Shaded Seats at Fenway Park

Fenway Park is one of the most iconic and historic ballparks in all of baseball. It’s been home to the Boston Red Sox since 1912 and has long been the oldest park in the majors. Of course, Boston summers get hot and humid, so if you’re planning a pilgrimage to see the Red Sox, it’s best to plan ahead so you can find the Fenway Park shaded seats.

Where are the shaded seats at Fenway Park?

As a general rule, the seats in the shade at Fenway Park are located:

• In the Infield Grandstand sections on the lower-level
• Behind home plate or on the 3rd base side of the ballpark
• Farther back in one of those sections or in a row that’s under cover

The seating at Fenway is asymmetrical, similar to the setup in cities like Cleveland, with more seating on the 1st base side than the 3rd base side. However, there are more than enough areas where you can find shade and protection from the sun if you know where to look. Above all else, you’ll want to avoid the outfield bleachers, sections BL34-BL43, if you want to stay out of the sun.

The Red Sox play a majority of their games at 7:10 p.m. However, weekends bring plenty of 1:05 p.m. start times with a few 4:05 p.m. start times thrown in there for good measure. Obviously, the task of avoiding the sun changes depending on the time of the game.

Fenway Park Orientation to the Sun

Fenway Park is positioned so that hitters are facing to the northeast. If the Red Sox started games first thing in the morning, the rising sun would shine directly at the batter’s eyes. That means that the sun sets in the evenings behind the 3rd baseline almost to the left field corner. In between, large sections of the ballpark are in direct sunlight.

The graphic below shows the approximate location of the sun throughout the day on July 1st (halfway through the MLB season).

Click or tap here to open an interactive seating chart at Fenway Park.

Seats in the Shade at Red Sox Early Afternoon Games

During the summer, the sun will be high in the sky on the 1st base side of the ballpark during 1:05 p.m. games. This will cast sunshine on all of the playing field and large sections of the stands. Things may be particularly brutal for those in the center and right field stands, as well as the small collection of fans sitting on top of the Green Monster. The caveat at Fenway is that the grandstand provides natural shade for large sections of the fans.

Anywhere from section GS8 along the 1st baseline to section GS27 on the 3rd baseline should provide protection from the sun, even during the middle of the day. There is also a natural overhang on the lower section of the stadium that can provide some cover for fans. The entire lower level of the stadium from section 1 to section 165 is protected in this way, although it may be necessary to sit in the back rows of the lower level to guarantee protection from the sun for an early afternoon game.

Seats in the Shade at Red Sox Late Afternoon Games

By 4:05 on summer days, the sun should be behind home plate and slowly working its way down the 3rd base side of the stadium as it sets. From this angle, those sitting in the outfield bleachers will be directly facing the sun. Meanwhile, most seats behind home plate and on the 3rd base side of the stadium will have their back to the sun.

Between the position of the sun and Fenway’s grandstand, nearly every fan on that side of the ballpark should be well-protected from the sun. However, those sitting along the 1st baseline may be exposed to the sun during this time of day. The grandstand and overhang will provide some protection, but the further away from home plate you are on the 1st base side, the more likely you are to be in the sun between first pitch and sunset.

Seats in the Shade at Red Sox Evening Games

During the summer months, the sun doesn’t typically set in Boston until after 8:00 p.m., meaning there’s at least an hour of sunlight at the start of a 7:05 game. By that time, the outfield bleachers will be getting most of the sunlight that’s being cast upon the stands. The seats at the top of the Green Monster will get some as well, as they have no protection. Some of the seats far down the 1st baseline toward the foul pole will also be facing the sun until it starts to dip. However, anyone sitting on the 3rd baseline or around home plate will be in good shape with the sun fully behind them.

Ready to buy shaded seats at Fenway Park?

Use the individual game links on the side (or bottom of the page on mobile) or click or tap here to see the Red Sox upcoming game list. Learn about why we recommend buying MLB tickets on Seatgeek.

Enjoy the game!