Your ultimate game day and concert guide

Levi’s Stadium replaced our beloved Candlestick Park as San Francisco’s home for football and larger-than-life concerts in 2014.

The Santa Clara stadium, which is more than 40 miles from downtown San Francisco, hosts an average of just 20 events each year but each of them are major, including every San Francisco 49ers home game and zeitgeist-commanding concerts from acts like Taylor Swift and Beyonce in 2023 alone. Levi’s Stadium capacity is a whopping 68,500 people, which also makes it a perfect host site for the world’s biggest sporting events, including the Super Bowl, WrestleMania and FIFA World Cup matches.

If you haven’t been to Levi’s Stadium, you’ll want to acquaint yourself not only with how to get there but also what you should wear to be comfortable and the stadium’s rules for what’s allowed to be carried past the gates. Keep reading for a crash course on the logistics of getting to and having the best time at Levi’s Stadium.

As with most trips around the Bay Area, public transportation is the easiest way to get to and from Levi’s Stadium. While trains can often be crowded on 49ers game days and for larger concerts, public transportation can keep you out of traffic and save you some major cash in parking fees. Your best options are listed below.

Caltrain is likely the best way to get to Levi’s Stadium from San Francisco, although it’s not as straightforward as hopping a single train and getting off at the field. Caltrain provides transportation from SF to San Jose, with stops in all of the major cities along the peninsula, but it doesn’t go all the way to Levi’s Stadium. You’ll need to connect with the Valley Transportation Authority at Mountain View Station and continue your journey to the stadium on a VTA train or bus. You can buy a combo ticket from the Caltrain ticket kiosks.

If you’re traveling to Levi’s Stadium from the South Bay, then the VTA is likely your best bet. The train picks up in Mountain View, Sunnyvale, Milpitas, San Jose, Santa Clara and Campbell, and drops passengers off at the Great America Station on the north side of Levi’s Stadium. The VTA also runs buses to the stadium from several South Bay locations.

If you’re traveling from outside San Francisco, the Capitol Corridor can be a great option for getting to the Levi’s Stadium. The train runs from Auburn to San Jose. Tickets from Sacramento to Santa Clara run $22 and scale down the closer you are on the line to the stadium. The train also often offers a special schedule for larger concerts and 49ers games.

If you plan on driving to Levi’s Stadium, you’ll want to give yourself a lot of extra time to deal with traffic and parking once you arrive. Parking opens three and a half hours before the start of an event (including kickoff time for football games) and the earlier you arrive to park the better.

If you’re planning to park at Levi’s Stadium, reserve your parking pass online before heading to the event. Parking tickets are sold via Ticketmaster and are made for specific lots. Levi’s Stadium has a handy feature on its website that gives you driving directions to each parking lot, so note which lot you’ve reserved a space in and plan your journey to the stadium accordingly.

Credit card lots are often available for events; however, parking may be limited in those lots, so there’s a chance you won’t be able to snag a space come event time if you haven’t reserved one in advance. Credit card lots can also often be more expensive than prepaid lots.

If you’re using a ride-hailing service to get to Levi’s Stadium, plan for traffic on the way and consider going early to avoid higher prices. Dedicated Uber/Lyft drop-off and pickup areas are located in Red Lot 7. Keep in mind that you’re likely to experience surge pricing or delays in obtaining a ride after any event at Levi’s Stadium ends.

Several bicycle routes head to Levi’s Stadium within Santa Clara and San Mateo, including the Great America Parkway, the Guadalupe River Trail and San Tomas Aquino Creek Trail. Once you’re there, bikes can be locked up at Levi’s Stadium in corrals in Red Lot 1, Gate A and Gate C. The bicycle corrals open two hours before an event and stay open an hour after it ends.

Levi’s Stadium only allows guests to enter with clear backpacks, fanny packs or bags or purses that measure no larger than 12 x 6 x 12 inches. You can also bring a gallon-size clear plastic baggie or a small cloth bag not larger than 4 1/2 inches by 6 1/2 inches.

If you’re considering taking the risk of bringing in a bag that doesn’t meet those requirements, know that Levi’s Stadium has historically been very serious about its bag policy and security guards will likely turn you away if you bring a bag that is too large or not clear. Bag check isn’t available, so you’ll either have to stow your non-approved bag in your vehicle or trash it before you’ll be able to get inside.

Beyond your bag, Levi’s Stadium has a long list of prohibited items that you should acquaint yourself with before you go. You can bring things like seat cushions, blankets, umbrellas and reusable water bottles of less than 24 ounces. A few noteworthy things that aren’t allowed in the stadium include confetti, glow sticks, light-up costumes or light-up signs, laser pointers, sealed water bottles, selfie sticks and any signs, banners or poles.

Comfort is the name of the game when it comes to picking out what to wear to Levi’s Stadium. It’s a big stadium and chances are good you’re going to be doing a lot of walking, depending on where your seats are. You’re going to want to be wearing comfortable footwear and clothing you can move in.

The majority of Levi’s Stadium is not covered, which means whatever is happening outside is also going to be happening at your seat. On a sunny day, that means your seat is likely going to be very hot and you’ll want to make sure you’re wearing breathable clothing as well as sunscreen. Regardless of how it feels during the day, temperatures at night and winds make Levi’s Stadium feel quite cold. Blankets are allowed inside the stadium, so you may want to take advantage of that. You’ll also likely want to wear layers or bring extra clothing so you can put on and take off pieces as needed, and pack a beanie and gloves — yes, even early in the 49ers season.

Find it: Levi’s Stadium, 4900 Marie P DeBartolo Way, Santa Clara, CA 95054; 408-673-2100

This story was edited by Hearst Newspapers Managing Editor Kristina Moy; you can contact her at kristina.moy@hearst.com.