50 Stadiums To See Before You Die

"It's bigger than the game." Ever heard that load of BS before? Sure, it's dumb, and it usually rings hollow, but occasionally, it's true. Go to a game (or match, or race, or friendly, or bout) in one of the world's true sporting cathedrals, and you'll know what it means when athletics meets local flavor to give you a contemporary cultural experience you can't find in any guidebook or museum (and an excuse to get real drunk with a bunch of people shouting death threats and doing the wave).

So here are the 50 most important stadiums to catch a game in before you die. Of course, there's liable to be a little healthy debate on the ranking, so familiarize yourself with our criteria. To make the list, a venue had to have atmosphere, intimacy, history, legacy, amenities, prestige, and that elusive thing called "buzz." So don't get all bent out of shape if your home team's home isn't on here, it's not about that. This is about the place, the moment, and the sporting experience that can make any traveler feel at home...provided you've got the right colors on.

RELATED: Rest in Pieces: 50 Demolished Sports Stadiums We Love
RELATED: The 25 Coolest College Football Stadiums

Capacity: 19,600
Location: Miami
Current teams: Miami Heat
Established: 1999
Website: aaarena.com

We have a problem with any so-called fans from South Florida who aren't rabid Dolphins partisans, but the AA Arena is No. 50 because we're all going to have to deal with it for a while. Like it or not, this arena is home to back to back world champions and we're likely to see a playoff game here next year. Fingers crossed for embarrassing failure and mental breakdowns all around.

Capacity: 100,018
Location: Melbourne, Victoria
Current teams: Home to Melbourne Cricket Club
Established: 1854
Website: mcg.org.au/

MCG is one of—if not the—most famous cricket stadiums in the world, and by far the biggest, but it also hosts rugby, Aussie rules football, and soccer games. Aussies love sports and good times, and if you want to get a little culture Down Under, MCG is a must-catch game, whatever the sport.

Capacity: 22,547
Location: Flushing, Queens, New York
Current teams: Venue for US Open
Established: 1997
Website: usopen.org

Known for its signature blazingly fast blue courts and the most outdoor seats in professional tennis, Arthur Ashe is home to the rowdiest tennis matches in the world. There's also 32 other courts in the facility, not to mention bars, cafes, stores, and other events that turn the whole complex into a party for two weeks every year.

Capacity: 60,000
Location: Mumbai, India
Current teams: Mumbai Indians
Established: 2008
Website: dypsa.in

We know, we know. Cricket? Twice? Let us just tell you that the Indian Premiere League (IPL) is the fastest growing sports league in the world (it's worth an estimated $4.13 billion) and it's only been around since 2008. Now also remember that 1) India has a billion people, and 2) China doesn't even have sports leagues yet. Now go learn about cricket so you'll have something to talk about with your co-workers/bosses in 10 years.

Capacity: 101,821
Location: Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Current teams: University of Alabama football team
Established: 1929
Website: rolltide.com

When a team's got a 225-46-3 record on their home turf and are national champions, that's reason enough to check out the stadium. Throw in passionate and knowledgable fans, and you've got a must-stop on any college football tour. But don't think you can waltz up to the box office and cop on game day: even with a recent 10,000-seat expansion, the Tide's sold out every home game since 1988.

Capacity: 67,800
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
Current teams: Heart of Midlothian F.C., Scotland national rugby union team, Edinburgh Rugby
Established: 1925
Website: murrayfieldexperience.com

Murrayfield is the Scottish rugby mecca, and even if you don't like rugby, please realize that this is a must on the to-do list for two reasons: Scottish people are crazy, headbutting rugby lovers; and rugby players are crazy, headbutting Scot lovers. And yes, they're crazy, but they're also (for the most part) quite friendly. Just get the name right: "Ed-in-burr-uh" (leave your hard "burg"s in Pennsylvania).

Capacity: 17,565
Location: Boston
Current teams: Boston Bruins, Boston Celtics
Established: 1995
Website: tdbanknorthgarden.com

It's been through a few name changes and it's tough to live up to the original Boston Garden, but once everyone in Beantown got behind just calling it the "Gah-den" again, things have been on the up and up for atmosphere in the once-sterile arena. Big Shamrock, anyone?

Capacity: 5,000
Location: Durham, N.C.
Current teams: Former minor league baseball stadium home to the Durham Bulls
Established: 1926
Website: durhamathleticpark.com

The DAP is the former home of the Durham Bulls and also where they shot the flick Bull Durham (clever name!). While there's no current team that plays its games exclusively at the DAP, the park has hosted countless games during the past year. The place oozes history, and it's refreshing to remember that it's not always about giant concrete and steel behemoths and money. Sometimes you just need a little park with some character and some friends (and some beer!).

Capacity: 55,000
Location: Cerro, Havana, Cuba
Current teams: Industriales and Metropolitanos
Established: 1946
Website: n/a

Former home to the minor league Havana Sugar Kings and spring training site for both the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Brooklyn Dodgers, "The Colossus of Cerro" hosted a student rally in the early days of the Cuban Revolution, as well as an exhibition game between the Cuban national team and the Baltimore Orioles in 1999. Baseball has been many Cubans' ticket out of Cuba; soon it may be part of your ticket to Cuba.

Capacity: 68,756
Location: Foxboro, Mass.
Current teams: New England Patriots (NFL), New England Revolution (MLS), UMass Minutemen football
Established: 2002
Website: gillettestadium.com

So the lighthouse thing isn't that cool. Everyone says it is, but it's not. The minutemen with muskets are cool, but what really makes this place great is that it's infinitely better than the old Foxboro Stadium. It's like you lived for a hundred years as some kind of turd beetle and just when you couldn't take it anymore, you died and were reincarnated as a hawk. And then won a bunch of Super Bowls and got everyone wicked psyched. Now go throw some snow, Masshole.

Capacity: 107,282
Location: State College, Pa.
Current teams: Penn State Nittany Lions
Established: 1960
Website: gopsusports.com

Despite the scandal, and the legendary JoePa's statue being unceremoniously removed, Beaver stadium will always be iconic—an honor owed to a lively (even racous) student body that's committed to keeping the stadium's traditions alive and well. Named after beavers, this massive stadium (second largest in the country) is the Nittany Lions' den and known to host one of the best student sections in college sports, which is augmented by the ginormity of the place. On game day, all of State College seems to funnel in and out of the massive tailgates that go for miles around the stadium. And yes, we know it's not actually named after beavers (it's named after a Beaver), but that's our story and we're sticking to it.

Capacity: 96,000
Location: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Current teams: Venue for football matches between Botafogo, Flamengo, Fluminense, and Vasco da Gama. It hosted 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup, and it will host 2014 FIFA World Cup and 2016 Summer Olympics.
Established: 1950
Website: suderj.rj.gov.br

Apparently Brazilians are very, very, very, very fond of soccer, and for some reason they insist on calling it futebol! Kidding aside, Maracanã is simply one of the best venues in all of sports. A match of hometown rivals Fla v. Flu is about as legit a Brazilian experience as you can get without losing hair or needing antibiotics.

Capacity: 45,522
Location: Liverpool, Merseyside, England
Current teams: Liverpool F.C
Established: 1884
Website: liverpoolfc.tv

This is Anfield. Or so the saying goes. Built in 1884, this Liverpool pitch has more character than a Charles Dickens novel and is one of the last great club stadiums left in England. Of course, there's a new stadium in the works (apparently luxury suites weren't a part of the orginal design), so hop the pond and get on it while you still can.

Capacity: 82,566
Location: East Rutherford, NJ
Current teams: New York Giants, New York Jets
Established: 2010
Website: metlifestadium.com

It's not called Giants Stadium so the Jets win, and G-Men fans are calling it the best thing that's happened to their team since Eli so the Giants win, too (wait, did we really mean to type that?). Anyway, it's brand new and shiny, and incorporates design elements from European football stadiums. The coolest part for non-New Yorkers? It's hosting the Super Bowl in 2014, so all the bigwigs and deep pockets will be freezing their asses off while you're watching the game in the comfort of your own home.

Capacity: 102,329
Location: Columbus, Ohio
Current teams: Ohio State Buckeyes
Established: 1922
Website: ohiostatebuckeyes.com

The classic horseshoe design and Buckeye enthusiasm make this place one of the best college football environments around. Well, unless you're a member of the opposing team, then not so much, because Buckeyes are the loudest flower in existence. Nice mascot!

Capacity: 80,720
Location: Dortmund, Germany
Current teams: Borussia Dortmund
Established: 1974
Website: signal-iduna-park.de

Also known as Westfalenstadion, this German landmark hosted World Cup games in both 1974 and 2006, and is known for one of the last remaining standing-room-only terraces in a soccer stadium. The Südtribüne holds 24,454 of the wildest fans in the world decked out in Borussia Dortmund colors and is appropriately nicknamed the "Yellow Wall."

Capacity: 30,323
Location: Boston
Current teams: Harvard Crimson
Established: 1903
Website: gocrimson.com

As long as you see a Harvard-Yale game, it can be at either storied stadium. The two teams have met 130 times since 1875, and both leave it all on the Ivy League gridiron. You just have to decide if you're a Lux et veritas or just plain old veritas kind of dude. Who are we kidding: pick a color—red or blue? Better yet, pick the better marching band. Yale used to have a flaming tuba, if that helps...

Capacity: 64,246
Location: New Haven, Conn.
Current teams: Yale Bulldogs
Established: 1914
Website: yalebulldogs.com

Yes, we've listed Harvard Stadium and The Yale Bowl back to back. Well, we told you before you could pick either one, and since we might end up before the Supreme Court someday, we'll just go ahead and cover our bases and feature both.

Capacity: 52,593
Location: Philadelphia
Current teams: Philadelphia Atoms
Established: 1895
Website: pennathletics.com

Harvard and Yale both beaten by Penn?! That's right—come see us, Skull and Bones! (Just kidding, no way we're fucking with you crazy fuckers.) Franklin Field is the oldest stadium in the country, and it's not hard to get tickets because, really, who cares about Penn football? Also, there's tons of places to do illicit drinking nearby. Or so we were told.

Capacity: 56,000
Location: Los Angeles
Current teams: Los Angeles Dodgers
Established: 1960
Website: losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com

A few years ago, this would have been higher on the list because watching a bunch of white Dodger fans with fake dread wigs was such a bizarre spectacle, but alas, Manny has since left the Dodgers and retired from the MLB. Either way, if you want the best view in L.A. (without feeling like you're in L.A.), some of the most laid-back fans in sports, and an amazing snapshot of '60s era baseball architecture (no flagpole-in-center quirkiness here-no obstructed views, either), Dodger Stadium rules.

Capacity: 20,066
Location: Detroit
Current teams: Detroit Red Wings
Established: 1979
Website: olympiaentertainment.com

Joe Louis is the best place to watch a hockey game in the U.S. and has some of the best traditions (throwing an octopus on the ice—say what?) in all of sport. Besides, Detroit needs some love. They're moving to a new stadium soon, too (yes, despite financial woes), so this is another to get checked off the list quick.

Capacity: 10,000
Location: Indianapolis, Ind.
Current teams: Butler Bulldogs (Big East)
Established: 1927
Website: butlersports.com

When it was built in 1928, Hinkle was the largest basketball arena in the country, and its famous stylings were the basis for the Pacers' larger version, the Conseco Field House. For our money, though, always go to the original. Added bonus: they shot Hoosiers in this roundball temple.

Capacity: 175,000
Location: Lincoln, Ala.
Current teams: It plays home to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, and ARCA Racing Series
Established:1969
Website: talladegasuperspeedway.com

So you don't care about NASCAR—fine. But if you wanted to go see the fastest, steepest, most dangerous track in the sport, this is it. And it's in 'Bama so you best just lose your fancy airs and dive right in. Joe Sixpack, meet Jimmy Case O'Beer.

Capacity: 90,000
Location: Brent, London, England
Current teams: England national football team
Established: 2007
Website: wembleystadium.com

So new Wembley is maybe not as cool as old Wembley, but it's still the largest stadium in the U.K. (and second-largest in Europe) and host to all manner of sports, from soccer to rugby to NFL tilts to Coldplay concerts (where the sport is lamery). Whatever—with its signature arch and massive sliding roof, catching an English National Team friendly at Wembley makes the stadium bucket list, easy.

Capacity: 88,548
Location: Gainesville, Fla.
Current teams: Florida Gators football
Established: 1930
Website: gatorzone.com

The Swamp is one of the best gameday venues in the world and also one of the best home field advantages around. The low-lying playing field with steep stacked seating structure intensifies the hot, humid Gainsville climate, and funnels noise onto the field to create a swampy, roaring pit that visitors have to try and fight their way out of. Fortunately, we recommend you just watch from the stands and cheer along with everyone else.

Capacity: 50,291
Location: Bronx, New York
Current teams: New York Yankees
Established: 2009
Website: mlb.com

The Yankee Stadium is intimidating, massive and seemingly at the center of the baseball universe. In other words, it matches the the home team Bronx Bombers perfectly. Like everything to do with the Yankees, this place is all about money. It cost $1.5 billion to build. The players? They're expensive, too. Keep that in mind when you're dropping serious coin on everything from seats to suds. Welcome to the Las Vegas of Ballparks: Big, flashy, fun, and burning a hole in your pocket.

Capacity: 65,050
Location: Pittsburgh
Current teams: Pittsburgh Steelers, Pittsburgh Panthers
Established: 2001
Website: steelers.com

Steelers fans are legendary as some of the greatest in the game (home sell-outs every Sunday, Monday, Thursday, and Saturday since 1972) and when Heinz Field went up in the shadow of the former Three Rivers Stadium in 2001, they got a home worthy of their dedication. If you want to go steep yourself in the ways of the Steel, then pay a visit to the Grand Concourse and get a taste of history. And nevermind the Bullucks—those Terrible Towels ain't for stompin'.

Capacity: 80,018
Location: Milan, Italy
Current teams: A.C. Milan, Inter Milan
Established: 1926
Website: sansiro.net

Stadio Giuseppe Meazz is known to the rest of the world as San Siro, located in the eponymous district of Milan. Gamers will recognize the massive spiral columns that support the red steel latticework on top from FIFA, but beating up on your cousin Ned in his bedroom in Poughkeepsie (whle playing FIFA—weirdo) is nothing compared to watching Diego Milito knock one in and listening to the roar live.

Capacity: 107,501
Location: Ann Arbor, Mich.
Current teams: Michigan Wolverines football
Established: 1927
Website: mgoblue.com

The Big House is just that, the biggest college football stadium in the country. Built into the hard Michigan earth, most of the edifice lies out of sight when you approach the stadium, but once you enter into the Blue and Gold maw of the Wolverine, you'll never forget that feeling of awe—and the smell of nachos.

Capacity: 45,971
Location: Baltimore
Current teams: Baltimore Orioles
Established: 1989
Website: mlb.mlb.com

The 1970s and '80s were a dark time in stadium building in the United States. It seemed like it was all about capacity and fire codes, resulting in these big soulless boxes that relied on teams to fill the the void with some kind character. In 1992 the Orioles were the first to bring back some charm to the modern ballpark when they built Camden Yards over an old railyard, revitalized a downtown district, and gave the Orioles a worthy new home. All the modern new ballparks owe something to The Yard.

Capacity: 18,200
Location: New York
Current teams: St. John's Red Storm men's basketball, New York Golden Blades, New York Knicks, New York Rangers
Established: 1968
Website: thegarden.com

As the self-proclaimed "World's Most Famous Arena," the fourth and current incarnation of Manhattan's sports hub is about as big time as you can get in the sports venue universe especially with the Knicks having made it to the playoffs last season. Make it here while you can; MSG has been given 10 years to vacate its premises, and while it will find a new home, the history won't come with it.

Capacity: 72,003
Location: New Orleans
Current teams: New Orleans Saints, Sugar Bowl (NCAA), Bayou Classic, New Orleans Bowl
Established: 1975
Website: superdome.com

Not because the Saints won the Super Bowl in 2010, but not not because of it either. So the Superdome looks like someone left a huge yo-yo in one of the most beautiful architectural cities in the country. That aside, New Orleans knows how to throw a party, so given the right game, there's nowhere better to be than the 'Dome. And yes, it's the same Superdome that all those terrible, wretched things happened in five years ago, so dem Saints deserve to have some good times in there, and you should too.

Capacity: 50,000
Location: Louisville, Ky.
Current teams: Hosts the Kentucky Derby
Established: 1875
Website: churchilldowns.com

This pony track opened in 1875 and has been serving up thoroughbreds and mint juleps ever since. Get a fancy hat and some gilded binoculars in the stands or hit the infield and discover your inner degenerate gambling alcoholic. If you're not drunk enough to cry when they play "My Old Kentucky Home," you ain't drunk enough.

Capacity: 85,454
Location: Madrid, Spain
Current teams: Real Madrid C.F., Spain national football team
Established: 1947
Website: santiagobernabeu.com

The Bernabéu has held the European Cup four times, the World Cup final in 1982, and is home to the winningest club in Spain, Real Madrid, making it the epicenter of sport in Spain. And given the national side's win at the last world Cup...well let's just say if total sports nut insufferability is your thing, this is your place.

Capacity: 79,451
Location: Kansas City, Mo.
Current teams: Sporting Kansas City, Kansas City Chiefs
Established: 1972
Website: kcchiefs.com

The tailgate at Arrowhead is widely known to be the biggest, best BBQ party in existence and the curving, space age lines of the stadium look like some alien craft that came down for a quick "Best of America Tour." We recommend you do the same before you get beamed up.

Capacity: 82,300
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Current teams: Gaelic Athletic Association, Ireland national rugby union team, Republic of Ireland national football team
Established: 1913
Website: crokepark.ie

Affectionately known as Croker, this is a Gaelic games stadium, and they plan on keeping it that way. What that means is that if you're in Dublin, you should catch a Sunday Match at Croker and bear witness to one of the most savage, incredible sports in the world, hurling. Think lacrosse played with giant field hockey sticks with a healthy dose of rugby thrown in. No pads. So awesome. (Seriously, these dudes are crazier than those Skull and Bones fuckers.)

Capacity: 80,795
Location: Notre Dame, IN
Current teams: Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
Established: 1930
Website: und.com

Catching a game in the House that Rockne Built feels like you've traveled back in time. Real grass, the stands practically on top of the field, old timey scoreboards, and day games—it's like Touchdown Jesus built a time machine and sent us all back to 1966. Let's hope last year's trip to the National Championship wasn't a fluke.

Capacity: 41,159
Location: Chicago
Current teams: Chicago Sting, Chicago Cubs
Established: 1914
Website: mlb.com

The ivy-clad outfield wall is probably the most iconic element of this Chicago cathedral to baseball, but it's not until the 7th inning stretch when everyone sings "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" (a tradition begun by Harry Caray in 1978) that the magic happens. You'll feel this weird tingling in your blue jeans, you'll sit back and sip that Budweiser, flag down the peanut guy and you'll realize that this is baseball, kids.

Capacity: n/a
Location: Wimbledon, London, U.K.
Current teams: venue for Wimbledon Championships
Established: 1868
Website: wimbledon.org

It would be great if you went to a croquet match here and just claimed that you'd been to Wimbledon, but you really need to be at Centre Court, gin in hand, smelling that lush British lawn and watching everyone's eyes go back and forth and back and forth and...it's mesmerizing. Plus, Wimbledon has a great legacy of streaking if you want to take it to the next level.

Capacity: 104,000
Location: Mexico City
Current teams: Mexico national football team, Club América Reserves, Club América, Atlético Español
Established: 1966
Website: esmas.com

Originally the main venue for the 1968 Olympics, Azteca is the biggest stadium in Latin America and it's full of Mexicans. What does this mean, you ask? It means that whether you see an América club match or a Mexican National Team meeting, things are going to be insanely loud, people will throw things, and you will have the best time of your life and realize that sports are such a better alternative to drug wars.

Capacity: 41,503
Location: San Francisco
Current teams: San Francisco Giants
Established: 2000
Website: mlb.com

The home field of the San Francisco Giants with the unfortunate nickname "The House That Bonds Built" (a petition is circulating to get its nickname changed to "Mays Field") does everything right in combining a modern stadium with elements of ballpark nostalgia. Home runs hit the drink, a huge manual scoreboard, and a gigantic public Wi-Fi hotspot? Play ball! If only they'd stop changing the name.

Capacity: 40,318
Location: Boca, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Current teams: Boca Juniors
Established: 1981
Website: bocajuniors.com.ar

Technically it's called the Estadio Alberto J. Armando, but to everyone in Buenos Aires, it's La Bombonera, "The Chocolate Box." This barely standing relic in the La Boca section of the Argentine capital is home to Boca Juniors, Maradona's old squad (he still has a luxe box there), and when the home town team plays, you can expect flares, toilet paper, a massive party, chants you can hear in Uruguay—and if you pay attention, even futebol.

Capacity: 21,273
Location: Montreal, QB, Canada
Current teams: Montreal Impact, Montreal Canadiens
Established: 1996
Website: centrebell.ca

Hockey is fine in the states, but to really get it you've to go to the Great White North. Specifically, to see the Canadiens play at home. In Quebec, they don't really understand what playoffs are (it might be a language thing), so go to a Habs game in October, and you'll find it's still louder than any post-season tilt in the U.S. They're just on another intensity level all season long. God help you if it's a Cup game. Plus, did we mention poutine, Molson Export, and money with aquatic birds on it?

Capacity: 18,118
Location: Los Angeles
Current teams: Los Angeles Sparks, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles D-Fenders, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Kings
Established: 1998
Website: staplescenter.com

It's not even fifteen years old, and more famous, kind-of-famous, think-they're-famous, and never-going-to-be-famous-even-though-their-publicist-tells-them-they're-famous people have been to the Staples Center than just about any other arena in the world. Simply put, it's the place to be during basketball season, and it doesn't hurt that the Lakers have all those titles. Just saying though, the only lake we've ever found in L.A. was in Echo Park and had a body in it.

Capacity: 257,325
Location: Speedway, Ind.
Current teams: Indianapolis 500, Brickyard 400
Established: 1909
Website: indianapolismotorspeedway.com

Take your pick: Indy 500 or Brickyard 400. Either way, this is the most famous race track in the world, in the country that made the automobile famous. Keep in mind, they barely even had cars when this thing was built in 1909, but it's grown into the highest capacity sports facility in the world, and if you've breathed the fumes and felt the thunder, then and only then are you a real American. In fact, if you haven't, get to the airport a little early next time-you might be on a terrorist watch list.

Capacity: 9,314
Location: Durham, N.C.
Current teams: Duke Blue Devils men's basketball
Established: 1940
Website: goduke.com

You watch college hoops for the heart, the energy, and to scout the best young talent out there and that's how Duke does it, year after year. Yes, you'll be sitting next to a blue-haired trust funder, but for once, it'll be totally worth it. If you want to catch the Blue Devils at home before you kick it, though, you better either underwrite a physics lab or get really good at ball. Otherwise, you'll be camping out for weeks to get seats near Coach K's court.

Capacity: 80,000
Location: Arlington, Texas
Current teams: Dallas Cowboys
Established: 2009
Website: stadium.dallascowboys.com

We're sorry, but it's true. It's bigger in Texas. Fresh off its first few seasons, the largest domed stadium in the world (also featuring the biggest HD TV in the world) continues to wow Cowboys fans and haters alike with everything a modern football mecca can be.

Capacity: 75,811
Location: Manchester, U.K.
Current teams: Manchester United F.C.
Established: 1910
Website: manutd.com

Opened in 1910, the Theatre of Dreams has gone under many different renovations and incarnations—it was even bombed by Nazis. Has your stadium been bombed by Nazis? No chance. Home to the biggest sporting brand in the world, Trafford is the holy grail that Man U fans from all over the world make their pilgrimage to. Sit in the Stretford End and relentlessly taunt the opposition in song form and see if you don't want to join the bandwagon, too.

Capacity: 72,928
Location: Green Bay, Wis.
Current teams: Green Bay Packers
Established: 1957
Website: lambeaufield.com

The Frozen Tundra is the most brutal, badass thing left in the NFL these days. Games are monopolized by rabid, stat-steeped fanatics who suffer through some of the worst weather season after season to cheer on the Pack and wear cheese on their heads. Some stats: Population of Green Bay: 105,809. Capacity at Lambeau Field: 72,928. Titles captured by the Green Bay Packers: 13 (they call it Title Town for a reason). Average high and low temperatures in Green Bay, WI in January: 24ºF/7ºF (Lambeau is outdoors). Oh, and the other 33,000 residents? They're shoveling snow.

Capacity: 37,400
Location: Boston
Current teams: Boston Beacons, Boston Red Sox
Established: 1912
Website: boston.redsox.mlb.com/bos/ballpark/index.jsp

You just can't beat an original ballpark that bleeds character, overflows with passion, and stays true despite continuous reinvention. Yes, you'll pay a ton for a ticket, and yes, most likely you'll have to sit next to a Red Sox fan. It's still worth it. It doesn't matter who the Sox are playing, it doesn't matter what the weather is, it doesn't matter where you're sitting. If you're at a game at Fenway, it's a great day. For best results, go early in the season while the dream is still alive.