Westgate Entertainment District, GlendaleVisiting fans pick this
10 min by walk. There's no rail to Glendale, so anywhere else in the Valley means you need a car for every trip. Westgate is an open-air district north of the stadium with bars, restaurants, and shops, and it has eight hotels in or next to it: Aloft, Renaissance Phoenix Glendale, Hampton Inn, Home2 Suites, SpringHill Suites, Residence Inn, TownePlace Suites, and Vacation Inn. TownePlace Suites advertises a five-minute walk to the stadium. This is the only place in metro Phoenix where you can walk to the stadium without a car.
Kyle Kennedy, Google Maps
Downtown PhoenixVisiting fans pick this
30 min by rideshare. Pick this only if you're also doing a Phoenix trip. It puts you on the Valley Metro light rail for everything else in the Valley, but you'll still pay for a long rideshare to Glendale and back on game day, on the Loop 101, which gets packed on game days, especially heading north.
Scottsdale
50 min by rideshare. Skip this for a Cardinals game. Scottsdale sits on the far eastern side of the metro area and Glendale is on the far western side, so this is a cross-valley trip. Getting to Glendale from the East Valley can be a hassle, and even people who live in Scottsdale, Tempe, and Mesa often don't want to make the drive. Only book here if the game is a side trip to a Scottsdale vacation.
Around the stadium
Checked at the source
Westgate Entertainment District has real options. Bars and restaurants include Whiskey Rose (0.4 mi), Saddle Ranch Chop House (0.4 mi), and Yard House (0.5 mi), plus Tanger Outlets and Desert Diamond Arena in the same complex. Parking there can cost as little as $10. Get there early or make a reservation, since the district can fill up hours before kickoff.
Map of the area
Tap a pin to see the place.
Getting to State Farm Stadium
From Sky Harbor
Checked at the source
Phoenix Sky Harbor International (PHX), 30 minutes by rideshare or taxi. There's no rail to Glendale.
On game day
Checked at the source
No light rail to Glendale. Walk from Westgate Entertainment District hotels, about 5 min to n/a. Uber or Lyft drop you at the Black Lot to Black Lot is south of the stadium.
Parking and tailgating at State Farm Stadium
Tailgating
Checked at the source
You need a car to tailgate here. Tailgating happens in designated parking lots and starts when they open, so there's no walk-up option. Sportsman's Park is the main tailgating area for Cardinals games. If you don't have a car, Westgate Entertainment District is a five-minute walk away and works as a solid substitute, with bars and restaurants instead of grills but real atmosphere. Westgate Entertainment District bars and restaurants are free to enter, with food and drinks priced individually. Hours depend on the venue, and the district can fill up hours before kickoff.
Game day at State Farm Stadium
Getting in
Checked at the source
Bag policy: Bring a clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC bag, tote, backpack, fanny pack, or cinch bag no bigger than 12" x 12" x 6". Note the size order and that clear backpacks are allowed here, unlike at Soldier Field. Small clutch bags and wallets can't be bigger than 4.5" x 6.5" x 2", and this is the only stadium in the group that publishes a depth limit for clutches. Medically necessary items are the only named exception; diaper bags aren't mentioned.
Re-entry: Re-entry is not allowed, and the Cardinals state it more firmly than anywhere else in this group: no exceptions to the policy. Club and Loft members also need to rescan their tickets to get back into those areas.
Prohibited items: Banned items include umbrellas over 12 inches (so small umbrellas are fine here, unlike at SoFi and Soldier Field, which ban all umbrellas), laptops, professional cameras, video cameras, GoPros, tripods, poles, selfie sticks, noise makers, outside food except infant formula or milk, all drinks besides water, chairs, coolers, balloons, beach balls, aerosol cans, and chewing tobacco.
Touring the stadium
Checked at the source
Game-day tours are available. State Farm Stadium runs Gameday Prep Tours, a behind-the-scenes look at the stadium while it's being prepared on gameday, and you can book them publicly on SeatGeek instead of through group sales. Check that your date is listed before buying. The Field Roll-In Tour runs two days before gameday, at 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM. Price isn't published.
One thing to avoid
From a specialist guide
Don't book Scottsdale, Tempe, or Mesa for a Cardinals game. They sit on the opposite side of the metro area and there's no transit link to the stadium. Don't count on the Valley Metro light rail either. It's a good system, it just doesn't reach Glendale.
Food and drink at State Farm Stadium
What to eat
The local food this city is known for: the Sonoran hot dog.
Inside the stadium, 2026 season
Year-round, an Indian Frybread Dog and a chiltepin honey hot chicken sandwich. Reported, not confirmed by the stadium.Source
Stand line-ups change every season.
Bars near the stadium
From a specialist guide
Westgate Entertainment District, Google Maps
Westgate Entertainment DistrictDistrict
6770 N Sunrise Blvd, Glendale, AZ 85305
Westgate is an open-air strip built right next to State Farm Stadium, with over 70 restaurants and bars and a free Westgate Circulator shuttle that loops the district. It's the main pre-game spot for Cardinals fans and can fill up hours before kickoff.
Angel Rodriguez, Google Maps
Flanker Kitchen + Sports Bar
Westgate Entertainment District, Glendale, AZ 85305
This spot held up from the first look. It's a large chef-driven sports bar with craft cocktails, and it's still listed in Visit Phoenix's official gameday guide, so it's open for business.
Things to do around State Farm Stadium
Listed in the order they happen on game day. Each one earns points.
Outing40 points
Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium and Safari Park
This zoo and aquarium in Litchfield Park has over 600 species, rides and daily animal shows, about ten miles west of the stadium. It's open every day, 9am to 6pm starting in October.
$$. The day before
Landmark65 points
Historic Downtown Glendale and Catlin Court
Ten blocks of old bungalows have been turned into shops and antique stores here, with free covered parking at the Palmaire garage. It makes for an afternoon walk about five miles east of the stadium.
Free. The day before
Eat65 points
Pizzeria Bianco at Heritage Square
Chris Bianco's original wood-fired pizzeria has been in downtown Phoenix since 1997, with six pizzas on the menu and no reservations. It's closed Sunday, so go Saturday and plan on waiting in line.
$$. 19 hours before kickoff
Eat65 points
Sonoran hot dog at Nogales Hot Dogs
It's a bacon-wrapped dog in a bolillo bun loaded with beans, tomato and onion, served out of a tent at 20th Street and Indian School starting at 7pm. Cash only, and a dog runs about $3 to $6.
$. 18 hours before kickoff
Landmark65 points
Westgate Entertainment District
This outdoor dining and shopping district sits just north of the stadium with dozens of bars and restaurants. Fans park here and walk to the gates, or just spend the evening before the game.
Free. 18 hours before kickoff
Tour100 points
State Farm Stadium tour
This tour runs 75 to 90 minutes through the press box, visiting locker room, private loft and field level. A Gameday Prep Tour runs on game days before the crowds show up, and Field Roll-In tours run two days before.
$$. 6 hours before kickoff. Bookable
Eat65 points
Matt's Big Breakfast, Glendale Arrowhead
This Phoenix spot cooks breakfast from scratch, with cage-free eggs, pancakes and benedicts, open daily 7am to 2pm. The Arrowhead location is the closest one to the stadium.
$$. 5 hours before kickoff
Eat65 points
Haus Murphy's, downtown Glendale
This German restaurant sits on Glendale Avenue in Historic Downtown Glendale, about five miles east of the stadium. It's open Sunday 11am to 8pm, and Friday and Saturday 11am to 9pm.
$$. 4 hours before kickoff
Drink25 points
Yard House at Westgate
This bar pours 130 taps in the Westgate Entertainment District next to the stadium. It's open Sunday 11am to midnight, so it works before a 1pm or 2pm kickoff and after the game too.
$$. 3 hours before kickoff
Tailgate65 points
Great Lawn and Beer Garden at Heritage
This eight-acre lawn beside the stadium has stages, a video wall showing early NFL games, and a free beer garden that's first come, first served. You don't need a car or parking pass to walk in.
Free. 3 hours before kickoff
Photo25 points
Pat Tillman statue at Tillman Freedom Plaza
A bronze statue of Pat Tillman celebrating stands outside the stadium at Pat Tillman Freedom Plaza, backed by a 42-foot wall and a 60-foot reflecting pool. It was dedicated November 12, 2006.
Free. 2 hours before kickoff
Seats and views at State Farm Stadium
Where each part of the stadium sits, and what you see from it.
Main Level101 to 137Gila River Club Level201 to 248Loft LevelL301 to L367Terrace Level401 to 455Tap any part of the stadium to see its view.
