Our guide to Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, home of the Michigan Wolverines, includes information on events, tickets, parking, nearby hotels and restaurants, seating capacity and more. Read on to find out how to get the most out of your gameday experience.

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If you’re a college football fan, you’ve probably aspired to visit Michigan Stadium at some point.

And why not? The “Big House” is perhaps the destination venue in the sport. With a capacity of more than 107,000, Michigan Stadium is the largest sports venue not just in college football, but in the United States, period.

Being in such a large stadium on a college football Saturday is only part of the experience. A visit to Michigan puts you in the city of Ann Arbor, which is far more than just a college town but on game days comes alive with buzz from fans streaming into town, mixing and mingling with the student body and the town’s residents.

And the University of Michigan remains one of the blue bloods of the sport, one of the prominent members of the Big Ten Conference and a high-profile team even before it returned to the top of the sport with its 2023 national championship — the Wolverines’ first in 26 years.

While football Saturdays are always the best time to visit, Michigan Stadium on occasion hosts other big events. It was the host to the most-attended NHL Winter Classic in the event’s history, the 2014 matchup between the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs, and has also staged several college hockey games in recent years.

Looking for Michigan Stadium event tickets? Search events on Ticketmaster.

Getting to Michigan Stadium

Ann Arbor is located nearly 50 miles away from downtown Detroit via Interstate 94, making it nearly an hour’s drive away. So if you’re visiting for a game at Michigan Stadium, choosing to stay in a hotel in Detroit is feasible but certainly not the most ideal setup logistically.

Staying near the Michigan campus, of course, is preferred by most fans. Ann Arbor has perhaps a larger hotel selection than outsiders might realize, with nearly all of the major chains having a presence within a 10-mile radius of Michigan Stadium. However, these lodging options can fill up fast, beginning as soon as the Wolverines’ football schedule is released in January.

Ann Arbor also has a robust network of AirBnb and other vacation rental options sprinkled around the city, some with convenient access to Michigan Stadium (ie. within a reasonable walking distance). These are in just as high a demand as hotel rooms, though, so it pays to search and book early — ideally, as soon as you know the date of the game you hope to attend.

A more budget option exists about 20 miles away. Detroit Metropolitan/Wayne County Airport (DTW) is the primary entry to the region for travelers, and the network of hotels that serve the airport are also reasonably convenient to Michigan Stadium. The airport and Ann Arbor are separated by a fairly straightforward drive on Interstate 94.

If you’re staying outside Ann Arbor, you’ll need to either rent a car or make use of a rideshare to reach the city. From I-94, exit at State Street and head north to reach the stadium and the University of Michigan campus. Alternately, if you’re approaching from the east, use U.S. Route 23, exit at Washtenaw Avenue and head west, using Stadium Boulevard to reach the stadium.

If you’re staying or parking on the outskirts of Ann Arbor, you can take advantage of the game day football shuttle connecting the stadium with different areas of the city. It costs $1.50 per ride and provides transportation to areas such as the Briarwood Mall and several hotels north and west of the campus.

There are five different shuttles, so note which one you board so you know the correct one to get on after the game.

Parking at Michigan Stadium

Michigan Stadium is located on the southern edge of the school’s sprawling campus, next to the facilities for each of Michigan’s other sports.

The largest area for parking — and most convenient for single-game visitors — is located across the street from the stadium, on the University of Michigan golf course (That’s right, on the course). Parking rates vary depending on the game, but begin at $70 — more if you’re hauling a trailer — and the lots accept cash payment. If you’re planning to tailgate and don’t already hold a parking permit, this is your best option.

Several high-capacity parking structures on campus are also utilized for football games. While these are more affordable than the golf course parking option, starting at $25, expect a walk of at least half a mile to Michigan Stadium.

Wherever you choose to park, exercise patience, as the streets of Ann Arbor can become jammed with traffic beginning several hours before kickoff. Follow the link for a full picture of Michigan Stadium parking options.

Ann Arbor hotels near the stadium

• Graduate by Hilton Ann Arbor – 1.1 miles away
• Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Ann Arbor University of Michigan Area – 1.9 miles away
• Hilton Garden Inn Ann Arbor – 1.9 miles away
Search for more Ann Arbor hotels on Booking.com.

Map of Ann Arbor, Michigan

Check out rates for hotels near Michigan Stadium below.

Things to do around Michigan Stadium

If you’ve never visited Ann Arbor before, walking around the city’s downtown area is a great way to spend your pregame time before heading to Michigan Stadium.

The district is located just northwest of the Michigan campus’ central plaza, and restaurant and nightlife options familiar to U-M students fill up downtown blocks. Just note that on game days, many of the more popular eateries can fill up with students and football fans alike, creating long waits for service.

Some of the Ann Arbor hot spots worth checking out include: regional favorite Zingerman’s Deli, burger joint Krazy Jim’s Blimpy Burger, Cuban restaurant Frita Batidos and ice cream stand Blank Slate Creamery.

Beyond that, there’s nothing wrong with spending some time cruising the expansive tailgating scene around Michigan Stadium. Some of the most elaborate trailers and tailgate setups can be found on the golf course.

Meanwhile the smaller lots around the stadium’s perimeter are reserved for season-ticket members, donors and the like.

Either way, Michigan might have some of the friendliest fans in college football, meaning even if you’ve come to root for the opposing team, you might find yourself graciously welcomed into a Michigan fan tailgate just by walking around and surveying the scene for a little bit.

For more on visiting Ann Arbor, check out our Detroit sports travel guide.

Ann Arbor restaurants near the stadium

• Drip House Coffee Co. – coffeehouse, 0.1 miles away
• Pizza Bob’s – American, 0.6 miles away
• Biercamp – American, 0.7 miles away
Search for more Ann Arbor restaurants on Tripadvisor.

Watching a game at Michigan Stadium

Michigan Stadium is surrounded by a fenced-off perimeter, and large entrance gates stand at each corner of the stadium as well as on the east side. While this last gate is largely set up to serve club seat holders in the boxes above the seating bowl, any ticketholder can enter through here as well.

The perimeter of the stadium is set about halfway up the seating bowl, so you’re entering this way whether you need to walk up or down to your seat.

Now, to answer the first question on most visitors’ minds: Yes, Michigan Stadium feels every bit as big as a stadium seating 107,000 would.

The entire seating bowl at Michigan Stadium is comprised of metal bleachers — the better to squeeze in as many people as possible — and row numbers, going from bottom to top, go into the 90s. But the uppermost rows aren’t as far back as they might seem, offering a decent view of the field no matter where in the stadium you are.

Other than two very large videoboards at each end of the seating bowl, Michigan Stadium isn’t filled with a lot of the technological bells and whistles that have become customary at pro venues. But that’s OK, because there’s less to distract you from the pageantry of the college football experience.

Most visiting fans are given tickets in the uppermost rows of the sections behind the south end zone. On warm early-season days, it turns out to be nice, as the videoboard behind those sections provides some much-needed shade.

Keep your eye on Michigan’s student section, seated in the northwest corner of the stadium near where the school’s marching band is situated. Before the game, the PA announcer will make it a point to welcome the contingent from the visiting school (sincerely, though it’s met with an appropriate reaction from the pro-Michigan crowd).

And in recent years, it has become tradition for the stadium to sing “Mr. Brightside,” the hit song by The Killers, between the third and fourth quarters.

Food and drink at Michigan Stadium

Concession stands can be found all around Michigan Stadium’s concourse, with most of them tucked underneath the upper-level seating areas. Head to either end of the stadium for more stands, plus a wider area around which to roam about.

Regional staples such as Buddy’s Pizza, Detroit Wing Company and Big Boy operate stands around the stadium.

While regular sports-venue staples like burgers, chicken sandwiches and nachos are prevalent, you can also find some adventurous options.

Check out the Bao Boys stand for Asian-inspired dumplings, Olga’s Kitchen for Mediterranean finger foods or the 4th and Bowl booths for rice bowls.

Original publish date: October 18, 2024

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