Best things to do in Chicago?

What are the best seats at Wrigley and best things to do in Chicago?

• I am going to Chicago this September, when the Pirates are in town. I am from Louisiana and this is my first time to Chicago. This is also my first major league baseball game, let alone my first Cubs game. Does anyone have any suggestions on what seats to get (I've heard about the fun in the bleachers, but keep in mind I will have my wife with me. With that said, if the bleachers are still the best place, let me know). While I'm asking about the Cubs game, does anyone have any other suggestions about my first time to the 'Windy City'? P.S. I thought about going to a White Sox game, but I don't think I will be able to swing two baseball games with the wife on our first trip to Chicago.

• Answer:

  Well, at least I'm glad to hear you at least considered going to see the Sox. Most people forget that there are TWO teams in Chicago and that ONE actually won the World Series and seems headed back to the playoffs. That said, if you have your wife, I would probably stay out of the bleachers, unless you have tickets for the "family" sections of the bleachers which are on the far ends of the left and right field bleachers. The parts in the middle can get a little rowdy, especially on the weekends on a warm day. It's not called the biggest outdoor beer garden for a nothing. People start getting gassed up early in the day and by the time they get inside they're pretty well oiled. Oh, they'll watch the game for the first few innings but after that it's girls talking on cell phones and guys trying to hit on girls and people yelling for the beer man every five minutes. If you're interested in watching the game, DON"T sit there. The box seats are great but cost an arm and a leg. For me, I prefer the upperdeck box seats. It's a lot less rowdy, there's shade for those really sunny and hot days and if you bring a camera it makes for a much better photo. You can always walk downstairs and get photos from the lower part, but the upper deck is cooler and has a great view. And if it rains you're protected. Next time you come to the city, center it around the Sox schedule. Any seat in the lower deck is great! it's got great food and despite all the bad press, it's relatively trouble-free, even in the bleachers. People come there to actually WATCH the game! As for other things to do in Chicago, there's always the usual tourist standbys... navy Pier, Millenium Park, etc. you could go to the bar at the top of the John Hancock building, have a drink and admire the view from all around. Unless you drink, there's not a lot of other options for things to do around Wrigley Field. It's Bar City! There are some decent restaurants, though. Go a little further north of Wrigley on Clark street and check out Andersonville, an old Swedish neighborhood that still have a little of the Swedish flavor. There's a Swedish bakers, a Swedish grocery store. There was a great Swedish restaruant, Ann Sathers, but they recently got into a disupte over rising property taxes and have shut down for a while (there's a story about it on the website of the Chicago Reader, a local free newspaper). There ar a couple of great bars, Simon's, a "regular guy" bar that has a lot of Swedish decor, and Hopleaf, which features, like, 30 gazillion beers, grouped by country and type (Belgian, French, etc.) They also recently started serving bistro type food that is really good.