SportsQuest
Wrigley Field, Chicago
All stadiums

Wrigley Field

What a visiting fan needs to know: where to stay, getting in from ORD, parking and tailgating, what to eat and where to sit.

  • Chicago, IL
  • Home of the Cubs
  • Fly into ORD
  • Stadium tours
Plan a trip to the next game12 games coming up

Plan every part of the trip

Games at Wrigley Field

Where to stay near Wrigley Field

Where visiting fans stay

Checked at the source
  • Wrigleyville
    Alex Yashchuk, Google Maps

    WrigleyvilleVisiting fans pick this

    2 min by walk. Hotel Zachary is across Clark Street from the ballpark on Gallagher Way. You can walk to every gate and stay out on Clark Street after the game.

  • Lakeview and Lincoln Park
    Andy Meyer, Google Maps

    Lakeview and Lincoln ParkVisiting fans pick this

    15 min by transit. Quieter neighborhoods a few Red Line stops south of Addison, close to Lincoln Park Zoo and the lakefront.

  • The Loop and River North
    Loop North, Google Maps

    The Loop and River North

    25 min by transit. The biggest choice of hotels. Board the northbound Red Line in the State Street subway and ride to Addison, about 5 miles north.

Around the stadium

Checked at the source
Wrigleyville wraps the ballpark. Hotel Zachary sits across Clark Street on Gallagher Way, the Cubs plaza next to the ballpark, and the bars run up and down Clark Street, Addison Street and Sheffield Avenue within a block or two of the gates.

Map of the area

Tap a pin to see the place.

Getting to Wrigley Field

From O'Hare

Checked at the source
ORD (Chicago O'Hare). Take the CTA Blue Line from the station under Terminal 2 to Addison, then the eastbound #152 Addison bus, which stops at the ballpark. The ride from O'Hare costs $5. Plan on about an hour.

On game day

Checked at the source
CTA Red Line, about 20 min. Addison station, one block east of the ballpark. CTA Blue Line and #152 bus, about 60 min. The #152 Addison bus stops at Clark and Addison, at the Marquee Gate. CTA #22 Clark bus, about 35 min to Clark and Addison, at the Marquee Gate. Free remote lot shuttle, about 15 min. Irving Park Road between Clark Street and Seminary Avenue, a short walk north of the ballpark. Shuttles start two hours before first pitch.

Parking and tailgating at Wrigley Field

Tailgating

Checked at the source
Tailgating is not allowed in any Cubs parking lot, and Chicago police enforce open container laws on the streets. Fans meet in the Wrigleyville bars and on Gallagher Way instead. Gallagher Way is the open-air plaza next to the ballpark on Clark Street. Ticket holders can use it before, during and after the game. During the game you can step out through the Gallagher Way Gate after the first inning, and re-entry closes in the bottom of the eighth. You cannot carry alcohol between the plaza and the ballpark.

Game day at Wrigley Field

Getting in

Checked at the source
  • Bag policy: Bags up to 16 x 16 x 8 inches are allowed, including purses, drawstring bags, fanny packs, lunch bags and soft-sided coolers. Backpacks (clear ones too), hard-sided coolers of any size and bigger bags are not. Medical and diaper bags are allowed. The Cubs do not store bags or luggage.
  • Cashless: Every purchase is cashless: cards, Apple Pay or other mobile wallets. Reverse ATMs inside the Marquee Gate and the bleacher concourse turn cash into a card.

Touring the stadium

Checked at the source
Public tours last 75 to 90 minutes, run rain or shine, and start and end at the Gallagher Way Gate. Non-game day tours can include the visiting clubhouse, press box, dugout and field. Tickets come as mobile tickets in the MLB Ballpark app, and children 2 and under are free. Call 773-388-8270 for help. A private tour for groups of up to 50 costs $2,000 plus tax. Call 773-388-8270 or email [email protected].

After the final whistle

Checked at the source
Most fans leave on the Red Line from Addison. The #152 Addison bus adds extra service until one hour after the game ends, Yellow Line trains run an hour later (until midnight) from Howard on game nights, and after weekday day games Purple Line Express trains add a stop at Sheridan. To skip the rush, stay for a drink on Clark Street and let the platform clear.

One thing to avoid

From a specialist guide
Driving to a weekday day game. The free Cubs remote lot only runs for night and weekend games, the school lots open only on certain days, and the streets around the ballpark carry resident permit rules. Take the Red Line to Addison.

Food and drink at Wrigley Field

Bars near the stadium

Checked at the source
  • Murphy's Bleachers
    Murphy's Bleachers, Google Maps

    Murphy's Bleachers

    3655 N Sheffield Ave, Chicago, IL 60613

    A classic Cubs bar on the corner of Sheffield and Waveland, facing the bleacher entrance. Its longtime owner opened the first Wrigleyville rooftop in 1984.

    Away fans: a Cubs crowd that sees visitors at every game. Expect some ribbing in away colors and little more.

  • Sluggers
    Sluggers World Class Sports Bar and Grill & Dueling Pianos, Google Maps

    Sluggers

    3540 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60613

    A big sports bar with more than 40 TVs, plus batting cages, skee-ball, air hockey and an arcade on the second floor. Dueling pianos play some nights.

    Away fans: a loud, mixed crowd that welcomes anyone who wants to swing in the cages.

  • Lucky Dorr
    Lucky Dorr Patio & Tap, Google Maps

    Lucky Dorr

    1101 W Waveland Ave, Chicago, IL 60613

    A small bar and patio built into the Wrigley Field block that pours local craft beer. You can hear the crowd roar from inside.

    Away fans: a craft beer crowd more than a rowdy one, so away colors draw little notice.

  • GMan Tavern
    The Gman Tavern, Google Maps

    GMan Tavern

    3740 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60613

    A laid-back bar with cold beer, pool tables and live music, a break from the louder Clark Street spots. It opens 365 days a year and never closes early.

    Away fans: a neighborhood bar that skips sports on the TVs, so nobody cares what you wear.

Things to do around Wrigley Field

Listed in the order they happen on game day. Each one earns points.

  1. Ritual50 points

    Pregame on Gallagher Way

    Gallagher Way is the plaza next to the ballpark where Cubs fans eat and drink before the gates open. Ticket holders can step back out to it during the game too.

    $. 2 hours before first pitch

  2. Drink50 points

    Pregame beer at Murphy's Bleachers

    Murphy's sits on the corner across from the bleacher gate and has served Cubs fans for decades. It is the classic spot for a beer before you climb into the bleachers.

    $$. 2 hours before first pitch

  3. Photo50 points

    Photo under the red marquee

    The red Wrigley Field marquee over the Marquee Gate at Clark and Addison is one of the most famous signs in sports. Get your photo before you head in.

    Free. 1 hour 40 minutes before first pitch

  4. Landmark40 points

    Walk Statue Row

    Statues of five Cubs greats line the north side of Gallagher Way near the Gallagher Way Gate, and a statue of the club's famous broadcaster stands outside the bleacher gate. Walk past them on your way in.

    Free. 1 hour 30 minutes before first pitch

  5. Photo40 points

    Look up at the rooftop seats

    Buildings across Waveland and Sheffield avenues have bleachers on their roofs that look straight into the ballpark. Photograph them from the corner, or book a game on one through the Cubs rooftop partners.

    Free. 1 hour 20 minutes before first pitch

  6. Ritual65 points

    Pick up a First Timer's Certificate

    If this is your first game at Wrigley Field, the Cubs will print you a personal First Timer's Certificate. Find the booth inside the Gallagher Way Gate on the main concourse.

    Free. 1 hour before first pitch

  7. Tour75 points

    Take the Wrigley Field tour

    The 75 to 90 minute tour takes you into the seating bowl, the bleachers and onto the field, and on non-game days into the dugout and visiting clubhouse. It runs rain or shine from the Gallagher Way Gate.

    $$

  8. Eat65 points

    Deep-dish pizza at Pequod's

    Pequod's bakes its pan pizza in cast iron with a ring of burnt, caramelized cheese around the crust. It is a Chicago deep-dish favorite about 2 miles south of the ballpark.

    $$

  9. Outing50 points

    Lincoln Park Zoo

    The zoo sits in Lincoln Park near the lakefront, is open 365 days a year and is always free. Pair it with a walk along the lake on your off day.

    Free

  10. Outing50 points

    Art Institute of Chicago

    One of the great art museums of the world sits on Michigan Avenue at the edge of Grant Park. It opens at 11am most days, stays open until 8pm on Thursday and is closed on Tuesday.

    $$

  11. Ritual65 points

    Watch the W flag go up

    After every game a flag flies over the center field scoreboard, the original one built in 1937: a white flag with a blue W for a win, a blue flag with a white L for a loss. If the Cubs win, stay in your seat to see the W go up.

    Free. 3 hours after first pitch

  12. Outing50 points

    Hit the batting cages at Sluggers

    Sluggers has batting cages and arcade games on its second floor a block from the ballpark. Take some swings after the game while the Red Line clears.

    $. 3 hours 30 minutes after first pitch

Seats and shade at Wrigley Field

Where the sun lands on a day game, and which seats stay dry when it rains.

Shade and cover

From a specialist guide
  • 200 level sections 204 to 230, under the upper deck. The upper deck covers every row here, so you are out of the sun and rain. Support posts block some views.
  • Upper deck, all 400 level sections and 300 level rows 7 and up. The upper deck gives the best protection from the early afternoon sun. Rows 8 to 10 of the 300 level mix shade with a clear view.
  • Third base field level, sections 106 to 115, rows 10 and up. The third base side gets shade first. For games after 3pm, field level seats from home plate to the left field line are shaded at first pitch.
  • Bleachers and the first base lower level. The bleachers get full sun for the whole game, and the first base lower seats are the sunniest in the infield. The right field line stays sunny into the evening.