For Chicagoans, baseball is more than just entertainment — it’s a way of life. And for Cubs fans, following their team to a World Series win in 2016 was the ultimate reward for their loyalty.
As one of only a few U.S. cities with two Major League Baseball teams, Chicago and its baseball diehards divide their loyalties between the Chicago Cubs on the North Side and the Chicago White Sox on the South Side.
Check out the Chicago Cubs schedule.
The Crosstown Classic
This is the hottest ticket in town. The Cubs go against their local rival, the Chicago White Sox, for some interleague action, and a chance to secure the ultimate hometown bragging rights…at least until they play again next year. Check out dates and tickets.
Wrigley Field
Very few venues in the world of professional sports offer the incredible experience of Wrigley Field. Inside the “Friendly Confines,” you’ll be greeted by a stunning space adorned with iconic ivy-covered outfield and a historic scoreboard still operated by hand. Wrigley Field is the second oldest ballpark in the United States, having opened in 1914.
For the ultimate behind-the-scenes fan outing, take the official Wrigley Field Tour. Walk the grounds, visit the press box and get a chance to step onto the field and clubhouses. Tours are conducted daily and will leave you with even more appreciation for the nearly 100 years of history behind the stadium walls.
Game day experience
There’s nothing like the crunch of peanut shells under your shoes, the taste of a Vienna beef hot dog and the echoes of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” sung during the seventh inning stretch — the legacy of Cubs announcer Harry Caray is honored with a celebrity performance of the song. Fans of all ages fill the stadium, and the time-honored tradition of attending a Cubs game is something to be cherished. If it’s a child’s first game, a trip to the First Timers Booth on the right field concourse will land you a certificate to mark the occasion.
5 Cubs traditions to know
1. Raise the flag
Starting in 937, any game win for the Cubs at their home field is marked with the hoisting of a white flag adorned with a giant blue “W”.
2. Go Cubs Go!
While Cubs players congratulate one another on the field and fans cheer in the stands, you’ll hear Steve Goodman’s 1984 tune, “Go Cubs Go!” blaring across the airwaves. It’s become the Cubs official victory song.
3. The ivy rule
Wrigley Field is the only major league baseball park with ivy on the outfield walls, planted by Cubs President William Veeck in 1937. If a ball gets caught in the ivy and the outfielder raises his hand signaling his failure to find it, it’s an automatic ground rule double. But if the defender tries to get the ball out of the ivy, no ground rule double will be ruled.
4. Rooftop viewing
A unique characteristic of Wrigley Field is the presence of tall residential buildings behind the stadium with a view onto the ballpark. Many of the rooftops offer tickets with food and beverages during home games; revenues are shared with the Cubs.
5. Gameday at the Park
On game days, ticketholders head to the Gallagher Way to lounge in the sun, drink local brews and watch game highlights on a giant video board. They also get the chance to glimpse the 2016 Championship Trophy at the Trophy Room, which houses World Series collectibles. The tavern-style Brickhouse and Starbucks Reserve® Bar welcome both ticketholders and non-ticketholders, as do the tantalizing food trucks that line the area on game days.
Wrigleyville neighborhood
The Wrigleyville neighborhood comes alive on game day and creates an absolutely contagious energy — a fever pitch — to which no one is immune. For hours before and after the game, the streets, particularly at the intersection of Clark and Addison Streets, are teeming with baseball fans filling up on food, drinks, and festivities. Within walking distance of the stadium, dozens of restaurant and bar options include favorites such:
Murphy’s Bleachers: This is the classic corner bar across the street from Wrigley Field, complete with rooftop. You can’t miss it—hoards of fans crowd around it, whether or not it’s game day.
Sports Corner: The party continues at Sports Corner, a bi-level bar across from Wrigley Field. An American pub menu, TVs lining the walls and contagious Cubs fever make it a favorite among baseball fans.
Casey Moran’s: Spacious, warm and inviting, this Irish-influenced gastropub hosts six full bars, 30 plasma screens, an outdoor patio (with a retractable roof in case of rain), a VIP lounge and rooftop garden.
Sluggers:The name tells you everything you need to know: Batting cage, skeeball, arcade games, dueling pianos, and two floors with fully stocked bars.
Getting to the game
For the cheapest and most convenient way to get to Wrigley, Cubs fans are strongly encouraged to use public transportation. The CTA Red Line provides direct service to the stadium via the Addison stop. Fans can transfer to Red Line trains from all other rail lines and from most east-west bus routes as well. Plan your trip ahead of time with transportation and parking information and directions.
Where to stay
Hotel Zachary at Gallagher Way Inspired by the designs of world-renowned Wrigley Field architect and Chicagoan Zachary Taylor Davis, this new kid on the block stands across the street from Wrigley Field, promising an authentic neighborhood experience. The hotel includes Chicago favorites Big Star, West Town Bakery and Smoke Daddy.
Majestic Hotel A fire-lit lobby, newly renovated public areas and bold décor give the air of an English estate at this boutique 52-room hotel in East Lakeview.
Wrigley Hostel You’ll find a lounge and barbecue deck; kitchen; common room with pool table, ping pong table, foosball, a BYOB bar, large flat-screen TV, and tons of games; computer room; and free breakfast, Wifi, and lockers—all within a stone’s throw of Wrigley Field.
Hawthorne Terrace, a Best Western Plus Hotel Nestled in vibrant Lakeview East, you’ll feel a part of the neighborhood at this charming, award-winning hotel, which features a variety of packages, including Bleachers or Bust! (enjoy two bleacher seat tickets to a Cubs game, a $20 ballpark concessions gift card, and complimentary breakfast).
Wrigley Field, 1060 W. Addison St.
