Let's Road Trip 2024: Trip #10 - Wrigley Field!!! (August 5-7)

[Steven Trefz]

Nothing says "baseball road trip" like a journey to the hallowed grounds of the Chicago Cubs. The Twins go to Chicago every year, but this one-stop, mid-week series is one that Twins fans have been waiting for since 2019. Shout it from the rooftops...we're going to Wrigley Field!

Image courtesy of Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

Chicago Cubs – August 5-7
Wrigley Field: Capacity 41,649
2023 Attendance: 2,775,149, up from 2,616,780 in 2022 (Averaged 34,261, 6th in NL and 9th overall MLB)

After facing the Chicago White Sox in a three game home stand, the Twins journey to the Windy City for another short three game trip. This will mark the first time the Twins have invaded Wrigley Field since taking both games in a two-game series in 2021. The Twins got swept in a three-game series at Wrigley in 2018, so this will be a unique travel experience for Twins fans. Traveling to the game via the purple or red line is the easiest route, with downtown Chicago being only a 15 minute el train ride away. Metallica is holding court at Soldier Field on August 9th if you want to stay for the weekend!

Wrigley Field opened in 1914. That’s right, 110 years ago! The ivy has scaled the outfield wall since 1937, and modern expansions and lights brought the ballpark closer towards the 21st Century in 1988. The jewel-box charm remains, and the neighborhood continues to offer one of the most “baseball” experiences in all of baseball. You can smell remnants of Old Style spills from decades past, and experience elbow to elbow seating that adds to the ambiance. How can you find fault with having a stadium where home runs can literally leave the ballpark, brick walls can be run into, and people on rooftops can pay more for their tickets than people behind home plate?

The Cubs themselves have grown up from their lovable loser Cubbies vibe, finally reversing the curse and winning a World Series in 2016. The most recent iterations have flirted with success, but ultimately couldn’t escape the rebuild cycle that follows such a formidable championship run. This year’s squad closely resembles last year’s non-playoff roster, with only the addition of Michael Busch (1B) and Shota Imanaga (SP) being notable. Will the "new to them" skipper Craig Counsell put them back into serious consideration for a championship? Or will the youth movement stall out by late summer?

The Twins will be traveling 818 miles for 3 games, 0 off days, and ____ wins?

How do you think the Twins will fare at Wrigley Field? Anyone planning to go to Chicago for this weekday series? Any favorite watering holes or tourist traps? Regular season baseball is almost here Twins Territory…let’s get talking!

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Let's Road Trip is a series of stories exploring the Twins' 13 road trips during the 2024 season.  I will focus on stadium highlights, attributes, Twins history, and community amenities.  Potential pitfalls and roadblocks get considered, and travel considerations get mentioned.  My handy-dandy Baseball Road Trips by Timothy Malcolm and Moon travel guides will be a go-to for this conversation.

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[Eris]

Watching a game at Wrigley is truly a unique experience. I would encourage everyone who has a chance to go. 
 

Shouting from the rooftops. Since they built the large screen in right field maybe about 8 years ago, it is no longer possible to watch the game from the rooftop bar across the street. So there is no longer any shouting from those rooftops during the games. 

[Squirrel]

Wrigley is iconic and if you haven’t been, go. But once is enough, imo. I wouldn’t waste money on it a second time unless you have great seats and have money to spare. Access and facilities aren’t great, food and beer so so. But, it is bucket list item for sure.

[Steven Trefz]

3 hours ago, Eris said:

Watching a game at Wrigley is truly a unique experience. I would encourage everyone who has a chance to go. 
 

Shouting from the rooftops. Since they built the large screen in right field maybe about 8 years ago, it is no longer possible to watch the game from the rooftop bar across the street. So there is no longer any shouting from those rooftops during the games. 

Angry shouting because you can’t see anymore ???  😂

[Bruce Lysne1]

I would encourage this trip also! The first sight of it is breathtaking in person. You can feel the history there and the place smells like a ballpark! Get a hot dog for sure. Tell them it's your first time there and they will hook it up! They used to give away pictures of the players lined up for the anthem of that days game around the 3rd inning of the game in the concourse behind home plate. I don't know if they still do that. The bars in the area are fun! Take the L for sure and have fun!

[Original_JB]

Did this trip the 1st time the Twins played at Wrigley years back; caught the trifecta: Ribfest and the Chicago Blues Festival were also that weekend. Stayed at the "historic" Palmer House and got an "El" pass for the weekend. Wrigleyville was fun, Wrigley itself was a dump in sort of a quaint way. Even caught a Snappers game on the drive home. Highly recommended. 

[Squirrel]

Also, beware the less expensive ‘obstructed view’ seats. These aren't the seats where you just can’t see the edge or corners of the outfield (those are a good portion of the regular seats), obstructed view seats have you sitting directly behind a pillar. (Learned from experience.)

But, it is iconic, so go if you’ve never been.

[Original_JB]

2 hours ago, Squirrel said:

Also, beware the less expensive ‘obstructed view’ seats. These aren't the seats where you just can’t see the edge or corners of the outfield (those are a good portion of the regular seats), obstructed view seats have you sitting directly behind a pillar. (Learned from experience.)

But, it is iconic, so go if you’ve never been.

Ahh yes; brings back the memory. Got online the minute the tickets went on sale. Got what I thought would be good seats (about 2/3rds of the way up the lower level along the 1st base line). And they were, for the infield and viewing the left fielder's shoes.  They don't count as 'obstructed' (yeah, saw some of those "pillar" view seats), but the 2nd deck overhang is so low, you kind of watch through a slot. I guess the locals had it figured out because all the seats around us were filled with travelling Twins fans.

[Squirrel]

19 minutes ago, Original_JB said:

Ahh yes; brings back the memory. Got online the minute the tickets went on sale. Got what I thought would be good seats (about 2/3rds of the way up the lower level along the 1st base line). And they were, for the infield and viewing the left fielder's shoes.  They don't count as 'obstructed' (yeah, saw some of those "pillar" view seats), but the 2nd deck overhang is so low, you kind of watch through a slot. I guess the locals had it figured out because all the seats around us were filled with travelling Twins fans.

I mean Wrigley is the iconic stadium from baseball’s past but is a far cry from stadiums today. I’ve said on this site many a time that I prefer going to the Sox stadium. Yeah, it’s a nothing special basic concrete stadium, but you are going to sit just about anywhere and see the entirety of the field. And the food and drinks are far better than Wrigley unless all you want is a soggy Chicago dog. Wrigley is overhyped but it truly is a must go once in your life just for the nostalgia