Arizona Stadium: Guide for Visiting Fans

Flying in? Six airlines fly to Tucson International Airport (TUS), which sits about 20 minutes south of the university — you'll need a rideshare or taxi to get from the airport to campus. TUS is a small, stress-free airport; you won't be fighting for an Uber like at Sky Harbor. Budget 30–45 minutes from wheels-down to the stadium neighborhood with traffic.

From Phoenix, it's about a two-hour drive south on I-10. Tucson is just over 100 miles south of Phoenix, roughly a two-hour drive, or you can fly directly into town.

The best transit option once you're here is the Sun Link Streetcar. The Sun Link is a 3.9-mile loop with 23 stops serving the San Augustin Mercado District, Downtown Tucson, 4th Avenue, Main Gate Square, and the University of Arizona. If you're staying downtown or near 4th Avenue, you can hop the streetcar and be at Main Gate Square — steps from the stadium — in about 15 minutes. The Sun Link runs through the UA area and connects Main Gate Square, Fourth Avenue, and downtown Tucson; it's free and runs frequent service, especially during game days.

All transit in Tucson remains free at the direction of Mayor and Council , which is genuinely great news for away fans on a budget. Bus Route 3 also stops near the stadium. Rideshare drop-off is most convenient along 6th Street south of the stadium.

Streetcar: The Sun Link runs post-game service back to 4th Avenue and downtown. Before games, the Sun Link runs six cars on its route with 10-minute wait times ; post-game headways expand, so expect 15–20 minute waits after the final whistle. Walk the three blocks to the Main Gate Square stop rather than crowding at the stadium-adjacent stop — you'll board earlier and get a seat.

Driving: The lots directly adjacent to the stadium take the longest to clear — figure 30–45 minutes before you're moving freely on Campbell Avenue for big games. If you parked in the Park Avenue Garage, the Cat Tran starts running post-game shuttles back immediately, and you can exit via Speedway onto Campbell relatively cleanly. Wait 20 minutes inside the concourse after the final whistle and you'll skip the worst of the pedestrian crush near the exits.

Rideshare: Surge pricing is real and starts before the game ends. The trick is to request your Uber or Lyft while still in your seat in the 4th quarter, then walk a few blocks east toward Campbell Avenue — drivers coming from that direction have an easier path in than those fighting the stadium lots, and you'll connect faster. Don't try to get picked up directly outside Gate 7 on 6th Street; it's a mess.

Pro tip: If you're in no rush, the best move in Tucson is to walk back to Main Gate Square, grab a post-game drink at Illegal Pete's or Gentle Ben's while the parking lots drain, and then rideshare home 45 minutes later at half the surge price.

Game day parking fees vary depending on the lot or garage — $10, $15, or $20. The university controls most of what's around campus, so don't expect a Wild West of $5 cash lots. Popular options include Cherry Avenue Garage, 6th Street Garage, and Highland Avenue Garage, all within walking distance of the stadium.

Cherry Avenue Garage is restricted to those with a state-issued disabled plate or placard during football games. For everyone else, vehicles with four or more occupants get complimentary parking at Tyndall Avenue, Park Avenue, and Highland Avenue garages — but all occupants must be present at time of entry. That's a carpool incentive worth knowing.

Complimentary Cat Tran shuttle service runs for Arizona Football fans using Park Avenue Garage, transporting between that garage and the stadium, starting two hours before kickoff and resuming after the 3rd quarter, ending one hour post-game. If you're coming from farther out, there is $5 parking at the Park Avenue Garage at North Park and East Speedway, from which the UA CatTran runs shuttles to the stadium. Buy your parking pass online in advance — game-day availability genuinely tightens up for bigger matchups.

The two neighborhoods that make the most sense for away fans are the University District and downtown Tucson.

For walking convenience, the University District wins. Two of the closest hotels to campus are the Tucson Marriott University Park, located steps from popular University Avenue, and the Aloft Tucson University, which sits a block off campus just across the street from Dirtbags, a popular college bar — both are in walking proximity to Arizona Stadium. Expect to pay $150–$250/night for these during game weekends; book early because they fill fast, especially for rivalry games.

Downtown Tucson is 10–15 minutes by streetcar and gives you more dining options, a livelier post-game bar scene, and generally lower hotel rates. The Graduate by Hilton on University and the DoubleTree downtown are both solid picks at different price points.

Gentle Ben's Brewing Company on University Boulevard at Tyndall is the obvious pregame anchor — it's right on the edge of campus, it's a local institution, and it features 12 local Barrio Brews on tap and serves up American and Southwest eats. Expect a wait for a table if you arrive less than two hours before kickoff. Worth it.

Frog & Firkin, also just off campus, is a locally owned bar with a full menu, live music, and pool tables. It combines a festive atmosphere with a menu that could stand on its own in any restaurant setting, serving burgers, salads, steak, fish, sandwiches, and pizza. Less crowded than Gentle Ben's and a good fallback if you want to actually hear yourself think.

Momo's on 6th is a few blocks from the stadium and earns its reputation with Tucson's obsession made physical: regulars go for the carne asada street tacos, Sonoran hot dogs, and birria tacos. If you've never had a proper Sonoran hot dog — wrapped in bacon, pinto beans, mayo, tomato, onion — Tucson is the place to fix that.

Main Gate Square is just across University Boulevard from campus and is home to more than 20 dining options and shops within a fully pedestrianized district, making it the easiest place to grab a meal, a beer, and kill time before gates open. Illegal Pete's in Main Gate Square is a solid, fast-casual burrito spot with a full bar that stays open late.

While the surrounding neighborhood offers plenty of options, the stadium itself has no shortage of food and drink.

Inside the stadium, fans can find Rudy's BBQ, Chick-Fil-A, and Mustache Pretzels on the west side ground level, while the middle level on the east side and the top level on the west side offer the Big 12 Dog and the BearDown Burger. Arizona Stadium has also added self-checkout kiosks in the south end zone and a "Walk Thru Bru" on the west side ground level where fans can grab to-go drinks, popcorn, and peanuts. The stadium is fully cashless, so bring a credit card or mobile payment. Budget roughly $12–$16 for a beer and $10–$14 for a main food item.

Accepted bags include clear plastic or vinyl bags no larger than 12"×6"×12", one-gallon clear plastic freezer bags (Ziploc or similar), and small clutch bags approximately the size of a hand, which are subject to search. Standard clear bag policy — nothing surprising here, but don't show up with a backpack and expect any mercy. There's no bag check service, so if you're rejected at the gate, your bag goes back to the car.

Gates open 90 minutes before kickoff. Arizona Stadium is cashless, so bring a credit card or mobile payment option. Tap-to-pay works fine throughout the concourse. Get there early if you want to see warm-ups and beat the concession lines — the west side gates are generally smoother than the south end zones, which clog up with students arriving late. Away fans in the southwest corner should use the south or west gates.

Arizona Stadium is ADA-compliant and provides accessible seating throughout for guests with mobility needs. The first two levels of Cherry Avenue Garage are reserved for ADA parking only during football games, and a displayed state-issued disabled plate or placard is required. A limited number of handicap parking spaces are available on a first-come, first-served basis and are located in all of the stadium's parking lots; you will need a valid disability placard or license plate to access them.

Cat Tran shuttle buses serving the Park Avenue Garage are ADA compliant and air-conditioned. It's worth noting that the stadium is nearly a century old, and while it has been updated significantly, some areas — particularly the west side lower concourse — involve narrow passageways and older construction. Contact the UA Athletics ticket office in advance if you need specific seating accommodations or have questions about elevator locations for upper-deck access.

The west side bleachers are generally reserved for season ticket holders, and the visiting team gets a section in the southwest corner. That southwest corner is where you'll find your people — it's on the lower level and has decent sight lines to the field, though you're watching from the end zone angle rather than midfield. Don't fight it; just embrace being in the corner and being loud.

From the end zone bleachers to the upper-deck stands, every seat features an uncluttered view of the playing surface, and more than half the seats provide sweeping vistas of the nearby Santa Catalina Mountains, as well as the campus and city skyline. If you want pure sightlines and don't care about sitting with other away fans, grab upper-deck seats between the 20s on either side — they're affordable, you can see the whole field, and the mountain views at sunset are genuinely spectacular.

The ZonaZoo student section takes up 9,000 seats on the lower east sideline — stay away from there if you're not a Wildcats fan.

Away fans venturing into Arizona Stadium should prepare for a vastly different—and often unwelcoming—experience.

Tucson is one of the friendlier stops on the road schedule. The fan base here is passionate but not particularly hostile — you'll get the usual chirping and some noise when Arizona is rolling, but it's a far cry from walking into Death Valley or Autzen. The stadium itself is the real draw. Most games are played at night, and temperatures during football season drop considerably after dark — add the desert wind and it can get genuinely cold in the upper deck , so pack a layer even if you arrive sweating at 4pm. The one thing that catches visiting fans off guard every time: the beauty of this place at night. The stadium is nearly 100 years old, the FieldTurf glows under the lights, and those mountains sit dark and massive in the background — it's one of the genuinely pretty venues in college football, and you don't hear enough people say that.

How do I get to Arizona Stadium without a car?

The Sun Link streetcar is a 3.9-mile loop with 23 stops serving downtown Tucson, 4th Avenue, Main Gate Square, and the University of Arizona — it's the easiest option. It's also free. From downtown or 4th Avenue, you're at Main Gate Square in about 15 minutes.

What is the bag policy at Arizona Stadium?

Accepted bags must be clear plastic or vinyl no larger than 12"×6"×12", a one-gallon Ziploc, or a small clutch bag approximately the size of a hand. No backpacks, no fanny packs, no non-clear purses.

How much does parking cost?

Game day parking fees range from $10, $15, or $20 depending on the lot or garage. Pre-purchase your pass online — walk-up availability is limited for bigger games.

What are the best seats for away fans?

The visiting team section is in the southwest corner. For better sightlines without the student chaos, grab upper-deck seats between the 20-yard lines on the east or west side — both are affordable and offer full-field views.

When do gates open? Gates open 90 minutes before kickoff. Arrive early to avoid lines at security and to snag concessions before the rush.

Is Arizona Stadium cashless?

Yes — Arizona Stadium is fully cashless, so bring a credit card or mobile payment option. Apple Pay and Google Pay both work throughout the concourse.

What airport should I fly into?

Six airlines fly to Tucson International Airport (TUS), located about 20 minutes south of the university. Rideshare from TUS to campus runs about $20–$30 and takes 20–25 minutes depending on traffic. Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX) is also an option if flights are cheaper, but it's then a two-hour drive.

What should I know about the desert weather at game time? Early-season games (September) can still be very hot at kickoff — bring sunscreen, stay hydrated, and dress in breathable layers. Most games are played at night, and temperatures drop considerably, so the desert wind in the upper deck can get uncomfortable — be prepared with a layer. A light jacket stuffed into your clear bag is never a bad call.