City: Chicago, IL

Category: Spectator Sports

Address: 1410 S. Museum Campus Dr. (at Lake Shore

Description: Regardless of whether you cheer or boo the newfangled Soldier Field stadium that debuted in 2003—sometimes described as looking like a spaceship landed inside the original 1924-built, Greek-colonnaded structure—fans can’t wait to get there for a game by their beloved Bears. The North Division “Monsters of the Midway” have been playing at Soldier Field since they moved here from Wrigley Field in 1971. They’ve become famous for many things including the player they called Sweetness (the late Walter Payton) and his 13 seasons as the team’s leading rusher, among other amazing feats. They’re known for their Super Bowl XX win in 1986 and the hoopla before and after that it spurred (did you know the Super Bowl Shuffle got a Grammy nomination?). They’re remembered for their hot-tempered former coach Mike Ditka, their rabid fans, and their epic tailgating. Individual tickets are sold through Ticketmaster (if you can score one at all) and at StubHub.com, where season ticket-holders resell their tickets for prices that range from about $75 to $385 (children under 32 inches tall are free, but are required to receive a lap pass, available at Gate 10; strollers are prohibited). Tickets typically go on sale in July for the season. Parking is $46 in Museum Campus lots. The Bears take to the gridiron starting early September and continue through early January and longer depending on their standing. In other words, it’s almost always cold during games, so if you’re going, dress warmer than you think you should.