There’s nothing that feels quite like a Cubs day in Chicago—part ritual, part street party, part ballgame, part neighborhood crawl. You don’t just go to Wrigley Field—you arrive early, breathe in the local energy, and let the anticipation build.
If I were doing it again tomorrow, here’s how I’d stretch the day from first light to last call. I’d get there hours before first pitch, wander the blocks of Wrigleyville, soak in the storefronts, the jerseys, the chatter. To kick things off, I’d head to Mordecai, the restaurant-bar inside Hotel Zachary just across from the ballpark, where craft cocktails and elevated bar fare make for a grown-up pregame. That’s the kind of spot where you can sip slowly while the neighborhood pulses around you. Then I might drift down toward The Cubby Bear, right across from the stadium—loud, unapologetic, steeped in music and sport. You’ll find fans from generations crossing paths there, swapping stories and drinks before any baseball is played.
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