Let's Road Trip Cubs 2025: Trip #3 - California Dreamin'

Los Angeles Dodgers – April 11-13
Dodger Stadium: Capacity 56,000
2024 Attendance: 3,941,251 (Averaged 48,657, ranked 1st in NL and 1st overall MLB)

This is technically the second road trip against the Dodgers in 2025, but with the first taking place in Tokyo, this is the first and only chance for Cubs fans to experience the confines of Dodgers Stadium. The Cubs took two out of three at Dodger Stadium in 2024, missing out on a sweep when Tommy Edman took Trey Wingenter deep in the eighth inning of the finale.  Chicago has been making its West Coast swing to Chavez Ravine since 1962, facing the Dodgers 319 times in this cross-divisional rivalry. While they have come away with series wins in the past two years, the overall record of 136-183 speaks to the difficulty of making such a long road trip at any time in the season.

The Dodgers got their start in the Northeast and moved westward. After the move from Brooklyn, they settled first in Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, but the Dodgers found their forever home in 1962 at Chavez Ravine. Beautiful, breathtaking, “an aesthetic ideal” mirroring Hollywood itself, Dodger Stadium tops many ballpark bucket lists. The construction crew moved 8,000,000 cubic yards of rock and material amidst the natural landscape, slicing a piece of baseball heaven into place.  Jackie Robinson’s presence exists inside and outside the ballpark, with statues and stories in full display.

With the Dodgers being a juggernaut on the field, finding affordable "good" seats can prove equally daunting.  The Kirk Gibson Home Run Seat (section 302, right field pavilion, Row D, seat 88) stands (sits?) immortal.  If you haven’t re-enacted that iconic scene from the 1988 World Series while playing baseball, softball, or whiffle ball/ping pong/ice fishing, for that matter…then you need to turn in your baseball fan card. Just turn it in.

There is also the infamous Dodger Dog. Which, unsurprisingly, isn't worth the price tag. Specialty Dodger-ritas and loaded nachos, however, are worth it! Wildfires have ravaged Los Angeles this winter, but they don't directly impact the Dodger Stadium area. The scenic Malibu coastal drive will never look the same. However, travelers to LA will still have the iconic Hollywood sign, Disneyland, Rodeo Drive, the Walk of Fame, Universal Studios, and the ocean…all worth the trip in and of themselves.  Some of them are free. Some of them are the opposite of free.

The trip to Los Angeles from Chicago is more than 2,000 miles, but luckily, the next stop is only 120 miles south down the Pacific Coast to San Diego!

San Diego Padres – April 14-16
Petco Park: Capacity 42,000
2024 Attendance: 3,330,545 (Averaged 41,117, ranked 3rd in NL and 4th overall MLB)

Chicago's trip to San Diego didn't go as planned, with the Cubs dropping two out of three thanks to a Fernando Tatis Jr. bomb in the 8th in game one and Kyle Hendricks implosion in the finale. Across 69 games at Petco Park, the Cubs and Padres have played to a virtual tie, with Chicago winning 34 contests and the Padres countering with 35.

The Padres franchise started in 1969, and while a host of Hall of Famers have donned the jersey, none have brought home a World Series. Tony Gwynn helped lead them to National League pennants in 1984 and 1998, but even a recent spend-a-thon couldn’t bring sustained success to the club. Now, the team finds itself trying to deliver that elusive championship after setting records for attendance. What version of the Padres will be waiting to host the Cubs in April? Will Vladdy Guerrero be added to the All-Star caliber roster? Or will the Padres swing and miss when cashing in on their investments?

Petco Park welcomes any baseball fan to experience, regardless of the product on the field. Petco Park opened in 2004 amid the retro-classic era of ballparks. They basically sold out during a solid but moderately unsuccessful season, so that should tell you what you need to know about the quality of the stadium as a destination. It's accessible and offers family and baseball fans various opportunities to connect with the game. Foodies and beer lovers will also find hospitable hosts around the ballpark. Light rail and the trolley system are great ways to get to the game, “Park at the Park” provides open lawn seating, and the beautiful weather makes this a bucket list “must-see” for any Cubs fan. As stated earlier, the Padres are one of the hardest tickets to get in MLB, so be prepared to pay up for this series.

From there, the Cubs journey back to Wrigley Field for an eight-game home stand against the Diamondbacks, Dodgers, and Phillies. That's not a welcoming list of teams, so what kind of record will the Cubs take home with them?