Our guide to Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, includes information on events, tickets, parking, public transportation, nearby hotels and restaurants, seating and more. Read on to find out how to get the most out of your gameday experience.

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For a nearly 40-year-old stadium that has seen more than its fair share of major sports moments, the football venue in Miami now known as Hard Rock Stadium — the longtime home of the Miami Dolphins — has witnessed quite a bit of change.

Originally known as Joe Robbie Stadium, it has sported eight different names thanks to a revolving door of corporate naming sponsors, from the plain (Dolphin Stadium) to the ludicrous (Land Shark Stadium).

It went from a state-of-the-art football-only venue to a multipurpose football/baseball stadium when the Florida Marlins moved in for the 1993 season, and then back again after the Marlins moved on to their own ballpark, now known as LoanDepot Park.

And it has undergone a few renovations, but none more dramatic than the two-year refurbishment it underwent prior to the 2016 season, when seats were removed from all four corners of the upper seating bowl in favor of four large videoboards; every seat was replaced, the color going from orange to aqua; and a massive canopy was installed over the seating area to protect the majority of fans in case of inclement weather or incessant sunshine (both of which Miami frequently has).

The venue received a new name, Hard Rock Stadium, to go along with all the new bells and whistles. In addition to its usual duties as the home of the Dolphins, the University of Miami Hurricanes and the Orange Bowl, it hosted its sixth Super Bowl in 2020.

And the list of big-time events it has staged is long, from the World Series to college football’s BCS Championship, and from the Pro Bowl to WrestleMania. Hard Rock Stadium has also become a major soccer hub — it hosted the Copa América final in 2024 and will stage matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The grounds are also home to the Miami International Autodrome, a race track that loops around the stadium and hosts Formula 1’s Miami Grand Prix each spring, as well as a tennis complex that stages the Miami Open in springtime.

Hard Rock Stadium video guide

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Hard Rock Stadium events and tickets

Check out upcoming events at Hard Rock Stadium below.

Getting to Hard Rock Stadium

Miami is a notoriously car-dependent area, and thus if you’re going to a game at Hard Rock Stadium you probably should have a car. The stadium is not in Miami proper but rather in Miami Gardens, a suburb nestled between Miami and Fort Lauderdale; from downtown Miami the stadium is about 15 miles away.

The easiest route to the stadium is via Florida’s Turnpike, a north-south toll road that connects with Interstate 95 just south of the stadium site. After passing through the stadium toll plaza, which every car that exits Florida’s Turnpike must do, turn right onto NW 199th Street, aka Dan Marino Boulevard, and the stadium will be on the right (but by then you’ll already know that, since it will be clearly visible).

Fans looking to utilize rideshares to Hard Rock Stadium events are advised to travel to either Lot 70 or 95 and use the shuttle rather than head directly to the venue.

Additionally, riders of the Brightline train can get off at the Aventura station and take a complimentary shuttle to Hard Rock Stadium for most events.

Parking at Hard Rock Stadium

Hard Rock Stadium is surrounded on all sides with parking, though inventory has decreased dramatically in recent years due to the expansion of the racetrack facilities and tennis complex. On-site lots are divided into numbered and color-coded portions. The parking areas closest to the venue itself are permit-only for most events, including the Dolphins and Hurricanes.

Attendees on a budget and single-game visitors have two off-site options for parking. Lot 70 is located at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel a few miles north of the stadium and convenient to fans coming from Broward County and points north, while Lot 95 at the Golden Glades parking structure is situated to the south and caters more to fans coming from Miami proper.

Both parking options cost $10 as of the fall of 2025 and come with complimentary access to what is currently known as the Geico HRS Express, a shuttle bus that travels on dedicated lanes along the Florida Turnpike. Drop-off and pickup for the HRS Express takes place near the Northwest Gate to the stadium.

Miami Gardens hotels near Hard Rock Stadium

• Stadium Hotel – 1.1 miles away
• Miami Gardens Inn & Suites – 2.3 miles away
• Rodeway Inn Miami I-95 – 3.1 miles away
Search for more Miami hotels on Booking.com.

Map of Miami Gardens and surrounding area

Check out rates for hotels near Hard Rock Stadium below.

Things to do around Hard Rock Stadium

You might be surprised to find out that for all the high-profile events Hard Rock Stadium holds, there’s little in the way of entertainment surrounding it — few restaurants, hotels and retail that seem to be the hallmark of the event experience these days.

With such a large parking lot surrounding the stadium, though, you’re gonna get quite the tailgate scene. There’s a lot of space to move around and set up your pregame party, even if there are a few restrictions.

If you’re staying in a hotel outside the immediate vicinity and looking for a sports bar or restaurant-type atmosphere, you’re best off finding that near where you’re staying and then heading to Hard Rock Stadium when you’re ready.

Meanwhile, the Dolphins do typically hold pregame parties of their own outside the stadium gates, complete with games, live music and more. Look for organized parties to take place in the plazas on the south or east sides of the stadium.

The expansive paddock utilized for Formula 1, which runs the length of the stadium on the north side, is also in play for football pregames. Individual garages are available to rent for tailgate parties, and several premium lounges are also located within the structure.

If you’d rather venture out on your own, your choices are limited in the immediate stadium area, which is largely residential. There are a few strip malls along NW 27th Avenue west of the stadium, where you can find a handful of fast-food chain restaurants.

There’s also a Walmart Supercenter on the southeast corner of 27th and 199th Street, but parking is restricted for football fans and tailgating is forbidden.

For more on visiting Miami, check out our Miami sports travel guide.

Miami Gardens restaurants near the stadium

• Sonic Drive-In – fast food, 0.4 miles away
• Sunday’s Eatery – Southern, 0.6 miles away
• Denny’s – diner, 0.6 miles away
Search for more Miami restaurants on Tripadvisor.

Watching a game at Hard Rock Stadium

From the outside, Hard Rock Stadium shows a little bit of its age, in the form of its concrete edifice and the set of circular ramps at each corner — typically a tell-tale sign that the venue was built in the 1980s or earlier.

Other than that, though, the stadium’s overseers have done a good job keeping the building up to date over the years, giant renovation or not, with the addition of things like a Dolphins Hall of Fame and statues of one-time team owner Joe Robbie, legendary coach Don Shula and Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino.

Inside, the more recent improvements should be more evident, in both decor and creature comforts. In addition to the large concourses that were already present, Hard Rock Stadium now boasts bar and standing-room areas underneath the four videoboards in the upper seating bowl.

The number of seats in the upper tier were reduced drastically to make room for those videoboards, with seating removed in the less desirable corner areas. All four of these spots were converted into bar spaces with limited standing-room viewing platforms.

The shade canopy, the most obvious product of the recent renovation, provides the biggest boon to fans. Beforehand, most of Hard Rock Stadium’s seating bowl was exposed to the elements, a fact fans who attended Marlins games at the stadium knew all too well.

Now, a majority of the crowd is shaded during afternoon games, and shelter is available in the event of a sudden storm that South Florida often receives. However, note that shading is not the case for the lower seating bowl on Hard Rock Stadium’s north side (sections 114-122) — this area can still receive the brunt of sunlight during early-afternoon games, which can make for an uncomfortable environment, especially early in the football season.

Unsurprisingly in the home of South Beach, luxury amenities are available to fans who are willing to shell out a little extra for a VIP experience. Hard Rock Stadium’s club seating levels are filled with exclusive clubs and bar areas that offer the velvet rope experience, and suite boxes are fitted with theater seats in addition to the food and drink service.

The most conspicuous luxury feature at Hard Rock Stadium are the “72 Club Living Room Boxes” that include wide, cushioned seating and legroom, TVs and coffee table-like shelving and in-seat service — sort of like being at a Las Vegas sportsbook, except there’s a live game in front of you. These boxes are stationed along each 35-yard line on the stadium’s south side.

Interested in a suite at Hard Rock Stadium? Buy suite tickets on SuiteHop.

Food and drink at Hard Rock Stadium

The stadium’s concessions options underwent an overhaul with the overall renovation, and continues to be reshaped with new vendors coming in.

Typical stadium fare like hot dogs, hamburgers and pizza are readily available, and there are several grab-and-go stations for these items on the 100 and 300 levels (patrons tap a credit card to enter, take their desired foods and then walk out).

More unusual (for stadium food) and South Florida-centric fare like shawarma, gourmet fried chicken sandwiches and Cubano sandwiches are also available at different speciality stadiums from local purveyors.

If you’re looking for a unique-to-South Florida beer selection among the many choices at Hard Rock Stadium, look for one of several beers offered by J. Wakefield Brewing, based in the Wynwood section of Miami. El Jefe, a coconut-based Hefeweizen, is a popular option.

Original publish date: February 4, 2016
Most recent update: December 5, 2025

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