Camden Yards A Finalist For 'Nicest Place In America': Reader's Digest

BALTIMORE, MD — Oriole Park at Camden Yards is among the top 10 nicest places in America, according to Reader's Digest, which is conducting a contest to find the absolute nicest spot. Voters can throw their support behind Oriole Park until 12:01 p.m. on July 7.

Here's what the editors of Reader's Digest had to say about the park in Charm City, where the ambiance has as much to do with the fans as with the stadium itself:

Since opening 25 years ago, gorgeous Oriole Park at Camden Yards has been consistently touted as the friendliest place to watch a ballgame in America. The O’s fans, being from down-to-earth “Balmer,” banter freely with any visitor. They joyously turn “O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave” during our anthem into a live meme, staying quiet until the only word that matters to them: “O!” Given the welcoming, good-natured atmosphere, when you walk out of OPACY after a game, you tend to feel good.

Vote here in the Reader's Digest contest.

Camden Yards is so nice that one Reader's Digest voter went so far as to comment: "Even if the Orioles are losing, it's a great place to be."

Out-of-town visitors also backed the choice, noting in particular the hospitable gestures such as first-time game attendee certificates and the spirited shots of fans on the Jumbotron.

Another Reader's Digest reader said the park actually turned her into an O's fan: "Prior to moving to Baltimore, I didn't even particularly like baseball, but Camden Yards is so beautiful and the atmosphere is so pleasant that I've full-on converted to a ride or die O's fan. The ushers and beer guys are some of the kindest and funniest characters around. The Birdland Community Heroes program really makes you proud of all the people in Baltimore sharing their talents to make the world a better place. It's nice to see people from all backgrounds and professions being honored!"

Started in 2016, the Birdland Community Heroes program recognizes those who have made a difference in the community. The program includes a ceremony at the end of the fifth inning at weekend home games, and honorees receive four game tickets, VIP parking and a medal.

Reader's Digest editors said that this particular program helped Oriole Park stand out as one of the nicest places in America, stating:

What earned the park our finalist nod was the simple addition of a moment during the ballpark experience when fans look to the scoreboard en masse. Every weekend game, the Birdland Community Heroes program selects someone who has made a courageous difference in Baltimore for a rousing round of applause. The 50 honorees thus far have included a school bus driver who risked her life to save 20 students after the bus caught fire, three men who fought flood waters to rescue trapped motorists and a Medal of Honor recipient.

Do you think Oriole Park at Camden Yards is the nicest place in America? Vote! And tell us what you think is the best about the ballpark in the comments.

There are 10 finalists for the Reader's Digest Nicest Place in America contest, and Baltimore is not the only Maryland destination on the list — Rock Hall, Maryland, is also a contender.
Here are the finalists:

• Oriole Park in Baltimore, Maryland
• Rock Hall, Maryland
• Franklin, Nebraska
• Hayesville, North Carolina
• The Doak's House in Waterford, Ohio
• Providence, Rhode Island
• Gallatin, Tennessee
• Pflugerville High School, Texas
• South Whidbey Island in Puget Sound, Washington
• KidsCycle: NS in Shorewood, Wisconsin

Photo by Keith Allison via Flickr, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.