Since 1914, Wrigley Field (not yet named this, obviously) has been a center of Chicago. Only second to Fenway Park in terms of age, it is an iconic park that you need to get to. My one piece of advice would be to go in the heart of the summer if you can — I went in late June of 2019 for the Mets-Cubs game and literally wore a sweater (see evidence below).
sweater weather at wrigley #lgm
It’s historic
Being the second-oldest ballpark in the country is enough of a reason to see this park, but there is even more to it than that. You do feel like you are taken back in time when you step foot into this park. But, that does not mean it is out of date at all. Wrigley has been renovated in the past decade for better bleacher seating, digital outfield scoreboards, improved concourse, and so on.
It’s small
You may not realize it since Cubs games are always packed with people, but the ballpark itself is small. The concourse areas are not that big (especially in comparison to Citi Field where there is the massive outfield concourse) and they are always jam-packed with people. Bathrooms are also only located on the first level, resulting in there always being a line in both the men’s and women’s room.
Games sell out fast
When the Cubs are in town, it is like a holiday in Chicago. I was at a Friday daytime game and it was entirely sold out to the point where the standing room only sections were absolutely packed. I struck up a conversation with some fans next to me, asking them how they all got off from work to be there. Their response? “Because the Cubs are in town.” Moral of the story: be sure to get your tickets early and do not bank on just being able to get them last minute at the park.
Some views are obstructed
One of the negatives that comes with a historic ballpark is that the structure is the same from over 100 years ago. This does lead to some views being obstructed by beams, so be sure to check your ticket and the seating view online before committing (or, just getting a standing ticket, so you can move around as you please). One thing to note is to try to to avoid sitting high up in the field level seats since you won’t be able to see fly balls. The right field bleachers is a fun choice to sit in.
Wrigley Rooftops
Wrigley Field is in a residential area. One cool thing that they did with this is make “Wrigley Rooftoops” — they turned the rooftops of the residential buildings right near the ballpark into seating for the game that you can make a reservation at, since you can see the field from the rooftop. There are 11-unique rooftops you can sit at and you can buy tickets to sit there even if you do not live in that building.
Seventh Inning
Take Me Out To The Ballgame is a staple at every ballpark. But at Wrigley, they take it to the next level by having a different celebrity sing it at each game.
Wrigleyville
Wrigleyville is so much fun, to the point that you can feel as though you were at the game just by being at the bars without having to even set food in the stadium. It is a great option if you want to enjoy the game without having tickets or to go to before and after the game. When the Cubs win, you are guaranteed to hear “Go Cubs Go” coming out of the stadium, the streets of Wrigleyville, and blasting from the different bars. One of the most popular bars, Sluggers, even has batting cages, arcade games, and dueling piano that you can enjoy.
Wrigley Field is a ballpark that needs to be on your list, both because of it’s history and because the passion of Cubs fans will rub off on you (Go Cubs Go was stuck in my head for a week after visiting Wrigley). Wrigleyville is fun for all and makes gamedays seem even more like holidays in Chicago. It is just such a fun atmosphere to be in and allows you to feel part of the festivities even if you do not have a ticket to the game. There is even a massive television outside of the ballpark for you to sit and watch the game on, allowing you to be as close to the field as possible without having a ticket.
I cannot stress enough that tickets do sell fast for Cubs games, especially weekend ones (which includes Friday day games!) so be sure not to wait until last minute to get yours.
We recently did a roundtable talking about our favorite and least favorite parks.
