Finally making the trip. Opening weekend of '08, Cubs v Astros, April 4th-6th. I'm stoked. Any regulars with advice, chime in here. I will be drunk. And to recap, because the question is bound to come up, I'm a lifelong Cubs fan bacause of Andre Dawson. The 1st MLB game I ever attended was in the Astrodome, Houston and Chicago. Dad and I arrived 2 hours early, Dawson signed my program, gave me a baseball (which I promptly lost in about a week), talked with us for easily 20 minutes before he bugged out. It was my first encounter with a pro athlete, I was in awe, Cubs fan ever since. I expect a sweep. Ryan Theriot will hit a HR in my honor.
Wrigley is TINY - don't be shocked. Go early and drink around wrigleyville - there are tons of bars w/in walking distance. Eat pizza in Chicago somewhere. Stay after the game and drink around wrigleyville ... there are tons of bars within walking distance. Wrigley is beautiful - awesome, awesome experience.
I'm not a regular but did get a chance to go a couple of summers ago. Agree with the poster above. Go early, real early, and drink and walk around. Lots of bars around that area and very good baseball atmosphere. Very accessible via the L train. Get on the Red Line and get off at Addison Stop. Chicago is an amazing city. It's my second favorite city after Austin. Lots of friendly people, great food (eat lots of pizza and chicago style hot dogs), and lots of fun stuff to do. If you have time, go check out the Field Museum and walk around Lake Michigan. Sears Tower is a must. Have a great time. Wrigley is amazing for baseball purists.
I had a weekend trip there in 2000. I will say this, it is like watching from two different stadiums when you sit in regular seats vs the bleachers. If you aren't planning it already, you HAVE to sit in the bleachers at least once. Crazy out there. It is really an experience. The stadium is basically the main attraction of a little city around it. Go early and plan on staying afterward. Lots of things to do.
ive never seen a baseball stadium like it. We've all seen it on TV a million times, but actually being there is pretty damn cool. Its kinda tiny(it was smaller than I expected and not very big at all from the outside) and it is smack dab in the middle of the Wrigglelvile neighborhood. There is no highway or anything that runs by it like almost every other pro stadium. Its surrounded by residentials, bars and restuarants. Its probably the exact opposite of Comiskey Park. Comiskey is a big, new, nice looking stadium that sits directly off of the highway. The Forum in Los Angeles used to weird me out because it was one of the only Pro stadiums I had ever seen that wasn't located directly off of a freeway. Even then, the Forum is right next door to the racetrack, so it has a sporting complex kinda vibe to it. Not so with Wrigley Stadium.....its just as much a part of the neighborhood as a supermarket would be.
I'll be headed to Yankee stadium this summer for the first time. not a yankee fan but i've been wanting to attend a game their.
Dont stick with one bar pregame. There are too many good bars in Wrigleyville. I tell everyone this that comes to Chicago. Go to the bar at the Hancock tower instead of Sears. Its a better view and it serves booze. Also, check out some jazz or blues (my favorite is the Green Mill).
Barton, I hope you like Bud or Old Style. Chicago is full of it. I went for the 1st time to Chicago last summer. Had a blast. That stadium needs some serious improvements. It makes Disch pre-renovations look top-notch. But you gotta go obviously. We went to a bar (Murphys) outside RF. Bought a few beers, had a good time. We bought tix super easy. After leaving the bar, as I walked across the street I put 2 fingers up and immediately a real fan came up to me. He had 3 extras. I told we only needed 2. He sold them to us at face, behind home plate like 20 rows up. Not bad at all. After the game, we went to Wrigleyville. Basically a bunch of bars along the street. We ended up going to a bar called Sheffields (I believe) which reminded me of Scholz but a 5min walk from Wrigleyville. Had a great time there. Check this thread out. link
Barton - I moved to Chicago in July from Dallas. I too am a Cubs fan (having been born here). I'll be at the game on the 5th - a nooner. Let me know where your seats are when you get them..I'll buy you an Old Style!
Making my first trip on Memorial Day to see the Cubs vs. Dodgers. Game is at 1, flight back to Austin is at 8.
I forgot to mention this in my above post, but I will tell you what Wriglleyville reminded me of. That whole area of bars reminds me of Lower Greenville Ave in Dallas. If you replaced the Whole Foods market thats on Greenville with a baseball stadium you would have something similar to Wriggleville. Bars, restaurants, townhomes, condos, houses.....and a major leauge baseball stadium
my dad and I go up every Aug/Sept for the Cardinals/Cubs series.. IMO, there isn't anything like it, and that rivalry is as good as it gets in all of sports. The City turns red for the weekend as half of St. Louis comes up to visit.... Last year the series was the same weekend as the Chicago Air and Water show, so watching the F-22s' and Thunderbird's and other awesome military power buzz the stadium throughout the weekend. Get breakfast one morning at Lou Mitchell's, and then jump on the red line and go start getting your drink on at the Cubby Bear, or any of the fine drinking establishments right by the stadium.... Stadium is small, but very comfy. Not one bad seat in the house, and the views from the balcony on the 3rd base line are as good as they come. The breeze off Lake Michigan can be pretty chilly, so be prepared. Cubs baseball.
As a lifelong Cubs fan I think that's cool you are making the trip. It's better than the douche Yankee/Red Sox fans who will be die-hards and never make the attempt. That said, I'm a huge baseball fan and will eventually go to Wrigley, Fenway and Yankee. I'd also like to see Dodger St just because and throw in SF/Col for shits.
Wrigley is badass for sure, you will have a great time. My only advice to you would have been to go in May rather than April. April can still be a little chilly in Chitown, May or June would be perfect.
Since you are an Andre Dawson I will tell you in 1987 my son and I were sitting in the left field bleachers and he was standing on the walk behind the seats. Dawson hit a line shot that went right to my son (who played High School baseball) and he reached up to catch it. The ball never slowed down. It bounced off his hand, over the fence and into the street and his hand swelled up like a balloon. Dawson was an animal and could really kill the ball. We have many laughs about it since then. Great memories from Wrigley.
I moved to Chicago from Austin 5 years ago. If it weren't for the winters, I think this would be the greatest city in the world. Somewhat disagree that wrigleyville is like lower greenville. Wrigleyville has a totally frat-tastic vibe. But it is ******* great on gamedays. maybe I'm a little cynical, but to me, all the bars are the same. they'll be packed with ppl getting loaded before the game. it'll be fun regardless of where you go. agree that you should pack a hat, jacket and gloves. sometimes you think you'll be OK because it will be sunny and warm on the walk over to the park, but when the sun shifts and you're sitting under the shade, it can be painfully cold if you don't have the proper attire. agree that you should go to the hancock instead of the sears tower. sears tower costs like 20 bucks, you have to watch this ridiculous movie about the construction of the building and the surrounding cityscape, blah, blah, blah. go to the signature room on the 96th floor of the hancock and you get the same experience and can drink a $20 martini instead. same price with booze and no cheesy tourist feel. I recommend checking out the art institute of chicago. it's an incredible museum. some very famous and beautiful pieces are housed there. eat pizza. eat hot dogs. drink old style at wrigley. you're gonna have a blast.
