wrigley field guide
Wrigley Field is one of the true historic ballparks left standing. Known as "The Friendly Confines", I think every fan should go here at least once.
The Wrigley Field page will provide you the basic information.
The Wrigley Field page will provide you the basic information.
best value tickets at wrigley field
The Cubs tickets are often difficult to get, simply because of the fact that they play in Wrigley. My advice is that if you know a couple of games that you want to go to before the season, keep an eye out for the end of February when their single game tickets go on sale. I was able to get 12 tickets this year on the first day they are available, but it took quite a long time online. Generally the toughest tickets are Opening Day, White Sox, Cardinals, and any weekends in the summer. If you are planning your first trip to Wrigley Field, remember that it gets very cold in the shade. I have been to games where people in the bleachers had their shirts off and people in the shade were wearing Snuggies. So wherever you end up in the stadium, find out if you will be in the sunshine and dress accordingly.
Another great place to buy tickets is from Score Big. Let's face it, most ticket broker sites are the same but this one is actually different. It is kind of like the Priceline of sports tickets. Essentially you can search events in your area, and make an offer on tickets and get an instant answer on whether your bid is accepted.
Here are a couple of screenshots of how it works. You can select a quantity, and then it gives you different tiers. It gives you an approximate discount percentage, and shows on the seat map which sections your tickets could possibly be in.
Next you enter in a price, again it gives you an idea how how likely that is to be accepted. I made the comparison to Priceline, and it is true, you have to put in payment details prior to making an official offer. But if you are going to the game, what a great way to save money on tickets! I have a feeling this site is going to get big. From time to time, I'll have a promo code available for Score Big. Click here to see if there are any current discounts.
Click here to check out tickets on Score Big.
Another great place to buy tickets is from Score Big. Let's face it, most ticket broker sites are the same but this one is actually different. It is kind of like the Priceline of sports tickets. Essentially you can search events in your area, and make an offer on tickets and get an instant answer on whether your bid is accepted.
Here are a couple of screenshots of how it works. You can select a quantity, and then it gives you different tiers. It gives you an approximate discount percentage, and shows on the seat map which sections your tickets could possibly be in.
Next you enter in a price, again it gives you an idea how how likely that is to be accepted. I made the comparison to Priceline, and it is true, you have to put in payment details prior to making an official offer. But if you are going to the game, what a great way to save money on tickets! I have a feeling this site is going to get big. From time to time, I'll have a promo code available for Score Big. Click here to see if there are any current discounts.
Click here to check out tickets on Score Big.
The Bleachers are generally thought of as the cheap seats in most ballparks, but in Chicago that is far from true. You will pay $40 - $50 per seat in the bleachers, and they are almost always packed and stacked (prices are dynamic now, so it varies from day to day). The bleachers at Wrigley are famous for a reason, they provide a great atmosphere for watching a baseball game. One thing worth mentioning; if you buy tickets in the bleachers you will not have access to the main part of the stadium, as they are not connected. So if you are taking a one time trip and want to walk around the concourses and explore a little, I wouldn't recommend buying bleacher seats. It should also be noted that they are first come first serve seating, so get there early for decent seats.
Tickets are always available on eBay as well. Here is my advice for ticket buying on eBay; wait until the last minute. I know that sounds crazy, and you would think that closer to the event the prices would shoot up; but that is not the case. I have bought and sold plenty of tickets on eBay and I have found that when I sell them early I get top dollar because there is less competition. As the event gets closer, everybody in America who is selling tickets begins to list them at auction. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that when the market is flooded with supply the price is driven down. I don't know if there are any published numbers to back me up, but I have seen it time and time again. So if buying on eBay, buy late.
Another thing about Wrigley field is the potential of obstructed views. Much like Fenway Park, the old stadiums have those big steel beams blocking the views of fans in the grandstand. So before you buy the tickets - ask.
As far as the best value tickets at Wrigley, given the high demand it can be difficult to find cheap tickets to a Cubs game. One way to offset your cost is if you snag tickets to a desirable game directly from the team, buy extras. Even though the ease of entry into this has driven down the profit on scalping tickets, you can still turn a decent return on good games. So if you only need 2 tickets for the White Sox game, buy 6 and sell 4 on eBay and you will most likely make enough to cover the cost of your tickets. If you don't feel comfortable doing that, and you just want some cheap tickets; You probably want the upper deck. You can get upper deck seats in the infield for under $20 each, which is a pretty good deal. I would be remiss if I didn't mention that not all upper deck seats at Wrigley field are created equal. I think that further down the line you go, the worse your view gets. I once sat almost all the way down the right field line and I just remember being really uncomfortable because the seats face straight ahead, and the view was just awful. At a lot of modern stadiums the great design has eliminated such a problem.
Also; scalping tickets is illegal outside of Wrigley. People will still try it, usually with a drug dealer whisper approach, but you should just walk on. From what I understand there are undercover cops sniffing around to catch people, so you should only buy tickets from legal sources to avoid getting locked up in joint or something.
parking
Parking at Wrigley Field can be a nightmare. That is one of the disadvantages of being in a residential setting, but the positives far outweigh the negatives. The big problem if you are driving around residential streets is all of the confusing street signs and laws. I did stumble across a website that helps decode some of that and can assist you in finding free parking near Wrigley Field.
Most people that go to the game take the EL Train, and I can't say I blame them. You can take 2 different lines and be dropped off right next to the stadium, without the hassle or cost of parking. Either way you go there are going to be crowds. If you are claustrophobic the train might not work for you; after the game is especially crowded with the large number of people trying to leave in a hurry. If this is your first Cubs game I am not exaggerating; crowded may be an understatement because you are practically rubbing against people on all sides the whole time. If you can't handle it you better suck it up and drive or take a bus. If you do go the public transport route, maps are readily available and are a google search away; so I won't bother. I will say that you should have no fear of getting lost or missing your stop if this is your first time, the crowd is large, draped in blue, and easy to follow.
Another option worth mentioning is the ability to reserve a parking spot ahead of time. Park Whiz lets you do just that, and can provide some peace of mind if you don't feel like driving around in search of the best place to park
Similar to Park Whiz, a site called Park For Wrigley does nearly the same thing. I personally prefer Park Whiz, but you can check both.
One final option for the budget conscious is the $6 park and ride shuttle from Devry University. This shuttle runs 2 hours before the game until 1 hour after the game for both night and weekend games. This option is outlined on the Cubs website, but I wanted to mention it as its a pretty cheap parking choice that is relatively hassle free.
Timeout Chicago wrote an article summing up different options to get to Wrigley, and they said the following about trying to park in a private lot when you see someone waving a sign at you: (another reason to use Park Whiz or take the EL)
"For the adventurous parker circling the side streets in hopes of landing that elusive parking spot, spotting a sign for parking is often just a matter of looking on a street corner for a person in costume or jumping and down, or avoiding the ones who like to yell into your open window or jump in front of your car. So, with this in mind, consider the following tips prior to handing over your money and/or car keys to a stranger holding a handwritten cardboard sign that reads "Easy In/Easy Out Parking."
1. “Park Here/Easy In, Easy Out” sign holders may not actually own the parking spot they're waving you toward. Whether costumed or not, apron-wearing or not, holding a sign and taking money for a “parking spot” is easy—anyone can do it.
2. Most streets around the ballpark and in the neighboring Lakeview and Wrigleville blocks are permit-parking only. Heed the warning—ticketing and towing are strictly enforced. Before parking in a spot, look around for official city parking signs; don't just trust the person taking your money and pointing at a parking spot."
Read their full article here.
food
Wrigley field gets big points for the budget conscious baseball fan by allowing you to bring in food and bottled (non-alcoholic) drinks into the stadium. There are of course tons of bars and restaurants in the neighborhood surrounding Wrigley where you can experience some great pregame atmosphere with Cubs fans. Many of them offer Wrigleyville beer specials and other items which I won't review here, but if you have a particular money saving special in Wrigleyville click here to share. Another option that I consistently recommend is Restaurant.com Here you can buy $25 gift certificates to local restaurants for $10. You can also do a google search for "Restaurant.com coupon codes" and almost always get an extra 60 - 80% off that. I often buy these $25 certificates for $2. That is the best way to eat a decent meal before or after the game and save a chunk of change. When you follow the link, just type in the zip code of Wrigley Field (60613) to see what restaurants are nearby. wrigley field panoramic
where to stay
If you are going to Wrigley Field from out of town, I recommend for any city is Hotwire. I have had nothing but great experiences with them. Some people are scared because it doesn’t give you the name of the hotel until after you have bought it, but I would never use another travel site. Their ratings are trustworthy, and you can get a really good idea of the area you are staying on their map. A couple of personal examples: I got a room at the Intercontinental on Michigan Ave. in Chicago for $79 per night. I also had a room at the Hilton in St. Louis, with a view of the arch for $89 per night. In my experience; the hotel you get will have you a room available, but when you check in they ask what kind of room you want. If the person is cool, they give you one of the nicest rooms available. I will use no other travel site for hotels.
You may or may not know about couchsurfing.com, but this is a pretty cool network where you can find people who will let you sleep on a couch or in a guest room for free. If Wrigley Field is one destination on a big baseball trip, this could save you some serious money. I think the risks are obvious, but to me if you use your head by making sure the person has plenty of references and pictures, you are pretty safe.
For others who may want free accommodation, I would recommend Home Exchange. You may have seen this in the movies, but basically you pay $100 to join and then you can swap houses with other families for a vacation. The safety record of this is literally unblemished, and if you are taking a baseball trip or just a vacation to the area, you might find somebody to trade places with you for a week. Its an option.
In general you should expect to pay for parking if you stay at a hotel in Chicago, so budget accordingly.
Another thing to mention that I have used to go back and forth to Chicago is The Megabus They do bus trips at various cities in the Midwest to and from Chicago. The great news is tickets start at $1, although you have to be on it to get them. My best advice is to know ahead of time the dates you want to go, and keep an eye on the Megabus site so you know when those dates become available. I think there are 4 $1 tickets on each trip and they gradually go up from there. The Megabus serves a couple of benefits for a trip to Wrigley Field:
1. you don't have to drive and deal with traffic and
2. you don't have to pay for parking at your hotel.
Depending on where you stay in town, this could save you something like $30 per night. If you go the bus route, make sure you stay somewhere with easy access to public transportation so you can take the EL to Wrigley Field.
