Gesa Field at Martin Stadium: Guide for Visiting Fans

There's no light rail, no subway, no Amtrak. This is eastern Washington farm country. Your realistic arrival options are: drive, fly into a small regional airport, or ride a bus from Spokane.

The closest airport is Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport (PUW), just two miles east of Pullman. PUW is served by Alaska Airlines, with flights connecting to major hubs like Seattle. For additional options, Spokane International Airport (GEG) is located about 1.5 hours from Pullman. If you're flying from the West Coast, PUW is worth the fare premium — you land, grab a cab or Lyft, and you're at the stadium in under 10 minutes. From Spokane (GEG), you can take the Wheatland Express bus to Pullman or rent a car at the airport.

Once in town, Pullman Transit provides free park-and-ride services beginning three hours prior to kickoff and ending one hour after the game concludes. One shuttle location is the Valley Road Play Fields at Valley Road and Merman Drive. This is genuinely the easiest way to avoid the post-game parking nightmare. Local taxi services and ride-sharing options like Uber and Lyft are also available. If you're ridesharing, request your pickup well before kickoff — surge pricing during game day egress in a small college town can be ugly.

Transit/Shuttle: Pullman Transit provides free park-and-ride services ending one hour after the game concludes. Head for the Valley Road shuttle pickup immediately after the final whistle — these buses fill fast and frequency drops off after the initial rush. If you wait 20 minutes inside, you're waiting 40 minutes outside. Don't linger.

Driving: Campus roads grid-lock quickly when 33,000 people try to leave at once. Lots directly adjacent to the stadium can take 45–60 minutes to clear. The best strategy: park east of campus near Stadium Way, which connects more directly to Highway 270 toward Moscow (and ultimately I-90 toward Spokane). Wait at least 20–25 minutes after the final whistle before attempting to move your car — the first wave of traffic is the worst wave. If your hotel is walkable, just walk.

Rideshare: Surge pricing is a near-certainty immediately post-game in a small college town with limited driver supply. The opinionated tip: walk 8–10 minutes away from the stadium perimeter before requesting your Lyft or Uber — rates drop meaningfully once you're out of the immediate stadium zone, and your driver can actually reach you. Request from the Pullman downtown area near Main Street rather than from a stadium parking lot.

Best single tip for beating the crowd: Leave with 4 minutes left in the fourth quarter if your team is comfortably ahead or behind. You'll hit the roads while they're still moving.

Pullman is a true college town with limited game day parking. Most fans walk from the WSU campus or use the shuttle from the "Coug Park" lot. That's the honest summary.

For general parking, you can purchase permits online. These will be around $20 and give you access to all general parking lots. General parking is available on the east and west sides of campus. Premium donor lots sit closer to the stadium and fill fast — if you don't have a reserved spot, those are simply unavailable to you. During game days, the RV lot across the street from Martin Stadium fills with crimson and gray tailgaters very early, so don't count on it unless you arrive 3+ hours before kickoff.

The practical truth: Pullman is compact enough that parking a 15-20 minute walk away and hiking in is a completely reasonable strategy. Buy your permit online in advance, get there early, and don't expect to pull up 45 minutes before kickoff and find anything convenient.

Your options are better than you'd expect for a town this size, but book early — game weekends sell out months in advance and prices spike dramatically. If you're looking for a room in the Moscow and Pullman area last-minute, you may be spending around $300–$400 a night.

The Courtyard by Marriott (1295 NE Fairway Rd) and Residence Inn by Marriott (1255 NE Fairway Rd) are both on campus, making them the most walkable options. The Residence Inn is about half a mile from the university and offers guests an indoor pool, a fitness center, a grocery store, and a patio with a fire pit and barbecue — ideal for a tailgate-ready base.

For something with more character, Hotel McCoy offers cozy rooms and chic, modern amenities like Peloton machines, a moondeck, and an on-site craft wine shop. Budget travelers should note the Cougar Land Motel has clean, no-frills rooms just steps from Downtown Pullman and offers pet-friendly lodging at prices that won't break the bank. Moscow, Idaho — just 8 miles away — also has hotels with more availability and slightly saner pricing on game weekends.

The Coug (Cougar Cottage) — A Wazzu institution. The Coug has been a WSU hangout since 1932. You can write on the walls at this iconic Greek Row landmark, and it's perfectly acceptable — in fact, it's tradition. It's a college bar, so expect college students. It's a no-frills kind of place, with burgers, fries, tots, onion rings, and beer. Go for the atmosphere; it's the most authentically Pullman experience you'll have.

South Fork Public House — Opened in 2010, South Fork Public House is a clean, smart-casual American bar and grill with something to offer people of all ages and a full bar with large-screen TVs — a great place to watch the game with your group. Their mac & cheese made with WSU's world-renowned Cougar Gold cheese is excellent. More of a sit-down crowd than The Coug, and a good pick if you want food that's more than pub grub.

Birch & Barley — Founded in 2012, Birch & Barley's menu features American fare with a Southern slant, crafted as the kind of place you want to gather with friends. It includes beloved classics like Cougar Lobster Mac (made with Cougar Gold) and a Shrimp Po-Boy. It's the most grown-up option on this list — appropriate if your group has mixed appetites.

Ferdinand's Ice Cream Shoppe — Not a bar, but mandatory. Dairy lovers can pick up 30-ounce cans of cheese from WSU's own creamery, including the ever-popular Cougar Gold. The ice cream is made with milk from WSU's own herd and is legitimately excellent. Go before the game, not after — lines get long.

While the surrounding area offers plenty of options, the stadium itself also delivers a solid selection of food and drink.

Beer and wine are now sold throughout the general concession stands, not just in a designated beer garden — fans aged 21 and over with valid government-issued ID can purchase beer and wine from general concession stands throughout the stadium. Walk-around sales are available through the end of the third quarter, with a limit of two alcoholic drinks per person per transaction. Expect to pay roughly $10–$13 for a beer and $8–$12 for a standard concession meal. The Cougar Gold cheese — WSU's own creamery product — shows up in various stadium food items and is the one thing worth seeking out specifically.

WSU has a clear bag policy. Fans will be permitted to carry the following bags: clear plastic, vinyl or PVC bags that do not exceed 14" x 8" x 14"; clear drawstring bags no larger than 14" x 14"; one-gallon clear plastic freezer bags; and small clutch bags with or without a handle strap that do not exceed 4.5" x 6.5". Exceptions are made for medically necessary items after proper inspection upon entrance. Backpacks, camera bags, fanny packs, and tinted bags are all prohibited — don't show up with them and expect to negotiate.

Gates typically open roughly 90 minutes before kickoff. The Stadium Ticket Office is located at Gate G and opens four hours prior to scheduled game times. If you need will call or have a ticket issue, that's your window. For away fans, check your ticket for the designated entry gate — visiting fan seating is generally in the upper east end zone area, so Gate D or nearby gates are your likely entry point.

One important note: once a ticket has been scanned, there is no stadium re-entry. Plan accordingly. Also, Pullman's climate can be unforgiving, whether the sun is beating down as you wait in line or rain pours down during halftime with cold winds. Make sure you are prepared to ride it out. Late-season games in October and November can be genuinely brutal — layer up.

Accessible parking is available on a space-available basis in WSU parking lots on game day. Look for lots displaying the international disability logo. Parking attendants can direct you to specific locations.

Martin Stadium has ADA-accessible seating distributed across the stadium, including areas on both the south side (club level) and in the general seating bowl. The south side renovation added elevator access and improved circulation to the premium and club seating areas. Accessible entrances are available at multiple gates around the stadium. Guests with mobility needs should contact WSU Athletics in advance (509-335-3564) to confirm current accessible gate assignments and companion seating arrangements. Assistive listening devices may be available through Guest Services — call ahead to confirm availability and pickup location on game day.

The stadium's low profile means every seat feels close to the action — this is one of those venues where there really isn't a bad sightline, which is a genuine compliment for a 33,000-seat open-air bowl. Martin Stadium was among the first college football stadiums to expand by removing its running track and lowering the playing field by sixteen feet, and this modification added over 12,000 new seats, most of which are closer to the field. The result is an intimate, steep angle that puts you right on top of the action.

The south side premium sections offer the best coverage and amenities. For energy, sit near the students on the north side. Away fans are typically placed in the upper east end zone — not the most glamorous real estate, but functional. If you're buying your own tickets and want a more neutral zone, the upper south sideline corners (sections around the 20-yard lines) give you a good angle and are far enough from the student section that you'll stay comfortable. Avoid buying seats deep in the north stands if you have any concerns about crowd hostility — that's the student section and it gets loud and rowdy.

Away fans traveling to Pullman should note a few key differences in their game-day experience.

Wazzu fans are passionate but not hostile in the way that, say, a SEC road game can feel. They're genuinely proud of their program and their isolated little corner of Washington state, and there's a self-aware scrappiness to the place that makes them more interested in making noise for their team than making your life miserable. That said, don't wear your colors into The Coug the night before and expect a warm reception — read the room. Inside the stadium, Martin Stadium will be loud on big game days, so be ready for long lines and large crowds. The thing that surprises most first-time visitors is how intimate it feels despite being a Pac-12 venue — the lowered field and steep bowl design mean crowd noise concentrates in a way that larger stadiums can't replicate. On a night game under the lights when WSU is rolling, this place has a genuine edge to it.

How do I get to Martin Stadium without a car?

Pullman Transit provides free park-and-ride services starting three hours before kickoff and ending one hour after the game. One pickup location is the Valley Road Play Fields at Valley Road and Merman Drive. Within Pullman, the stadium is also walkable from most downtown hotels in under 20 minutes.

What is the bag policy at Gesa Field?

Clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC bags up to 14" x 8" x 14"; clear drawstring bags up to 14" x 14"; one-gallon Ziploc-style bags; and small clutch bags up to 4.5" x 6.5" are all permitted. Exceptions are made for medically necessary items with proper inspection at entry.

How much does parking cost at Martin Stadium?

General parking permits can be purchased online for around $20, giving access to all general parking lots. Reserved and donor lots are significantly more or unavailable to the general public.

What's the nearest major airport and how long is the drive?

The closest airport is Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport (PUW), just two miles east of Pullman. Spokane International Airport (GEG) is located about 1.5 hours away and is served by most major airlines.

Where do away fans sit at Martin Stadium? Visiting fans are typically placed in the upper east end zone. If purchasing your own tickets, the upper south sideline corners offer good sightlines and a somewhat more neutral crowd environment than the north student section.

When do gates open? Gates open approximately 90 minutes before kickoff. The Stadium Ticket Office at Gate G opens four hours prior to scheduled game times.

Is beer sold inside the stadium? Yes. Fans aged 21 and over with valid government-issued ID can purchase beer and wine from general concession stands throughout the stadium. Sales run through the end of the third quarter, with a two-drink-per-transaction limit.

What's the weather like for fall games in Pullman?

The Pullman climate can be unforgiving, whether the sun is beating down during early-season games or rain pours down and cold winds chill you to the bone in late October and November. Bring layers and a rain layer for any game after mid-September — you won't regret it.