Rental Car
Pick Up Your Rental
Pick upSt. Louis · Jul 12
Drop offCleveland · Jul 19
Total miles747 mi
Getting There · Step 1
Stay Tonight · St. Louis, MO
Hotel
St. Louis Overnight
Check-inSun, Jul 12
Check-outMon, Jul 13
First pitch2:15 PM ET
Book near downtown or the ballpark so your first-game arrival stays simple.
DAY 1
Sunday, July 12
First pitch at 2:15 PM ET — St. Louis Cardinals vs. Atlanta Braves at Busch Stadium today. Don't leave without St. Louis-Style Toasted Ravioli.
Stop 01 of 04
St. Louis, MO · Sun Jul 12
Busch Stadium
St. Louis Cardinals · MLB
2:15 PM ET
vs. Atlanta Braves
Must Eat at the Park
St. Louis-Style Toasted Ravioli
Pasta filled with meat, breaded and deep-fried, served with marinara dipping sauce — a St. Louis original.
Local Beer
Busch Beer
The stadium is literally named for this beer. Historically appropriate in every way.
Anheuser-Busch
Musial, Gibson, and the Cardinal Way
Pilgrim Notes · St. Louis Baseball History
Stay Tonight · St. Louis, MO
St. Louis Overnight
Check-inSun, Jul 12
Check-outMon, Jul 13
First pitch tomorrow at 8:05 PM ET. Leave by 12:59 PM.
Fri Morning
When to Depart
Leave by12:59 PM
Drive to Chicago325 mi · 5.6h
Game time8:05 PM ET
Leave on time to allow for fuel, food, and parking.
Breakfast Stop · St. Louis, MO
Before You Hit the Road
Goody Goody Diner
St. Louis breakfast institution. Pancakes and biscuits-and-gravy have anchored pre-Cardinals mornings for decades. No-nonsense diner that has stayed exactly itself while the city changed around it.
Pancakes + bacon + coffee
Open 7 AM–2 PM daily
Worth the Detour · +10 min
Gemini Giant Wilmington
A 28-foot spaceman on Route 66 since 1965. The drive-in still serves burgers.
Wilmington, IL · 10 min detourSt. Louis → Chicago
325 mi · 5.6h · regional run
DAY 6
Friday, July 17
First pitch at 8:05 PM ET — Chicago Cubs vs. Minnesota Twins at Wrigley Field tonight — #BudFridays: Cubs 1940s-50s Replica Jersey tonight. Gemini Giant Wilmington is worth 10 minutes off the highway.
Stop 02 of 04
Chicago, IL · Fri Jul 17
Wrigley Field
Chicago Cubs · MLB
8:05 PM ET
vs. Minnesota Twins
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 17
Check-outSat, Jul 18
First pitch tomorrow at 4:10 PM ET. Leave by 12:52 PM.
Sat Morning
When to Depart
Leave by12:52 PM
Drive to Milwaukee104 mi · 1.8h
Game time4:10 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
Lunch Stop · I-94 N, Exit 344, Kenosha
Midway Fuel-Up
Brat Stop
Kenosha, WI on I-94. The Wisconsin welcome mat between Chicago and Milwaukee. Beer-soaked bratwurst grilled and served with sauerkraut and Stadium Sauce. The German heritage of the I-94 corridor in sandwich form.
Bratwurst + sauerkraut + Stadium Sauce
Open 11 AM–10 PM daily
Worth the Detour · +10 min
Gemini Giant Wilmington
A 28-foot spaceman on Route 66 since 1965. The drive-in still serves burgers.
Wilmington, IL · 10 min detourChicago → Milwaukee
104 mi · 1.8h · easy leg
DAY 7
Saturday, July 18
A short 1.8h drive from Chicago sets up the day. First pitch at 4:10 PM ET — Milwaukee Brewers vs. Miami Marlins at American Family Field today — Brandon Woodruff Trading Card Bobblehead today. Gemini Giant Wilmington is worth 10 minutes off the highway.
Stop 03 of 04
Milwaukee, WI · Sat Jul 18
American Family Field
Milwaukee Brewers · MLB
4:10 PM ET
vs. Miami Marlins
Must Eat at the Park
Wisconsin Brat (Klement's)
A Klement's bratwurst grilled over charcoal and served in a hoagie roll with stadium mustard, sauerkraut, and grilled onions.
Local Beer
Spotted Cow
The farmhouse ale sold exclusively in Wisconsin. The most state-exclusive craft beer in MLB.
New Glarus Brewing
The Brewers, Hank the Dog, and Robin Yount
Pilgrim Notes · Milwaukee Baseball History
Stay Tonight · Milwaukee, WI
Milwaukee Overnight
Check-inSat, Jul 18
Check-outSun, Jul 19
First pitch tomorrow at 1:40 PM ET. Leave by 6:41 AM.
Sun Morning
When to Depart
Leave by6:41 AM
Drive to Cleveland318 mi · 5.5h
Game time1:40 PM ET
Leave on time to allow for fuel, food, and parking.
Breakfast Stop · Milwaukee, WI
Before You Hit the Road
Diner on the Square
Wauwatosa Square. Proper Midwestern diner breakfast done exactly right. German-influenced egg dishes reflect Milwaukee's heritage. 15 minutes from American Family Field — go before a Brewers day game.
German farmer's breakfast + coffee
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 detourMilwaukee → Cleveland
318 mi · 5.5h · regional run
DAY 8
Sunday, July 19
Milwaukee to Cleveland is 5.5h — a solid drive, so leave early and plan a stop along the way. First pitch at 1:40 PM ET — Cleveland Guardians vs. Pittsburgh Pirates at Progressive Field today. Tower of VW Bugs is worth 10 minutes off the highway.
Stop 04 of 04
Cleveland, OH · Sun Jul 19
Progressive Field
Cleveland Guardians · MLB
1:40 PM ET
vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
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
Shift 2 days to catch #BudFridays: Cubs 1940s-50s Replica Jersey at Wrigley Field.
• #BudFridays: Cubs 1940s-50s Replica Jersey at Wrigley Field
• Noche de Cerveceros (Community Night) at American Family Field
• 2016 World Series Anniversary Celebration at Wrigley Field
• Fireworks Saturday at Busch Stadium
What to Budget
Estimates only — prices vary by availability
Tickets · 4 games (avg $46)$184
Hotels · 7 nights (avg $155)$1,085
Fuel · 747 mi at $0.18/mi$134
Ballpark food & drinks$200
Total Estimate$1,603
* 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 ...