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!
Here are discounts available on upcoming Cubs games:
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!
Here are discounts available on upcoming Cubs games:
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 need to be scanned in and out in order to access the main part of the stadium (to do more exploring and walking around). You'll also need to enter through the bleacher gate in the outfield, not the main gate that you would if seated in the grandstands.
It should also be noted that they are first come first serve seating, so get there early for decent seats.
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 at Wrigley Field
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. See below for listings of upcoming games, with parking as low as $5.
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.
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 at Wrigley Field
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. See below for listings of upcoming games, with parking as low as $5.
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.
A Note About Food and Drinks At Wrigley
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.
Where To Stay Near Wrigley Field
Obviously Chicago is a huge city, and there is no shortage of places to stay.
However, if you are looking for a true Wrigley experience, why not stay in Wrigleyville?
You can do that by going to AirBNB and registering an account. This site lets people who want to hosts guests, or people who have places for rent to lease them out on a short term basis. As shown above, this loft is right next to the stadium and can be reserved on AirBNB for about $300 per night. How cool is that?
Get an account and start searching!
However, if you are looking for a true Wrigley experience, why not stay in Wrigleyville?
You can do that by going to AirBNB and registering an account. This site lets people who want to hosts guests, or people who have places for rent to lease them out on a short term basis. As shown above, this loft is right next to the stadium and can be reserved on AirBNB for about $300 per night. How cool is that?
Get an account and start searching!