpark.
Threads : Threads is a Braves Clubhouse spinoff offering limited collaboration collections and merchandise inspired by current fashion trends.
Dress Up : Head to Dress Up for cute game day outfits in addition to cute boutique apparel. They receive shipments regularly so there is alway something new every time you visit.
Dining:
Superica - This Tex-Mex joint, part of the award-winning Ford Fry restaurant group is incredible. Whether you grab a to-go margarita from the truck or sit down for a meal, you can’t go wrong. I usually opt for a la cart enchiladas and my husband love the barbacoa tacos. They can have a long wait (up to 2-3 hours on game days) so plan ahead or try to snag a seat at the first come, first served bar.
Shake Shack - I don’t typically recommend chain restaurants, but if you’re craving a burger and fries before the game, this place is hard to beat.
Jeni’s Ice Cream - Honestly, this is my idea of a night cap these days, they are open late so you can get a post-game scoop.
Other Atlanta-Area Attractions
Georgia Aquarium
The Georgia Aquarium is one of the most impressive I’ve ever experienced. They have a multitude of exhibits and programs - and if you’ve never seen a whale shark in person they are worth the trip alone.
World of Coca-Cola
Discover the World of Coca-Cola at their museum located in Centennial Park. Learn about the history of the brand, meet the iconic polar bear and taste your way around the world with exotic Coke brands from from across the globe.
The Beltline
This 22-mile loop trail is a great way to see Atlanta. Take a tour or rent a bike and explore the parks, shops, art and dining along the way.
Atlanta-Area Dining
These restaurants a bit further away from The Battery, but totally worth the drive. All of them either have dedicated parking lots or ample free, on-street parking nearby.
Breakfast
Emerald City Bagels: The line at this NY-Style bagel shop can get long on the weekends. We like to order online, to-go on our way there to “skip the line.”
Red Eye Mule: Located in Marietta, this diner-style breakfast joint is serving up biscuits as good as my grandma’s - and she makes really good biscuits.
Buttermilk Kitchen: Located in the Buckhead neighborhood of Atlanta, Buttermilk Kitchen serves up scratch made breakfast. Be sure to try their blueberry jam & biscuits. Reservations are necessary for this popular spot.
Lunch/Dinner
Ponce City Market - Located on the Beltline, Ponce City Market can be found in the former Sears Catalogue facility. Now a mixed-use development housing a lively food hall, shopping, offices and residences. We love to spend an afternoon here browsing the shops and grabbing lunch at either:
Botiwalla - an Indian street-food concept from award-winning restauranteur Meherwan Irani. My go-to is the Chicken Tikka Roll with a side of Masala Smashed Potatoes
Minero - Named after the Spanish word for “miner”, Minero represents the storied history of the taco. You can’t go wrong with any of their tacos, guac and queso.
Breaker Breaker - Another Beltline gem, Breaker Breaker offers delicious seafood. Go all in on the experience with the Captain’s Platter.
Where to Stay Near Truist Park
There are a ton of hotels in walking distance (approximately 1 mile or less) from the ballpark. Whether you’re staying in The Battery or a little further away, there are pedestrian bridges and large walkways between these locations to ensure an easy and safe walk to the stadium. Additionally, some area hotels offer shuttle service.
Hotels at The Battery
The Omni: The Omni would definitely be a splurge, but for the ultimate baseball fan they offer an incredibly cool opportunity to have a room and balcony overlooking the ballpark. You could also opt to watch the game from their pool deck - and take a tip to cool off between innings.
Other Area Hotels
These hotels are located less than a mile from Truist Park.
FAQs
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Yes, each guest may bring one sealed water bottle and one clear, gallon-sized bag of snacks. If you plan to go this route, keep the head in mind and steer clear of items that may easily melt or could be a food safety concern (like meat). There are tons of great eats inside the park for hot dogs, burgers, pizza and more.
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Dress cool and comfortable! Lightweight dresses, athletic skorts, sneakers, and Braves gear are perfect game-day choices.
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Absolutely! The Battery Atlanta is a full entertainment district with restaurants, shops, bars, and live music venues—all great without a ticket. You can even watch the game from the Georgia Power Pavilion located outside the stadium.
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The Omni Hotel at The Battery offers the ultimate experience, with some rooms overlooking the field. Aloft and DoubleTree are also walkable options.
