Spectator Sports

The Bay Area's sports scene includes several major professional franchises. Check the local newspapers' sports sections for daily listings of local events.

Major League Baseball

The San Francisco Giants play at AT&T Park, Third and King streets (tel. 415/972-2000; www.sfgiants.com), in the China Basin section of SoMa. From April to October, 41,503 fans fill the seats here to root for the National League Giants. Tickets are hard to come by, but you can try to obtain some through Tickets.com (tel. 800/225-2277; www.tickets.com).

The American League's Oakland Athletics play across the bay at McAfee Coliseum, at the Hegenberger Road exit from I-880, Oakland (tel. 510/430-8020; www.athletics.mlb.com). The stadium holds over 50,000 spectators and is accessible through BART's Coliseum station. Tickets are available from the Coliseum Box Office or by phone through Tickets.com (tel. 800/225-2277; www.tickets.com).

Pro Basketball

The Golden State Warriors of the NBA play at the Arena in Oakland, a 19,200-seat facility at 7000 Coliseum Way in Oakland (tel. 510/986-2200; www.nba.com/warriors). The season runs November through April, and most games start at 7:30pm. Tickets are available at the arena, online, and by phone through Tickets.com (tel. 800/225-2277; www.tickets.com).

Pro Football

The San Francisco 49ers (www.sf49ers.com) play at Monster Park, Giants Drive and Gilman Avenue, on Sundays August through December; kickoff is usually at 1pm. Tickets sell out early in the season but are available at higher prices through ticket agents beforehand and from "scalpers" (illegal ticket-sellers who are usually at the gates). Ask your hotel concierge for the best way to track down tickets.

The 49ers' archenemies, the Oakland Raiders (www.raiders.com), play at McAfee Coliseum, off the I-880 freeway (Nimitz). Call tel. 800/RAIDERS for ticket information.

College Football

The University of California Golden Bears play at Haas Pavilion, University of California, Berkeley (tel. 800/GO-BEARS or 510/642-3277; www.calbears.com), on the university campus across the bay. Tickets are usually available at game time. Phone for schedules and information.

Horse Racing

Ten miles northeast of San Francisco is scenic Golden Gate Fields, Buchanan Street off I-80, Albany (tel. 510/559-7300; www.goldengatefields.com). The racing schedule changes yearly; please call or check the website for current schedule and admission prices. The track is on the seashore.

Bay Meadows, 2600 S. Delaware St., off U.S. 101, San Mateo (tel. 650/574-7223; www.baymeadows.com), is a thoroughbred track on the peninsula about 20 miles south of downtown San Francisco. Call for admission prices and post times.