In this blog post, I’ve provided a guide to Levi’s Stadium for all those making the trip to Santa Clara for a concert or game.
Recently my husband and I had the opportunity to see the amazing Coldplay in concert at the stadium. It’s a beautiful place to take in a concert. We’ve also been to few football games including the Pac-12 Champaign game.
First, the basics. The stadium is located in Santa Clara, California. This is about 20 minutes from San Jose and an hour from San Francisco.
If you are flying, the San Jose airport is a great choice. It’s really easy to get in and out of, and it’s about 10 minutes from the stadium.
If you need a hotel room, there are quite a few within walking distance of the stadium.
In particular, I’d recommend the Hilton Santa Clara. It’s about a five-minute walk from the stadium.
Also, for those interested in getting into a festive mood before a game or concert, you’ll be happy with the hotel’s offerings. They typically close down part of their parking lot for a pre-event tailgating party for both concerts and football games.
If you want a hotel that is little cheaper, I’d recommend the Homewood Suites, also in Santa Clara. We’ve stayed at this hotel a few times and have always been really happy with it. The rooms are all suites, with a functional kitchen that includes a stovetop and fridge.
They also have a great breakfast in the morning that is included in your stay. It’s a Continental Breakfast Plus (that’s my own personal ranking) with eggs, biscuits, sausages, make-your-own waffles, and fresh fruit, along with a lot of other goodies.
The biggest bonus about staying here for the game is it’s within walking distance to the VTA (the public transportation light rail) that runs throughout the South Bay Area.
For $4.00 you can get a pass that will take you roundtrip to and from the hotel. And trust me, if you can avoid it, you don’t want to drive. Parking is not cheap at about $50-70.00 per vehicle.
And a huge warning for any females (and guys) going to Levi’s Stadium. Learn from my mistake!
DO NOT bring a purse, bag, or backpack with you.
Unless it’s clearly stated otherwise for your specific event, you can’t bring a bag of any significant size into the stadium. They will provide you a clear plastic bag, to put your things that you want to keep with you (phone, wallet, ID) and take into the stadium. BUT, you’ll have to leave your bag at the bag check. And it is a process to check it in. Then, once the event is over, you’ll have to wait in a really long line (again) to get your bag back.
It’s just a hassle that you’ll want to avoid. Either pop for a small, clear purse that you take into an NFL stadium (check the link above for details), or put anything you’ll need into your pockets. Lame, I agree. But I guess it’s worth it for safety reasons.
Once you’re in the stadium, if you’re looking to eat healthy, I highly recommend the vegan burger. It was surprisingly good.
I also had a bite of my husband’s fish and chips. They were actually really good and not too greasy. So another good option, if vegan burgers aren’t your thing.
In terms of seating at Levi’s Stadium, there really isn’t a bad spot. We were fairly high up, in the section 300 area, but the angle of the seats made it very easy to see.
Another stadium tip- dress to stay warm, even if the temperature is projected to be in low 80s for the high.
The wind at the stadium can pick up a bit and it gets pretty cool when the sun goes down. I was in a light jacket and jeans and was just fine. But plenty of girls were in cute sundresses, and let me tell you, they were freezing.
Once your concert or game wraps up, make your way over to the VTA Great America Station, right in front of the stadium. Trains run pretty frequently for a while after the game or concert is over, but they pretty much go back to normal service intervals after about two hours.
Don’t grab a bite to eat afterward (we did this after the Pac12 Championship Game last year) and then try and take the train. You’ll be waiting for awhile and likely have to Uber home.
So that’s the ins and out of Levi’s Stadium. It’s an awesome place to take in a concert or football game. Great seats, really good food (for a football stadium), and easy access to public transportation.
1 comment