Frost Bank Center: Guide for Visiting Fans

San Antonio is a driving city, full stop — but transit is a real option if you're staying downtown. VIA Metropolitan Transit's Route 24 serves the arena, with buses departing from E. Houston At Frost Bank Center – Gate C; from downtown, that's roughly a 13–15 minute ride. The fare is about $2. From the airport, the picture gets more complicated. San Antonio International Airport (SAT) is about 12 miles from the arena. Without a car, you'd take VIA Routes 7 and 24 with a transfer, a journey of roughly 48–60 minutes for about $4. Frankly, on a game night, rideshare from SAT is the smarter call — budget 15–20 minutes and $30–45. If you're driving in, the arena sits just off I-35 on the east side; take the Walters Street/Houston Street exit and follow the event signage. Have your parking pre-purchased to avoid any gate slowdown.

Six official lots (1–6) surround the arena, running $15–25 depending on the game — big matchups (Lakers, Celtics) push to $25, a quiet Tuesday against a lottery team stays closer to $15. Buy your pass in advance via Ticketmaster or Vivid Seats and you'll typically save $5–10 and skip the payment line entirely. Lots open three hours before tip-off; arrive 90 minutes early and you'll land a close spot and walk straight in. Show up 20 minutes before game time and you're in Lot 6 with a hike ahead of you. The local's move: Phillips Parking across the street at 3040 E Houston Street charges $10–15 and puts you a short walk from the main entrance. Tailgating is not allowed in the lots — no grills, coolers, or pop-up tents. Pre-purchase, arrive early, and leave the cash in your wallet — the lots are cashless only.

Here's the honest truth about the neighborhood: the area around the arena has virtually nothing walkable except chain restaurants and a few scattered spots. Don't try to stay hyper-local. The Riverwalk is where you want to be — it's the heart of San Antonio, with hundreds of restaurants, bars, and cafes lining the river, and you're only a 15–20 minute rideshare from Frost Bank Center. Hotels on or near the Riverwalk (Hotel Valencia, Westin Riverwalk, Marriott Rivercenter) range from $150–250/night for a decent room. If you want something with more local texture and less tourist foot traffic, the Pearl Brewery district and Southtown near the Blue Star Arts Complex offer slightly more local flavor and less touristy vibes than the main Riverwalk stretch, while still providing easy arena access. Hotel Emma at the Pearl is the splurge pick — beautifully restored, genuinely special, and a 10-minute Lyft to the game.

Since there's nothing worth walking to around the arena itself, build your pregame into the downtown/Pearl plan and rideshare over. Here are four spots that deliver:

Southerleigh Fine Food & Brewery (at the Pearl) — A converted brewhouse with excellent Texas-leaning food and house beers on tap. The kind of place that feels right before a game. Get there early; it fills up fast on game nights.

Best Quality Daughter (also Pearl-adjacent) — Vietnamese-American fusion from chef Jennifer Hwa Dobbertin. Sounds like an odd pregame pick, but the food is genuinely great and the bar program is solid. Reservations recommended.

Bar Julet (Pearl District) — Open all weekend, it's become a go-to for pregame drinks and post-dinner fun in the Pearl. Low-key, well-made cocktails, and a crowd that skews local rather than tourist.

Schilo's Delicatessen (downtown, River Walk adjacent) — A San Antonio institution since 1917. Order the split pea soup and a German beer, eat something that weighs something, and then head east to the game. No frills, all comfort.

Bags must be 12" x 12" x 6" or smaller and will go through a security screening at entry. Any bag larger than those dimensions, and all backpacks regardless of size, are prohibited. Crucially, there's no clear bag requirement — opaque bags within the size limit are fine. Travelling light? There's a dedicated "No Bag Lane" to fast-track entry. Doors open approximately 1 hour before showtime for most events. The box office is open on event days only, opening three hours before the scheduled start time. The venue is fully cashless — debit, credit, Apple Pay, and Google Wallet only; cash-to-card kiosks are available near Sections 3/4, 103, and 207 if you forgot to plan ahead. No outside food or drink is allowed, and re-entry once you leave is not permitted, so don't step out at halftime thinking you can grab something off-site.

Elevators are located at the Southwest VIP, Southeast VIP, and Northeast VIP entrances, as well as to the left of First Aid near Section 119. The arena offers accessible seating and companion seating on all levels, as well as disability parking and an Assistive Listening System. Assistive Listening Devices are available at Guest Services on the Plaza Level at Section 101 for all events. Designated accessible parking spaces are available in select lots. Restrooms are located on all levels throughout the arena and meet or exceed ADA specifications; private restrooms are also available on every level to accommodate guests who may require companion assistance.

There's no designated away section at Frost Bank Center — visiting fans scatter wherever their tickets land. That said, if you're buying on the secondary market, the upper level corners (Sections 200–210 and 220–230) offer genuinely fine sightlines at NBA prices that won't make you wince. The lower bowl is intimate enough that even sideline 100-level seats feel close to the action. For away fan comfort, avoid sections directly behind the Spurs bench (roughly 108–112) where the energy is most concentrated and you'll feel most conspicuous if you're cheering the wrong way. The balcony level midcourt (Sections 210–215) gives you the full court in view and is actually one of the better budget sightlines in the league. The arena holds 18,418 for basketball, so no seat is truly bad in this building — it's not cavernous.

Frost Bank Center punches above its weight for food — way more local flavors and variety than typical NBA arenas, and the Spurs Culinary Residency concept brings legitimately good local restaurants inside. Participating local restaurants rotate throughout the season, with each serving dishes for up to nine home games. Expect to pay arena prices — a beer runs roughly $12–15, a meal $15–22 — but the quality justifies it more often than not. Outside food and drink is not permitted, so don't bother trying to sneak in a burrito from the Pearl.

San Antonio fans are basketball-smart in a way you notice immediately — they won't boo you for cheering your team, but they will absolutely notice if you don't know the game. The building is loud when it matters and surprisingly quiet when the Spurs are struggling, which is a real compliment to an educated fanbase. The arena itself is compact enough that even upper-level seats feel connected to the action, and the concourse flow is better than the exterior suggests. One thing that catches first-timers off guard: there is virtually nothing walkable around the arena for pregame, so if you roll up hungry, you're eating inside — which, given the food program, is actually not a punishment. The Coyote mascot, a San Antonio original, is genuinely entertaining and has been a fixture here for decades; he's been indoctrinated into the life of every Alamo City kid and is still considered among the best mascots in the business.

Transit: VIA Route 24 runs every 30 minutes from E. Houston At Frost Bank Center – Gate C back toward downtown for $2. Post-game frequency may be reduced, so allow 20–30 minutes of waiting. If you can stomach a 15-minute wait after the final buzzer, the crowd thins enough that the bus experience becomes tolerable.

Driving: Lots 1 and 2 (closest to the main entrance) get gridlocked fastest — if you parked there, wait 20–25 minutes inside before attempting to exit. Lots 5 and 6 on the perimeter clear faster because they funnel to different exits. The I-35 on-ramp backs up immediately; if you're heading downtown, the surface streets along Houston St. or Commerce St. are often moving before the highway is.

Rideshare: Following events, exit near Section 125 and meet your driver in the designated Passenger & Rideshare Pick-Up Zone in Lot 5; pickup on surrounding streets is prohibited. Lot 5 via Gate G is only accessible from I-35 and Frost Bank Center Drive, and Frost Bank Center Drive is closed to northbound traffic during events — so tell your driver explicitly "Gate G, Lot 5" or they'll circle and charge you for the confusion. Surge pricing hits hard within five minutes of the final buzzer. Opinionated tip: walk to the far end of Lot 5 away from the main crush, request your ride from there, and you'll often cut 10 minutes off your wait time.

How do I get to Frost Bank Center from downtown San Antonio?

VIA Route 24 runs directly from downtown (Third & Avenue E) to the arena in about 13–15 minutes for $2. Rideshare from downtown takes about 10 minutes and costs $15–20.

What is Frost Bank Center's bag policy?

Bags must be 12" x 12" x 6" or smaller. All backpacks are prohibited regardless of size. No clear-bag requirement — any opaque bag within size limits is fine.

Is Frost Bank Center cashless?

Yes — only debit and credit cards, Apple Pay, and Google Wallet are accepted. Cash is not accepted. Cash-to-card kiosks are available at Sections 3/4, 103, and 207.

How much does parking cost at Frost Bank Center?

Official lots (1–6) charge $15–25 depending on the event; high-demand games hit $25, regular weeknight games closer to $15. Pre-purchasing online saves $5–10.

What time do gates open for Spurs games?

Doors open approximately 1 hour before showtime. Parking lots open three hours before tip-off.

Where is the rideshare pickup zone?

Exit near Section 125 and head to the designated Passenger & Rideshare Pick-Up Zone in Lot 5. Tell your driver Gate G, Lot 5 to avoid confusion.

What are the best seats for away fans? Upper balcony corners (200s) for budget-friendly options with solid views; lower-level sidelines (100s) for proximity. Avoid the Spurs bench sections (108–112) if you want a quieter ride as a visiting fan.

Is there a new arena planned for the Spurs?

In late 2024, San Antonio revealed plans for a new downtown arena near the Alamodome and Tower of the Americas, with the Spurs committing $1 billion toward the district. Public funding was approved in November 2025, with a target opening of 2032 — so Frost Bank Center is still home for several more seasons.