Our guide to Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento, California, home stadium of the A’s and River Cats, includes information on events, tickets, parking, nearby hotels and restaurants, seating, bag policy and more. Read on to find out how to get the most out of your gameday experience.

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Sutter Health Park has served for more than two decades as the home of the Sacramento River Cats, the Triple-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants.

Opened in 2000 and originally known as Raley Field, the ballpark quickly became a hotbed of activity for locals in the summer, helping the River Cats become one of the more popular teams in minor-league baseball.

Starting with the 2025 season, though, Sutter Health Park gets a new turn in the spotlight. The former Oakland Athletics, awaiting the construction of a permanent ballpark in Las Vegas, have chosen Sacramento as its temporary home.

While Sutter Health Ballpark doesn’t meet the standards of typical major-league parks in terms of capacity, it has plenty to offer the baseball fan as far as the experience of watching a game there.

The A’s have dropped the city affiliation from its official name and will go by just “Athletics” during their stay in Sacramento. With the Las Vegas ballpark expected to be completed in time for the 2028 season, it’s expected that the A’s will play at Sutter Health Park for three seasons.

Looking for Sutter Health Park event tickets? Search events on Ticketmaster.

Top photo credit: ZikG / Shutterstock.com

Getting to Sutter Health Park

If MLB baseball is bringing you to the Sacramento area for the first time, there’s one important thing to note about Sutter Health Park: The city is located in West Sacramento, which is not only a different city but located in a different county (Yolo County) from the actual city of Sacramento.

That said, Sutter Health Park is very close to downtown Sacramento and its various attractions, including the California State Capitol and Golden 1 Center, home of the NBA’s Sacramento Kings (more on that below). It’s just located across the Sacramento River, which also serves as the dividing line between the two counties.

So if you’re visiting the region, you’ll most likely wind up staying in a hotel downtown, but you’re still a reasonable walking distance from Sutter Health Park. Pedestrians can utilize a walkway that passes underneath Interstate 5 and into the historic Old Sacramento area.

From there, head a couple blocks south and cross the river via the distinctive yellow Tower Bridge, one of Sacramento’s defining landmarks. When you reach the other side, Sutter Health Park will already be in sight to your left.

If coming from a suburban point east of downtown Sacramento, it’s possible to utilize public transit to attend an event at Sutter Health Park. The Sacramento Regional Transit light rail extends as far as the suburbs of Rancho Cordova, Folsom and Roseville. Get off at either the 7th and Capitol or 8th and Capitol stops (which one depends on your direction of travel) and head west on Capitol Mall toward the Tower Bridge.

Drivers coming from points east can use U.S. Route 50, which passes the southern edge of downtown Sacramento before crossing the river. The first westbound exit beyond the river, 5th Street/Delta Lane, empties right in front of the ballpark’s parking lot.

Or, from downtown Sacramento, use the Capitol Mall, a wide boulevard that stretches from the State Capitol to the Tower Bridge, to cross over into West Sacramento. From there, you can turn left on either Riverfront Street or 5th Street to reach the ballpark.

Parking at Sutter Health Park

The majority of available parking for events at Sutter Health Park is in a large lot just south of the stadium. Parking rates depend on the event and the day of the week, and it remains to be seen how much patrons will be charged for A’s games.

Alternative parking areas include the large parking garage next the Ziggurat, the distinctive pyramid-like structure just northeast of the ballpark, as well as the various public lots and structures across the river in downtown Sacramento, from which fans can make the walk across the bridge to get to the game.

Sacramento hotels near the stadium

• Home2 Suites by Hilton West Sacramento – 0.4 miles away
• Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown-Arena – 0.7 miles away
• The Exchange Sacramento, Curio Collection by Hilton – 0.7 miles away
Search for more Sacramento hotels on Booking.com.

Map of West Sacramento

Check out rates for hotels near Sutter Health Park below.

Things to do around Sutter Health Park

If you’re staying in downtown Sacramento, then your primary pregame entertainment options will be on that side of the river.

Old Sacramento, the historic district that commemorates the city’s role in the mid-1800s Gold Rush, is worth a walk around for first-time visitors. Several eateries are in the neighborhood also, from quick-service stands to sit-down restaurants. The district begins at the foot of the Tower Bridge.

Slightly farther away, the area around Golden 1 Center has been continually redeveloped since the arena’s opening to cater to fans attending events in the evenings — and that should likely hold true for baseball fans heading to A’s games at Sutter Health Park.

Most prominently, Downtown Commons, a shopping mall that was revamped to accommodate Golden 1 Center, contains a number of bars and eateries catering to sports fans. The selection includes chain restaurants like Yard House and Tom’s Watch Bar, as well a few independent restaurants worth checking out.

Though the area in West Sacramento immediately surrounding Sutter Health Park is largely residential, there is a brewpub along the riverfront called Drake’s: The Barn that is popular among baseball fans before and after games. It’s a short walk from the stadium, located just south of the parking lot on Riverfront Street.

Sacramento restaurants near the stadium

• Joe’s Crab Shack – seafood, 0.3 miles away
• Railroad Fish and Chips – seafood, 0.4 miles away
• The Firehouse Restaurant – steakhouse, 0.5 miles away
Search for more Sacramento restaurants on Tripadvisor.

Watching a game at Sutter Health Park

First and foremost, remember that Sutter Health Park is a minor-league ballpark, and even with a major-league team like the A’s moving in and sellouts likely routine, there are only so many things the stadium can offer in terms of major-league creature comforts.

If you’ve attended spring training games or minor-league games in some of the larger stadiums around the country, you’ll find the seating layout of Sutter Health Park to be similar.

It’s a single-tier facility, with a main concourse above the seating areas that extend down toward the field. Seating sections extend toward the foul poles on both sides of the diamond.

In right field at Sutter Health Park, there is a large grass berm seating area that extends around the foul pole and almost to straightaway center field. For River Cats games, it’s branded as Toyota Home Run Hill.

The stadium also has a pretty long row of premium seating and luxury suite areas as minor-league parks go. Built above the main concourse, it extends as far as the seats on both sides.

Sutter Health Park is undergoing renovations in preparation for the arrival of the A’s, but that will largely come in the form of a new clubhouse and player facilities that conform to major-league standards, as well as upgrades to the premium spaces around the ballpark.

Fans used to watching River Cats games from the regular seating bowl at Sutter Health Park likely won’t notice too much of a difference in the experience for A’s games. Sit along the third-base line to get a nice view of the Tower Bridge and the downtown Sacramento skyline beyond the right-field berm.

Visitors to Sacramento should be forewarned that the region frequently hits temperatures in the 90s and above during the summer months. There’s precious little shade in the seating areas at Sutter Health Park, and the A’s will be playing only a handful of day games there in July and August during the 2025 season, but it’s something that fans should consider when heading to the game.

Food and drink at Sutter Health Park

The concessions options for River Cats games at Sutter Health Park include the typical stadium food staples, from hot dogs to barbecue and chicken tenders to popcorn.

The Dinger Dog, an extra-long hot dog named after the River Cats’ mascot, is a particularly popular item at minor-league games. It’s not yet known whether it will also be available at A’s games as well.

Look out for the specialty stands such as the Cadillac Diner, offering diner-style milkshakes; Oso’s Mexican Cantina, selling tacos, nachos and elotes; and the Elysian Brewing Landing, where fans can find craft beer selections.

Sutter Health Park bag and food policy

Per policy, approved bags for entry into Sutter Health Park must measure 12 inches by 6 inches by 12 inches or smaller. Bags must be clear, like those permitted in NFL stadiums, with the exception of diaper bags and clutches.

Oversized bags such as suitcases and large purses will not be allowed into Sutter Health Park, per stadium policy.

Unopened bags of peanuts and sunflower seeds are the only outside foods allowed into Sutter Health Park. The stadium bag and food policy also allows fans to bring factory-sealed plastic bottles of water only — no sodas, sports drinks or other flavored beverages are permitted. Exceptions will be made for baby formula, juice boxes or other beverages for children.

Bags will be inspected by security at the entry gates to Sutter Health Park, and patrons carrying any bags that don’t comply with stadium policy will be denied entry.

Original publish date: January 24, 2025

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