Tropicana Field visitor guide: everything you need to know

The Tampa Bay Rays call this domed stadium home, and although it might be a little confusing, Tropicana Field is located across the bay from Tampa in St. Petersburg, Florida. Over the years, the stadium has had a few different names, including the Florida Suncoast Dome and the ThunderDome. Regardless of what it’s called, the venue’s 1.1 million square feet and capacity to seat over 42,000 spectators make it an elite US ballpark.

It’s rare that Tropicana Field will host an event other than a major league baseball game, but it does happen. Everything from concerts to wrestling to football has been played here. These days, though, the field is typically used exclusively for baseball to avoid the stress on the turf that other events can cause.

As you’re planning to head to the ballpark for a game, take a few minutes to get to know the Tropicana Field bag policy and other rules. Remember that if you’re carrying large bags with you, the best place for them before the game is a Bounce luggage storage facility near Tropicana Field. Locations in both St. Petersburg and Tampa are ideal stopping points on your way.

Tropicana Field bag policy

As far as they go, the Tropicana Field bag policy is pretty easy to understand. Bags of any kind, including backpacks and coolers, can’t be larger than 16” x 8” if you want to bring them into the stadium. If you require a larger bag for medical devices or a large diaper bag to accompany your children to the game, exceptions will be made to the bag size policy.

Any fans who show up with bags larger than the ones permitted won’t have a place to store them inside the stadium. There are no lockers and no services that will hold your stuff for you. Instead, you can rely on a Bounce luggage storage location in St. Petersburg or Tampa to store everything you don’t need for as long as you want. Just stop by on your way to the Rays game.

Tropicana Field food policy

Unless you require food or drinks for medical purposes, the Tropicana Field food policy states that no outside food or beverages are allowed to enter the stadium. The single exception is that they allow one sealed plastic personal bottle of water.

It’s really no problem to buy refreshments at the stadium since the Tropicana Field food options are certainly enviable. A classic hotdog or plate of nachos is just the ticket after the first pitch. Tropicana Field has lots of popular local concessions, such as Beach Drive BBQ, Crabby’s Beachside Bites, and Whoa Doggy’s.

Tropicana Field transportation

It’s truly easy to figure out how to get to Tropicana Field because it is just east of I-275. Here are the best ways to travel:

Driving

The easiest thing to do as you approach Tropicana Field is to follow the signs. There are plenty of them, and they will direct you to the many field-adjacent parking lots. It’s recommended that you book parking ahead of time to expedite things on game day. You can pre-pay for parking in Lots 1, 2, and 5. And if you don’t get parking in advance, get to the stadium early to try and secure one of the remaining spots. Parking lots don’t accept cash, so make sure you have a credit or debit card ready. Parking fees generally range from $10 to $20 per game.

Public transportation

There are two common modes of public transportation that will get you to the game - SunRunner and the Baseball Looper Trolley. The SunRunner bus route stops on the north side of Tropicana Field and runs every 15 minutes during peak times. The Baseball Looper Trolley has two main stops for the free shuttle service: Second Street South (between Central and First) and 16th Street south of 3rd.

Rideshares

Uber and Lyft are widely available in the area, but your driver can’t just drop you off anywhere. Pickup and drop-off points are exclusively on 4th Avenue South near Parking Lot 7 and on 10th Street South between Lots 6 and 8.

Tropicana Field camera policy

The Tropicana Field camera policy is a fairly generous one. Both regular and video cameras are permitted in the ballpark as long as they are hand-held (no tripods or monopods). Additionally, lenses have to be less than 12” long, regardless of whether they are fixed to the camera or detachable.

Guests should also ensure that they are not blocking the view of other spectators or access to the aisles in order to get that perfect photo or video.

Tropicana Field rules

The Tropicana Field policies have some additional banned items, including weapons, anything that can be considered a projectile, noisemakers, lasers, and brooms longer than three feet. 

If you have a sign or banner that you want to bring with you, just make sure it isn’t so large that it will obstruct the view of other fans. 

The entire stadium is cashless, so you’ll need to use a credit or debit card to pay for concession purchases or merchandise. You can also use the Rays Pay feature of the MLB app to process mobile payments for some items.

Tailgating is allowed at Tropicana Field with just a few limitations. You can’t take up more than one parking spot or use a charcoal grill. The lots open three hours ahead of the first pitch for this purpose.

Conclusion

Attending a Rays home game is a guaranteed fun day out, especially if you don’t fall foul of Tropicana Field’s policies. Leave the large and unnecessary bags with Bounce before you even get to the gate, and you’ll ensure the whole family has a ball!