New Orleans Saints · NFL · NFC South

Tailgating at Caesars Superdome

Caesars Superdome in New Orleans under a cloudy sky
Photo: Glimmergloss, CC0, cropped

Tailgating isn't really a thing at the Superdome, because the garages took the lots, so a Saints Sunday is a walk up Poydras Street instead, with brass bands playing along the way and, some weeks, a second line marching with it. Mother's on Poydras is the breakfast stop on the walk, and the dress code is past the jersey: face paint, sequins, wigs and overalls, and visitors who join in are appreciated. Walk-On's, a few blocks up, bills itself as family-friendly if you've got kids along. By kickoff you'll be answering "Who Dat" with everyone else.

The lot answer

The Superdome is ringed by garages, not lots, so the Saints put the pregame in Champions Square, right outside the dome. Most garage spots belong to season ticket holders, with limited first-come spots in Garage 1A, Lot 3, Lot 3A and Champions Garage on game day. The garages clear 6 feet 6 inches, so RVs, buses and limos park in Lot 3.

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Champions Square opens
3 hrs
doors open before kickoff
2 hrs
needed for Champions Square
Ticket
parking, food and merch
Cashless
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Rules checked Oct 14, 2026
Sources

Rules last verified Oct 14, 2026 against neworleanssaints.com and caesarssuperdome.com.

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Can't miss

  1. Who Dat "Who dat say dey gonna beat dem Saints?" The chant starts in Champions Square and doesn't stop till the final whistle.

Quick answers

What time does Champions Square open?

3 hours before kickoff, and its entertainment wraps up 45 minutes before. The Superdome's doors open 2 hours before kickoff.

Can you tailgate or grill at the Superdome?

Not that we can confirm. No current Saints or Superdome page allows grills or tailgating in the garages or Lot 3. The official pregame is Champions Square.

Can you drink at the Saints pregame?

Inside the dome, fans 21 and over can buy 2 drinks per transaction, with beer up to 25 oz, and sales stop after the third quarter. No outside food, drinks or coolers come in.

Do you need a ticket for Champions Square?

Yes. It's for ticketed guests only. Your ticket is scanned at the LaSalle St. or Sugar Bowl Dr. entrance, and there's no re-entry once you're through.

How do you buy parking?

The 5 main garages are season ticket parking, sold before game day. Garage 1A, Lot 3, Lot 3A and Champions Garage have limited spots first come, first served on game days, card or phone pay only.

Getting in

Most garage spots belong to season ticket holders, so have a plan before you drive downtown.

Season garages
Tundra Garage 1, Tacoma Garage 2, Camry Garage 5, Rav4 Garage 6 and Champions Garage, sold ahead of game day.
Game day
Limited first-come spots in Garage 1A, Lot 3, Lot 3A and Champions Garage.
RV / bus
RVs, buses and limos park in Lot 3, first come, first served.
Clearance
The garages are 6 feet 6 inches.
Accessible
ADA East and West lots on Sugar Bowl Drive, pre-purchased passes only, plus Level 1 of Garage 1A.
Screening
This season, cars in the A, B and C lanes of Garages 1, 2, 5 and 6 and the ADA lots get a canine sweep before they enter.
Caesars Superdome garages and lots, simplified
Caesars Superdome garages and lots, simplified
 See the official Caesars Superdome parking map

Everything is cashless, parking included. Bring a card or your phone.
Use the garage and space on your pass, and check the Saints' game-day ingress map for your garage's route in.
No car? Rideshare is geo-fenced on Poydras Street. After the game, walk east on Poydras and follow the Rideshare Pickup signs.

The rules

Rules last verified Oct 14, 2026 against neworleanssaints.com and caesarssuperdome.com.

The Superdome runs on screening and timing. These are the rules that shape your day.

Grills
No current official page allows them in the garages or lots. Ask the Superdome parking office, (504) 587-3805, before you bring one.
Alcohol
Inside: 21 and over, 2 drinks per person per transaction, beer up to 25 oz. Sales stop after the third quarter.
Who's allowed
Champions Square is for ticketed guests only, scanned at the LaSalle St. and Sugar Bowl Dr. entrances.
Not allowed
Coolers, outside food and drink, glass, containers of any kind and backpacks.
When it ends
Square entertainment ends 45 minutes before kickoff. No re-entry once you're through the Square's entrances.
Bags at the gate
No bag is best. Otherwise clear, up to 12 x 6 x 12 inches, or a 1-gallon freezer bag, plus a clutch up to 6.5 x 4.5 inches.
Gates open
Doors open 2 hours before kickoff. Champions Square opens an hour before that.
Compare the rules in all 173 guides →

Before you go

Saints A-Z fan guideSaints parking and trafficCaesars Superdome directions and parkingOfficial 2026 complex map2026 rideshare map

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

Pack for New Orleans

What we'd bring.

The game is indoors, but the pregame isn't. Dress for the weather outside.

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All Saints gear →

Where the party is

There's no field of tailgate lots around the Superdome. It's ringed by garages, so the Saints put their pregame in Champions Square, right outside the dome.

The official one

Champions Square

The Saints' own tailgate, for ticket holders. It opens 3 hours before kickoff, and the entertainment ends 45 minutes before.

The car crowd

Lot 3

The surface lot with game-day spots, and the one for RVs, buses and limos.

Know a setup worth showing off? Nominate your tailgate.

What to eat

Inside, there's a Fan Friendly value menu for the Saints' 60th season, and concessions are card and phone pay only.

Cook thisRed beans and rice

Getting out

Downtown fills up fast after the final whistle. Your options, best first:

  1. Rideshare from Poydras. Walk east on Poydras and follow the Rideshare Pickup signs. You can only request a ride once you're inside the zone.
  2. Know your garage's way out. The Saints post a game-day egress traffic map for every garage. Look before you park.
  3. Ride transit. Routes and detours are on norta.com.

  4. Skip this

    Pull out of the garage with everyone. Everyone pulls out at once. Give it a while and the drive gets calmer.

First time here?

  • Plan around Champions Square, not a grill.
  • Have your ticket up on your phone. It's scanned at the Square's street-level entrances.
  • Once you're in through the Square, there's no re-entry.
  • Go bagless if you can. Otherwise clear, 12 x 6 x 12 inches, or a 1-gallon freezer bag, plus a small clutch.
  • Bring a card or phone. Parking, food and merch are all cashless.
  • Biking in? Free bike parking is in the corner of Lot 3, across from the Girod entrance to Champions Square.

Visiting? How to join a tailgate

Head for Champions Square when it opens. That's the pregame, and every ticket holder gets in the same way. Keep the banter friendly.

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