Drive, within 5 miles of the stadium. Several Wolfpack partner hotels sit next to Crabtree Valley Mall, with free parking and breakfast.
Div, Google Maps
Downtown Raleigh and Glenwood SouthVisiting fans pick this
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.
NC state University, Google Maps
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.
Tony Jerig, Google Maps
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.
Map of the area
Tap a pin to see the place.
Getting to Carter-Finley Stadium
From Raleigh-Durham
From a specialist guide
RDU Raleigh-Durham International, about 15 miles from downtown Raleigh and roughly 7 miles northwest of the stadium.
On game day
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.
Parking and tailgating at Carter-Finley Stadium
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.
Game day at Carter-Finley Stadium
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.
Food and drink at Carter-Finley Stadium
Bars near the stadium
Checked at the source
The Players Retreat, Google Maps
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, Google Maps
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 Bar & Grill, Google Maps
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, Google Maps
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.
Things to do around Carter-Finley Stadium
Listed in the order they happen on game day. Each one earns points.
Outing50 points
Walk the NC Museum of Art park
You get free galleries plus 4.7 miles of trails and outdoor art, one of the largest museum parks in the US, about a mile from the stadium.
Free. The day before
Tailgate90 points
Tailgate in the Frank Weedon Lot
This is the closest game-day pay lot to the stadium, and it opens five hours before kickoff. It's beer and wine only, and grills have to stay 10 feet from anything that burns.
$$. 5 hours before kickoff
Ritual75 points
Walk of Champions
You line up outside the Murphy Center with the band, cheerleaders, and dance team and watch the Wolfpack walk in from the buses.
Free. 2 hours 15 minutes before kickoff
Fan zone50 points
Food trucks at Raleighwood
This free 25,000 sq. ft. fan area sits in the stadium's northeast corner by Gate 11, with food trucks, the Lowes Foods Beer Den, and live music.
$. 1 hour 30 minutes before kickoff
Ritual65 points
Sing Wagon Wheel
Between the third and fourth quarters, the whole stadium sings Wagon Wheel with phone flashlights up.
Free. 2 hours 30 minutes after kickoff
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 at Carter-Finley Stadium
Where each part of the stadium sits, and what you see from it.
Lower level1 to 8Upper level and terraces9 to 15Tap any part of the stadium to see its view.
