Wrigley Field

Over a century of history, still in daily use

Wrigley Field opened in 1914 — originally as Weeghman Park, home to the Federal League's Chicago Whales — which makes it the second-oldest ballpark currently in use in Major League Baseball, trailing only Boston's Fenway Park. The Cubs themselves moved in in 1916, after the Federal League folded. Unlike a museum piece, though, it's a fully working stadium that hosts a full season of Cubs games every year, and the ivy-covered outfield walls, hand-operated scoreboard, and tight, old-school sightlines are all still genuinely in use rather than preserved as a historical curiosity.

For visitors who aren't catching an actual game, non-game-day stadium tours run through the dugouts, clubhouse areas, and press box, offering a way to see the ballpark's history up close without needing to work a game into the itinerary. It's a reasonable alternative for anyone visiting outside baseball season or simply not interested in sitting through nine innings.

Wrigleyville

The neighborhood built directly around the ballpark, with its own distinct game-day identity.

Chicago Sports Venues Guide

How Wrigley fits alongside the city's three other major-league venues.

Rooftop clubs, and the Wrigleyville atmosphere

One of Wrigley's genuine quirks is the row of licensed rooftop clubs on Waveland and Sheffield Avenues directly across the street, where the surrounding buildings' rooftops have been converted into legal viewing platforms with a direct sightline into the outfield — a Wrigleyville institution that predates the modern ballpark expansion and survives as a distinct, if pricier, way to watch a game outside the stadium itself.

Wrigleyville as a neighborhood is built almost entirely around the ballpark's rhythm: sports bars, patios, and pregame crowds fill the surrounding blocks on any home date, thinning out considerably in the offseason. Visitors coming specifically for the game-day atmosphere should expect noise, crowds, and a genuinely festive, beer-forward scene rather than a quiet residential stroll.

• Second-oldest active MLB ballpark, built in 1914; the Cubs have played here since 1916.
• Rooftop clubs on Waveland and Sheffield offer a licensed alternative view over the outfield wall.
• Game schedules and ticket prices shift constantly — verify current listings before planning around a date.

Rate Field

The White Sox's South Side home (renamed from Guaranteed Rate Field in late 2024) — Chicago's other MLB ballpark, and Wrigley's cross-town rival.

Chicago Red Line Guide

The transit line that runs directly to Wrigley Field's own stop.