Washington D.C. (including Baltimore) - Nationals Park: Food

I am headed to Nationals Park for the first time tonight to see Tim Lincecum pitch.

My question is the following:

I've been to Camdem Yards, which allows you to bring in food. I've always bought food from the street vendors cooking outside as you walk up to Camdem Yards & just brought that in. Are there similar vendors outside of Nationals Park anywhere? My understanding is that they allow you to bring this food in.

Also, I plan on buying the cheapest seats possible. As a student, I believe tonight that would be $3 off of a $10 Upper Level seat. Is it easy at Nationals Park to sit elsewhere (i.e. Lower Level up the base line?). Obviously, I don't think it will be crowded tonight.

Thanks for all of your help!

AFAIR the food options outside Nationals Park are far fewer than what exists at Camden Yards. It's in an area of town that doesn't have a ton of to-go type places nor a ton of mobile food vendors. There will be some but don't expect the Inner Harbor.

Also, IME, they're pretty strict about letting you upgrade your seats for free. It's not like the old days.

Have fun!

AFAIR the food options outside Nationals Park are far fewer than what exists at Camden Yards. It's in an area of town that doesn't have a ton of to-go type places nor a ton of mobile food vendors. There will be some but don't expect the Inner Harbor.

Also, IME, they're pretty strict about letting you upgrade your seats for free. It's not like the old days.

Have fun!

Are there usually some vendors? I don't mean actual restaurants, just the mobile vendors you referenced.

Are there usually some vendors? I don't mean actual restaurants, just the mobile vendors you referenced.

Yeah I remember seeing some, particularly near the Metro stop. Just won't be anything like Fenway, Camden yards, etc.

Yeah I remember seeing some, particularly near the Metro stop. Just won't be anything like Fenway, Camden yards, etc.

Okay, great. Assuming they sell food at a significant discount to the park, I'll get food there. Thanks.

Bumping this topic because I'll be in DC for a wedding in late July and looking to go to a game. Like OP asked, is it easy to 'upgrade' your seating in the stadium?

If you have a ticket for one of the nosebleed seats, you won't easily be able to walk into a nice seat on the lower level until late in the game; there are ticket checkers on the lower levels. However. The park is very open with concourses all around, and there are a number of places to loiter with food or a beverage that you can just walk into without being ticketed for that spot. There's a bar close in in the outfield above the bullpen, and a restaurant underneath it. There's a "beer pen"--standing room only on bleachers--next to the scoreboard (although some Fridays & Saturday nights this can be blocked off for private events). There's also ample room under the scoreboard to look out over the field, and a "family picnic area" on the lower level behind the seats.

So my advice would be definitely, to buy a cheap seat and find a good spot. The games are very very rarely anywhere close to full. Enjoy!