Just as they do throughout the course of a regular season, the Los Angeles Dodgers offer tours of Dodger Stadium during the winter months, which this offseason includes admittance to a pop-up museum that recognizes the franchise’s 60 years in Los Angeles.
On the weekends, the Dodgers also offer a clubhouse tour, which provides fans with the unique opportunity to walk the same grounds as some of their favorite players — both former and current. DodgerBlue.com was provided one of the limited spots on the clubhouse tour.
A clubhouse tour includes all elements of a stadium tour, plus additional sights. Both begin at the top deck, with the clubhouse tour including stops on the club level, a visit to the Vin Scully press box, interview room, Dodgers clubhouse and Dodgers dugout, among other highlights.
Tours are led by a guide who’s knowledgeable in the Dodgers’ rich franchise tradition, which further amplifies visits to areas of Dodger Stadium that fans otherwise are unable to access.
After an overview of Dodger Stadium and explanation of how the seat colors are intended to mirror California’s nature — field is yellow to symbolize the sun; loge is brown for sand; reserve has a green hue for plant and ocean life; and the top deck is blue to represent the sky — guests are taken into the same elevators players use.
The first stop is to the fifth level at Dodger Stadium. It’s known as the club level, where the team has their executive offices, exclusive seating, suites, and of course, the famed Vin Scully press box.
Lining the fifth level are countless of mementos and odes to the Dodgers’ past and present. Int includes photographs from the O’Malley family personal collection are on display, artwork of the various caps the Dodgers have worn throughout their history, and oversized ticket stubs from memorable games.
Dodger Stadium tour includes a look at some art from the O'Malley family collection. pic.twitter.com/diCiLhfAvT
— Matthew Moreno (@MMoreno1015) December 10, 2017
From there it’s back into the elevator and down to the first level, where Dodgers players get off when arriving at the stadium for a game. Tour guests walk the same hallways as a Cody Bellinger, Clayton Kershaw, Corey Seager, et al.
Here, fans can take photographs of countless awards the franchise has accumulated, including two World Series trophies, and learn where the Dodgers rank in Cy Young and Rookie of the Year Awards compared to other clubs.
Next is a turn left, but only for those on the clubhouse tour, down a corridor with walls that are lined with contracts and jerseys of Sandy Koufax and Jackie Robinson, among others. It leads to the interview room, which is arranged as it would be following a game, and makes for a great photo opportunity.
From the interview room the tour heads through two sets of doors and into the Dodgers clubhouse. On the Saturday afternoon that DodgerBlue.com visited, Chase Utley’s locker remained filled and showed signs of still being used by the veteran.
From the clubhouse is a walk through underground tunnels, which lead you past the batting cages and recently-renovated weight room to a light that represents the Dodgers bullpen. This is where one can toe the same rubber Kershaw does to warm up for a start.
The tour then continues on the concourse and to the field for stops in the dugout and Lexus Dugout Club. Stadium tours typically take 80-90 minutes, while a clubhouse tour calls for a two-hour visit. Tickets and tour times can be found here.
