Even if you’re not a huge baseball fan, a visit to Wrigley Field is well worth your time. In the age of sponsorships, there is a sense of nostalgia in the untouched Wrigley Field. Like apple pie, or the National Anthem, going to a baseball game evokes feelings of Americana, and at the historic Wrigley Field, these senses are heightened. The second oldest ballpark (first is Fenway Park in Boston), Wrigley was built in 1914, and celebrating its 100th year of hosting Major League Baseball this season!
If you happen to be in town during baseball season, try to catch a game. It is worth it just to participate in the tradition. I myself am not a huge baseball fan, but I really enjoy getting to go to a game–the live action is what lures me in. Wrigley Field has tours available and based on game-day and events happening at the Field, you have the opportunity to check out the dugouts, press box, and field. Check their website for tour options, pricing, and to purchase online if you’re interested. My recommendation is to take public transportation to get to Wrigley; parking is a little tricky (and expensive!); the Cubs website has handy information for which trains/buses to take based on your start location which is very helpful!
Although I’m bummed that we didn’t have the opportunity to go on one of the tours when we lived in the Chicago area, we did have the opportunity to go to a couple different games. Both were extremely memorable, although as you’ll read, for very different reasons!
Our first game, we were hosting a couple friends from Texas. Being our first time to Wrigley, we arrived super early to take pictures, explore what we could of the Field, and get close to the players warming up. It was August and we bought tickets for a midday weekend game. So, naturally we thought it would be warm, which was fine (it wouldn’t be near as bad as Texas!); we were so wrong. It rained, there was a delay. And then it rained some more. And then the game was able to begin, but then it started raining, we got through three innings and then another rain delay. Ultimately, I think it ended in the fifth inning. Its hard to remember because the memory is flooded (pun intended) with rain. Unfortunately, this was a pretty miserable experience. We had gone for the expensive seating which proved to not provide any shelter from the rain, so we emerged from the (half) game soaking wet and still had a couple trains to catch before we could get home and dry off. The game itself was only memorable in that it was cut short.
Our second game we had a voucher to use via ScoreBig.com, so we decided we would give Wrigley Field and the Cubs another chance to wow us. We had previously enjoyed our time at Wrigley, but we wanted to experience a Cubs game without the storms. So, we bought (covered) tickets–just in case–for a Sunday afternoon game in September. This was overall a much better experience, we were able to stay for the whole game, enjoy the atmosphere, it didn’t rain, and the Cubs won!
There’s no place like Wrigley! I’m a lifelong Chicagoan and die-hard Cubs fan. Best place to catch a ball game!
I couldn’t agree more Francesca!
I was working in Chicago and a diehard baseball fan and I decided to make a run and catch a game. We stepped off the train and the bottom fell out of the clouds. We were minutes away from paying a ton of cash from a street vendor to get in when the big board out front showed ‘rain delay’. We ducked into a bar across the street and enjoyed our ‘Wrigley Time’ by bar-mosis! It is on my bucket list to get back there and see a game!
Wow–you found out just in time! If we hadn’t already bought our tickets, I think we would have done the same!