SportsQuest
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Week 9, Sat, Oct 31, Time TBA local

California Golden Bearsat NC State Wolfpack

Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh. Fly into RDU.

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What we know about Carter-Finley Stadium

Where visiting fans stay

Checked at the source
  • Crabtree Valley. Drive, within 5 miles of the stadium. Several Wolfpack partner hotels sit next to Crabtree Valley Mall, with free parking and breakfast.
  • Downtown Raleigh and Glenwood South. Drive or rideshare to a pay lot. Partner hotels include the AC Hotel in Glenwood South, Raleigh's main bar and restaurant district, and the Residence Inn downtown.
  • Hillsborough Street and NC State campus. Drive. Stay by the college bars; the Aloft Raleigh at 2100 Hillsborough Street sits steps from the Players' Retreat.
  • Cary. Drive. Partner hotel TownePlace Suites on Weston Parkway, close to the stadium and Lenovo Center and often cheaper than downtown.

Around the stadium

From a specialist guide
There is no bar strip at the stadium, which sits west of campus next to Lenovo Center and the State Fairgrounds. The nearest is Hillsborough Street along NC State's main campus, a short drive east, with more than 60 restaurants and bars such as Mitch's Tavern and the Players' Retreat.

Getting in from the airport

From a specialist guide
RDU Raleigh-Durham International, about 15 miles from downtown Raleigh and roughly 7 miles northwest of the stadium.

Getting to the stadium

Checked at the source
Drive to the Frank Weedon Lot to 4700 Trinity Road, next to the stadium. Drive to the Highway 54 Lot to 5766 Chapel Hill Road. ADA shuttle to Gate 11. Wolfpack Express golf carts to Stadium gates.

Tailgating

Checked at the source
All parking gates open five hours before kickoff, and the gameday timeline lists tailgating lots opening then. Cars may not line up on public roads before the gates open. Tailgating happens in the lots around the stadium. Visitors without a season pass can buy game-day passes for the Frank Weedon Lot (4700 Trinity Road), Westchase (4011 Westchase Blvd.), CVM Deck/Cardinal Gibbons and the Highway 54 Lot (5766 Chapel Hill Road). Passes are first come, first served and card only. Beer and unfortified wine are the only alcohol allowed in NC State controlled lots. Keep tents inside your space and off walkways. No open-flame fires; charcoal grills must sit 10 feet from anything that burns. No amplified sound, golf carts, scooters or drones. Non-reserved RV parking runs through the NC State Fairgrounds, (919) 612-6767. The lot opens five hours before kickoff. The Lowes Foods Fan Zone opens three hours before kickoff with games and free samples, with live music two hours out. Raleighwood, a free 25,000 sq. ft. fan area by Gate 11 with food trucks and the Lowes Foods Beer Den, opens with the gates. REVELxp sells reserved tailgate packages: [email protected] or 919-694-1002.

Getting in

Checked at the source
  • Bag policy: One clear plastic, vinyl or PVC bag up to 12 x 6 x 12 inches, or a one-gallon clear freezer bag, plus a small clutch up to 6.5 x 4.5 inches. No backpacks, large purses, camera bags or coolers. Prohibited bags go back to your car.
  • Re-entry: Pass-outs start with five minutes left in the second quarter and stop at the start of the third. Keep your ticket and the pass-out stub.

After the final whistle

Checked at the source
Expect a slow exit: NC State says leaving takes longer with capacity crowds and road work nearby, so check Waze or Google Maps before you go. You can leave your car in the lot after the game, but it must be gone by 8 AM the next day.

One thing to avoid

From a specialist guide
Don't line up on Trinity Road or other public roads before the lots open. Unattended cars on the road are towed to Gate D off Edwards Mill Road, and pickup costs $100.

Bars near the stadium

Checked at the source

  • Players' Retreat

    105 Oberlin Road, Raleigh, NC 27605

    Raleigh's classic sports bar, open since February 27, 1951. Known for the Chicken Gus, hand-made Angus burgers and the largest single malt scotch list in North Carolina.

    Away fans: a mixed crowd of all ages; the bar calls itself a place where people from all walks of life share a toast.

  • Mitch's Tavern

    2426 Hillsborough St, Raleigh, NC 27607

    Upstairs tavern facing the main campus, ranked among the best college bars in America and seen in the 1988 film Bull Durham. Daily specials plus soups, gumbos and chili.

    Away fans: college bar crowd, heavy on NC State students and alumni.

  • Brickhouse Sports Pub

    3801 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, NC 27607

    Sports pub with ten 120-inch projection screens, pool tables, video games and a large dog-friendly patio. Takes big groups; call ahead.

    Away fans: big-screen sports bar that hosts other schools' watch parties, including the Ohio State Triangle Alumni Club.

  • Raleigh Brewing Company

    3709 Neil Street, Raleigh, NC 27607

    Founded in 2010 as North Carolina's first female-owned brewery. 32 beers on tap plus seltzer and wine, with food trucks Wednesday to Saturday.

    Away fans: relaxed brewery crowd; a calm place to meet before or after the game.

Sidequests in Raleigh

In the order they happen. Each one earns points.

  1. Outing50 points

    Walk the NC Museum of Art park

    Free galleries and 4.7 miles of trails and outdoor art, about a mile from the stadium. One of the largest museum parks in the US.

    Free. The day before

  2. Tailgate90 points

    Tailgate in the Frank Weedon Lot

    The closest game-day pay lot to the stadium opens five hours before kickoff. Beer and wine only, grills 10 feet from anything that burns.

    $$. 5 hours before kickoff

  3. Ritual75 points

    Walk of Champions

    Line up outside the Murphy Center with the band, cheerleaders, and dance team. Watch the Wolfpack walk in from the buses.

    Free. 2 hours 15 minutes before kickoff

  4. Fan zone50 points

    Food trucks at Raleighwood

    A free 25,000 sq. ft. fan area sits in the stadium's northeast corner by Gate 11. Food trucks, the Lowes Foods Beer Den, and live music.

    $. 1 hour 30 minutes before kickoff

  5. Ritual65 points

    Sing Wagon Wheel

    Between the third and fourth quarters the stadium sings Wagon Wheel. Phones go up for the flashlights.

    Free. 2 hours 30 minutes after kickoff

  6. Photo50 points

    See the Belltower lit red

    NC State's 115-foot Memorial Belltower, a World War I memorial, glows red after ACC football wins.

    Free. 4 hours after kickoff

Seats and views

Where each part of Carter-Finley Stadium sits, and what you see from it.

Lower level, end zoneLower level, corner, home sideLower level, home sidelineLower level, corner, home sideLower level, end zoneLower level, corner, visitor sideLower level, visitor sidelineLower level, corner, visitor sideUpper level and terraces, end zoneUpper level and terraces, corner, home sideUpper level and terraces, home sidelineUpper level and terraces, corner, home sideUpper level and terraces, end zoneUpper level and terraces, corner, visitor sideUpper level and terraces, visitor sidelineUpper level and terraces, corner, visitor sideHomeVisitors
Lower level1 to 8Upper level and terraces9 to 15Tap any part of the stadium to see its view.