Tailgating with the Packers fans is an experience you’ll have to witness first-hand to fully understand. Whether you’re a Packers fan or not, tailgating at Lambeau Field should be on your bucket list.
On game days you’ll find a sea of Packers green and gold outside the stadium, and let’s not forget the giant, foam pieces of cheese on their heads. What’s inside Lambeau is even more exciting – from the atrium when you first walk in, to the bars, restaurants, and shops. We highly recommend taking a tour of the stadium if you have the time. There’s so much history in that building to explore.
The Packers are the only community-owned franchise in the NFL, and they’re based in the smallest city of any NFL team. However, the fans have still SOLD OUT every game since 1960 – how crazy! The entire town shuts down when the Packers are playing. Over the years, the Packers have managed to build one of the largest fan bases with travelers coming from all over the world to catch a game at Lambeau Field.
For everything you’ll need to know for a successful game day experience in Green Bay, Wisconsin, read along!
Before Game Day!
Once you’ve decided to attend a game, there are a few logistical items you want to sort out.
First things first – game tickets. You can either buy tickets directly via the Packers, or you can purchase them via 3rd party sites like StubHub and Vivid Seats (just be ready for some fees).
For everything you’ll need to know related to tickets – season tickets, premium seating, large group seating, etc. – check out the Packers Ticketing Site or you can reach them at 866-752-1265 or [email protected].
If you’re not from the Midwest, or somewhere cold, I’d highly encourage you to pick a game earlier in the season!
Parking
So, this is something you want to pay attention to. If you’re NOT a season ticket holder, parking near Lambeau is extremely limited if you want to be in the stadium lots. HOWEVER, since the stadium is surrounded by so many residential streets, you typically can always find a spot on someone’s driveway or even their lawn. If you want to tailgate near your car, you may have to pay a bit extra to have some extra room near your vehicle.
Sometimes the homeowners will place parking passes online at Stub Hub or Eventbrite, but a lot of times these folks just sell cash parking on game day on a first-come, first-served basis. Be sure to have $100 on you to cover this.
For more details on parking – check out the Packers Lambeau Field Parking Guide.
Where to Stay for a Packers Game
A super nice thing about Lambeau’s location is that it’s pretty much in the heart of Green Bay. And as I mentioned, Green Bay isn’t that big of a city.
You could very easily utilize rideshare, public transport, and walking for your entire weekend.
If you’re looking for a great hotel – check out Trip Advisors Green Bay Hotels. Pro-tip, a lot of times Trip Advisor has cashback deals via Rakuten. Right now, you can sign up and earn a free $30 after your first purchase with them here. If you ever online shop (which everyone does), you MUST create a Rakuten account. It’s completely free, and you get cashback on most purchases at major retailers.
If you’re flying into town and planning to tailgate, or join a friend’s tailgate, and need a kitchen to prep, we’d recommend getting an Airbnb or VRBO. Luckily the field is surrounded by neighborhoods, and there are usually a ton of locals renting out their house for game day weekends.
Pre-Game Experience & Tailgating at Lambeau Field
Getting to Lambeau Field
Option #1 – Drive & Park
Parking will be sold as part of the ticket package for season ticket holders who opted to purchase tickets. Those who did not purchase parking as part of their ticket purchase will find a limited amount of parking available on a first-come, first-served basis at all Lambeau Field parking lots.
Parking lots open 2 hours before kickoff, and $20 cash will be collected at the lot entrance for ticketed guests who did not purchase parking in advance.
OR plan to head to the nearby neighborhoods and pay cash parking the day of. If you’re going this route, I suggest getting there early so you can lock in a good spot. If you’re tailgating, make sure to have extra cash to cover the additional space.
Option #2 – Bus Route
On gameday, let the Green Bay Metro and Green Bay Packers be your ride to and from the game. Fans will be offered four free, efficient, and convenient gameday bus routes for all Packers home games. The routes begin five hours before kickoff and run for approximately three hours following the game, leaving Lambeau Field every 30 minutes. Visit Game Day Routes for more details.
Option #3 – Drop Off Zone
A northbound lane of Ridge Road (on the stadium’s west side) is blockaded on game-day to provide a safe and convenient passenger drop-off area. To access the drop-off zone, vehicles must be traveling north on Ridge Road and merge with northbound traffic upon exiting. Please respect any posted time limitations and heed the instructions from officers directing traffic flow in and out of the area.
As this area will be very congested in the immediate hour(s) after the game, it will not be designated as a post-game pick-up zone. Drivers should arrange to meet their passengers at an alternate location after the game.
Option #4 – Taxi’s and Ride Share
Taxi Cabs: Taxi cabs are available after games by Ridge Road on the west side of the stadium near Kroll’s restaurant. After the game, when traffic clears and a police officer determines, cars may enter the Lambeau Field parking lot to pick up guests.
Ride Share Opportunities: Lambeau Field offers a designated Pick Up zone for rideshare services. Fans can request a pickup from rideshare services and meet their driver for a convenient departure. To request your ride, exit at the Associated Bank or Kwik Trip gates. Your driver will meet you at Bellin Health Titletown, located behind Lodge Kohler for a seamless pickup.
Tailgating at Lambeau Field
Tailgating is allowed in the official Packers stadium lots. Please note, as of March 2021, tailgating guidelines for 2021 have not been announced, but fingers crossed things will be back to normal.
Other than the official parking lots, you’ll find Packers fans tailgating everywhere. The stadium is surrounded by a residential neighborhood, so you’ll find fans parked and tailgating all over driveways, and front and back lawns. You’ll even see people starting to arrive the Thursday or Friday before game day to set up their slow cookers and smokers!
Packers fans are some of the friendliest fans you’ll encounter. You’ll be amazed at how many folks offer you food, drinks, and a place to sit as you walk around! If you’re a solo fan or just tailgating with a buddy – you’ll still have a great time tailgating with all the locals.
If you’re planning to set up your tailgate, be sure to pick up extra food and beverages to share with your neighbors! People love sharing their tried and true tailgate recipes with fellow fans.
Tundra Tailgate Zone
The Tundra Tailgate Zone includes live music, game day giveaways, alumni signing autographs, and a heated tent. There are also tons of food options, drinks, and even big-screen TVs to catch the game if you couldn’t snag a game ticket. This option opens 5 hours before kick-off and is free entry!
Lambeau Field Atrium
Key to making Lambeau Field a year-round destination venue is the 376,000-square-foot Lambeau Field Atrium. It’s more than five stories high!
Included within the Lambeau Field Atrium are a few dining, entertainment, and retail options for Packers fans of all ages. Free wireless internet access is available at the Atrium, too, for guests who want to use the internet while visiting a restaurant or taking part in a corporate event or meeting.
The Lambeau Field Atrium is home to:
- The Packers Pro Shop – The team store owned and operated by the Packers. If you can’t find what you’re looking for here, you don’t bleed green and gold!
- Packers Hall of Fame – The 15,000-square foot, two-level Packers Hall of Fame. The exciting and historical galleries will appeal to visitors of all ages.
- Lambeau Field Stadium Tour – walk down the same tunnel the Packers players do on gameday and learn about the legendary history of the team and stadium.
- Guests at 1919 Kitchen & Tap can enjoy fresh and seasonal favorites; a bar with 40 beer taps featuring a wide variety of selections and an open-concept kitchen.
Quick note – you will need a game ticket to enter the atrium on game days. But this could be a great option to spend time at during the pre-game on a colder, later season game.
For more information on the Lambeau Field Atrium, check out Packers.com!
Green Bay Packers Gameday Gear
There’s so much great Packers gear, here are some of our team’s favorites. If you want to tailgate at Lambeau the right way, we’d encourage you to get a Cheese Head to get the full experience 🙂
Pro tip – look to purchase these items in the Spring! A lot of retailers are doing discounts on football-related products now, but those will surely go away as we get closer to the season opener.
If you need a new pop-up, check out this Logo Brands one that is 25% off right now on Amazon! If you’re in need of new equipment, think about buying it in the Spring when there are deals. As we get into summer and fall the deals will go away. 
If you want a new cooler, our team LOVES these 3-in-1 collapsible coolers. They’re super simple to store and transport to and from the stadium. You can find them here.
For team-branded chairs, we always love the Logo Brands ones. They seem to hold up well season after season.
This Wild Sports Cornhole Set gets great reviews and is cool looking. It is $100+, however, we’ve learned when it comes to cornhole games it’s worth the investment. If you opt for the cheap ones, you’ll have to buy a new one each season. For some reason, kids LOVE to run on top of cornhole games. So when you buy the cheaper ones, they tend to snap the legs pretty quickly.
No game day is complete without having Koozies around for yourself and friends and family. No one likes warm beer. Getting your team koozies is a great way to rep your team on game day. You can find a ton of options on Amazon. Here’s a link to the pictured two-pack.
If you need some attire, be sure to check out Fanatics’ Green Bay Packers offerings. Fanatics is a great go-to since they have something for everyone and are even able to customize! If they don’t have any running promos, be sure to wait a few days until they do, they come up all the time!
Wrap Up
Pro tip – make sure to try some cheese curds while you’re in Green Bay! A trip to that city without cheese curds is not complete. You can find them at almost any bar, restaurant, or cheese shop!
If you have any other suggestions for tailgating at the Green Bay Packers, be sure to leave them in the comments below for other fans to see! Or if you have any questions, throw them down there too so our community can help.
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Tailgater Concierge
How can I get into a tailgate in one of the houses that back up to the parking lot?