Chicago Wrigleyville is an active neighbourhood near the world-famous baseball field in Chicago. The evening sidewalks offer a comfortable environment for window shopping and a refreshing selection of restaurants. This neighbourhood, which was once home to working-class and white-collar families, has now made a name as being one of the hippest spots in Chicago.
The old packing plants have been converted into bars, breweries, shopping centres, and more. The area is family friendly and, if you come at the right time, you could even catch a home run at the Cubs baseball game.
Chicago Wrigleyville - one of the highlights of 12 Most Popular Neighbourhoods in Chicago (Read all about Chicago here)
photo by Ken Lund (CC BY-SA 2.0) modified
A brief history of Wrigleyville
Wrigley Field was established in 1914 and became the home of the Chicago Cubs a few years later. The field became iconic for its classic Americana style and the birth of a baseball revolution. The field itself was owned by the Wrigley family, which is also known for giving their name to the bubblegum brand they started. Without the baseball stadium, Wrigleyville may be a forgotten neighbourhood.
As Wrigley Field grew and got renovated, so did the surrounding neighbourhood, which later became known as Wrigleyville. High-rise buildings were built in the mid-'70s and have now been renovated into luxury flats. The Lake View area is a short walk from central Wrigleyville and was once a busy port, but now it contains all the necessities for family life.
What are the highlights of Wrigleyville?
Although Wrigleyville is comfortable for all ages, especially in the day, the highlight of this neighbourhood has to be its nightlife options. In recent years, several craft beer shops popped up in the area, and the sports bar scene has never been better. Budweiser Brickhouse Tavern, Deuce’s Major League Bar, the GMan Tavern, Yak-Zie’s, and Rizo’s Bar & Inn are among the most popular of the wide selection of bars. There are also some hidden gems in the neighbourhood – often hole-in-the-wall shops that only the locals seem to know. If you want something other than drinking to do after dark, the most famous venues include Wrigley Field, Metro, and Music Box Theatre.
The Friendly Confines in the Southport Corridor area provides the neighbourhood with shopping and retail options during the day. If you take a walk to the Lakeview area, you’ll find several hiking trails, open areas for picnicking, and a park for the kids.
photo by Gerald Farinas (CC BY-SA 3.0) modified
Good to know about Wrigleyville
Wrigleyville Sports and Clark Street Sports are 2 major sporting goods shops among many. Addison & Clark shopping mall is one of the newer shopping spots in the area, along with Park West shopping entertainment, located just across from Wrigley Field. You can check out the expansive 10,000-sq-ft Harley Davidson showroom, catch a movie at AMC theatre, and grab a slice of pizza and go bowling all under the same roof.
If you are in Chicago, but not staying in the Wrigleyville neighbourhood, you can easily use the public transit to get to the ballpark. If you’re travelling by public bus, the #152, #22, and #8 lines will all get you to your destination. Also, the “L” train line has a major station in the area and can be reached from across town.
photo by PandamicPhoto.com (CC BY-SA 2.0) modified
Chicago Wrigleyville
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