With the seemingly ageless Tom Brady coming back to lead a star-studded roster into battle at Raymond James Stadium, it’ll be wise not to bet against the Bucs.

Even before Brady got to town, tailgating at Raymond James Stadium was the stuff of legends. Fans have populated the grass parking lots in the unbeatable Florida climate for decades, celebrating with the best Southern food and drink recipes prepared by top super-chefs.

In this guide, we’ll steer you through some of the logistics of game day in Tampa and hook you up with the best tailgating at Raymond James Stadium.

2022 Schedule (all game times listed for teams respective time zone) 

  • Sept. 11 – @ Dallas Cowboys 8:20pm ET
  • Sept. 18 – @ New Orleans Saints 1:00pm ET
  • Sept. 25 – Green Bay Packers 4:25pm ET
  • Oct. 2 – Kansas City Chiefs 8:20pm ET
  • Oct. 9 – Atlanta Falcons 1:00pm ET
  • Oct. 16 – @ Pittsburgh Steelers 1:00pm ET
  • Oct. 23 – @ Carolina Panthers 1:00pm ET
  • Oct. 27 – Baltimore Ravens 8:15pm ET
  • Nov. 6 – Los Angeles Rams 4:25pm ET
  • Nov. 13 – Seattle Seahawks 9:30am ET (Munich, Germany)
  • Week 11 – BYE
  • Nov. 27 – @ Cleveland Browns 1:00pm ET
  • Dec. 5 – New Orleans Saints 8:15pm ET
  • Dec. 11 – @ San Francisco 49ers 4:25pm ET
  • Dec. 18 – Cincinnati Bengals 4:25pm ET
  • Dec. 25 – @ Arizona Cardinals 8:20pm ET
  • Jan. 1 – Carolina Panthers 1:00pm ET
  • Week 18 – @ Atlanta Falcons TBD

Getting Tickets

Single-game and group tickets are available at the Buccaneers’ online ticket office. You can also get on a waiting list for season tickets in the future. Get your seats as soon as you possibly can — the Bucs’ are a marquee team for the foreseeable future.

Travel, Accommodations, and Transportation

Tampa Bay sits about halfway down the Florida peninsula on its west coast. Here are some tips for getting to the area and where to stay.

Traveling to Tampa

Driving:  Interstates 4, 75, and 275 all lead to the Tampa Bay area. US Route 92 goes past the stadium.

Air Travel:  The Tampa area has two airports. Tampa International Airport (TPA) takes in flights from all major U.S. airports and is basically in the same neighborhood as Raymond James Stadium. St. Pete-Clearwater International (PIE) across the bay takes in a lot of nonstop flights from many East Coast and Midwest U.S. cities.

Rail:  Tampa Union Station serves Amtrak’s Silver Star line.

Nearby Hotels and Accommodations

The two accommodations nearest to the stadium are Country Inn Suites and Econo Lodge, both of which are budget options. There are other hotels to the south near the airport, including AC Hotel, Hilton, Fairfield Inn, Residence Inn, Extended Stay America, and Renaissance. There are still more if you look nearer the bay. Just check out a list of TripAdvisor’s recommendations for hotels near the stadium.

If you’re hosting your own tailgate, check to make sure your hotel or motel has room for your rig and equipment. You might prefer to get a residential rental through VRBO, since all your gear will fit and you’ll have a kitchen for food prep.

Raymond James Stadium (Tampa) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You GoGetting to Raymond James Stadium

HART is the Tampa public transit system. They provide four bus routes that drop passengers off at the north end of Raymond James Stadium. If you’re not conveniently located near a bus stop, Uber or Lyft can help you out.

How to Tailgate at Raymond James Stadium

Tailgating at Raymond James Stadium is what makes game day in Tampa so special. Here are a few pointers on how to make the most of it.

Tailgating at Raymond James Stadium: Parking

Your best bet for parking at Ray Jay is getting a season-long parking pass. All lots around the stadium except two are reserved for vehicles with season passes, including Stadium Club and luxury suite occupants. The Bucs make season parking passes easy to buy on their parking page, which also has a straightforward parking map.

There are two lots set aside for day-of-game parking, one in off-site Al Lopez Park. You must use a credit card to buy day-of-game parking — no cash. Lots open four hours before kickoff.

RVs and other oversized vehicles park in Publix Lot 14, in the southeast corner of the stadium-controlled property. Overnight parking is not allowed, but there are several RV campgrounds in the area if you need to stay multiple days.

You can also make off-site parking arrangements before the game with ParkWhiz.

Where to Tailgate at Raymond James Stadium

Tailgating is allowed in all stadium-controlled lots at the stadium, as well as a few lots in the surrounding area. That means you have a lot more options for prime game-day parties than most other NFL stadiums.

Bucs fans bring everything to the table for tailgating at Raymond James Stadium. Food-wise, you’ll find everything from sliders and shish kabobs to shrimp boils and chili. Drink-wise, you’ll find open bars and the occasional beer. There’s also a clear distinction between family-friendly tailgates and those with more, let’s say, adult-oriented fare.

What the Buc?

Make sure you look for the What the Buc? tailgate. It’s one of the best-known, longest-running organized tailgates in the NFL. In fact, it’s in the Tailgating Hall Of Fame, which we’ve just discovered exists.

What the Buc? is the home base of Chef Red, who regularly prepares a massive line-up of incredible dishes. The proceeds raised at What the Buc? tailgates are donated to charity, so you’ll be contributing to a great cause with every pulled pork sandwich you consume.

Tailgating at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tailgating at Raymond James Stadium: Rules

The Bucs have a few rules for tailgating in stadium lots on game day, including:

  • One parking space per pass
  • No kegs or large vessels
  • No extra-loud speakers
  • No tents larger than 10’ x 10’
  • No firearms
  • Try to keep profanity to a minimum

You can find more information on the stadium’s policy page.

Nearby Drinks, Food, and Attractions

When the tailgate’s over and you need to seek food, drinks, and amusement away from the stadium, here are some of the top local destinations to visit.

Bars Near Raymond James Stadium

You might have to travel a few miles, but there are plenty of great bars in Tampa to catch Bucs fever. Miller’s Ale House and Duffy’s Sports Grill are closest to RJ Stadium.

Other bars and taverns in the vicinity include The Pub, The Hub, Strandhill Public, Paddywagon Irish Pub, Hattricks, and Mackenzie’s Sports Tavern.

Check out Google Maps’ lists for bars and sports bars in Tampa.

Restaurants Near Raymond James Stadium

There are quite a few eating options south of the stadium around Columbus Drive and Boy Scout Blvd., including:

Have a look at some of TripAdvisor’s recommendations for restaurants near the stadium.

Tampa Local Attractions

If you’re staying a few days in Tampa, you’ll have quite a few options for entertainment and cultural enhancement besides football. Some local destinations include:

Find more recommendations for things to do in Tampa at TripAdvisor.

Tampa Bay Gameday Gear

If you want to rep your Tampa Bay Buccaneers – here are some great tailgate gear and attire our team has found!


If you’re looking for a team-branded tent, we always like Logo Brands. The one to the right is linked here.


Or if you need some new tailgate chairs, we love the Rawlings brand. You can either get the single chair, linked here. Or a 3 piece set with a table, linked here.


For the grill master in your group, they’ll love this 3 piece Tampa Bay BBQ set! You can find it here.

If you’re thinking of upgrading some of your basic equipment, be sure to check out the following blogs:

Best Tailgate Tents of 2021

Best Tailgate Grills

Wrap-Up!

The pirate ship is reloaded, and a new NFL season is on the horizon. Tailgating at Raymond James Stadium will help you get ready to cheer the Buccaneers to their third championship.

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Tailgate On!
Tailgater Concierge