re: Chicago for Cubs' game

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Weather can be very dicey in April,

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On the upside, we've had ~25 days with temperatures 70+ compared to just 5 days below freezing the last three Aprils. Well over half of April 2023 was 55+ degrees, which was fantastic. Still need to be prepared, obviously, but things have been much better the last few years with consistent spring weather. Of course, I'm speaking as someone that doesn't live in the south and might find that cold

Thanks for the replies. I think we’ll steer clear of the bleachers and try to grab some seats behind home plate or dugouts.

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hopping on the Brown or Purple at Merch Mart and getting off at Belmont is also an option. Plus, allows you to start at the "bottom" of Wrigleyville and work your way up Clark

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This is what I do every time I've been there. It's always a decent wander, and the stop is less crowded.

I went for Iowa/NW last year.

I didn't sit there but seemed like LF bleachers were ones to avoid, for sure. Field is an E/W orientation because they need to back one EZ to the Cubs dugout - LF looked a bit odd with a whole lot of green between the stands and playing surface.

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Any other good bars? Maybe craft beer focused?

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Go to Tiny Tapp or Corridor before the Cubs game for craft beer. Corridor has completely fallen off since losing multiple brewers to Maplewood and MoRE, but they do have solid food.

Otherwise, check out the standard heavyweight breweries: Hop Butcher, Maplewood, Half Acre, Revolution, Goose Island, and Dovetail.

For an actual craft beer bar / tavern, go to Hopleaf, Union, Bangers & Lace, Bitter Pops, Beermiscuous, Beer Temple, Village Tap, Map Room, Centennial, and Sheffield's. All have craft beer from Chicagoland / Midwest. First three I listed sound like what you're looking for but you also might enjoy Beermiscuous, Beer Temple, and/or Bitter Pops. Incredible can selections with taprooms and draft pours.

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Any recommendations on neighborhoods to stay / Airbnb? What about ones to avoid? Currently looking at a few in Old City

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Guessing you mean Old Town. Just a word of caution that it's an extremely young neighborhood. A lot of kids fresh out of college and Wells is littered with bars that are definitely wilder than what, I assume, 40-somethings are looking for

If you're just going to be in Chicago to drink, enjoy the game, etc., and don't care about anything touristy along Mag Mile and The Loop, find an Airbnb in Lincoln Park, Lake View, Roscoe Village, Lincoln Square, Ravenswood, or Logan Square. Nothing wrong with grabbing a high-rise condo in River North, either, but certainly think your group might have a better experience immersing yourselves in the neighborhoods with bars, breweries, etc.

Logan is one of the top two restaurant neighborhoods in the city right now, and loaded with breweries and cocktail bars. Would say it's slightly less convenient for getting to a Cubs game, so might be worth an Uber over at some point.

Definitely a good location w/ Brown and Red Line accessibility, and don't think you'd totally dislike it, but just a younger demographic on most of Wells. On the upside, you're near Second City for comedy shows + most of Old Town is walking distance from Gold Coast.

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Are bleachers preferred instead of behind home plate or behind the dugouts?

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Yes, I'm mid 40s and would always try and go bleachers. When I go back to visit I want bleachers. It's nonstop entertainment and sun...think of it as the student section of Wrigley. It makes baseball fun.

A couple things to note though:
1) Tickets will be more expensive than most of the rest of the stadium
2) The tickets are general admission (important to note if you have a big group)
3) There are no beer vendors walking the aisles
4) You have to go all the way down to use the bathroom (unless I'm a moron and didn't know there are bathrooms upstairs)

As for places to hit, most of the good ones have been mentioned, but I also like the beer garden at Bernie's Tap.

And don't sleep on the Southport Corridor for places that will be a bit less crowded and more mature. Butcher's Tap has good food.

Hard to beat a summer ballgame at Wrigley. One thing I really miss about Chicago.

Bumping this because I'm going to Chicago in September and plan on attending the Oakland A's game Wednesday (9/18). Is there any advantage to buying tickets now or should I wait? I thinking on the 3rd baseline since I'll be with my wife.

Definitely wait