July 27, 2010

Chicago July 16th – 18th

The Cubs Destinations team spent the weekend of July 16^th-18^th at the Friendly Confines as the Cubs welcomed the Phillies into town. Members of the group stayed at the beautiful (and convenient) Chicago Marriott Magnificent Mile right in the heart of Michigan Avenue.

Saturday’s game seemed to be leaning in the Cubs’ favor for almost the entirety of the game, as Randy Wells tossed 7 innings of shutout ball before handing it over to the bullpen. The Cubs went ahead on a suicide squeeze by Ryan Theriot in the 7^th inning, and looked ready to hold on for a 1-0 victory. Unfortunately, the Phillies had other plans and went on to score 4 runs in the 9^th, leading to a 4-1 Philadelphia victory.

After the tour the group headed into the Stadium Club for their luncheon with Ryan Theriot. Ryan got right into signing for the group, getting each and every member of the Destinations group an autograph, and then took some time to take a photo with everyone.

Ryan then took some time to take some questions from the group before heading down to the clubhouse to get ready for the game ahead.

After enjoying their time in the field box seats, the Cubs Destinations group settled into their seats for Sunday night’s game. Going up against the dangerous Roy Halladay, the Cubbies didn’t seem to be fazed. Halladay gave up 6 runs, including 2 big homeruns to Geovany Soto and Alfonso Soriano, before giving way to a bullpen that gave up 5 more. The Cubs closed out the weekend on a high note, winning by an 11-6 margin and clinching a 3-1 series victory over the defending National League Champions.

July 14, 2010

Los Angeles July 9th – 11th

The Cubs Destinations team set out for Los Angeles this past weekend as the Los Angeles Dodgers hosted the Chicago Cubs for the final series before the all-star break. Destinations’ travelers were a short coach bus trip away from Dodger Stadium at the Omni Los Angeles hotel at California Plaza in downtown Los Angeles. Friday, Saturday and Sunday, travelers headed out of the LA downtown area for Dodger Stadium, a Southern California landmark established in 1962. It’s safe to say that Dodger Stadium, which holds an impressive 56,000 fans, provides a different baseball viewing experience than that of hometown Wrigley Field. The Stadium has a retro, 1970’s vibe that pays tribute to its long standing heritage.

The Destinations crew quickly forgot about Friday night’s loss when they set out for Saturday’s full day of activities at Dodger Stadium. Arriving early Saturday to an empty Dodger Stadium, Destinations travelers attended a breakfast reception where they were paid a visit from Cubs’ second baseman Ryan Theriot. Ryan came to sign autographs, take individual pictures and answered all sorts of questions from the group. Take a look at a few of the shots below.

Fans were then guided around Dodger Stadium by a Dodgers expert who narrated the rich history of both Dodger Stadium and the storied Dodgers franchise. The Destinations fans gained access to the Vin Scully Pressbox, where they could sit in the same seats as the media and check out the in stadium organ. The group also went to the premium club area to see some historic Dodgers’ collectibles.

Next, Destinations travelers were first in line to experience the “On-Field Photo Day” promotion at Dodger Stadium. Both Cubs and Dodgers fans rushed across the outfield grass to get a close look at players and got the experience of being on-field!

Saturday’s Cubs’ win topped off the action packed day, while one Destinations traveler even managed to snatch himself a foul ball souvenir.

Sunday evening brought ideal weather for the final game of the series. The team didn’t manage to pull off a win but Destinations travelers ended the trip strong. Despite the lackluster on-field performance, the Los Angeles weekend was full of baseball and the visits to Dodger stadium was something that any baseball fan wouldn’t forget! Join us on your own adventure! All our upcoming trips are listed on cubs.com/cubsdestinations.