Steelers Tailgating at Acrisure Stadium: Lots, Times & Rules

Can't miss

Terrible Towels 60,000 yellow towels spinning at once. If you didn't bring one, you'll want one by the first score.
"Renegade" When the defense needs a stop late, the stadium plays Styx's "Renegade" on the big screen, and the place shakes.

Quick answers

What time do the Acrisure Stadium lots open?

5 hours before kickoff for Alco lots and garages. The Kamin Science Center lots open about 4 hours before, depending on museum operations. Police strictly enforce no waiting on the streets before the lots open.

Can you grill at Acrisure Stadium?

Alco allows "moderate and responsible tailgating" in surface lots but doesn't spell out grills. There's no tailgating or open flame in the garages, and no grilling in the Kamin Science Center lots.

Can you drink at Steelers tailgates?

Alco bans selling food or alcohol in the lots and bans glass containers, and city police patrol the lots. It doesn't post a separate drinking rule.

Do you need a ticket to tailgate?

Alco's rules don't mention game tickets. Spaces are sold for parking cars only, and every car is directed to a specific space.

How do you buy parking?

Season ticket holders buy pre-sold parking through Alco. Single-game pre-sold passes are sold through the stadium's parking page. No Alco lot takes cash, and North Shore pay lots on game day are card only.

Where to park

Alco runs directed parking: an attendant points you to a space, and that space is your tailgate. Extra spaces aren't sold.

Gold: Lots 1A, 1B and 2, plus the Gold 1 garage, right on the stadium's east side. Pre-sold.
Red and Clark: Red 7A to 7D, Red 5A, Red 6, Clark and Clark East, northeast along Reedsdale Street. Pre-sold.
Green: Green 21, 22 and 23 to the northwest. Pre-sold.
Kamin lots: Green 31, 32 and 33 by the Kamin Science Center. Open about 4 hours out. At your car only, no grilling, no tents.
Event day: Green 31 and 33, the Blue 7 lots, the Blue 10 garage and more. Card only.
Garages: No tailgating in any garage, the new Champions Garage included.
RV / oversize: Not allowed: RVs, motorhomes, limos, box trucks and rental vehicles.
Accessible: Not pre-sold. Limited spaces at every Alco location.

Acrisure Stadium parking lots, simplified

Don't idle on the street waiting for the lots to open. Pittsburgh police enforce it.
The stadium suggests getting there at least 2 hours before kickoff to beat the last-minute rush.
No car? Park downtown or at a South Hills park-and-ride and ride the Light Rail to North Side or Allegheny station, free inside the downtown and North Shore zone. Or park at Station Square and take the Gateway Clipper across the river.

The rules

Rules last verified Oct 14, 2026 against alcoparking.com and acrisurestadium.com.

Alco's code of conduct is the rulebook here, and the 1-space rule shapes everything.

Grills: No open flames in garages, and no grilling in the Kamin lots.
Alcohol: No selling food or alcohol in the lots, and no glass containers.
Tents: Not allowed in any Alco lot.
Your space: 1 paid space. Your tailgate stays inside it, and extra spaces aren't sold. Furniture is folding chairs and tables only.
Not allowed: Glass, tents, personal port-a-johns, solicitation, RVs, limos, box trucks and rental vehicles.
When it ends: Leave the lot within 1 hour after the game ends.
Bags at the gate: Clear, up to 12 x 6 x 12 inches, or a 1-gallon freezer bag, plus a clutch up to 4.5 x 6.5 inches.
Gates open: 2 hours before kickoff. No re-entry, and the stadium is cashless.

Compare the rules in all 173 guides →

Before you go

Alco Steelers parking and tailgating policy Acrisure Stadium parking and directions 2026 traffic and parking guide (PDF)Acrisure Stadium A-Z guide Clear bag policy

Official pages. Rules change; check them the week of the game.

Pack for Pittsburgh

What we'd bring.

Pittsburgh Steelers 3x5 Flag
$22.95

Ships free
Your team's 3x5 flag with metal grommets. Hang it and your crew finds your spot in the lot.
27 qt Hard Cooler, 24 Cans
$199

Ships free
A hard cooler that fits the trunk and the tight space behind the car.

Everything we carry for Steelers fans →

More for this lot

Tire Table Aluminum, Medium: Table That Mounts on Your Tire$199.95 · Ships free

Late-season games on the rivers get cold. Pack layers, and rain gear in place of the tent you can't bring.

Shipping and returns

Get the Pregame for the Steelers. Your lot, your game and what to cook, every week. Free.Get the Pregame for the Steelers

Where the party is

Pittsburgh tailgates have to fit inside 1 parking space, so every setup here is a lesson in packing. Want more room? The stadium points everyone to the free Stage AE zone next door.

The free zone

Stage AE

The stadium calls it the Steelers tailgate experience, and admission is free. It sits just east of the stadium off North Shore Drive.

The close-in lots

The Gold lots

Gold 1A, 1B and 2 are the surface lots right on the stadium's east side. Pre-sold only.

The strict ones

The Kamin lots

Green 31, 32 and 33 by the Science Center: at your car only, no tents, no grilling, no beer pong, and a posted littering fine. Fine for parking, not for hosting.

Know a setup worth showing off? Nominate your tailgate.

What to eat

Grills outside the garages and Kamin lots aren't spelled out, so plan food that holds up cold or warm from home.

Cook thisPierogies

Getting out

The North Shore lots all empty at once, and Alco wants you gone within the hour. Best first:

Ride the T. North Side and Allegheny stations are inside the free fare zone into downtown.
Take the Clipper back. Return boats to Station Square start in the third quarter and run until 1 hour after the game.
Walk to a downtown garage. The stadium's 2026 parking guide says every downtown garage is a short walk away.
Skip this
Race out of the lot. You have up to 1 hour to clear it. The stadium's alternate routes steer you around the I-279 exit 1B jam.

First time here?

Alco lots open 5 hours before kickoff. Kamin lots about 4.
Don't wait on the street before the lots open. Police enforce it.
No cash at any Alco lot. Bring a card.
1 car, 1 space. No tent, no glass, folding chairs and tables only.
Rental car or RV? Alco won't let it in.
Gates open 2 hours before kickoff, and there's no re-entry.

Visiting? How to join a tailgate

Start at the Stage AE zone just east of the stadium. Admission is free, and the stadium calls it the Steelers tailgate experience. Wear your colors, bring something to share and keep it friendly.

Free · one page · works offline