We’ve unofficially known for a few months that MLB was returning to Field of Dreams this year. When the tentative schedule was released in August, word was leaked that the Minnesota Twins and Philadelphia Phillies would face off in the cornfields of Iowa. But no formal announcement was made … until this week.
But now you can lock it in and start making plans. After a four-year hiatus to allow for a significant expansion of the Field of Dreams complex, MLB officially announced that the Twins and Phillies will indeed play in Dyersville, Iowa, on Thursday, August 13. It will be part of a three-game series between the two clubs, with the other two games being played at Target Field in Minneapolis on August 15-16.
A minor league game will be there, too
In addition to the major league game, a minor league game was also announced. On Tuesday, August 11, the Iowa Cubs will host the St. Paul Saints in a regular-season game at the Field of Dreams.
The minor league announcement is pretty strategic when you think about who might want to attend – and how easy that might be. The Iowa Cubs play in Des Moines, which is about 200 miles from Dyersville (and 200 miles from Chicago, as well). And downtown Minneapolis is 250 miles from the site. Which means both fan bases are within driving distance. And that’s helpful, since, as anyone who has been to Dyersville knows, hotels aren’t easy to get because there are so few of them.
How to get tickets to the Field of Dreams game
No details have been released yet about tickets, but in 2022 there was a registration window that started in early June for a lottery, and the ticket purchasing window opened up a few weeks later for selected winners. We will keep you posted as details are announced so you don’t miss out on the opportunity to buy them.
Next steps if you want to see the game – booking a hotel
Typically we’d tell you that the first step is to book a refundable hotel reservation, and in Dyersville, that’s even more important given the shortage of hotels. But in this case, the challenge is that those hotels are well aware of how scarce they are, so many of them only offer non-refundable reservations.
In addition, these hotels often have more strict check-in/out dates, since they want to maximize revenue. You may need to book a three-night stay to find any availability, and trust us – three nights is a long time to spend in Dyersville.
So it’s important to pay close attention when booking rooms, because between the cancellation policies and the minimum stay requirements, you don’t want to be stuck with a reservation that you can’t get out of if your plans change.
Aside from finding a random independent motel along the interstate, the next best options (if available) would be to stay in Dubuque (30 miles) or Cedar Rapids (75 miles). Both would be easily drivable after the game is finished, and you’ll definitely have a wider range of options to choose from.
Getting to Dyersville
As for flights, Dubuque is the closest airport to Dyersville, but it’s not the biggest airport in the world, and flight options will be limited. The next closest airport is Cedar Rapids, 75 miles away. Not coincidentally, these are also our top two hotel suggestions, and even though they may be more expensive than usual, they are two of the best options.
Is the Field of Dreams game worth going to?
Well, I can speak from experience here, since I attended the 2022 game between the Cubs and the Reds at Field of Dreams. And in my opinion … it was pretty darn cool. It’s just so unique of a setting that it’s hard to replicate, and to be able to see your team play there is a treat. Plus, you’re getting two things in one: an MLB game, plus a chance to see the Field of Dreams movie site, which is also pretty cool if you’re a fan of a certain age.
Despite the significant inconvenience of getting (and staying) there, we do think it’s worth the effort and expense.
Schedule Scout – what else you can add to your roadtrip?
If you’re wondering what else you could build into your roadtrip, our first suggestion would be heading up to Minneapolis after Dyersville. The Twins and Phillies will continue their series on Saturday and Sunday (and we’re assuming you’ve gone to Dyersville because you’re a fan of one of them), and we absolutely love Target Field. In addition, Ed Sheeran will be playing at U.S. Bank Stadium on Saturday night, so if that’s your thing, it’s a great option to catch him live and to check out the stadium.
Another viable option is to drive to Chicago, which is only 200 miles away, where the Cubs will host the Cardinals for a three-game series at Wrigley Field that weekend. The Chicago Fire will also be at home on Sunday night at Soldier Field.
There’s no question that you’ll have a lot of better flight and hotel options in both Chicago and Minneapolis, so either would be a good choice for a sports roadtrip.
