What are you shopping for (you have three potential shopping expeditions scheduled -- maybe that's just your "hang-out" time?)?

- dinner @ Portillo’s
- cubs game

Where is Portillo's? Will it be a late lunch? Part of the Wrigley Field experience is hanging around outside before the game so try to get there a few hours early. Plus you need time to take the el to get to the game.

I would buy the tickets for the CAF ahead of time. There are no guarantees that they will be available. I realize that you are trying to avoid the fees but is it worth the chance to not get tickets?

hi sf7307 ... it's partially hang-out time and more like window shopping. although, we don't have nordstrom rack, filene's basement, and loehmann's in toronto so we definitely want to visit those stores in the state street area.

hi tchoiniere ... there's a portillo's on ontario street near mag mile. i was thinking about doubling back to the hotel to rest/change/wash-up, cabbing it over to portillo's for a quick dog (assuming our feet may be tired by then), and then taking the red line up to addison. DH wants to be @ wrigley by 6 pm ... so portillo's would be more like a quick/early dinner.

and re: the CAF tickets, i don't want to buy them too far in advance b/c i really don't want to be on the boat if it's raining. do you think the tickets for the 3rd will be sold out by the 1st?

tks!

Do you already have reservations at Frontera Grill? They normally do not take reservations for a party of 2. If you get there before they open at 5 you will get in and then have to wait a bit for a table. If you arrive after 5, it may take up to 2 hours to be seated.

We had to change our schedule around quite a bit there when we couldn't get tickets for the tour we wanted as we waited to the week before. Maybe call there and see what the availability is but given the horde of people in the city, I wouldn't be surprised if it was sold out.

It may just be me as I like to get to games very early but planning on just an hour before Wrigley is very tight. The el will be very packed. We got to Wrigley 5 hours before the game last year (Saturday afternoon game against the Cardinals) and it was a mob scene. The bars around Wrigley are definitely part of the experience too, but given a 6pm arrival, you won't have time as everybody will be heading to their seats. My biggest pet peeve is when people get to their seats just as the game is starting or right after it started. This is an understatement at Wrigley when there are 40 seats that you may have to climb over.

hi isabella - yes, we already have reservations with frontera. i called last week and they accepted the reservation.

hi tchoiniere - thanks for the info. i'll call the CAF tomorrow and see what they say. where did you eat @ wrigley?? we want a chicago hot dog and i already posted on chowhound ... not sure if @ wrigley would be the best spot.

Great on getting the reservation for Frontera. Maybe if you call far enough ahead they are now taking reservations for parties under 6. I'll have to give it a try, since I love Frontera Grill, but hate the long wait for a table.

We are at Cubby Bear. We had hot dogs a previous day so we just picked a bar and had burgers there.

For hot dogs you could go to Weiner Circle or if you have time go to Hot Doug's, neither are outside of Wrigley though. They charge an arm and a leg for food inside Wrigley. There are bars and fast food places all around Wrigley, plus you get the atmosphere outside the park also.

Murphy's Bleachers is a great place to be from 3 hours before the first pitch until 90 minutes before when you stroll across the street and into Wrigley.

I think your itinerary looks great. I would consider adding a show to it, maybe Second City on your first night. It is a great intro to a Chicago stay.

hi all,

wow - thanks for all the feedback.

i'll look into second city ... and i'll also talk to DH about re-arranging the cubs day to get to wrigley a bit earlier.

so, i take it we want to be at wrigley AT LEAST 90 mins before the game? the game starts at 7 pm ... that puts us @ wrigley by 5:30 pm. what time would we need to leave downtown/loop?

tks!!

Do you know about "Taste of Chicago" which will be going on while you're in? We avoid it -- it's kind of a zoo -- but just wasn't sure if you were aware of it.
Have a great trip!
Laurie

Also, since you're at the Art Institute, you may want to wander over to Millenium Park and see "The Bean", Lurie Garden, and the fountain. I'd rather do that than window shop.

hi blackmons,

yes - we're aware of taste of chicago. we're not planning to partake. and we'll be seeing the bean, millenium park, etc. during our bike ride.

thanks!