Chicago Bears
Soldier Field, Chicago, IL
- Capacity
- 61,500
- Roof
- Open Air
- Surface
- Grass
- Opened
- 1924
- Tickets
- $60+
- Parking
- $25+
- Beer
- $13+
- Food
- $7+
- Est. total
- $105+
Against the other 31 NFL stadiums, Soldier Field is the 27th cheapest game day: 25th for tickets, joint 21st for parking and joint 9th for food and drink, compared on market ticket medians and published lot and menu prices in US dollars. See the full ranking.
Prices are estimates. See our methodology.
What to Expect
Soldier Field sits on Chicago's lakefront museum campus, surrounded by the Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium, and Adler Planetarium, one of the most scenic stadium settings in the NFL. The Bears have called this home since 1971, and the Monsters of the Midway tradition runs deep in the city's blue-collar identity. Chicago's public transit makes getting to the game easy, and the lakefront tailgating scene is unique among NFL stadiums. Expect passionate, knowledgeable fans who live and breathe Bears football.
View Seating GuideTips & Fan Reports
Show up with beer and food to any tailgate and people will welcome you. This is Chicago, everyone is friendly. Check out the CHGO tailgate on Cermak or just find any group with a grill going.
Park at McCormick Place and walk from there - about 20 minutes to Soldier Field. You avoid the lakefront parking chaos and it's easy to get out after the game.
When there's a Soldier Field event, the city limits street parking two hours before and one hour after. Some local spots will bus you to and from the game free with parking - only way I do Bears games.
Soldier Field is small enough that there is not really a bad seat. If you can afford it the United Club section on the east side is worth it just for the cover from weather, food, drinks, and access.
Best food is served in the parking lot honestly. The stadium food sucks but the polish sausage from the little stand on the second level is decent. Tailgate or eat right before you go in.
There are typical mediocre stadium food options but also some surprisingly decent ones if you walk around. Get there early to explore - the Pro Shop and pregame atmosphere are worth it.
The Miller Lite Midway Club is the west-side climate-controlled space, behind sections 136 and 138 on the Mezzanine Concourse.
After a night game the lots do not reopen for tailgating, so plan the evening around leaving rather than staying.
Bring no tent. Soldier Field is unusual in banning them outright rather than capping their size, so a 10x10 canopy that is fine at most stadiums will not be here.
Pace express buses return 30 minutes after the final whistle from the same place they dropped you, and parking at the departure points is free.
Know Before You Go
Essential details checked against official venue information.
- Bag policy
Clear bags may be no larger than 12 x 6 x 12 inches; one-gallon clear freezer bags and non-clear bags no larger than 4.5 x 6.5 inches are also permitted.
Applies to: Chicago Bears games
- Medical bags are accepted after inspection, while diapers must be carried in an approved clear bag unless medically necessary.
- Gate opening
Soldier Field gates open two hours before kickoff for Bears games.
Applies to: Chicago Bears games
- Venue payments
Concessions, in-seat vending, and retail transactions are cashless and accept credit cards, debit cards, and supported mobile wallets.
Applies to: Chicago Bears games
- Re-entry
Guests may not exit and re-enter Soldier Field; no re-entry passes are issued.
Applies to: Chicago Bears games
Guides for Soldier Field
- Game Day Guide
7 steps from arrival to kickoff, and 21 venue rules checked against official sources.
- Parking Guide
4 lots and garages with distances and entry routes, from $25.
- Tailgating Guide
Where the tailgate happens, what the lot rules allow, and what to bring.
- Food & Drinks
5 concession stands and 25 items researched from the venue's own menus, cheapest food $7 and drink $5.
- Seating Guide
9 seating areas at Soldier Field, with the level names printed on the ticket.
- Getting There
Driving routes plus every car-free way in — the cheapest is CTA Bus (Route 146), $2.25.
- Cost Calculator
Build a total for your own party using Soldier Field's stored figures.
How We Checked This Page
Every section below names the source it was read from and the day it was read. Where we could not reach a published figure, the page says so rather than presenting an estimate as a checked fact.
- Venue facts
Wikipedia / Official Venue Page
- Ticket prices
Secondary market medians (SeatGeek/StubHub 2025-26)
- Venue policies
Chicago Bears and Soldier Field A-Z, bag-policy, and mobile-ticket pages reviewed for visitor-facing policies.
Not yet checked against a published source
These figures are estimates. Most venues no longer publish the numbers behind them — concession and ticket pricing moved to dynamic marketplaces — so we hold them as estimates rather than dating them as verified.
- Parking prices — Never checked against a published rate: the venue's parking page, read 2026-09-05, publishes none — the lots around the stadium need a pre-paid pass and the Grant Park and Millennium garages charge the "regular daily posted rate", with no figure given for either. The 2026-07-27 figures were compiled from third-party listings (was: "Soldier Field 2026: Museum Campus lots $12-$50 on Bears game days, against $22 on non-event days").
- Food prices — Chicago Tribune + Axios Chicago (2024/2025 season menus)
- Drink prices — Chicago Tribune + Axios Chicago (2024/2025 season menus)
Chicago Bears Fan Gear
Jerseys, hats, and licensed Chicago Bears gear, delivered before game day.
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