Huntington Bank Stadium: Guide for Visiting Fans

The METRO Green Line is your best friend here. The Green Line connects downtown Minneapolis, the University of Minnesota, and downtown St. Paul , and the Metro Green Line stops directly at Stadium Village station, giving you easy access from downtown Minneapolis. From downtown Minneapolis, it's a quick 10-minute ride east; from St. Paul's Union Depot, about 20 minutes west. The walk from Stadium Village station to the stadium gates is under five minutes.

Coming from Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport (MSP), the trip is straightforward but involves a transfer. Take the Blue Line to U.S. Bank Stadium station in downtown Minneapolis, transfer to the Green Line toward St. Paul, and get off at East Bank station — the entire trip takes about 35 minutes. Note: Stadium Village station is one stop east of East Bank; either works fine for the stadium. MSP is about 13 miles from campus.

Driving in from the south or west, I-35W and I-94 both funnel you into the University District. Rideshare drop-off is typically along SE 4th Street and University Avenue SE near the stadium's east side. For pickup after the game, walk two to three blocks away from the gates before requesting — surge pricing around the immediate stadium perimeter can be brutal.

Light rail is the move — full stop. The METRO Green Line runs from Stadium Village station and the post-game frequency is good. Wait about 15–20 minutes after the final whistle before heading to the platform; the initial crush is real. Trains generally run every 10–15 minutes, and from Stadium Village you're back in downtown Minneapolis in 10 minutes.

Driving: Shuttles operate post-game from Gates A, B, D, E, and Benton County back to remote lots. If you're in a ramp near the stadium, expect to sit for 30–45 minutes after a big game before the ramp structure actually starts moving. The lots along University Avenue SE drain faster than those to the north around Dinkytown. Don't bother trying to outsmart the traffic by leaving early in the 4th quarter — in a close game, you'll miss what matters, and you'll still hit the same light backup on I-35W or I-94.

Rideshare: Walk at least three to four blocks west toward Dinkytown or southeast toward Washington Avenue before opening the app. Surge pricing right at the stadium is aggressive for the first 30–40 minutes after the final whistle. Give it 20 minutes, relocate, and your price drops significantly. The practical tip that actually works: go get a post-game beer at Stub & Herbs, let the mass exodus clear out, and call your rideshare around 45 minutes after the game ends. By then it's nearly normal pricing and a five-minute wait.

Driving to this game is the least enjoyable way to do it, but people do it. On weekends, lots open six hours prior to game time but no earlier than 7 a.m.; on weekdays, no earlier than 2 p.m. Day-of-game parking in the university lots runs $20. University-controlled lots closest to the stadium — the 4th Street Ramp, University Ave Ramp, Oak Street Ramp, Lot 37, and the Ski-U-Mah Lot — all require either a season pass or day-of purchase, and university lots require permit or day-of purchase.

There's also a park-and-ride option from State Fair lots with shuttle service , which is popular for big games and worth considering if you're coming from the north. Street parking exists in the Dinkytown and Stadium Village neighborhoods , though it gets picked over fast. The deeper you walk into Dinkytown — four or five blocks north — the better your chances of finding something reasonable without paying ramp prices. For Big Ten rivalry games (Wisconsin, Iowa), come 90+ minutes early or the nearby ramps fill up.

Stadium Village and Dinkytown are the obvious choices, and for good reason. The Days Hotel by Wyndham University is just steps from Huntington Bank Stadium and many other athletic venues, not to mention all the restaurants and bars of Stadium Village. Located right on the light rail's Green Line, Home2 Suites by Hilton has suites for extended stays, a seasonal rooftop bar with city views, and a heated indoor pool and hot tub. Both put you within a 10-minute walk of the gates with no transportation headaches whatsoever.

If you want more of a city-trip feel and don't mind a 15-minute Green Line ride to the game, downtown Minneapolis hotels along Nicollet Mall offer better restaurant options, nightlife, and weekend rates that are often cheaper than the campus-adjacent properties. The Warehouse District is a solid base — good bars within walking distance of your hotel, then a short easy rail hop to the stadium on game day.

Stub & Herbs (Stadium Village) is the institution you need to know about. A campus landmark open since 1939, Stub & Herbs is worth visiting for Tater Tot nachos, fried pickles, or the fish and chips made with Schell's beer. It gets absolutely mobbed for big games, so arrive at least two hours before kickoff or be prepared to watch the pregame standing outside.

Sally's Saloon (Stadium Village) is the slightly lower-key counterpart to Stub & Herbs — Sally's Saloon and Stub & Herbs are both right in Stadium Village and both do the college-bar-before-the-game thing well. Sally's tends to have a bit more room to breathe.

The Kollege Klub and Blarney Pub & Grill are over in Dinkytown, a five-minute walk north. The Kollege Klub and Blarney Pub & Grill are classic Dinkytown options if you want to pre-game slightly away from the stadium crush. Blarney has the outdoor patio situation dialed in for warm-weather games.

For food that goes beyond bar fare, the 14-stool Al's Breakfast is a local institution — the line is more than worth the wait, and the eggy, affordable breakfasts including a New Orleans omelet with shrimp, almonds, and capers are a big draw. It's a morning-of-game-day ritual if you're in town for a noon kickoff.

Once inside Huntington Bank Stadium, fans will find plenty of options to keep the good times going.

Hungry fans can warm up with a cup of Minnesota wild rice soup or chili; the cheeseburger topped with cheese curds and the foot-long hot dog topped with macaroni and cheese are solid options. The stadium has also introduced rotating new items each season, ranging from short rib grilled cheese to a gourmet elote hot dog. Expect to pay around $10–$13 for a beer and $10–$15 for a meal item — standard Big Ten stadium pricing. No outside food or beverage is allowed in Huntington Bank Stadium.

The only bags allowed in are clear plastic, vinyl, or tote bags that do not exceed 12"×6"×12", one-gallon re-sealable clear plastic bags, and/or small bags that do not exceed 4.5"×6.5". Fanny packs are explicitly banned — don't be the person who finds this out at the gate. Complimentary bag check is located in the University Ave. Lobby of Williams Arena, opens two and a half hours prior to kickoff, and remains open until approximately one hour postgame.

Gates open one hour and 30 minutes prior to kickoff. The Ticket Office opens three hours prior. All concession stands at Huntington Bank Stadium are cashless , so leave the cash in your wallet — though cash-to-card kiosks are available inside. Mobile tickets are standard; Gopher Athletics transitioned to mobile tickets for all sports beginning in the Fall of 2021. Download them before you leave the hotel; cell service around the gate area can be patchy in large crowds, though the stadium has an AT&T neutral-host distributed antenna system installed throughout the venue, and AT&T has partnered with Verizon and T-Mobile so that fan devices automatically connect upon arrival.

ADA and handicap-accessible seats are available throughout Huntington Bank Stadium. Elevators are available at all major gates, though Gate E / Benton County elevators are reserved for access to premium seating areas, with priority given to guests requiring extra assistance. Accessible parking is available in the West Lot — arrive early, as those spaces go quickly on high-attendance days.

Nursing mothers can utilize the M Health Fairview Mamava Lactation Pods located on the main concourse in the elevator lobby near Gate A, or on the 4th floor loge level via elevators near Guest Services at Gate E. If further ADA accommodations are required, contact Gopher Fan Relations prior to the game by calling 1-800-U-GOPHER or emailing GopherSports@umn.edu. Guest Services locations inside the stadium can also assist on game day.

The 50,805-seat "horseshoe" style stadium is designed to support future expansion to seat up to 80,000. The horseshoe opens toward the west end, which means through the open west end, fans can see the campus of the University of Minnesota and the skyline of Minneapolis — genuinely one of the better stadium vistas in college football.

There's no designated away section at Huntington Bank Stadium, so visiting fans scatter throughout. Your best bet is the upper deck on the east side (sections 307–320 range) or corners of the lower bowl where you'll have sightlines down the field without being surrounded entirely by maroon. Sections 101–120 are closest to the field , but those are premium lower-bowl seats. The mid-level sections in the 200s along the sidelines offer the best balance of sightline and price. Avoid the very top rows of the upper deck on cold late-season nights — the open-air design is beautiful in September but unforgiving in November.

Away fans venturing into Huntington Bank Stadium should prepare for a very different experience than home supporters enjoy.

The Gophers fan base isn't the most intimidating in the Big Ten — this isn't the Horseshoe or Kinnick — but they know how to fill the place for rivalry games, and Coach Fleck's "Row the Boat" culture defines the experience in a way that gives it a unified, if a little earnest, energy. Trophy games are a different animal: watch for Paul Bunyan's Axe (Wisconsin) and Floyd of Rosedale (Iowa) games , when the crowd actually approaches hostile. For most other opponents, away fans are largely left alone — Minnesotans are famously, occasionally frustratingly, polite. The thing that catches visitors off guard most is the wind. The horseshoe design is open at the west end, and on a November afternoon a cold front rolling off the prairie can make the upper deck feel significantly colder than the temperature on your weather app suggests. Bring layers you didn't think you'd need.

What's the best way to get to Huntington Bank Stadium from downtown Minneapolis?

The METRO Green Line connects downtown Minneapolis with the University of Minnesota , stopping directly at Stadium Village station — a five-minute walk from the gates. It's faster and cheaper than driving, and you avoid the parking mess entirely.

How far is the stadium from MSP Airport?

Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport is 13 miles from campus. Taking the Blue Line to downtown and transferring to the Green Line takes about 35 minutes total.

What is the bag policy at Huntington Bank Stadium?

Clear plastic, vinyl, or tote bags that do not exceed 12"×6"×12", or small bags that do not exceed 4.5"×6.5" are permitted. Fanny packs, backpacks, and standard purses are not allowed. Complimentary bag check is available at Williams Arena.

What does parking cost?

Day-of-game parking in the university lots is $20. Costs across nearby options typically range from $10–$30 depending on proximity. University lots require day-of purchase and fill up quickly for big games.

Is Huntington Bank Stadium cashless? Yes. All concession stands at Huntington Bank Stadium are cashless. Cash-to-card kiosks are available inside if you need them.

When do gates open?

Gates open one hour and 30 minutes prior to kickoff. The Ticket Office opens three hours before game time.

What are the best seats for away fans? There's no dedicated away section. The upper deck east-side corners and mid-level sections in the 200s along the sidelines give decent sightlines and slightly less home crowd density. Sections 101–120 are closest to the field but are premium lower-bowl prices — worth it for a rivalry game.

Can I bring outside food or drink?

No outside food or beverage is allowed in Huntington Bank Stadium. Tailgate before you go in, then plan on stadium concessions.