Cubs games are another defining part of the Chicago experience.

Cubs games are pretty regular (during the regular season), and tickets are easy to get. They can cost anywhere from $10 to $50 depending on what seat you get. Inside the Wrigley field there are tons of hot dog vendors (selling Chicago style hot dogs of course, but also pizza, burgers, etc). There are many restaurants and bars around the stadium if you're hungry when you leave, but I'd recommend going a couple El train stop away or else you'll get caught in a mad rush.

The games are plenty of fun, there are pretty regular give aways at the gates and from surveys, etc. I got a free little Snoopy doll (Given at gates) and a free fleece Cubs blanket (bank survey). You can also bring food and drinks in if you want, just not a huge cooler (you could try haha).

Transportation to the field is easy enough, there are major thoroughfares around it, but parking is rough. My suggestion is to park several El Stations away, and to ride a bus, or catch the El, or just walk (the nearest stations are two blocks away from the field.

The games are pretty fun, even though the Cubs haven't been awesome recently. The games are never jam packed, but they can be busy. It is easy to get a large group in, but you should get tickets ahead of time.

All in all Cub's games and Wrigley field are a great way to relax and enjoy the summer and fall nights. With the sights and sounds of a ball park, especially one with such history, nothing can go wrong (except rain).

Just the name of the street --- Astor --- conveys an image of prestige and power. Indeed, Astor St. WAS the home of many of turn-of-the-century Chicago’s wealthiest families, and some of their mansions still stand. Strolling past them is a great way of unwinding after a day of power shopping on Michigan Ave.

The southernmost block of Astor St. now contains many high-rise condos and isn’t as attractive as it used to be. So, let’s start our walking tour at Division St. and North State Parkway and admire a mansion with a different sort of notoriety: The conjoined buildings at 1336-1340 N. State are the former Playboy Mansion --- the late Hiugh Heffner’s infamous "Bunny Hutch".

Continue north to Schiller and turn toward the lake. At the intersection of Schiller and Astor is the Charnley House, built in 1892 by the firm of Louis Sullivan, an employer and mentor of Frank Lloyd Wright. Walk north along Astor and imagine yourself living in one of the magnificent old greystones you’ll pass. The Patterson-McCormick Mansion, 1500 Astor, is an even statelier example of Prairie School design. (The "McCormick" was Cyrus R., who reaped a fortune from inventing the first successful mechanical grain harvester.) This isn’t a Wright building, but there are several of his works --- including his own home --- in nearby Oak Park.

Admire the parkway gardens --- gardening is a competitive sport here --- as you continue north to The Cardinal’s Residence. This angular brick mansion, with nearly a score of chimneys, has been the official residence of Chicago’s Roman Catholic archbishops for a century and a half. In the late 1970s, I watched the then-Pope address congregants from its balcony.

If it’s a pleasant day, you can enjoy magnicient views of Navy Pier, the north end of the Magnificent Mile, and the Chicago skylne by walking a block east to the lake, through a pedestrian underpass beneath Outer Lake Shore Drive, and as far out as you care to venture onto the breakwater at North Ave. Beach.

The quirky Museum of Surgical Science is in the 1500 block of Inner Lake Shore drive, just south of the pedestrian underpass. It normally charges admission to its collection of centuries-old medical tools and memorabilia, but is free on Tuesdays.

You can walk back along the lakefront seawall to Michigan Ave. or swing back west through the Gold Coast for some garden-walking.

Chicago’s Latin motto, Urbs in Horto means "City in a Garden." Some of Chicago’s finest private gardens are along North Dearborn Parkway, a block west of State and the Cardinal’s Residence. You can follow Dearborn back to Division St. and catch a subway train back to the Loop, or, better yet, turn back north and visit Lincoln Park

Wrigley Field, one of the great icons of American Sports, opened April 23, 1914, and is home to the Chicago Cubs. The second-oldest major league ballpark in the country (second only to Boston's Fenway, 1912) holds a special place in the heart of many a ball fan. Chicago is one of the few cities that sports two major league baseball teams: the Cubs in the National League and the White Sox in the American League. It is one of the great Chicago dreams to see a cross-town World Series.

The Cubs are the "loveable losers" of baseball, having failed to win a World Series since 1908 (95 years and still counting). Will the "goat curse" ever truly be lifted from the Cubs?

It's easy to get to Wrigley Field -- just jump on the Red Line "L" and get off at Addison -- you can see into the field from the platform. There's no official parking at the field; local merchants and homeowners hawk their parking spaces for $5-20 on game days.

On the streets that flank the stadium, you can find all kinds of sports bars, memorabilia shops and ticket brokers (book your tickets online or buy them at the ball park, $14 and up). The 2004 season is almost sold out due to the near miss that the Cubs had with the World Series last year. You can tell if the Cubs won or lost their game today (home or away) by looking for the "W" or "L" flag atop the scoreboard.

The Wrigley Field tour (cost $15) runs on weekends throughout the summer and takes approximately 90 minutes. On the tour you visit a number of areas of the stadium, including the Cubs clubhouse, visitors clubhouse, dugouts, playing field, bleachers, mezzanine suites, press box, and security headquarters. Cameras are permitted on tours.

Wrigley has also been host to some of the most memorable moments in baseball. Among them is Babe Ruth's famous "called shot" in the third game of the 1932 World Series, when Ruth allegedly pointed to a bleacher location when he came to bat, and then hit the next pitch for a homer. Pete Rose also hit his 4191st career hit here, which tied him with Ty Cobb for the most hits in baseball history. On the trivia side, Wrigley still sports its original scoreboard from 1937, and in nearly 70 years of play, no batter has ever hit the scoreboard.

A die-hard Chicago tradition is partying on rooftops and nowhere is that more celebrated than the rooftops around Wrigley. After a lengthy battle where the park owners planned to construct obstructions to non-ticket-buying spectators, an agreement was reached and the Cubs-sanctioned Ballpark Rooftops organization was born. Member rooftops pay 17% of earnings to the Cubs, and in return, fans get one of the most unique experiences in major league ball.

Cubs baseball is as much about the fans as the players. Come see a game!

I like to call Wrigley Field Chicago's largest beer garden. Indeed, it is a popular spot to spend a summer afternoon despite the Cubs' less than stellar performances in the last, oh, 99 years. In fact, the Cubs haven't won a World Series since 1908.

Not that it matters. Droves of fans visit Wrigley and claim almost every seat in the stadium each year. Although many games sell out early, tickets are often released on game day or can be bought outside the stadium. Surrounding Wrigley are a variety of restaurants and sports bars to enjoy before or after a game. If you want to avoid crowds, I suggest you leave the area, however.

You can reach Wrigley fairly easily by taking the CTA red line to the Addison stop. Street parking is hard to find and the lots are expensive. If you don't mind walking or taking a bus, you could park a mile west of Clark street on Addison with little problem.

While there are a few seats with an obstructed view, most of the seats offer a great view of the field. Some people love to sit in the bleachers, but be warned... the Bleacher Bum crowd can be loud and unruly.

The stadium itself is beautiful, with its ivy covered outfield walls and old fashioned scoreboard. After the passing of legendary announcer Harry Carey, a guest celebrity usually carries on his tradition of singing "Take Me Out To the Ball Game" during the seventh inning stretch.

Souvenirs are aplenty at the ball park, but you'll find more reasonable prices at the souvenir shops near the stadium.

While a variety of food and drink options are available, I recommend the traditional hot dog washed down with an Old Style beer. Oh, and bring your own peanuts. They're cheaper outside the stadium.

Wrigleyville is composed of several square blocks surrounding Wrigley Field, the historic home of the Chicago Cubs. After watching the Cubs beat the Padres 8-3, we walked across the street to the corner of Clarke and Addison and into the world famous The Cubby Bear.

The Cubby Bear is advertised as "the place" for Cubs' post-game partying. It seemed that a good number of the crowd that were leaving Wrigley Field headed in that direction. Within minutes the place was packed. I was not impressed. It seemed very dirty and kind of smelly. There were no tables available, so we waited in line at the bar for a cold one. All they served were domestics and the basic imports. The Cubby Bear is not a brew pub. That was enough for me. I was thankful that my friends were in agreement. I can now say that I experienced The Cubby Bear after a Cubs’ game, but there are much better places just down the road.

Just a few blocks down on Clarke Street is Goose Island Beer Company. It was pretty crowded, but there were still a few tables available. When I visit local brewpubs, I always try the India Pale Ale (IPA). Goose Island’s IPA was above average, but it was just a bit too hoppy for my taste. I next tried one of their darker beers. The Honest Stout is brewed with caramel malt and has a robust, roasty flavor. I really enjoyed the taste. The creamy body was very rich and satisfying. Goose Island’s flagship is their Honkers Ale. I think the Honkers was everyone’s favorite. It had a nice rich taste with a gentle hop finish. We spent a couple of hours at the Goose Island Beer Company and had a great time. There were several good friends, plenty of nice conversation, and an endless supply of ice-cold brew.

Wrigleyville is also filled with many shops. There are the usual souvenir shops and those hocking Cubs’ clothing and memorabilia. And there are some unconventional shops as well. There was one shop that featured vintage Roaring 20s dresses and clothing in its window.

This was probably one of the best nights that I have experienced while traveling on business. I first went and watched the Cubs play at Wrigley Field. Then spent the rest of the evening with good friends in a fun and exciting locale like Wrigleyville.