Sloan Park
What a visiting fan needs to know: where to stay, getting in from PHX, parking and tailgating, what to eat and where to sit.
- Mesa, AZ
- Home of the Cubs
- Fly into PHX
- Stadium tours
Plan every part of the trip
Timothy Hoffman, Google MapsWhere to stayVisiting fans pick Wrigleyville West or Tempe Marketplace and Tempe.
Harrison C. Davies, Google MapsGetting therePHX (Phoenix Sky Harbor) is about 8 miles from the ballpark, roughly 15 minutes by car without traffic.
Parking and tailgatingTailgating is allowed in all parking lots, which open four hours before the game.
- Game dayBag policy: Bags and backpacks must be smaller than 16 x 16 x 8 inches.
darin davis, Google MapsFood and drink4 bars near the stadium.
Things to do9 things to do around the ballpark, each worth points.
Sloan Park, Google MapsSeats and shadeWhich seats are in the shade, and which stay dry.
Games at Sloan Park
- Sat, Feb 20, Time TBACincinnati Reds at Chicago Cubs
- Sun, Feb 21, Time TBASan Diego Padres at Chicago Cubs
- Tue, Feb 23, Time TBAChicago White Sox at Chicago Cubs
- Thu, Feb 25, Time TBALos Angeles Angels at Chicago Cubs
- Sat, Feb 27, Time TBAColorado Rockies at Chicago Cubs
- Sun, Feb 28, Time TBAKansas City Royals at Chicago Cubs
- Thu, Mar 4, Time TBATexas Rangers at Chicago Cubs
- Sat, Mar 6, Time TBASeattle Mariners at Chicago Cubs
- Mon, Mar 8, Time TBASan Francisco Giants at Chicago Cubs
- Wed, Mar 10, Time TBAAthletics at Chicago Cubs
- Fri, Mar 12, Time TBACleveland Guardians at Chicago Cubs
- Sun, Mar 14, Time TBAAthletics at Chicago Cubs
Where to stay near Sloan Park
Where visiting fans stay
Checked at the sourceTimothy Hoffman, Google Maps Wrigleyville WestVisiting fans pick this
5 min by walk. The Cubs list the Sheraton Mesa Hotel at Wrigleyville West and the Courtyard Mesa at Wrigleyville West, both next to the ballpark. Mesa Riverview's restaurants and the free game-day shuttle are across the street.
Judy D travel_andbeinspired, Google Maps Tempe Marketplace and TempeVisiting fans pick this
5 min by transit. Tempe Marketplace runs a trolley to every Cubs home game, and Tempe has more hotels plus Four Peaks Brewing and the Mill Avenue bars.
Downtown Mesa
8 min by drive. Main Street has breweries, a distillery and sandwich shops near the light rail, and Hohokam Stadium is 5 minutes away for an A's game.
Around the stadium
Checked at the sourceMap of the area
Tap a pin to see the place.
Getting to Sloan Park
From Sky Harbor
Checked at the sourceOn game day
Checked at the sourceParking and tailgating at Sloan Park
Tailgating
Checked at the sourceGame day at Sloan Park
Getting in
Checked at the source- Bag policy: Bags and backpacks must be smaller than 16 x 16 x 8 inches. Purses, drawstring bags, fanny packs, lunch bags and soft-sided coolers under that size are fine. Hard-sided coolers are banned, and there is no luggage storage.
- Cashless: Parking, food, retail and raffle tickets are all cashless. A reverse ATM inside the Home Plate Gate turns cash into a card.
Touring the stadium
Checked at the sourceAfter the final whistle
Checked at the sourceOne thing to avoid
From a specialist guideFood and drink at Sloan Park
Bars near the stadium
Checked at the sourcedarin davis, Google Maps Copper State TaphouseBefore or after
1033 N Dobson Rd, Suite 104, Mesa, AZ 85201
A taphouse at Mesa Riverview right where the free shuttle to Sloan Park picks up. Have a beer, then ride to the First Base Gate.
Away fans: a Cubs crowd on game days, but visiting fans are common in spring.
Dink & Dine Pickle Park, Google Maps Dink & DineBefore or after
1017 N Dobson Rd, Mesa, AZ 85201
A pickleball park with music, games, screens, food and drinks next to the Mesa Riverview shuttle stop. Book a court for a non-game morning or just eat and drink before the game.
Away fans: a family-friendly pickleball park and bar where any jersey works.
Four Peaks Brewing Company, Google Maps Four Peaks BrewingBefore or after
1340 E 8th St, Suite 104, Tempe, AZ 85281
A Tempe craft brewery known for rotating award-winning beers and pub food. The Cubs list it among their favorite places to eat and drink.
Away fans: a busy local brewpub, not a team bar, so visiting fans fit in.
Judy D travel_andbeinspired, Google Maps Tempe MarketplaceDistrict
2000 E Rio Salado Pkwy, Tempe, AZ 85281
An outdoor shopping center with chain restaurants and bars, including Thirsty Lion and Dave & Buster's. Its free trolley runs to every Cubs home game.
Away fans: a shopping and dining center full of Cubs fans on game days.
Things to do around Sloan Park
Listed in the order they happen on game day. Each one earns points.
- Tailgate40 points
Tailgate before the game
Lots open four hours before first pitch, and tailgating is allowed in all of them, in front of or behind your own car. Get there early for a spot.
$. 3 hours before first pitch
- Ritual50 points
Line the walking path to the ballpark
Fans line up around the two main practice fields across Clark Street, and a walking path runs from the practice complex to the stadium. It is a rare chance to see players up close as they walk to the game.
Free. 2 hours before first pitch
- Photo50 points
Put your name on the Sloan Park Marquee
On game days you can request a free custom message on the marquee from when gates open until the bottom of the seventh. Join the queue next to the marquee, keep it to 20 characters per line, and take the photo.
Free. 1 hour before first pitch
- Ritual25 points
Get a First Timer's Certificate
Fan Services, just inside the First Base Gate, hands out personalized First Timer's Certificates and spring training celebration buttons. Pick one up on your first visit.
Free. 45 minutes before first pitch
- Ritual65 points
Watch batting practice on Fields 3 to 6
The practice fields west of the ballpark are open to the public, and Fields 3 to 6 on the far west side are a good place to watch batting practice. On non-game days practice often runs 9 a.m. to about 12:30 p.m., and parking is free on workout-only days.
Free
- Tour40 points
Tour Sloan Park
On non-game days, a one-hour guided tour takes you to the marquee, press box, party decks, suites and Budweiser Rooftop. Tours cost $15, need at least 8 people, and must be bought 48 hours ahead.
$
- Double header75 points
Two games in one day: add Hohokam Stadium
Hohokam Stadium, spring home of the A's, is about 3.9 miles and 9 minutes away without traffic. Pair a Cubs day game with an A's game, or watch morning workouts at one park before a game at the other.
$$
- Ritual40 points
Kids Run the Bases after Sunday games
Kids 13 and under can run the bases after Sunday home games, weather permitting. Listen for the announcement on where to meet on the main concourse.
Free. 3 hours after first pitch
- Eat50 points
Sonoran-style Mexican at Nando's
Sonoran-style Mexican food is the local food to eat in Arizona, and the Cubs list this locally owned cafe in Gilbert among their favorite places. Go for dinner after a day game.
$$. 4 hours after first pitch
Seats and shade at Sloan Park
Where the sun lands on a day game, and which seats stay dry when it rains.
Shade and cover
Checked at the source- Infield Reserved seats. The Cubs say no section is guaranteed shade, but most Infield Reserved seats are shaded for the whole game. These are your best bet on a hot afternoon.
- Infield Box and Outfield Reserved seats. Many of these seats move into shade as the game goes on, so the early innings are the sunniest.
- Budweiser Rooftop. Some of the rooftop has shade structures, but the area is generally in the sun, and a rooftop ticket does not guarantee a seat.
- Citrus grove behind the right field berm. Food trucks park among citrus trees behind the right field berm, with picnic tables in the shade. Use it as a break from a sunny lawn seat.