Baseball · Major League Baseball
Chicago Cubs Travel Guide
Wrigley Field opened in 1914 and is the second-oldest ballpark in the sport. The outfield walls are covered in ivy, the centre field scoreboard is still operated by hand, and lights were not installed until 1988, the last in the major leagues. The club ended a 108-year championship drought in 2016, the longest in the history of American professional sport.
What a trip around Chicago Cubs looks like
Fan travel angle
No American ballpark is more embedded in its neighbourhood than this one. Wrigleyville exists because of the stadium, the bars along Clark and Addison run for hours either side of first pitch, and rooftop seating on the buildings across Waveland and Sheffield is a legitimate way to watch a game. A summer afternoon game here is the single best value sports day in the United States.
Getting to Wrigley Field
The transit picture on a matchday, and what changes after full time.
The Red Line runs to Addison station, which is directly outside the ballpark and about twenty minutes from the Loop. This is one of the best transit connections of any American sports venue and it is what almost everyone uses. The Brown Line and buses cover the wider North Side, and Wrigleyville itself is entirely walkable.
Full Wrigley Field venue guideOn a matchday
Where fans go before and after
- Clark and Addison directly outside the ballpark, the main bar strip
- Waveland and Sheffield behind the outfield, where the rooftop venues are
- Lakeview and Southport for better food a few blocks from the crowd
- Logan Square and Wicker Park for the evening once the game crowd disperses
Plan around this
- Take the Red Line to Addison. Street parking in the neighbourhood is permit-restricted and enforced, and the spaces that look available usually are not.
- Day games are the tradition here and remain a large share of the home schedule. Check whether your ticket is for an afternoon or evening start.
- The rooftop venues across the street are separate businesses with their own ticketing. They are a real option and not a scam, but they are not sold by the club.
- April and early May can be genuinely cold with wind off the lake. The stereotype of summer baseball does not apply to the start of the season.
Stadium tours
The club runs ballpark tours covering the dugouts, the bleachers, the press box and the clubhouse where available. Game-day tours run in a shortened form. Book online, since the summer slots sell out well ahead.
Where to stay in Chicago
Areas that work for this trip, from the Chicago city guide.
Best areas to base yourself
- The Loop and River North (best base, on every rail line, closest to nightlife)
- Lakeview and Wrigleyville (closest to the north side ballpark, bar-heavy, loud on game nights)
- West Loop (best restaurants in the city, walkable to the arena)
- Gold Coast and Streeterville (upscale, lakefront, short ride to the Loop)
- Near South Side (value stock, walkable to the lakefront stadium)
Not travelling this time
Find somewhere showing the match
Bars and venues listed city by city, reviewed before publishing.
Related destinations
Everything else worth doing in the city
Related competitions
How the leagues and championships behind this actually work
MLB guide
Baseball · League
Thirty clubs play 162 games from late March or early April into September, in series of two to four games against the same opponent. Twelve teams reach the postseason, six per league, playing a wild card round, division series, league championship series and then the World Series. Spring training runs through February and March in Florida and Arizona.
Open guideWorld Series guide
Baseball · Series
A best-of-seven series between the American League and National League champions, played in a two-three-two home pattern: the club with home-field advantage hosts games one, two, six and seven, the other hosts three, four and five. Games five, six and seven are played only if required.
Open guideWhere to go next
Frequently asked questions
How do I get to Wrigley Field?+
The Red Line to Addison stops a block from the ballpark and runs 24 hours. Driving is a poor idea because parking in Wrigleyville is permit-restricted and enforced.
What are the Wrigley rooftops?+
Buildings across Waveland and Sheffield with seating built on their roofs overlooking the field. They are separate businesses with their own tickets and packages, not sold by the club.
Are Cubs games mostly during the day?+
Day games remain a large part of the home schedule, which is unusual in the modern sport and a legacy of the ballpark having no lights until 1988. Check the start time on your ticket.
Last updated August 19, 2026
Sources and verification
Fixture dates move for broadcast, ticket availability is often gated by membership, and tour access changes around fixtures. Confirm all three with the club before booking travel.
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FanForged has no affiliation with Chicago Cubs, its league, or any rights holder. Club names are used descriptively and no club marks or crests are reproduced here.