Rental Car
Pick Up Your Rental
Pick upChicago · Jul 3
Drop offBaltimore · Jul 9
Total miles840 mi
Getting There · Step 1
Stay Tonight · Chicago, IL
Hotel
Chicago Overnight
Check-inFri, Jul 3
Check-outSat, Jul 4
First pitch4:05 PM ET
Book near downtown or the ballpark so your first-game arrival stays simple.
DAY 1
Friday, July 3
First pitch at 4:05 PM ET — Chicago Cubs vs. St. Louis Cardinals at Wrigley Field today. Don't leave without Chicago-Style Hot Dog.
Stop 01 of 05
Chicago, IL · Fri Jul 3
Wrigley Field
Chicago Cubs · MLB
4:05 PM ET
vs. St. Louis Cardinals
Must Eat at the Park
Chicago-Style Hot Dog
A Vienna beef hot dog on a poppy seed bun, dragged through the garden: yellow mustard, bright green relish, onions, tomato wedges, a pickle spear, sport peppers, and celery salt. No ketchup. Ever.
Local Beer
Old Style Lager
Served at Wrigley since 1950. The single most identified brand with Cubs baseball. The bleachers run on Old Style.
Pabst Brewing
The Friendly Confines and the Longest Drought in Sports
Pilgrim Notes · Chicago Baseball History
Stay Tonight · Chicago, IL
Chicago Overnight
Check-inFri, Jul 3
Check-outSat, Jul 4
First pitch tomorrow at 7:10 PM ET. Leave by 12:31 PM.
Sat Morning
When to Depart
Leave by12:31 PM
Drive to Cleveland299 mi · 5.2h
Game time7:10 PM ET
Leave on time to allow for fuel, food, and parking.
Breakfast Stop · Chicago, IL
Before You Hit the Road
Ann Sather
Boystown since 1945. The cinnamon rolls are mythological — the size of your head, fresh every morning. Swedish-American diner that has defined Wrigleyville breakfast culture for 80 years.
Giant cinnamon roll + eggs
Open 7 AM daily
Worth the Detour · +10 min
Tower of VW Bugs
Five colorfully painted 1960s Volkswagen Beetles stacked on top of each other in a pawn shop parking lot in Defiance. A mannequin climbs out of the fourth one. This is art.
Defiance, OH · 10 min detourChicago → Cleveland
299 mi · 5.2h · regional run
DAY 2
Saturday, July 4
Chicago to Cleveland is 5.2h — a solid drive, so leave early and plan a stop along the way. First pitch at 7:10 PM ET — Cleveland Guardians vs. Chicago White Sox at Progressive Field tonight — Guardians Patriotic Hat tonight. Tower of VW Bugs is worth 10 minutes off the highway.
Stop 02 of 05
Cleveland, OH · Sat Jul 4
Progressive Field
Cleveland Guardians · MLB
7:10 PM ET
vs. Chicago White Sox
Must Eat at the Park
Polish Boy Sausage
A kielbasa in a bun topped with french fries, coleslaw, and hot sauce. A Cleveland original found nowhere else.
Local Beer
Great Lakes Dortmunder Gold
The Cleveland craft institution. Dortmunder Gold has won more awards than any Ohio beer.
Great Lakes Brewing
The Longest Championship Drought and One Perfect Game
Pilgrim Notes · Cleveland Baseball History
Stay Tonight · Cleveland, OH
Cleveland Overnight
Check-inSat, Jul 4
Check-outSun, Jul 5
First pitch tomorrow at 6:40 PM ET. Leave by 12:45 PM.
Tue Morning
When to Depart
Leave by12:45 PM
Drive to Pittsburgh256 mi · 4.4h
Game time6:40 PM ET
Leave on time to allow for fuel, food, and parking.
Breakfast Stop · Cleveland, OH
Before You Hit the Road
West Side Market
Ohio City since 1912. The greatest market hall in the Midwest. Over 100 vendors — pierogi, kielbasa, fresh bread. Grab breakfast from multiple stalls and eat in the main hall. A Cleveland essential.
Fresh pierogi + kielbasa + bread from multiple stalls
Open 7 AM Wed/Fri/Sat/Sun
Lunch Stop · I-80 E, Exit 4A, Sharon PA
Midway Fuel-Up
Quaker Steak and Lube
Sharon, PA — halfway between Cleveland and Pittsburgh. Former auto garage converted into a wing joint in 1974. The Buffalo-style wings here are the reason people exit I-80. The Atomic sauce has a waiver.
Wings + blue cheese
Open 11 AM daily
Worth the Detour · +10 min
Zanesville Y-Bridge Ohio
The only Y-shaped bridge in the world. Cross it from any side, end up where you started.
Zanesville, OH · 10 min detourCleveland → Pittsburgh
256 mi · 4.4h · easy leg
DAY 5
Tuesday, July 7
First pitch at 6:40 PM ET — Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Atlanta Braves at PNC Park tonight. Zanesville Y-Bridge Ohio is worth 10 minutes off the highway.
Stop 03 of 05
Pittsburgh, PA · Tue Jul 7
PNC Park
Pittsburgh Pirates · MLB
6:40 PM ET
vs. Atlanta Braves
Must Eat at the Park
Primanti Brothers Sandwich
Pittsburgh's most iconic food in its natural habitat. Meat and cheese on airy Italian bread loaded with tomatoes, coleslaw, and french fries inside the sandwich. Designed for Pittsburgh truckers in 1933.
Local Beer
Fat Head's Bullpen Tap Bar
Eight rotating taps positioned directly above the Pirates bullpen. The only bar in baseball where you can watch a reliever warm up while drinking a Head Hunter IPA. Arrive before first pitch for a seat at the rail.
Fat Head's Brewery · North Olmsted, OH
Maz, Clemente, and the Most Beautiful View in Baseball
Pilgrim Notes · Pittsburgh Baseball History
Stay Tonight · Pittsburgh, PA
Pittsburgh Overnight
Check-inTue, Jul 7
Check-outWed, Jul 8
First pitch tomorrow at 6:45 PM ET. Leave by 1:06 PM.
Wed Morning
When to Depart
Leave by1:06 PM
Drive to Washington241 mi · 4.2h
Game time6:45 PM ET
Leave on time to allow for fuel, food, and parking.
Breakfast Stop · Pittsburgh, PA
Before You Hit the Road
Pamela's Diner
Multiple locations. Obama ordered here on the campaign trail. The hotcakes are thin, buttery, perfect.
Crepe-style hotcakes
Worth the Detour · +15 min
The Graffiti Warehouse
A massive legal graffiti mural wall in Baltimore's Station North arts district. Blocks of paint on brick that changes constantly. The city funded it. The art never stops.
Baltimore, MD · 15 min detourPittsburgh → Washington
241 mi · 4.2h · easy leg
DAY 6
Wednesday, July 8
Pittsburgh to Washington is 4.2h — a solid drive, so leave early and plan a stop along the way. First pitch at 6:45 PM ET — Washington Nationals vs. Houston Astros at Nationals Park tonight — NARUTO Day tonight. The Graffiti Warehouse is worth 15 minutes off the highway.
Stop 04 of 05
Washington, DC · Wed Jul 8
Nationals Park
Washington Nationals · MLB
6:45 PM ET
vs. Houston Astros
Must Eat at the Park
Ben's Chili Bowl Half-Smoke
A half-smoke sausage with Ben's chili, mustard, and onions. Ben's Chili Bowl has been a DC institution since 1958.
Local Beer
DC Brau Penn Quarter Porter
DC's first packaged craft brewery since Prohibition. The porter is excellent.
DC Brau Brewing
Baseball Returns to Washington After 33 Years
Pilgrim Notes · Washington Baseball History
Stay Tonight · Washington, DC
Washington Overnight
Check-inWed, Jul 8
Check-outThu, Jul 9
First pitch tomorrow at 6:35 PM ET. Leave by 4:19 PM.
Thu Morning
When to Depart
Leave by4:19 PM
Drive to Baltimore44 mi · 0.8h
Game time6:35 PM ET
Leave on time to allow for fuel, food, and parking.
Worth the Detour · +15 min
The Graffiti Warehouse
A massive legal graffiti mural wall in Baltimore's Station North arts district. Blocks of paint on brick that changes constantly. The city funded it. The art never stops.
Baltimore, MD · 15 min detourWashington → Baltimore
44 mi · 0.8h · easy leg
DAY 7
Thursday, July 9
A short 0.8h drive from Washington sets up the day. First pitch at 6:35 PM ET — Baltimore Orioles vs. Chicago Cubs at Oriole Park at Camden Yards tonight — Christian Faith Night tonight. The Graffiti Warehouse is worth 15 minutes off the highway.
Stop 05 of 05
Baltimore, MD · Thu Jul 9
Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Baltimore Orioles · MLB
6:35 PM ET
vs. Chicago Cubs
Must Eat at the Park
Boog's BBQ Pit Beef Sandwich
Boog Powell — former Orioles MVP — has operated his BBQ stand at Camden Yards since 1992. The pit beef sandwich is Baltimore.
Local Beer
Dempsey's Brew Pub
Full-service brew pub on the right field lower concourse that brews its own beers on site.
Dempsey's Brewing
Camden Yards Changed Everything
Pilgrim Notes · Baltimore Baseball History
What to Budget
Estimates only — prices vary by availability
Tickets · 5 games (avg $46)$230
Hotels · 6 nights (avg $155)$930
Fuel · 840 mi at $0.18/mi$151
Ballpark food & drinks$250
Total Estimate$1,561
* Estimates only. Prices vary.
How This Trip Was Planned
Our Algorithm
We evaluate many stop orders (up to seven parks: every permutation; larger trips: smart samples plus nearest-neighbor paths from home) and keep the version that preserves the most ballparks on your list with the least driving between games, inside an expanded or standard date ...