Where: 1060 W Addison St, Chicago, IL
Wrigley Field in Chicago is the second oldest ballpark (after Fenway Park) and home to the World Champion Cubs. Every summer, baseball fans—the young, old, casual and out-of-control—flock to the “Friendly Confines” to bask in the sun and enjoy America’s favorite pastime. If you’re planning to take the kiddos to mix it up with the shirtless bleacher bums, take in the Cubs game from a rooftop or sing along with the 7th inning stretch from the upper deck, these tips will ensure your day is a home run.
1. Buy tickets well in advance
Most games at Wrigley sell out, and when the Cubs are in the thick of a pennant race or playing on a weekend afternoon against the Cardinals or the cross-town White Sox, scoring tickets is close to impossible. If you’re dead set on going, check the following resell websites: StubHub, SeatGeek, Gold Coast Tickets, Ticket City. It’s best to buy tickets well in advance, especially for weekend day games in July or August. Note: Kids two and younger don’t need a ticket and can sit on a parents’ lap.
2. Come prepared
Although there have been attempts to modernize Wrigley, it’s still a little cramped (imagine 42,000 people crammed into a city block), especially compared to newer, more modern stadiums. Check your stroller across the street at the Bike Valet. Vending lines can also be long, but luckily you can bring in snacks as long as the snacks are sealed in a Ziploc baggie and drinks are in a sippy cup.
3. Take public transportation (if you can)
Wrigley Field sits in the middle of Wrigleyville, a bustling, northside Chicago neighborhood, meaning parking isn’t easy to find. The best way to get to the game is to take the “El” (CTA Redline) and get off with the mob of fans at the Addison stop—from there it’s about a block and a half walk to the park.
4. Know where the lots are if you drive
If you’re set on driving, the Cubs manage various satellite parking lots where you can park and take a shuttle to the ball game. There are also a few small, proprietary lots around the ballpark, especially west of the park in Southport (the neighborhood west of Wrigleyville). In fact, some homeowners rent their garages (prices vary but can run as much as $60) during the game.
5. Commemorate your child’s first game
Where: Before the national anthem and the first pitch, swing by the First-Timer’s Booth (on the main concourse near Section 133) to get your little one a “My 1st Cubs Game” certificate.,
6. Have a potty break plan of attack
Where: As the game wears on, the restroom lines can get dangerously long. Try to go when the Cubs are up to bat; the roar of the stadium will let you know if you miss anything exciting, and the bathrooms feature the local radio broadcast. All the bathrooms are equipped with changing tables, but the dedicated family restrooms are located in the Upper Level Bleachers and in the Upper Deck on the First Base side.,
7. Find the first aid station
Where: The first aid station, where there are some toys and a microwave for family use, is located on the first base side in the main concourse. But, don’t dilly dally, you’ll want to be back in the seats to belt out “Take Me Out to the Ballgame,” with the crowd, a Wrigley tradition that started with Cubs iconic television announcer Harry Caray.,
8. Join Clark’s Crew
In 2015, the Cubs introduced Clark, a cute, cuddly cub mascot—who comes with his own fan club— and for $30, kids can join Clark’s Crew. Membership includes a Clark’s Crew duffel bag (for carrying their mitt and autograph balls to the game), a baseball cap, a lanyard with a membership card (which affords front of the line privileges for Kids Run the Bases after Sunday day games) and other perks (periodic mailings from Clark, vouchers for discounts and free admission to a tour of Wrigley and members-only events hosted by Clark during the season).
9. Don’t forget to get those autographs (before and after the game)
If the littlest fan in the family loves to collects autographs, be sure to arrive early. During batting practice and 45 minutes before the first pitch, kids can congregate in the expanded Magellan Kids Corral, accessible via Section 12, and call over players. Most players are good sports and jog over for a few minutes of signing. But if you miss the pregame chance, don’t fret. The Cubs’ player parking is on Waveland (the street north of the ballpark), next to the Wrigleyville Fire Station. As players arrive, kids 13 and younger will have a Kids Corral area explicitly for autograph purposes. Autograph hawks wait for players after the game at the entrance to the parking lot.
10. Visit on a Sunday
The Cubs rollout the red carpet for the kids on Sundays. After every Sunday day game, the first 1,000 kids (13 and younger) to arrive at the ballpark receive a wristband to run the bases after the game. On six select Sundays, the first 5,000 kids (13 and younger) receive an exclusive giveaway, like a kid-friendly hooded towel, youth batting practice pullover, or a kids’ laundry hamper.
