Virginia Tech Hokies · College · ACC

Tailgating at Lane Stadium

Lots open
7 a.m. Saturday
Grills
Charcoal or propane

Checked Oct 14, 2026

The southwest corner of Lane Stadium from Beamer Way in Blacksburg, Virginia
Photo: Rick C, CC BY 2.0, cropped

Virginia Tech's lots stop being separate tailgates and turn into one big one, and the band walks through playing the Hokie Pokie whatever the weather. Diehards serve big turkey legs, a nod to the old mascot, and some deep-fry the whole bird. About two hours out, the Highty-Tighties lead the Hokie Walk with the HokieBird, and fans line up to welcome the team; without a lot, Hokie Village by the Beamer Way gate is free. Then "Enter Sandman" starts, and the whole stadium jumps.

The lot answer

The lots around Lane Stadium belong to Hokie Club donors, so the public list is short and cashless: Perry Street Garage and Data & Decision Science sell a few game-day spots by card, and Lower Stanger and Squires are pre-purchase only. Public RVs use Lot 65, run by the airport, from 1 p.m. Friday to 5 p.m. Sunday.

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

footballs and frisbees banned
No toss
and your donor pass is gone
Strike 3
Get the Pregame for the HokiesEmail me Or get the one-page game-day sheet
Rules checked Oct 14, 2026
Sources

Rules last verified Oct 14, 2026 against hokiesports.com and ridebt.org.

Add a tip
Something changed?

Can't miss

  1. "Enter Sandman" When the team comes out to Metallica, the whole stadium jumps, and it's the loudest minute in the ACC.

Quick answers

What time do the Lane Stadium lots open?

7 a.m. on Saturdays, whatever the kickoff, and cars have to be out by 7 a.m. Sunday. For games on other days, donor Lots 1 to 5 open after noon and everything else after 3 p.m.

Can you grill at Virginia Tech tailgates?

Yes. Propane and charcoal grills are allowed, outdoors and away from tents. Open flames and fire pits are not.

Can you drink at Virginia Tech tailgates?

The lot rules ban underage drinking and point to the university's Code of Conduct. Inside Lane, alcohol is sold to fans 21 and over, 2 drinks per ID per transaction, until the end of the third quarter.

Do you need a ticket to tailgate?

The rules ask for a parking pass, not a game ticket: every football-day lot takes a valid pass. Hokie Village, beside the stadium, opens 3.5 hours before kickoff.

How do you buy parking?

Donor lots take a Hokie Club pass mailed before the season, and none are sold on game day. Public single-game passes are sold ahead of time, and the Perry Street Garage and Data & Decision Science lots sell a few game-day spots by card. Every campus public lot is cashless.

The game-day timeline

  1. Fri 12:01 AMHokie Club RV lots 3, 18 and 23 open
  2. Fri 1 PMPublic RV Lot 65 opens
  3. MidnightBeamer Way closes from Southgate Dr to Washington St
  4. Sat 7 AMDonor and public lots open, and tents can go up
  5. 3.5 hrs outHokie Village opens
  6. 3 hrs outAccessible shuttles start from Lot 25
  7. 2 hrs outGates open
  8. Sun 7 AMLots must be clear. Tents come down by noon, donor RVs leave by noon and Lot 65 by 5 p.m.

Where to park

The lots around Lane belong to Hokie Club donors. Everyone else has a short list of public options, all cashless.

Hokie Club lots
Lots 1 to 5 around Lane, plus lots like 18, 19, 21 and 22 to the west. The pass is mailed before the season and hangs on your mirror.
Public lots
Perry Street Garage (32) and Data & Decision Science (33) sell a few game-day spots by card. Lower Stanger (35) and Squires (46) are pre-purchase only.
RVs
Hokie Club RV lots 3, 18 and 23. Public RVs use Lot 65, run by the airport, 1 p.m. Friday to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Accessible
Lot 25 in the Oak Lane Community, card only. Accessible shuttles run to the south end zone gate from 3 hours out.
Rideshare
Drop-off and pickup on Washington St, next to the Hahn Garden.
Lane Stadium game-day parking at Virginia Tech, simplified
Lane Stadium game-day parking at Virginia Tech, simplified
 See the official Lane Stadium parking map

Beamer Way closes from Southgate Dr to Washington St at midnight before a Saturday game. Plan your way in around it.
In Lots 1 to 5, a painted line runs behind each space. Your tailgate stays on your side of it.
No car? Blacksburg Transit is free and runs extra game-day service to the Transit Center by the Perry Street Garage. The Campus Shuttle takes you from there to stops near Cassell Coliseum, and back after the game.

The rules

Rules last verified Oct 14, 2026 against hokiesports.com and ridebt.org.

Virginia Tech spells it out, and backs it up with a 3-strike system.

Grills
Propane and charcoal, outdoors and away from tents. No open fires or fire pits.
Tents
Up once the lots open on game day, down by noon the next day, inside your space. Over 900 sq ft or 50 people may need a permit.
Your space
In Lots 1 to 5, stay behind the painted line. Tables, chairs and cornhole boards stay off roads and sidewalks.
Generators
Silent type, 65 dB and 2,500 watts max, at least 20 feet from tents and RVs. No refueling while it runs.
Not allowed
Throwing footballs or frisbees. Sound systems, bands or DJs. Vending or soliciting. Cutting ropes or signs.
Alcohol
No underage drinking in the lots. Inside: 21 and over, ID, 2 per ID per transaction, until the end of the third quarter.
3 strikes
A warning, then a call from the Hokie Club, then no donor parking for the rest of the season and the next.
Bags at the gate
Clear, up to 12 x 6 x 12 inches, or a 1-gallon freezer bag, plus a small clutch. No coolers or umbrellas.
Gates open
2 hours before kickoff. No re-entry.
Compare the rules in all 173 guides →

Before you go

Lane Stadium fan guide (A-Z)Football parking and tailgating policiesCampus tailgating generator guidelines2026 game-day parking mapBlacksburg Transit football service

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

Pack for Blacksburg

What we'd bring.

More for this lot

  • Monument G22 Tabletop Gas Grill, 2 Burners$199 · Ships free

Shipping and returns

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

Where the party is

Blacksburg opens the lots at 7 a.m. no matter when the game kicks, so a late game makes for a long Saturday. The rules keep it tidy: stay behind your line, keep the speaker home and the football in the truck.

Right next door

Lots 1 and 2

Hokie Club lots on the north and south sides of Lane. In Lots 1 to 5, a painted line marks the back of each space.

Official pregame

Hokie Village

The pregame area beside Lane, between Lot 1 and Rector Fieldhouse. It opens 3.5 hours before kickoff on Saturdays.

The weekend crowd

Lot 65

The public RV lot south of campus, run by the airport. It opens at 1 p.m. Friday and clears by 5 p.m. Sunday.

Know a setup worth showing off? Nominate your tailgate.

What to eat

Cook thisWhat to cook at a tailgate (that survives the lot)

Getting out

Blacksburg Transit runs its game-day detours for at least an hour after the game. That tells you about the roads. Your ways out:

  1. Ride the bus back. The Campus Shuttle leaves from Cassell Coliseum for the Transit Center loops, and routes keep running until traffic clears.
  2. Rideshare from Washington St. Pickup is next to the Hahn Garden, a short walk from the stadium.
  3. Stay put. Saturday lots don't have to be empty until 7 a.m. Sunday. Fire the grill back up and let the roads clear.

  4. Skip this

    Join the exodus. If you have to. Bring a snack for the car.

First time here?

Visiting? How to join a tailgate

Park in a public lot or ride Blacksburg Transit in, then head to Hokie Village before the gates open.

Free · one page · works offline

Your Lane Stadium game-day sheet, by email

One page for the lot: where to park, when it opens, what you can bring.

Or download it now

We don't sell your email.

More College stadium guides

All guides

Read next from The Lot

All stories