Anyone who's ever shown up for a home game when the team is on the road has been forced to search for silver linings. It's not easy. Parking is a breeze, though. Huh — there's one!
Legions of San Franciscans, however, still flock to Candlestick Park, where the next opponent figures to be the wrecking ball. Twice-daily tours are offered of the city-owned stadium by the Recreation and Park Department.
Tickets run $18. Yes, this is nearly four times what it cost to sit in The 'Stick's old center-field bleachers. Sports fans, especially of the caliber that would pay good money to tour an empty ballpark, know this. So it's a good sign that online reviews of the Candlestick tour are, like the Niners' 1994-5 season, rather transcendent. Writes one typically exuberant participant: "BRING A CAMERA, TAKE LOADS OF PICS, MAKE YOUR FUTURE KIDS HELLA JEALOUS EVEN THOUGH THEY WILL THINK IT'S WEIRD THAT A SPORTING STADIUM IS CALLED A CANDLESTICK."
Rec and Park also offers a virtual tour of the stadium. Soon enough, that'll be all that's left. In the meantime, tickets are still available for the real thing.
Your kids will be hella jealous.
