📍 Coral Gables, Florida
⚾ Home of Miami Hurricanes baseball

Built as the first on-campus ballpark for the Miami Hurricanes baseball squad, Mark Light Field is the southernmost ballpark at the collegiate or professional level in the contiguous US and opened in the spring of 1973. The venue’s playing surface – and formerly the entire facility – is named for the son of George Light, a program donor who made the park’s construction possible. Both George and his son Mark passed away in the mid-’70s, the latter to muscular dystrophy, but George’s widow Ethel remained a staunch supporter of ‘Canes baseball and was present at almost every game for two decades after.

In 1993, future Yankees superstar Alex Rodriguez turned down a scholarship to play baseball at Miami and instead went right into the MLB Draft. Towards the end of his playing career, he would donate nearly $4 million to renovations of the aging ballpark and his name was added to the venue as a result, becoming Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field, officially.

The legacy of the Light family lives on in Coral Gables, however. Among the classic ballpark fare served up at the stadium is the iconic lineup of Mark Light Shakes. Known around the college baseball world as one of the best concession items in the sport, these shakes range from traditional chocolate and vanilla to wild and wacky combinations that have included chicken wings, pimento cheese and even alligator.

Each homestand tends to feature an exclusive flavor that’s unique to the visiting team, such as an insane cheesesteak concoction when Villanova comes to town, a lobster shake for Maine, or a simple shortbread cookie shake to welcome UConn. No matter which flavor you choose – whether classic or crazy – you really can’t go wrong with a good ‘ole Mark Light Shake to beat that South Florida heat.

You can enjoy your shake in one of the ballpark’s 5,000 grandstand or bleacher seats. Regardless of your view of the game, you’ll be treated to a performance by one of the best college baseball programs in the country. The Hurricanes have been touted as Florida’s best team, competing in over 50 NCAA tournaments, emerging victorious in close to 30 regionals, and making 25 appearances in the College World Series, winning it all on four occasions. Formerly a dominant conference-independent program, the ‘Canes have been a member of the ACC since 2004.