Levi's Stadium

Levi's Stadium is the home of the San Francisco 49ers, even though it sits in Santa Clara, about 40 miles south of the city the team is named for. For Palo Alto that is good news. The stadium is roughly 12 miles away down US 101, a 20 to 30 minute drive on a normal day and an easy trip by Caltrain and VTA light rail on a game day, when the drive can take far longer.

This page covers the venue itself: what happens there, how to get in and out, the bag and parking rules the stadium publishes and where to eat. For the teams and how to follow them, start with our guide to watching sports from Palo Alto. For the rest of Santa Clara, including the mission and the university, see our Santa Clara day trip.

What happens at Levi's Stadium

The stadium opened in July 2014 at 4900 Marie P. DeBartolo Way, next to California's Great America. It seats about 68,500 for football and can stretch to about 75,000 for the biggest events. It has hosted two Super Bowls (Super Bowl 50 in 2016 and Super Bowl LX on February 8, 2026) and six matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, played under the temporary name San Francisco Bay Area Stadium.

• 49ers football. The NFL regular season runs from September into early January. Home games fill the stadium and the parking lots for most of the day.
• Concerts. Major artists on stadium tours come through in spring, summer and fall. The stadium's own news page in 2026 listed shows such as Usher and Chris Brown's co-headline tour.
• College football and soccer. Neutral-site college games and international soccer matches appear on the calendar most years.
• The 49ers Museum. The museum inside the stadium covers the team's history and its five Super Bowl titles. It now opens on a limited schedule, described below.

Events sell through different platforms, so always start from the event listing on the Levi's Stadium website. Many 49ers and concert tickets run through Ticketmaster, where you can compare seats for upcoming events before you commit.

Getting there from Palo Alto

Caltrain and VTA light rail

This is the route the stadium and Caltrain both point to. Ride Caltrain south from Palo Alto or California Avenue to Mountain View, a trip of about 7 minutes. Palo Alto and Mountain View are both in Caltrain's Zone 3, so it is a one-zone fare. At Mountain View station, walk to the VTA light rail platform beside the tracks and board the Orange Line toward Alum Rock. Caltrain's events guide says to ride 12 stops to Great America. The stadium describes the station as being on its north side.

The stadium's transit page also notes that wheelchair courtesy service runs from the Great America light rail station to the west gates, booked through its Mobility Services line. That service is not offered from the bus stops or the other train stations. Light rail fills fast after the final whistle, so expect to wait for a second or third train. Our Caltrain guide covers fares and the last trains home.

Other trains

ACE trains run to the stadium area from the Central Valley and the Tri-Valley for 49ers weekend home games and some other events. Capitol Corridor trains stop at Santa Clara Great America station, a separate stop from the VTA platform. Neither is useful from Palo Alto, but they explain the crowds you will see on the walkways.

Driving

Take US 101 south and exit at Great America Parkway, then follow event signs. Highway 237 and the Lawrence and San Tomas expressways also feed the area. On game days traffic backs up on every approach for hours, so leave far earlier than the distance suggests.

Bike

The stadium offers free bike parking run by the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition. For NFL games it uses corrals outside Gate A and Gate C. For other events only the Gate C corral opens. The valet also takes cargo bikes, e-bikes and scooters. The San Tomas Aquino Creek Trail runs right past the stadium, though non-ticketed riders are diverted during events.

Parking, in general terms

Parking is the hardest part of a Levi's Stadium trip. The stadium's parking page explains how it works but not what it costs, because prices change by event. The main points as published in fall 2026:

• Buy ahead. The stadium recommends prepaid parking passes for both 49ers and other events. Credit card lots on event day are limited and may cost more.
• Lots sell out. Its parking FAQ said the Red, Blue and Green 1 lots were sold out for the 49ers season and pointed fans to other lots or transit. Private lots nearby also sell spaces on game days.
• Timing. Lots usually open 3.5 hours before kickoff or the event start and close two hours after it ends.
• Directed parking. Attendants fill the far spaces first. Groups who want to park together have to arrive together.
• Size limit. A pass covers one space for a vehicle under about 17 feet. Buses, limos and RVs must book oversized parking in advance.

Rideshare has its own pickup and drop-off area, listed on the stadium's getting here pages. Expect surge pricing after a sellout. Our page on robotaxis, rideshare and taxis covers the options from Palo Alto.

Bag policy and stadium rules

Levi's Stadium runs a clear bag policy for every event, including concerts, unless an event page says otherwise. According to the stadium's bag policy page, allowed bags are:

• Clear bags, clear backpacks, clear fanny packs and clear purses no larger than 12 by 6 by 12 inches
• One-gallon clear plastic zip-top bags
• A small clutch about the size of an adult hand, up to 4.5 by 6.5 inches
• Diaper bags with a child and medical bags, which are inspected and tagged at the gate

Bags that do not comply go back to your car. The stadium's A to Z guide lists a third-party bag check run by The Mobile Locker Co. at $20 per bag, which is a costly fallback rather than a plan. Factory-sealed plastic water bottles under 24 ounces and empty clear reusable bottles under 24 ounces are allowed. Umbrellas are permitted as long as they do not block views.

A few other rules catch first-timers. The stadium is cashless and has no ATMs, though reverse ATMs turn cash into a card. Re-entry is not allowed. Smoking, including vaping, is limited to designated areas. Selfie sticks, noisemakers and flags larger than 2 by 3 feet are banned.

Tailgating

Tailgating is part of a 49ers Sunday. The stadium allows it in the lined space and the area directly in front of or behind your vehicle, one car to one space. It must not block disabled parking paths. Tailgating stops at kickoff. The parking FAQ also says the stadium is enforcing a policy against amplified music in the lots. Season ticket holders with Early Entry Tailgate passes can enter the Blue 1 and Green 1 lots an hour before the gates open.

The 49ers Museum

The museum is the only way to see the inside of the stadium without an event ticket. Its visit page lists these terms for the 2026 season:

Prices and dates can change, so check the page before you go. Museum tickets also give a day-of discount at the team store. The site's visitor pages focus on the museum, so ask the stadium directly if you want a separate stadium tour.

Food before and after

Inside, food and drink stands cover every concourse. Outside, the closest independent restaurants are at Santa Clara Square, north of US 101 on Augustine Drive. Puesto, a Mexico City style taqueria, lists its Santa Clara branch at 2752 Augustine Drive. Bafang Dumpling lists a location at 2702 Augustine Drive. Both are a short drive from the stadium, but they fill early on game days. Our guide to where to eat in Santa Clara covers the Korean restaurants on El Camino Real and the food halls at Valley Fair.

If you take the train, eating in Mountain View before you board the light rail is often easier than fighting traffic near the stadium. If you are staying over for an early kickoff, you can compare hotels near the stadium. Several sit within walking distance along Tasman Drive and Great America Parkway. Our page on staying in Menlo Park or Mountain View covers options closer to Palo Alto.

Frequently asked questions