Centrally located in downtown Los Angeles, the Staples Center (at 1111 S. Figueroa Street) prides itself on being one of the top sports and entertainment venues in the world. Staples Center plays host to four professional sports teams-NBA's Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers and the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks and NHL's Los Angeles Kings. Staples Center is also an acclaimed concert venue for live music showcasing the world's top performers, as well as award shows, like the Grammy's. Figure skating and boxing also make up the center's annual 250 events.
Parking at Staples Center
A rule of thumb is the closer to Staples Center, the steeper the parking prices. Staples Center operates the West Garage (Lot W, Gate B) off of Chick Hearn Court, and the East Garage (Lot E) at Olympic Blvd. and Figueroa, which also offers Valet Service. (Staples Center also offers the option to buy pre-paid parking when purchasing your event tickets.) Convention Center parking is also available along LA Live Way and Pico Blvd. A slightly cheaper option are third-party paid parking lots surrounding Staples, mostly to the North and East that operate on a flat fee rate during concerts and game events. These can be found along Olympic Blvd., East of the Harbor Freeway 110, as well as Eastern side streets such as Flower Street, Hope Street, and Grand Street.
Parking Alternatives at Staples Center
Staples Center has numerous public transportation options to offset the high parking costs. Metro Rail's Expo Blue and also Silver Lines stop at the Pico Station, one block East and two blocks South of Staples Center. Metro bus operates bus lines 30, 81, 439, 442, 46 and the Silver Line that stop near Staples. Dash Bus Route F stops at Figueroa Street adjacent to LA Live and Staples Center.
Hotels near Staples Center
Since Staples Center is centrally located downtown and adjacent to LA Live, there are numerous hotels within walking distance. The two closest hotels, and also part of the adjacent LA Live complex, are the luxury Ritz-Carlton Hotel and the JW Marriott Hotel (both 900 W. Olympic Blvd.). Across Olympic are two others, the Residence Inn at LA Live and the Courtyard by Marriott at LA Live (both 901 W. Olympic Blvd.). The Luxe City Center Hotel (1020 S. Figueroa Street) is also popular. Several blocks further out, Hipsters may want to check out the trendy Ace Hotel (929 S. Broadway) or The Standard Downtown (550 S. Flower Street).
Seating at Staples Center
There are three levels of seating at Staples Center – Level 100 is closest to the floor, the second tier Level 200, and the upper deck, Level 300. For sporting events, all seats have good site lines, although the upper Level 300 seats are elevated giving more of a bird's-eye view. However, with big HD screens all the action can be easily seen from all perspectives. There are also Premier Seats/Private Suites for season ticket holders, as well as an exclusive club like experience (serving gourmet food and signature cocktails) at the Hyde Lounge located at Suite Level C.
Food at Staples Center
Staples Center has a multitude of food choices on all levels. On the main and upper level concourses there are chains like McDonald's, California Pizza Kitchen, and Wetzel's Pretzels. Also popular are specialty food stands like Goose Island for designer hotdogs, Beyond the Whistle Stop for Deli-like sandwiches, Tap Haus for Sausage sandwiches, Camacho's Cantina for Mexican, Ludo Bird from Chef Ludo Lefebvre, and Kinder's Smokehouse BBQ. There is also Outtakes for pre-packaged take-out food. Premier Seats and Private Suites have their own Spotlight Grill/Skyline Grill, Cooke's Corner, and Buss Stop.
Beer at Staples Center
Meeting fans' thirsty needs, Staples Center offers bars (Figueroa Bar, CPK Bar, Cocktail Bar), Craft Beers (Tap Haus, Goose Island), and beer and frozen cocktail carts.
Insider Tips for Staple Center
Fans are not allowed to bring in their own food and drinks into Staples Center so check out the various restaurants outside of Staples Center at the adjacent LA Live, where food is more modestly priced. Sometimes metered parking can be found on outlying streets for a fraction of the parking lot costs, but pay careful attention to the parking regulations at meters, which vary street to street.
Author's bio: An avid Los Angeles Kings fan, Lori Huck works in television development as well as writes on entertainment and the arts. She's a fan of the vibrant arts and sports scenes in Los Angeles and is a member of various film, TV, and arts organizations.