U.S. Bank Stadium Tailgating
Minnesota Vikings · Minneapolis, MN
Authorised tailgating in the designated lots and ramps at U.S. Bank Stadium is for Minnesota Vikings games only — at every other event it happens solely at the parking operator's discretion. The window depends on the day: five hours before kickoff for weekend games, three for weekday games, and it has to end three hours after the game or at midnight, whichever comes first. A single parking permit buys exactly one spot and saving spaces for others is not allowed. The wider picture is generous, though: more than 20,000 spaces sit between the stadium and Hennepin Avenue, all within a twenty-minute walk, and the lots themselves open six hours before an event.
Tips & Fan Reports
Tailgating is only in certain designated parking lots near the stadium. You need a pass but the scene is good. Worst case just park somewhere else, bring a 12-pack and roam the tailgate lots.
If the stadium lots are gone, there are over 20,000 spaces between here and Hennepin Avenue, all inside a twenty-minute walk.
Tailgating carries on for up to three hours after the game — or midnight, whichever lands first — so the lot is a legitimate place to wait out the traffic.
One permit is one space. A group in several cars needs a permit each, and nobody may hold a space for a friend.
Check the day of the week before you plan. A weekday kickoff cuts the tailgate window from five hours to three.
Where to Tailgate
Designated tailgating lots and ramps
The lots and parking ramps authorised for tailgating, and only for Vikings games. Weekend tailgating opens five hours before kickoff, weekday three, and one permit covers one spot with no saving spaces.
Known for Vikings games only · 5 hours weekend, 3 weekday · One permit, one spot
The corridor to Hennepin Avenue
More than 20,000 parking spaces sit between the stadium and Hennepin Avenue, every one of them within a twenty-minute walk or less. This is the fallback that makes driving downtown workable even without a stadium permit.
Known for 20,000+ spaces · Under 20 minutes on foot
The general parking lots
Lots around the stadium typically open six hours before the start of an event and close two hours after it ends — a wider window than the tailgating authorisation itself, which is worth separating in your head.
Known for Open 6 hours before · Close 2 hours after
Rules to Know
What U.S. Bank Stadium allows, and what it does not.
- Authorised tailgating in designated parking lots and ramps is specific to Minnesota Vikings games only. Tailgating at all other U.S. Bank Stadium events is authorised only by the parking lot operator.
- Tailgating for weekend games opens five hours prior to kick-off. Tailgating for weekday games opens three hours prior to kick-off, subject to change.
- Tailgating must end three hours after the game, or midnight, whichever comes first.
- A single parking permit grants access to one parking spot, and saving spots for other motorists is not permitted.
- Parking lots typically open six hours prior to the start of an event and close two hours after its conclusion.
What to Bring
- A bag the gate will accept
U.S. Bank Stadium permits clear bags up to 12 x 6 x 12 inches, one-gallon clear freezer bags, and clutches up to 4.5 x 6.5 inches.
- Only the outside food and drink the rule allows
Outside food and beverages are prohibited except for medical needs and the stadium's water-bottle allowance.
- A card or a phone wallet
U.S. Bank Stadium does not accept cash and takes cards and contactless payments such as Apple Pay.
- Your tickets on a charged phone
Digital tickets are the only accepted ticket format for Vikings games and can be opened in the Vikings app or a mobile wallet.
- A coat for the walk in
January lows average 8°F between the lot and the door at U.S. Bank Stadium.
- A rain layer for the walk in
September averages 3.4 inches of rain outside U.S. Bank Stadium.
Tailgate Gear
Lots open five hours before a weekend kickoff, three before a weekday one.
- A parking permit per vehicle — one permit is one spot, and saving spaces is not allowed
- A setup sized for a single space in a designated lot or ramp
- Something to do after the game: tailgating runs three hours past the final whistle here
- Confirmation that your event is a Vikings game — other events tailgate only if the lot operator says so
Minnesota Vikings Tailgate Gear
Canopies, grills, coolers, and official Minnesota Vikings gear for the ultimate tailgate.
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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.
- Pregame
U.S. Bank Stadium official site: Tailgating, and Directions & Parking
- Venue policies
Current U.S. Bank Stadium A-Z, safety, accessibility, and concessions pages plus Minnesota Vikings ticketing and parking guidance reviewed for all structured venue-policy topics.
- Weather
NOAA 1991-2020 Climate Normals