Where can I tailgate near the baseball park?

Conveniently located directly across the street from Nationals Ballpark on the corner of N St SE and 1st St SE is the The Yards Parking Lot.  Baseball fans can tailgate at any of the The Yards three parking lots but make sure to order catered food or bring prepared meals from home because grills of any kind are not allowed in the lots.

The security folks at The Yards are pretty consistent at enforcing this policy.  The Yards does however, allow tents, tables, and chairs and you will certainly feel the pre-game atmosphere in their parking lot.  Portable restrooms are located in each corner of the lot.  Make sure to bring a garbage bag to pick up after yourself.  Purchase gameday parking in advance by contacting David Kenema, (202) 484-0325 or david.kenema@abm.com. 

So where can I grill before a Nationals ballgame?

If you are part of a large tailgating group and want to grill in the parking lot then Lot W is probably your best bet.  Located on the corner of M St SE and 7th St SE it is the only parking lot owned by the Nationals that officially permits tailgating with grills, tables, and tents.

Lot W is where buses and RVs usually park and is a 10-15 minute walk to the stadium. Expect the parking fee to be about $10 cash but like most parking lots the price will fluctuate for games with high ticket demand.  

Direct your parking questions to the Washington Nationals general phone number by calling (202) 675-6287 and press 0 for the operator who can usually answer your questions.

Washington Nationals official parking website

Okay, where else can I park and tailgate?

Our list is not all inclusive and you may be able to find other parking lots to tailgate but two more options are:

The Yards Lot L

About a 5-7 minute walk to Nationals Ballpark, Lot L is located on the corner of Tingey St SE and 3rd St SE.  Enter the lot from Tingey St SE.  Parking is usually $20.  The same no grilling policy mentioned above is also applicable to Lot L.

MarcParc Parking Lot

MarcParc is located on 25 M St SE - about one block north of Nationals Ballpark and about a 5 minute walk to the stadium.  You will see baseball fans tailgating here as grills, tables, and tents are allowed inside the lot.  MarcParc is a bit smaller than the other lots so it's probably not the best choice for large groups.  Arrive early as the parking lot starts to fill up about an hour before first pitch.  For high demand games, the MarcParc staff will double park vehicles to maximize the occupancy of the lot which could wind up limiting your tailgate space.  Make sure to clean up after yourself and keep your trash in a garbage bag.  There are no portable restrooms in this lot so your best bet is to walk across the street to the fire department and kindly ask them to allow you to use their facilities.

There is a 7-11 convenience store located directly next door which makes it easy to purchase ice and beverages.  The parking fee may fluctuate but expect to pay around $20 cash.  The point of contact for MarcParc is Nelson Castro, (202) 747-6822, ncastro@marcparc.com.

Where is the nearest grocery store?

Waterfront Metro Safeway

1100 4th St SW, Washington, DC 20024

Located less than a half-mile from the baseball stadium the Waterfront Metro Safeway is the closest store for tailgaters to purchase the food and beverages they need before first pitch.

Where can I purchase beer and ice?

7-11 Convenience Store

Located on the corner of M St SW and Capitol St SE - right next door to MarcParc Parking Lot.  Great location for tailgaters for purchase last minute ice, beverages, and chips.