Chicago Baseball Trip

• Fab4Runner

  

  My friends and I are contemplating a trip to Chicago this June. We would be there 6/7-6/10 and would watch the Cubs play Sunday afternoon and the White Sox play on Monday evening. I've been to Chicago for a long weekend, but baseball was not involved, and I didn't plan any of it.
  
  Any suggestions on which area to stay in? My friends and I stayed right near Navy Pier last time. I thought it was a good location for us, but again, baseball was not involved at all. We are open to hotels or using airbnb.com.
  
  I know this has been a topic many times, but I don't feel like searching for old threads. #lazy
  
  Thanks!
• justincredible

  

  I don't know the name of the neighborhood, but my best friend lives up near W Addison St. and it's a really cool area. It's a bit north but it's not too far from Wrigley.
• Ironman92

  

  Will do this probably next summer.
  
  This summer we are hitting Pirates, Orioles and Nationals game before making it to Virginia Beach for a few days.
• SportsAndLady

  

  Honestly, staying downtown (near navy pier) is your best bet. Seeing a baseball game in Chicago is all about the experience. Stay downtown, take the L north, get off at the Addison red line where you'll walk out to Wrigley, stop into the cubby bear and a few other bars, then go into the game. After, stay in wrigleyville and get drunk.
  
  On Monday catch the L but this time south. There's not really any bars by the stadium but I'm actually a really big fan of white sox games. If I don't wanna do the whole drinking thing, I'd much rather go south to a sox game. Nicer stadium, great food in the stadium, and a cooler trip.
  
  Safety tips, don't venture too far away from the sox stadium. It's not pretty. And cubs, don't walk down Sheffield (underneath the L tracks) at night. And stay away from the Belmont train station at night. Sketchy people will be sitting there looking for tourists like yourselves.
  
  Best places to go for food: south side, any pizza place near the stadium. So fucking good. North side, I would go to dagostinos on southport and Addison. Great pizza and other food, and a cool environment before the game just a 5 min walk from the stadium. Outside of the stadium, I like Rockit.
  
  Oh and at the game, make sure you sit in the rafters. Cheap seats. It's great.
• Ironman92

  

  SportsAndLady;1581343 wrote:Honestly, staying downtown (near navy pier) is your best bet. Seeing a baseball game in Chicago is all about the experience. Stay downtown, take the L north, get off at the Addison red line where you'll walk out to Wrigley, stop into the cubby bear and a few other bars, then go into the game. After, stay in wrigleyville and get drunk.
  
  On Monday catch the L but this time south. There's not really any bars by the stadium but I'm actually a really big fan of white sox games. If I don't wanna do the whole drinking thing, I'd much rather go south to a sox game. Nicer stadium, great food in the stadium, and a cooler trip.
  
  Safety tips, don't venture too far away from the sox stadium. It's not pretty. And cubs, don't walk down Sheffield (underneath the L tracks) at night. And stay away from the Belmont train station at night. Sketchy people will be sitting there looking for tourists like yourselves.
  
  Best places to go for food: south side, any pizza place near the stadium. So fucking good. North side, I would go to dagostinos on southport and Addison. Great pizza and other food, and a cool environment before the game just a 5 min walk from the stadium. Outside of the stadium, I like Rockit.
  
  Oh and at the game, make sure you sit in the rafters. Cheap seats. It's great.

  Will save this post for next year's trip.....but why the cheap seats?
• SportsAndLady

  

  Ironman92;1581355 wrote:Will save this post for next year's trip.....but why the cheap seats?

  It's just cool. Either sit out in the bleachers where it's a big party (probably what Fab wants to do, not you), or sit in the rafters behind 1st and 3rd base lines. For someone who truly loves baseball, that's where you wanna sit. Can't really explain why, it just is.
• Ytowngirlinfla

  

  SportsAndLady;1581356 wrote:It's just cool. Either sit out in the bleachers where it's a big party (probably what Fab wants to do, not you), or sit in the rafters behind 1st and 3rd base lines. For someone who truly loves baseball, that's where you wanna sit. Can't really explain why, it just is.

  Plus it's a small stadium and not many bad seats other than obstruction ones.
• Fab4Runner

  

  SportsAndLady;1581343 wrote:Honestly, staying downtown (near navy pier) is your best bet. Seeing a baseball game in Chicago is all about the experience. Stay downtown, take the L north, get off at the Addison red line where you'll walk out to Wrigley, stop into the cubby bear and a few other bars, then go into the game. After, stay in wrigleyville and get drunk.
  
  On Monday catch the L but this time south. There's not really any bars by the stadium but I'm actually a really big fan of white sox games. If I don't wanna do the whole drinking thing, I'd much rather go south to a sox game. Nicer stadium, great food in the stadium, and a cooler trip.
  
  Safety tips, don't venture too far away from the sox stadium. It's not pretty. And cubs, don't walk down Sheffield (underneath the L tracks) at night. And stay away from the Belmont train station at night. Sketchy people will be sitting there looking for tourists like yourselves.
  
  Best places to go for food: south side, any pizza place near the stadium. So fucking good. North side, I would go to dagostinos on southport and Addison. Great pizza and other food, and a cool environment before the game just a 5 min walk from the stadium. Outside of the stadium, I like Rockit.
  
  Oh and at the game, make sure you sit in the rafters. Cheap seats. It's great.

  Thank you! I was actually thinking that staying downtown would be best bet since we have to go in two opposite directions for the games. Several of the people going have never been to Chicago, so it will be nice to give them the entire experience. We will have Saturday night, Sunday night and Monday during the day all free, so we can go check out Michigan Ave, Navy Pier, the Bean, etc.
• Ironman92

  

  SportsAndLady;1581356 wrote:It's just cool. Either sit out in the bleachers where it's a big party (probably what Fab wants to do, not you), or sit in the rafters behind 1st and 3rd base lines. For someone who truly loves baseball, that's where you wanna sit. Can't really explain why, it just is.

  Alright.....I'm more interested in the seats, view of the game and the players. So many people on RedZone insist on the 400 and 500 levels at GABP.....simply not for me.
  
  Thanks for the helpful info.
• SportsAndLady

  

  Fab4Runner;1581360 wrote:Thank you! I was actually thinking that staying downtown would be best bet since we have to go in two opposite directions for the games. Several of the people going have never been to Chicago, so it will be nice to give them the entire experience. We will have Saturday night, Sunday night and Monday during the day all free, so we can go check out Michigan Ave, Navy Pier, the Bean, etc.

  Yeah, downtown is definitely your best bet. I know a few people who work in some nice hotels downtown who can throw on a little discount (usually 10%) so let me know if you want me to put a word out.
• SportsAndLady

  

  Ironman92;1581363 wrote:Alright.....I'm more interested in the seats, view of the game and the players. So many people on RedZone insist on the 400 and 500 levels at GABP.....simply not for me.
  
  Thanks for the helpful info.

  My g/f has tickets in the 226 section so that's where I sit. They're pretty awesome fucking seats.
• Ironman92

  

  Yeah.....when visiting these other parks I won't skimp much on tickets. I'll pay to get the seats I deem necessary. I mean shit, I am a gym teacher.
• Midstate01

  

  Ironman92;1581372 wrote:Yeah.....when visiting these other parks I won't skimp much on tickets. I'll pay to get the seats I deem necessary. I mean shit, I am a gym teacher.

  Could loan CC $20 then?
• vball10set

  SportsAndLady;1581343 wrote:Honestly, staying downtown (near navy pier) is your best bet. Seeing a baseball game in Chicago is all about the experience. Stay downtown, take the L north, get off at the Addison red line where you'll walk out to Wrigley, stop into the cubby bear and a few other bars, then go into the game. After, stay in wrigleyville and get drunk.
  
  On Monday catch the L but this time south. There's not really any bars by the stadium but I'm actually a really big fan of white sox games. If I don't wanna do the whole drinking thing, I'd much rather go south to a sox game. Nicer stadium, great food in the stadium, and a cooler trip.
  
  Safety tips, don't venture too far away from the sox stadium. It's not pretty. And cubs, don't walk down Sheffield (underneath the L tracks) at night. And stay away from the Belmont train station at night. Sketchy people will be sitting there looking for tourists like yourselves.
  
  Best places to go for food: south side, any pizza place near the stadium. So fucking good. North side, I would go to dagostinos on southport and Addison. Great pizza and other food, and a cool environment before the game just a 5 min walk from the stadium. Outside of the stadium, I like Rockit.
  
  Oh and at the game, make sure you sit in the rafters. Cheap seats. It's great.

  Good stuff, I'll keep for future reference...thanks!
• se-alum

  

  The Auburn Gresham neighborhood is really nice.
• Belly35

  

  justincredible;1581329 wrote:I don't know the name of the neighborhood, but my best friend lives up near W Addison St. and it's a really cool area. It's a bit north but it's not too far from Wrigley.

  my daughter lives on w melrose ... Near the lake
  
  sportandlady has the right advice ... In Chicago if you know how to use the trans system it's easy to get around
  
  
  if you can get a roof top bleacher set that a bucket list event
• Ironman92

  

  Midstate01;1581416 wrote:Could loan CC $20 then?

  His district likely pays more than mine and I 'll assume he has his Master's degree.....I think he has a year or two more experience and also coaches XC.....I'd guess he makes more than I do. Plus I pay for AC in the summer so he should have more 20's than me.
• sportchampps

  I think they are getting rid of the roof top bleacher seats....
  
  I would check out ACME Hotel. It is in the River North area. It's about a 2-3 minute walk to the L or Michigan Ave. it is very close to some of the best restaurants in Chicago and close to pizza places as well. They leave coffee for you in front of your door each morning for free. They also have parking for like $20 a day which is an absolute steal in Chicago. The hotel itself is a boutique Hotel and the rooms are really cool and fun. The price is about the best in the area.
• SnotBubbles

  

  SportsAndLady;1581343 wrote:Honestly, staying downtown (near navy pier) is your best bet. Seeing a baseball game in Chicago is all about the experience. Stay downtown, take the L north, get off at the Addison red line where you'll walk out to Wrigley, stop into the cubby bear and a few other bars, then go into the game. After, stay in wrigleyville and get drunk.

  This. I go once a year and your best bet is to stay downtown and take the L...drops you off right at the stadium.
  
  Wrigleyville is all you need for your night with the Cubs. Great time. Sluggers is a cool bar afterwards. Indoor batting cages upstairs, dueling pianos in another room and a night club on the lower level. Cubby Bear is also great and a huge party after games.
  
  For food, I haven't really had a bad meal in Chicago. If you're going for the full Cubs experience, go to Billy Goat Tavern and get a burger stacked with as many patties as you can eat. Good stuff.
  
  It's a great experience, I'm hoping to take my boys this year for the first time.
• Fab4Runner

  

  Just got back yesterday evening, and we had a fantastic time. Thank you everyone for the recommendations. We rented an apartment on North Wells near Division, and it turned out to be the best location possible for us. Tons of great bars and restaurants on our street, the train was an 8 minute walk, Lou Malnati's and Portillo's were close by. We also walked down to the zoo on Monday, which was nice.
  
  I really enjoyed both Wrigley and US Cellular. Pre and post-gaming is more fun around Wrigley, but I really liked US Cellular more than I thought I would. Very nice stadium, and the food choices are awesome.
• QuakerOats

  Wrigley Field experience is among the best ........ and if you can get to Oak St. Beach for a couple hours, do it!
• queencitybuckeye

  Ironman92;1581475 wrote:His district likely pays more than mine and I 'll assume he has his Master's degree.....I think he has a year or two more experience and also coaches XC.....I'd guess he makes more than I do. Plus I pay for AC in the summer so he should have more 20's than me.

  If that idiot has a graduate degree, the school's accreditation should be stripped.
• dlazz

  queencitybuckeye;1625038 wrote:If that idiot has a graduate degree, the school's accreditation should be stripped.

  That post is a few months old.
• vball10set

  dlazz;1625055 wrote:That post is a few months old.

  lol, I was wondering what he was responding to--I thought this was about a Chicago road trip!