Can't miss
- Italian beef or a Polish Chicago's lot food is its own: an Italian beef, sliced thin and dipped, or a Maxwell Street Polish with grilled onions and mustard.
- Colonnades and the lake Soldier Field's 1924 columns are still standing inside the new bowl, and Lake Michigan is right behind it. Walk the lakefront path on the way in.
- Bear Down After every Bears touchdown the stadium sings "Bear Down, Chicago Bears," the fight song since 1941, and the lot sings it on the way in.
Quick answers
What time do the Soldier Field lots open?
4 hours before kickoff. Lots close 2 hours after day games and right after night games.
Can you grill at Soldier Field?
Yes, in the open-air surface lots and on the upper level of the Waldron Deck. No grills in the enclosed North Garage or the lower Waldron Deck, no propane tanks over 19 lbs, and no deep fryers, fire pits or heaters.
Can you drink at Bears tailgates?
Yes, except in the alcohol-free Family Friendly lots. Drinking games are banned, and open containers aren't allowed outside the lots, on the parkland or on the shuttles. Chicago police write citations.
Do you need a ticket to tailgate?
Yes. Parking is for ticketed guests only, and staff may check tickets before letting you into a lot.
How do you buy parking?
Ahead of time. The lots by the stadium need a prepaid pass and mostly go to season coupon holders. SoldierFieldParking.com sells a limited number of single-game passes, or you can park at the Millennium garages or McCormick Place Lot B and ride the free shuttle.
Where to park
Buy before game day. The lots next to the stadium need a prepaid pass, and the Bears say there's no single-game cash parking on the Museum Campus.
- South Lot
- Open-air surface lot south of 18th Street. Grills allowed. Season coupon lot.
- Waldron Deck
- Just south of the stadium. Grills on the open-air upper level only; the lower level is a no-flame zone.
- North Garage
- Enclosed garage on the north end. No grills. Park here, cook somewhere else.
- East Museum / Adler
- Surface lots by the Field Museum and the Adler Planetarium. Tailgating allowed.
- Family Friendly
- Alcohol-free lots south of the Adler Planetarium and at the 31st Street Beach Lot.
- Bus / RV
- Oversize vehicles reserve at the Adler Lot on SoldierFieldParking.com. Buses and RVs can also use McCormick Place Lot B when there's room.
- Accessible
- Every lot has ADA spaces, but near-stadium lots need a prepaid coupon. No coupon? Park at Lot B or the Millennium garages and take the accessible shuttle to Gate 14.
- No tailgating
- Millennium garages, Grant Park North and South, and McCormick Place Lakeside Lot C. McCormick Lots B, D and E allow it before the game only.
Follow the posted entrance routes. Soldier Field asks fans not to use Google Maps, Waze or Apple Maps on game day because they can miss closures.
No overnight parking in any Museum Campus lot, and the residential streets between Roosevelt, Cermak, Clark and Lake Shore Drive are off-limits.
No car? Red, Green and Orange Line trains stop at Roosevelt, about 0.8 miles away; walk through the Museum Campus or take the #146 bus. The #128 Soldier Field Express runs nonstop from Ogilvie and Union Station, and rideshare drops off and picks up only at Balbo and Columbus.
The rules
Rules last verified Oct 14, 2026 against soldierfield.com and chicagobears.com.
Chicago's list is long, and two rules surprise people: no tents at all, and nothing over 19 lbs of propane.
- Grills
- Allowed in open-air lots and on the upper Waldron Deck. Propane tanks top out at 19 lbs. No fryers or oil cooking.
- Alcohol
- None in Family Friendly lots, no drinking games, and no open containers outside the lots or on shuttles.
- Tents
- Tents and canopies of any size are banned.
- Your space
- Soldier Field allows up to 8 feet behind your space; the Bears' guide says setups can't exceed one space. Keep the aisle clear and don't save spots.
- Who's allowed
- Ticketed guests only. Staff may check tickets at the lots.
- Not allowed
- Fire pits, open flames, heaters of any kind, drones, fireworks, oversized inflatables, setups on sidewalks or streets.
- When it ends
- No tailgating during the game. After day games it ends 2 hours after the game; after night games it doesn't restart.
- Bags at the gate
- Clear, up to 12 x 6 x 12 inches, or a 1-gallon freezer bag, plus a small bag up to 4.5 x 6.5 inches. No coolers.
- Gates open
- 2 hours before kickoff, with metal detectors at every gate. No re-entry.
Before you go
Soldier Field tailgating policyBears parking and transit guideBears gameday A-Z guideSoldier Field bag policy2026 entrance and exit routes mapOfficial pages. Rules change; check them the week of the game.
Pack for Chicago
What we'd bring.
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Chicago Bears 3x5 Flag, Man Cave
$16.79
Ships free
Your team's 3x5 flag with metal grommets. Hang it and your crew finds your spot in the lot.
-
Sampler, 8 Rubs
$47.99
Ships free
Eight rubs in one box, so the grill gets a new one every Saturday. It's the seasoning we use.
More for this lot
-
Revo Dubler Party Cooler$169.89 · Ships free
-
Monument G22 Tabletop Gas Grill, 2 Burners$199 · Ships free
-
Tire Table Aluminum, Medium: Table That Mounts on Your Tire$199.95 · Ships free
- The Game Day Starter, $582Chicago Gameday Stadium cornhole boards, a Taiga 27 qt hard cooler and a Scorezit scorekeeper, in one cart. Shop the kit
Where the party is
The lots sit on the lakefront between three museums, and the whole thing runs on a clock: 4 hours before kickoff, then a short second act after day games.
The grill lot
The South Lot
Open-air pavement south of 18th Street, and grills are allowed.
Upstairs only
The Waldron Deck
Grills go on the open-air upper level. The lower level is no-flame, so plan your spot before you park.
No setup needed
Miller Lite Ultimate Tailgate
The Bears' free pregame party on the Field Museum terrace, open from 2 hours before kickoff to 1 hour after the game, with the Bears Drumline. Food and drinks are sold.
What to eat
Cook thisChicago Italian beefGetting out
Lake Shore Drive drains slowly after a Bears game. Your ways out, best first:
- Ride the shuttle. The free shuttles to the Millennium garages and McCormick Place Lot B load at the 18th Street turnaround and run until 2 hours after the game.
- Take the CTA. Board the #128 or #146 along the East Museum Lot at McFetridge and Special Olympics Drive, or walk to Roosevelt for the trains.
- Stay for the second act. After a day game, tailgating runs 2 more hours. Let the Drive clear while you finish the leftovers.
Skip this
Have a rideshare meet you at the stadium. Balbo is the only pickup spot, so expect a walk north and a wait.
First time here?
Visiting? How to join a tailgate
No setup? The Bears run 2 free pregame zones: the RC Cola Red Zone on the southeast lawn from 3 hours before kickoff, and the Miller Lite Ultimate Tailgate on the Field Museum terrace from 2 hours before.
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Your Soldier Field game-day sheet, by email
One page for the lot: where to park, when it opens, what you can bring.
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