SportsQuest
All games

Week 6, Mon, Oct 19, 5:15 PM local

Washington Commandersat San Francisco 49ers

Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara. Fly into SJC.

Build the quest

Kickoff slot

Late afternoon

The best slot for a traveling fan.

Lots open

1:00 PM

Local time on game day.

Where to stay

In the city

Tailgate from 1:00 PM, then the game.

The matchup

On ESPN

Commanders

1-2, 0-2 on the road

49ers

3-0, 2-0 at home

16% to winESPN's model84% to win

Injury report

  • Commanders
  • OutRachaad White, RB, shoulder
  • OutJayden Daniels, QB, elbow
  • OutNick Cross, S, illness
  • OutSam Cosmi, G, concussion
  • QuestionableTerry McLaurin, WR, hamstring
  • 49ers
  • OutMykel Williams, DE, knee - acl
  • IRChristian Kirk, WR, calf
  • QuestionableDre Greenlaw, LB, quadriceps
  • QuestionableJaden Dugger, LB, shoulder
  • QuestionableMike Evans, WR, ribs
Form, ESPN's model and the stat leaders
Form

The Commanders are 1-2 after 3 games, 4th in the NFC East.

They are 0-2 on the road.

The 49ers are 3-0 after 3 games, 1st in the NFC West.

They have won 3 in a row.

They are 2-0 at home.

The 49ers have won 5 of their last 5.

The Commanders have won 1 of their last 5.

ESPN's model

ESPN's model gives the 49ers a 84 percent chance at home.

Commanders

L17-13 @ DETL41-3 @ BALL24-22 @ PHIL37-20 @ DALW33-31 vs SEA
  • Passing YardsM. Mariota, 30/47, 294 YDS, 4 TD
  • Rushing YardsJ. Croskey-Merritt, 47 CAR, 142 YDS, 1 TD
  • Receiving YardsT. McLaurin, 10 REC, 141 YDS, 1 TD

49ers

W41-17 @ LACW18-12 @ LVW27-7 vs LARW35-13 vs MIAW36-30 vs ARI
  • Passing YardsB. Purdy, 60/83, 789 YDS, 9 TD, 1 INT
  • Rushing YardsC. McCaffrey, 35 CAR, 166 YDS, 3 TD
  • Receiving YardsG. Kittle, 12 REC, 174 YDS, 3 TD

Win chances come from ESPN's model.

What we know about Levi's Stadium

Where visiting fans stay

From a specialist guide
  • Downtown San Jose. VTA light rail (Green or Orange Line) to Great America station, 0. 2 miles from the stadium entrance. Good pick for a visiting fan. Hotels near the stadium serve the Silicon Valley business crowd. The area around them is office parks and chains like IHOP and In-N-Out. No pre-game bar scene there. Downtown San Jose has the bars and restaurants. It is about 15 to 20 minutes from SJC airport. A direct VTA light rail line runs from downtown to Great America station, right by the stadium.
  • Santa Clara near-stadium hotels. Walk. Genuinely walkable. Hyatt Regency Santa Clara and Hilton Santa Clara sit about 0.4 miles away. Santa Clara Marriott is about 0.9 miles away. These are convention and business-travel hotels. They empty out on weekends. You get a short walk but nothing to do the night before. Worth it if you want a short walk home more than a pre-game scene.
  • San Francisco. Caltrain to Mountain View, transfer to VTA Orange Line light rail. This is a warning, not a tip. From San Francisco, take Caltrain to Mountain View, then switch to the VTA Orange Line. That is two legs, about 90 minutes door to door. The trip back after a late game is the hard part. Book San Francisco because you want San Francisco, not because you think it is close to the stadium.

Around the stadium

From a specialist guide
The Santa Clara business-hotel cluster sits on Tasman Drive and Great America Parkway. Three hotels sit within 0.9 miles of the stadium. A fan without a car can sleep right by the stadium. But the cluster is hotels and office parks, not a fan district. The nearest food is chain restaurants. If you want atmosphere the night before, skip this cluster. If you want a short walk home after the game, it works.

Getting in from the airport

From a specialist guide
SJC, San Jose Mineta International, is about 20 minutes by rideshare or taxi to downtown San Jose. The airport sits about four miles from the stadium.

Getting to the stadium

Checked at the source
VTA light rail, Orange Line and Green Line, to Great America station. The platform is 0.2 miles from the stadium entrance, about a fifth of a mile. Light rail riders line up on the Gate A side, facing Tasman Drive. Take Caltrain to Mountain View, then transfer to the VTA Orange Line. The transfer at Mountain View is close to cross-platform. Then it is a 0.2 mile walk at Great America. Take BART to Milpitas station, then transfer to the VTA Orange Line. It is 0.2 miles from Great America station. ACE and Capitol Corridor trains stop at Santa Clara-Great America station. This stop is about 0.6 miles from the VTA Great America light rail station, a different stop with a similar name. VTA advises transferring at Lick Mill station instead. That stop is 0.2 miles from the ACE and Capitol Corridor platform.

Tailgating

Checked at the source
Tailgating at Levi's is per vehicle, per parking space, in designated lots with pre-paid passes. There is no walk-up tailgate area if you arrive by light rail. Tailgating stops when the game starts. One car gets one space. You get the lined spot and the area right behind or in front of your car.

Getting in

Checked at the source
  • Bag policy: All bags are banned except: clear bags no larger than 12 x 6 x 12 inches, including clear backpacks, fanny packs, bags and purses. One-gallon clear zip-lock bags are allowed, as is one small non-clear clutch. The clutch size differs across the venue's own pages: 4.5 x 5 inches in the A-Z guide, 4.5 x 6.5 inches on the permitted items list. No stated exception for medical, diaper, or nursing bags. Food can be carried in if wrapped in clear plastic.
  • Re-entry: Not allowed for any event. The only option is to ask staff at the gate about an emergency exception.
  • Prohibited items: A few real differences here. Umbrellas are allowed if they don't block views. Seat cushions are allowed. Strollers are allowed but must be checked at a Guest Services station. Banned: cameras with lenses over 3 inches, along with lights, tripods, monopods, selfie sticks and poles. Flags, signs or banners over 2 by 3 feet are banned, and no poles at all. Also banned: klaxons, bullhorns, whistles and other noisemakers, plus bottles over 24 ounces and thermoses. Sealed plastic water bottles and reusable clear bottles under 24 ounces are both allowed.

Touring the stadium

From a specialist guide
No public guided stadium tour on game day. The 49ers Museum opens three hours before kickoff, but you need two separate tickets. Fans must buy both a game ticket and a museum ticket to get into the museum on gamedays. A game ticket alone does not include museum entry.

After the final whistle

From a specialist guide
This is Levi's weakest point. Warn fans about it. VTA runs extra bus and light rail service for only up to one hour after the event. The light rail line has a history of overcrowding and delays after big events. After Super Bowl LX in February 2026, fans reported waiting hours for trains. Some walked miles to other stops, even though VTA ran at 90% of light rail capacity with ten times the usual number of staff. Plan to leave a few minutes early, or expect a long wait in line.

One thing to avoid

From a specialist guide
Two traps to watch for. First, booking central San Francisco because of the team name. It is 40 miles away and takes two transit legs. Second, the station name trap. The VTA light rail stop serving the stadium is called Great America, a 0.2 mile walk from the gates. A separate stop called Santa Clara-Great America serves ACE and Capitol Corridor trains, about 0.6 miles away. VTA says not to use the light rail stop as a transfer point for ACE or Capitol Corridor. Use Lick Mill station instead. Fans often book the wrong one.

Bars near the stadium

From a specialist guide

  • SP2 Communal Bar + Restaurant

    San Pedro Square, Downtown San Jose, CA

    The 49ers picked this as a Faithful Watch Party venue for 2025-26. Stadium guides tell car-free fans to base themselves in downtown San Jose.

    Away fans: it's an official club watch-party host, so it stays open to everyone.

  • Harrington's Bar & Grill

    San Francisco Financial District

    This Irish bar and grill markets itself to the Faithful. It has warm wood fittings and feels like a locals' bar, not a wall of screens.

    Away fans: mostly home fans.

Sidequests in Santa Clara

In the order they happen. Each one earns points.

  1. Outing40 points

    Winchester Mystery House

    Guided 65-minute tour through 110 rooms of the Winchester mansion in San Jose, 8 miles from the stadium. Good day-before outing for kids; basement add-on is ages 5 and up.

    $$$. The day before

  2. Landmark65 points

    Mission Santa Clara de Asis

    Mission church founded in 1777 at the center of Santa Clara University, free and open daily 7am to 7pm. View the walled rose garden cemetery from the porch steps.

    Free. The day before

  3. Eat65 points

    Pedro's Restaurant & Cantina

    Mexican restaurant in a hacienda-style historic building on Freedom Circle, 1.3 miles south of the stadium. Good sit-down dinner the night before or after a day game.

    $$. The day before

  4. Landmark65 points

    Intel Museum

    Free museum, 10,000 square feet, in Intel's Robert Noyce Building, a mile from the stadium. Covers chip making and Valley history. Weekdays only, 9am to 5pm, so fits a Monday or Thursday night game.

    Free. 6 hours before kickoff

  5. Eat65 points

    Stan's Donut Shop

    Family-run donut counter on Homestead Road in Santa Clara, 7 miles south of the stadium. They make donuts by hand daily, a quick breakfast before heading north on game morning.

    $. 5 hours before kickoff

  6. Eat65 points

    Falafel's Drive-In

    San Jose drive-in open since 1966, known for falafel and banana shakes, burgers and hot dogs still on the menu. Quick counter service before the drive north.

    $. 4 hours 30 minutes before kickoff

  7. Drink25 points

    Faultline Brewing Company, Sunnyvale

    Sunnyvale brewpub, a solid pregame stop for Levi's Stadium crowds, pours its own beer on a back patio. Food runs to things like fried calamari.

    $$. 4 hours before kickoff

  8. Photo25 points

    NRG Energy solar bridges over Tasman Drive

    The A and C pedestrian bridges carry fans over Tasman Drive into the west gates. They give a raised view back at the stadium and the crowd pouring in.

    Free. 3 hours 10 minutes before kickoff

  9. Tailgate65 points

    Faithful Mile pregame zone

    Free 60,000 square foot fan zone on the stadium's west side, inside the security perimeter, open to any ticket holder three hours before kickoff. Two bars, food trucks, a live stage, TVs running the early games.

    Free. 3 hours before kickoff

  10. Drink25 points

    Clara's Junction

    Sports bar on Tasman Drive, steps from the stadium, calling itself a 49ers tailgate destination. Home game days bring a taco truck, live BBQ, fire pits, and lawn games.

    $$. 3 hours before kickoff

  11. Tour100 points

    49ers Museum at Levi's Stadium

    20,000 square foot museum with 11 galleries and all five Lombardi trophies. Opens three hours before kickoff on game days, needs a game ticket plus a museum ticket; adults $35, kids $17.

    $$. 2 hours 50 minutes before kickoff. Bookable

  12. Drink25 points

    Characters bar, Santa Clara Marriott

    Hotel sports bar inside the Santa Clara Marriott near the stadium, good for watching replays before or after kickoff. No dedicated visiting-fan setup here.

    $$. 2 hours 30 minutes before kickoff

  13. Eat65 points

    Pizza My Heart, Great America Parkway

    Counter-serve pizza from the Santa Cruz chain, under a mile from the stadium. The owner calls it a big pregame stop and says it feeds 49ers players weekly. Open from 11am.

    $. 2 hours 30 minutes before kickoff

  14. Photo25 points

    Hall of Famers statues, 49ers Museum

    Life-sized statues of 31 49ers Hall of Famers, each in a signature pose. Pose with Bill Walsh and Joe Montana or join the Million Dollar Backfield huddle. Museum ticket required.

    $$. 2 hours 30 minutes before kickoff

  15. Ritual25 points

    Light rail to Great America station and walk in

    VTA Orange and Green line trains stop at Great America station on the stadium's north side. The gate is a fifth of a mile on foot. Caltrain riders change at Mountain View.

    $. 2 hours 30 minutes before kickoff

  16. Ritual25 points

    Gate C opening ceremony

    Since 2025, fans at Dignity Health Gate C get an opening ceremony with Gold Rush cheerleaders and the Niner Noise drumline. Be seated 20 minutes before kickoff for the player entry.

    Free. 2 hours before kickoff

  17. Drink25 points

    Barebottle Brewing, Santa Clara Square

    Craft brewery taproom with Detroit-style pizza, 2 miles south of the stadium. Opens at noon, closes 9pm Sundays, so pick it for a day game. Kids and patio dogs welcome.

    $$. 1 hour after kickoff

Seats and views

Where each part of Levi's Stadium sits, and what you see from it.

100 Level, end zone100 Level, corner, home side100 Level, home sideline100 Level, corner, home side100 Level, end zone100 Level, corner, visitor side100 Level, visitor sideline100 Level, corner, visitor side200 Level, end zone200 Level, corner, home side200 Level, home sideline200 Level, corner, home side200 Level, end zone200 Level, corner, visitor side200 Level, visitor sideline200 Level, corner, visitor side300 Level, end zone300 Level, corner, home side300 Level, home sideline300 Level, corner, home side300 Level, end zone300 Level, corner, visitor side300 Level, visitor sideline300 Level, corner, visitor side400 Level, end zone400 Level, corner, home side400 Level, home sideline400 Level, corner, home side400 Level, end zone400 Level, corner, visitor side400 Level, visitor sideline400 Level, corner, visitor sideHomeVisitors
100 Level101 to 146200 Level201 to 246300 Level301 to 328400 Level401 to 422Tap any part of the stadium to see its view.