Nicest Place in America - Oriole Park at Camden Yards

From the Editors: Let’s get the stuff that any baseball fan knows out of the way: 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.

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.

The most memorable cheer was for a middle schooler, Thomas Moore, who was inspired to grow his hair out after seeing a picture of a young cancer patient on social media. Moore ended up donating three wigs worth of hair to pediatric cancer patients who had lost their hair due to chemotherapy.

“When you see somebody that young, with that much charisma, passion for life, compassion for others, it’s pretty crazy,” the O’s star outfielder Adam Jones said after meeting Moore. “It just shows you how great this world can be.” Just like Oriole Park.