Lucas Oil Stadium Game Day Guide
Indianapolis Colts · Indianapolis, IN
Know Before You Go
- Bag policy
The NFL clear bag policy permits one clear bag no larger than 12 x 6 x 12 inches or a one-gallon clear freezer bag, plus one non-clear bag no larger than 4.5 x 6.5 inches.
Medical devices and breast pumps are exempt after screening. Diaper bags must comply with the clear bag policy.
- Bag storage
Lucas Oil Stadium does not provide bag storage; non-compliant bags must be returned to a vehicle or hotel.
- Gate opening
Lucas Oil Stadium gates open two hours before kickoff.
- Mobile tickets
Colts game entry requires a mobile ticket; printed PDF tickets are not accepted.
Use the Colts app and add tickets to the mobile wallet before leaving home.
- Re-entry
Lucas Oil Stadium does not allow guests to exit and re-enter during a game.
- Prohibited items
Lucas Oil Stadium prohibits weapons, drones, fireworks, outside food and drink, hard containers, large or non-compliant bags, large camera lenses, laser pointers, noisemakers, and other listed items.
All guests and belongings are inspected before entry. Medical and dietary exceptions are screened separately.
- First aid
First aid stations are across from Section 118, near Section 323, and near Sections 515 and 544; the main First Aid Office is across from Section 145.
- Nursing and lactation
Lucas Oil Stadium has five nursing locations for 2026: four Mamava pods and one Mother's Room, including a new pod near Section 330.
- Family restrooms
Family restrooms are available on every stadium level, and baby-changing stations are installed in all public restrooms.
- Tickets for children
Children 24 months or younger do not need a ticket but must sit on a guardian's lap.
- Guest services
Guest Services windows are near Sections 121, 330, 519, and 545.
For security help, text 317-644-HELP with ISSUE followed by LOCATION.
- Service animals
Lucas Oil Stadium welcomes guests with disabilities and their assistive animals.
Guests may contact the stadium at 317-262-8600 in advance to discuss accommodations.
- Smoking and vaping
Smoking, e-cigarettes, and smokeless tobacco are prohibited inside Lucas Oil Stadium.
Smoking outside must occur at least 10 feet from stadium doors. The venue separately prohibits re-entry during a game.
Game Day Timeline
What the day looks like at Lucas Oil Stadium, hour by hour.
Georgia Street Comes Alive
Georgia Street corridor between the convention center and stadium fills with fans, food trucks, and pregame energy. Bars along the strip open their game-day patios.
Gates Open
Stadium gates open. Enter via the skywalk from the convention center to avoid the cold. Visit the Peyton Manning statue and explore the concourse.
Player Warmups
Players take the field for stretching and warmups. Lower bowl sections offer the best views for photos and autograph opportunities.
Find Your Seats
Grab your pork tenderloin sandwich and settle in. The pregame anvil ceremony and Blue's entrance are about to begin.
Game Time
The anvil strikes, the crowd erupts, and 67,000 fans in blue fill Lucas Oil Stadium. The retractable roof creates a dome-like roar that amplifies every big play.
Exit Strategy
Use the skywalk to walk back to downtown hotels and garages. Georgia Street bars fill up for post-game celebrations. The indoor connections make cold-weather exits painless.
Tips & Fan Reports
Check out American Family Touchdown Town at the north end of the stadium before the game - $3 beers, food stands, pro shop, and Colts in Motion. Family friendly but has drinks too.
The Arby's parking lot behind the restaurant is where all the longtime tailgaters set up plus some big buses and RVs. It is the closest thing to a real tailgate scene near Lucas Oil.
Use the skywalk from the convention center. It's the best way to reach the stadium in winter without braving the cold.
Use the downtown skywalk system. You can walk from most downtown hotels to Lucas Oil Stadium without going outside. Huge deal in January.
Visit the Peyton Manning statue outside the south entrance. It's a must-see photo spot for any football fan.
The retractable roof keeps the stadium comfortable, but dress warm for outdoor tailgating and the walk in, Indianapolis winters are cold.
The Peyton Manning statue outside the south entrance is the photo spot. Get there early before the crowd builds around it.
St. Elmo Steak House shrimp cocktail (downtown, 15 min walk) is the iconic Indianapolis food experience. The horseradish will clear your sinuses.
Do not save a space for a friend. It is the one tailgating rule the club states outright.
The Rolls Royce and Government garages are the covered Colts-controlled options if the forecast is poor.
Before the Game
Tailgating is allowed in the parking lots surrounding Lucas Oil Stadium, with the club's stated constraint being courtesy rather than equipment: do not block spaces, and do not hold one for a friend still on the road. The stadium sits in downtown Indianapolis among a large stock of commercial lots and garages, and Denison Parking alone runs close to 2,000 spaces immediately around it. Colts-controlled parking is a named short list (the South Lot, Lot 2, Gate 10, the Rolls Royce Garage and the Government Garage) and from this season the lots carry colour-coded signage that matches the colour printed on your pass.
Where to Tailgate
Colts-controlled lots: South Lot, Lot 2 and Gate 10
The club's own surface parking around the stadium, where tailgating happens. New colour-coded signage through the major lots now matches the colour on the parking pass itself.
Known for Club-controlled · Colour-coded signage · Tailgating permitted
Rolls Royce Garage and Government Garage
The two Colts-controlled garages downtown, the covered alternative to the surface lots when the weather is against you.
Known for Covered · Colts-controlled
Denison Parking lots
Denison owns and operates close to 2,000 spaces across multiple lots surrounding the stadium, the largest single operator nearby, bookable in advance or reachable on 317.916.1760.
Known for ~2,000 spaces · Multiple lots · Bookable ahead
Downtown lots and garages
Lucas Oil sits among a deep stock of downtown parking within walking distance, comparable and reservable through ParkWhiz rather than turning up and hunting.
Known for Walking distance · Reserve online · Wide choice
Pregame Rules
What Lucas Oil Stadium allows before the game, and what it does not.
- Tailgating is allowed in the parking lots surrounding the stadium.
- Fans should not block spaces or reserve spots for late arrivals.
- Colts-controlled parking is available in the South Lot, Lot 2, Gate 10, the Rolls Royce Garage and the Government Garage.
- Denison Parking owns and operates nearly 2,000 spaces in multiple lots surrounding the stadium, reachable on 317.916.1760 or bookable through ParkWhiz.
- Colour-coded parking signage and wayfinding run through the major stadium lots, with the same colour-coding on parking passes and digital platforms.
Weather
Lucas Oil Stadium has a retractable roof, so these are the conditions for the walk in and the pregame, and the roof decides the rest.
Across the NFL season the warmest month is September, with an average high of 77°F, and the coldest is January, when the average low is 19°F. November is the wettest month at 3.4 inches and January the driest at 3.1 inches.
That January low ranks 4th coldest of the 32 NFL venues, and November here ranks 20th wettest.
September
3.2 inchesOctober
3.2 inchesNovember
3.4 inchesDecember
3.3 inchesJanuary
3.1 inchesWhat to Bring
- Only the outside food and drink the rule allows
Outside food and beverages are prohibited and must be disposed of before entry.
- A card or a phone wallet
Colts games are cashless; concessions and the Pro Shop accept major cards, Apple Pay, and Google Pay.
- Layers, gloves and a hat
January lows average 19°F outside Lucas Oil Stadium; the roof decides what the seats get.
- A rain layer
November averages 3.4 inches of rain here, outside the roof.
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.
- Game day timeline
Gate opening time checked against the venue's own gate-opening policy: Lucas Oil Stadium gates open two hours before kickoff.
- Pregame
Indianapolis Colts official site: Gameday Parking and Transportation, and the Gameday A-Z Guide
- Weather
NOAA 1991-2020 Climate Normals
- Venue policies
Current Colts A-Z, food, family, cashless, mobile-ticketing, and 2026 stadium guidance reviewed for all structured venue-policy topics.