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| - Of all the parks in the Cactus League, Cubs Park comes closest to replicating the experience of a regular season MLB game. 4.5 stars.
PARKING:
The stadium is easily accessible, located just off the 101 and 202 freeways. We came early for a Sunday game and had no problem driving down Rio Salado to the parking lot where it cost $7 to park on the grass to the east of the stadium. There was plenty tailgating and a palm tree lined path from the lot to the stadium.
TRAINING:
The Cubs main practice field is just to the west of the stadium. Here you can watch the Cubs take BP and work on drills. There's a short grass berm on the first base side and a few low bleachers. Unfortunately, you're separated from the field by a chain link fence. Some of the players and coaches will be close enough to chat with and there's a lot less competition to get a foul ball or one tossed over the fence than there is at a real game.
Before heading to the game, all the players have to go down a dirt path from the gate of the training facilities to a door on the third base side of the stadium. While some players walk, most of the starters will ride golf carts before being dropped off near the stadium door where they are met by autograph seekers behind metal barriers. Come early, bring your little kid, and you can get lots of autographs although none of the big name players were signing on the day we went.
STADIUM:
Cubs Park offers lots of homages to Wrigley Field and Cubs history with the exterior painted brick red and green, and light towers that echo those found at Wrigley. The walls on the first base side feature all the Cubs historical logos and oversized baseball cards of current Cubs players. Inside the stadium - near the right field corner - is the large team store and a replica of the red sign found on Wrigley's exterior. The sign makes for a great photo op. The video screen in left field is framed in green and topped with an analog clock just like the one Wrigley has in center field.
EXPERIENCE:
Cubs games on the weekend are totally packed with young people as well as retirees who are all guzzling beer and escaping the cold Midwest. It's a fun loving crowd that may not be the most baseball savvy ("Who's that ... what just happened?"), but they happily cheer on their Cubbies.
SEATING:
Unlike some of the other Cactus League stadia where finding a seat in the shade is almost impossible (Camelback Ranch), Cubs Park offers a ton of shade throughout the stadium. There are cup holders for each seat, which can make it tight as people walk in front of you to/from their seats. The seating bowl isn't very steep, so if you're short it can be tough to see past the people in front of you. If you want some sun, the lawns are for you with easy access to bathrooms and concessions, but make sure to get to the park early so you can get a good spot. The walkways are plenty wide so you don't feel like you're walking through rush hour traffic.
FOOD & DRINK:
The concessions options are wide and varied with everything from dogs to steak sandwiches to noodle bowls. I opted for the Wrigleyville dog, which was a hot dog covered with pulled pork, BBQ sauce, crunchy onion rings, and sport peppers. It was tasty and filling. The concession stands use TV monitors to show what's on the menu and the size of the printing on the screens is way too small for people who are waiting in a line 10 people deep to be able to actually see any of the details.
The problem is that Old Style is in short supply here. The roaming vendors only sell Bud products while a greater selection can be found at the stands. I circled the stadium and found only one beer stand that had Old Style - near the right field corner. If you want more of a bar experience make sure to head to Dos Gringos in right field above the lawn. It's full of young folks who presumably are there to mingle and have no interest in the game itself.
RIVERVIEW PARK:
Cubs Park is technically part of Riverview Park which is adjacent to the main parking lot and east of the stadium. It features giant climbing towers, water features, and a fishing lake. It could be a great place for kids before or after the game.
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