The Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana is one of the most unique stadiums in the country. Built in 1975, it serves as the home of the NFL’s New Orleans Saints, The Sugar Bowl, and other various events. Sundays during the NFL season in New Orleans are some of the most fun, party-like atmospheres you can find in the league. Read below to find out everything you need to know before heading to a Saints game, from parking, to tailgating, to stadium information.
Parking and Roads to Avoid
Given the Superdome’s proximity to downtown, driving the New Orleans streets near the stadium on game days can be a bit of a hassle due to traffic. As with all other NFL events, the general rule applies where the earlier you drive down and find your spot to park, the less traffic you will have to worry about.
The Saints have seven official parking garages as well as two surface lots to choose from adjacent to the stadium. The cost depends on the game, but usually parking in the official garages costs around $30-$50. The Saints provide a complete guide to parking in their lots/garages here.
There are also a wide variety of unofficial lots that are owned by businesses or residents that can be found farther away from the stadium. These are more popular among fans on a budget as they tend to be cheaper. The trick is to finding a spot is searching online or by driving around on gameday, looking for advertisements for parking.
The way that most people get to the Superdome is by taking Interstate I-10 from the East or the West. Some people also cross the Mississippi River from the South over the Greater New Orleans Bridge. Whichever the best way is for you, the Saints provide specific directions on how to navigate your way to the Superdome here. Pregame and postgame traffic maps are also available at the link so you are prepared on how the flow of traffic will be controlled.
Tailgating
When it comes to tailgating, the Saints have a trickier setup compared to their NFL peers and their college counterparts, LSU. Since the Superdome is surrounded by office buildings, freeways, and hotels, there aren’t many large expansive parking lots for fans to come and setup. However, being New Orleans, there’s always a party somewhere if you know where to look.
The most traditional tailgating you can find is at in the lots between Loyola Avenue And South Rampart Street. Here is where you can find all the RVs parked with tent and open-air grilling setups. You can find great food and cold beer here, as well as friendly Saints fans having a good time. Many people will park here overnight to try and get the best spots.
Champions Square
Another option to spend time before the game is at Champions Square. It’s a massive 60,000 square foot outdoor plaza that holds up to 8,000 fans located right next to the Superdome. The Saints have food and drink vendors there as well as live entertainment. They also setup huge screens in the plaza so you can watch the game if you don't have a ticket (or you're late getting in). It’s a great place to experience the action as well as the tailgating atmosphere without having to worry about the cooking or driving.
Finally, if none of these options sound appealing to you, another thing you can do is set up a tailgate in the Saints parking garages mentioned earlier. They do allow you to tailgate there - even though it’s closed-air - as long as you only take up space in your designated parking spot. However, they do not allow open flame grills, so you will have to be a bit creative when it comes to the food. For a complete list of the various rules you must follow when tailgating in the garages, go here.
Gates
The gates to the Superdome open at different times depending on the event; however, for most Saints games, the doors open two hours before kickoff. To see when the doors open for the specific game/event you want to go to, you can find that information by clicking on your event at the Superdome Events Page.. There are eight gates surrounding the stadium. The one you should go through depends on where your ticket is located. For this information, you can consult the Superdome Gate Map where you can look through seating charts to find which gate is closest to your section.
