The Ultimate Guide to Gillette Stadium

Adam Young | August 13, 2022

The New England Patriots, it can be argued, are one of the most triumphant, yet one of the most divisive franchises in all of professional sports. With five Super Bowl wins dating back to 2002, including three in a four-year span, nobody can say that they haven’t been successful. And here’s another thing that everyone can agree on: Taking in a game on the Pats’ home turf at Gillette Stadium is an experience that can’t be duplicated anywhere else.

History and Amenities

Gillette Stadium, which was designed by architect John Bolles and is owned and operated by the Kraft Group, was built in 2002 (the year of the team’s first Super Bowl win) and seats approximately 66,000 people. That number includes 5,876 club seats and 89 luxury suites. It’s the home to the New England Revolution of the MLS and the UMass Minutemen, and it also hosted the 2016 NHL Winter Classic between the Boston Bruins and the Montreal Canadiens.

Inside the building is a veritable treasure trove of endless cuisine, shopping and entertainment options for every fan, even when games are not in play. In fact, many of these features are open and available to the public every day of the week. The Union Point Space, formerly known as Southfield, is at the 300-level and features full bar-service and covered gathering areas for eventgoers and locals alike. The JetBlue Landings boast four sponsored spaces on the east and west sides of the 300-level concourse. They feature large, covered open spaces with wind-blocking structures and luxury food and beverage options, like craft beers and local farm-to-table offerings.

Patriot Place is an open-air shopping center at the venue, where fans can shop at Bass Pro Shop and Eastern Mountain Sports, among other popular retail outlets, and dine at Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill, Bar Louie, or CBS Scene Restaurant. Entertainment options include Showcase Cinema, Retro Style Bowling and the popular Escape Game. The Hall, an attraction within Patriot Place, is a 30,000 square-foot space, featuring 10 exhibit galleries with playback booths, historic artifacts and a replica of the locker room. In The Hall, you can see the team’s signature film, “Patriots Way.”

Hotels and Transportation

So, you’ve got tickets to a game or concert and you’re from out of town. Where to stay? There are many hotel options near Gillette Stadium.

Hilton Garden Inn Foxborough/Patriot Place
27 Patriot Place, Foxboro
855-239-9477

Renaissance Boston Patriots Place Hotel
28 Patriot Place, Foxboro
888-950-5062

Best Western Plus the Inn at Sharon/Foxboro
395 Old Post Rd., Sharon
866-925-8648

If you want to stay closer to downtown Boston and head out to Foxboro on gameday, you can use a ridesharing service like Uber or Lyft from any part of the city. Or, take the MBTA Commuter Rail train. Commonly called the Patriots Train, a line from South Station goes directly to the stadium. Just keep in mind that you need to plan ahead: Tickets (at $20), which are available a week before the game sell out quickly. The train heads back to Boston 30 minutes after the end of an event.

There are dozens of parking garages in the downtown/South Station area that are open on game days, so parking and taking the train is relatively easy.

Parking

If you drive and park at the stadium itself, keep in mind that general parking is $40, cash only. The lots open four hours before kickoff, unless otherwise specified, and close two hours after the event.

Tailgating is allowed in the general parking lots as soon as the lots open, unless directed by parking/security or public safety officials.

There are many parking lots at the stadium—some are general lots used for gameday parking, while others are for access to the retail areas of Gillette. Most of the gameday lots, including the lot for oversized vehicles (lot 52), are along Route 1, across from the stadium.

Additionally, there are many businesses in the area that open their lots for gameday and event parking. Just call the business before you get there to make sure they are open for parking for that particular game or event, and check if they allow tailgating, as not all of them do. Here are some options: