Levi's Stadium Guide: Parking, Transit, Bag Policy and Tips
Everything I wish somebody told me before my first Niners game in Santa Clara, including the side of the stadium that'll cook you.
I've made every mistake you can make getting to a Niners game in Santa Clara. I've sat on 237 watching kickoff tick closer. I've roasted on the east side in September like a rotisserie chicken. I've walked my bag back to the car. So this is everything I wish somebody had told me before my first game at Levi's, and I'll tell you up front that the short version is take the train and buy your parking early.
The basics: Levi's Stadium is at 4900 Marie P. DeBartolo Way in Santa Clara, right by Great America, and it holds 68,500 for football. It opened in 2014. It's hosted two Super Bowls, Super Bowl 50 and Super Bowl LX, plus six World Cup matches this past summer, when FIFA called it San Francisco Bay Area Stadium. I still call it the place that isn't Candlestick, and I know I need to let that go.
Levi's Stadium bag policy
Read this one twice, because it's what gets people sent back to the lot.
Clear bags are fine up to 12 by 6 by 12 inches, and that covers clear backpacks, purses and fanny packs. So is a one gallon clear zip bag. If your bag isn't clear, it has to be a small clutch no bigger than 4.5 by 6.5 inches. Seat cushions are allowed. Anything else goes back to your car, and on game day that's a long walk.
Things they'll stop you for: coolers (soft ones too), alcohol, cans, glass, laptops, selfie sticks, tripods and drones. You can bring a sealed plastic water bottle or a reusable clear one if it's under 24 ounces, and I'd do that on any early game. Cameras are okay if the lens is three inches or shorter. Flags have to be under 2 by 3 feet with no pole.
Levi's Stadium parking
Buy your pass ahead of time. I can't say it stronger than that. The stadium's own line is that lots you can pay at on game day are limited and may cost more, and the lots are cashless, so don't show up with a twenty and a dream. Prices change by game, which is why I'm not quoting you one. You buy the pass through Ticketmaster as a parking add on, and it has to be up on your phone and ready to scan when you pull in.
Some of what'll surprise you:
- Lots open three and a half hours before the event and close two hours after it ends.
- You don't get to pick your spot. Attendants direct you, and nothing's assigned.
- A pass covers one space, for a vehicle under 17 feet long and 8 feet wide. Buses and RVs have to set it up separately.
- Lost or unused passes don't get refunded. You only get money back if the event's cancelled.
Tailgating at Levi's
I loved the Candlestick parking lot, so this section hurts a little. You can tailgate, but only in designated areas, and it's one car, one space, with your grill, table and cooler staying inside your stall. No tents bigger than 8 by 8. No glass in any lot. No amplified sound, which means your buddy's speaker stays in the trunk. And tailgating ends at kickoff.
Yes, the cooler that's fine at your car still can't come through the gate. Finish your beer and walk.
How to get to Levi's Stadium without driving
This is the move, and I fought it for years. Here's what actually works depending on where you live.
VTA light rail. Great America Station is on the north side of the stadium, and light rail comes in from Mountain View, Sunnyvale, Milpitas, San Jose, Santa Clara and Campbell. If you're anywhere in the South Bay, this is your answer.
Caltrain. Coming down the Peninsula or from the city, ride Caltrain to Mountain View and switch to the VTA Orange Line. They run extra game day service. It feels like a long way until you remember what the other option is.
ACE. Direct service from Stockton, Lathrop/Manteca, Tracy, Vasco, Livermore, Pleasanton and Fremont, and it's been running for weekend home games. For the Valley crowd, this beats the Altamont by a mile.
Capitol Corridor. It runs from Auburn down through Sacramento and the East Bay to San Jose with a stop in Santa Clara, so the Sacramento folks have a real option too.
BART. VTA has run a shuttle from Warm Springs for East Bay riders, so check that it's on before you count on it.
Rideshare. Drop off is along the bus stop south of Great America Parkway, and pick up is in Red Lot 7. After a game that lot's a zoo, so walk a while before you book the car if your legs will let you.
Bike. Free bike parking outside Gate A and Gate C for NFL games, and the San Tomas Aquino Creek Trail runs right past the place. I've never done it. I respect anybody who has.
Where to sit, and what nobody warns you about
The sun. Please listen to me about the sun. The suite tower sits on the west side, so in the afternoon the west seats get shade and the east side takes it right in the face. If you've got a choice for a 1 o'clock game in September or October, sit on the west side. If you're stuck on the east, bring a hat, sunscreen and that water bottle. This place doesn't feel like San Francisco. Santa Clara's hot, and the first time it gets you, you'll never forget it.
December night games are the opposite problem. Bring a jacket, because it drops fast once the sun's gone.
My game day plan
If you're driving, get there when the lots open and make a day of it, because arriving an hour before kickoff means you'll hear the first quarter on the radio. If you're on the train, build in extra time, and don't try to be the first one on the platform afterward. I usually hang around a while and let the crowd thin out. I've also left a blowout early and regretted it, and I've stayed through a loss and regretted that too, so do what you want.
Policies can change, and the stadium posts the current version before each season, so check the team's site if you're cutting it close on anything. The rest of the home games are on the schedule hub, who's actually going to play is on the injury report, and if you've got a Warriors game coming too, here's the Chase Center guide. Everything else is on the 49ers hub.
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