Great American Ball Park Pregame Guide
Cincinnati Reds · Cincinnati, OH
Great American Ball Park opens its parking lots five hours before game time, which is among the longest lead-ins in baseball and gives the riverfront a genuinely long pregame. Single-game parking passes cover the Central Riverfront Garage and the West and East Garages, subject to availability, and everything else is sold first come, first served. Central Riverfront passes can be bought in advance from the club by phone on (513) 765-7400 or online.
Tips & Fan Reports
Book the Central Riverfront Garage ahead by phone or online rather than chancing it.
The West and East Garages take single-game passes too but depend on availability.
Everything not pre-sold is first come, first served.
Lots open five hours before first pitch, so an early arrival is genuinely rewarded here.
Where to Go Before the Game
The Central Riverfront Garage
The main garage under the riverfront beside the ballpark, with single-game passes bookable in advance from the club by phone on (513) 765-7400 or online.
Known for Bookable in advance · On the riverfront · Single-game passes
The West and East Garages
The two flanking garages, also covered by single-game parking passes and subject to availability on the day.
Known for Single-game passes · Subject to availability
The five-hour window
Parking lots open five hours before game time, one of the longest lead-ins in baseball, which makes the riverfront around the ballpark the pregame.
Known for Lots open 5 hours before · Long pregame window
Rules to Know
What Great American Ball Park allows, and what it does not.
- Great American Ball Park parking lots open five hours before game time.
- Single game parking passes are available in the Central Riverfront Garage, the West Garage and the East Garage, subject to availability.
- Parking passes valid for the Central Riverfront Garage can be purchased in advance by contacting the Reds on (513) 765-7400 or online.
- Parking is otherwise sold on a first come, first served basis, based on availability.
What to Bring
- A bag the gate will accept
Bags and soft-sided coolers may measure no more than 16 x 16 x 8 inches.
- Only the outside food and drink the rule allows
Guests may bring food, soft-sided coolers up to 16 x 16 x 8 inches, and unopened nonalcoholic drinks in sealed clear plastic bottles.
- A card or a phone wallet
All concession stands and the Reds Box Office are cashless.
- Your tickets on a charged phone
All Reds tickets are delivered through the MLB Ballpark app and must be scanned from a mobile device or Apple Wallet.
- A warm layer for after dark
April nights average 43°F at Great American Ball Park.
- Sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat
July highs average 87°F at Great American Ball Park, with no roof over the seats.
- A rain layer
May averages 4.7 inches of rain here.
Cincinnati Reds Tailgate Gear
Canopies, grills, coolers, and official Cincinnati Reds gear for the ultimate tailgate.
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How We Checked This Page
Every section below names the source it was read from and the day it was read. Where we could not reach a published figure, the page says so rather than presenting an estimate as a checked fact.
- Pregame
Cincinnati Reds official site: Where to Park at Great American Ball Park, and Single Game Parking Passes
- Venue policies
Current Reds Great American Ball Park, food, transportation, and mobile-ticket guidance reviewed for entry, family, payment, food, parking, and accessibility rules.
- Weather
NOAA 1991-2020 Climate Normals