Dallas/Fort Worth is ground zero for watching live sporting events. Professional teams in every sport play in DFW, specifically in Arlington. If it’s your first time seeing a professional baseball game, the Texas Rangers experience is a real treat. Here’s your insider’s guide to get the most out of the event.

How to Get There

Photo courtesy of MyArlingtonTX

Globe Life Park, where the Texas Rangers play, is easily accessible from Interstate 30. Located in Arlington, the park is a midpoint between both Downtown Fort Worth and Downtown Dallas. If you’re flying into the city to catch a game, the ballpark is also easily accessible from the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. 

Tips for Meeting the Players

Photo by Shutterstock

Want your very own autograph from one of the Rangers players? You’re in luck: It’s not an impossible dream. Just plan to arrive a little early because coaches and players sign autographs from the time the gates open until 45 minutes before the game begins. But if you snooze, you lose — Major League Baseball rules prohibit autograph signing after that point.

Come Hungry

Part of the essential baseball game experience is enjoying all the tasty ballpark food. There are more than 100 concession stands throughout the park, featuring a variety of foods including Texas barbecue, burgers, smoked sausage, and ice cream. Want to make a day of it? Bring a big appetite and buy tickets to the All-You-Can-Eat seats, which include unlimited chicken sandwiches, hot dogs, nachos, popcorn, peanuts, and soft drinks. The unlimited food deal covers from the time the gates open until two hours after the game ends.

Enjoy a Beer (Or Choose an Alcohol-Free Zone) 

Photo courtesy of Arlington

You can enjoy an ice-cold beer or other alcoholic beverage in most places throughout the ballpark. Alcohol sales end in seating sections at the 7th inning and in concession areas at the 8th inning. But for people who want an alcohol-free experience, seating section 335 is a designated no-alcohol area at all regular season games. And if your group has a designated driver, make sure they sign the pledge card at Guest Relations to be entered into a drawing for special prizes.

Events for Kids

Photo courtesy of Kid’s Zone

Going to a baseball game is fun for the whole family. Texas Rangers games at Globe Life Park have entertainment options for all ages, including kids. Children age 13 and younger can get reduced-price tickets for seats in the Upper Reserved seating area. Children under 36 inches tall get in for free, but they have to sit on an adult’s lap.

The Kid’s Zone area is a climate-controlled place for kids to play if they start getting restless or overheated. The Kid’s Zone has a playground with a baseball bat slide and three Sony PlayStation gaming consoles. The area also has a family restroom, kid-sized Rangers merchandise, and a concession stand. Rangers Captain, the team mascot, also comes to the Kid’s Zone to sign autographs in the 5th inning.

What to Do in Town

Photo courtesy of Six Flags Over Texas

If you’re coming to Arlington for a Rangers game, there are a lot of other things you can do for nearby entertainment. The amusement park Six Flags Over Texas is less than a mile away from Globe Life Park. Six Flags Hurricane Harbor is a water park within a mile of the ballpark, providing a welcome opportunity to cool off in the hot Texas summers. River Legacy Park is a nearby nature park with trails and scenic views. And as you would expect, the area around the ballpark and amusement parks in Arlington also includes numerous hotels, restaurants, brew pubs, and nightclubs.

A Few More Tips

  • Noise makers, such as horns, drums, or vuvuzela plastic horns, are prohibited.
  • You can bring your camera, as long as it doesn’t have a flash or otherwise have features (including selfie sticks) that will interfere with the enjoyment of other guests.
  • Smoking is only allowed in certain designated areas.
  • No coolers, outside alcoholic beverages, metal cans, or glass bottles are allowed. Purses must be smaller than 16” x 16” x 8”.

You can read a full list of what is and isn’t allowed at the ballpark here.