The steps for success on Gameday.
The dog days of summer have come and gone and the wait is over, Buffalo Bills football is back. The Bills are reloading for a new season with a new coach steering the wagon. If you are looking to make the trip to Buffalo this season to watch the Bills you need to know some basic info about how to successfully navigate game day.
Where to Stay in Buffalo
When you wake up ready to go root on the Bills, nothing can ruin the hype more than the idea of having to navigate a 30+ minute commute to the stadium. It is key to stay as close to the stadium as possible so that you have more time to tailgate and get to your seats and less time fighting the traffic on I-90 to get to the game on time. Ellicott is the Official Hotel of the Buffalo Bills and has 3 convenient locations near Ralph Wilson Stadium.
These options include:
Visit their websites to check availability for these locations on game day weekends. It will be hard to find a better place to stay in Buffalo for Bills games.
Where to Park at Ralph Wilson Stadium
Once you’ve made the commute from your Ellicott hotel the next step is to find parking around the stadium. The parking lots around the stadium do not open until 4 hours before the game. All spaces in these lots are at a first come, first serve basis, so get to the stadium as early as you can to get the best possible spot! For more information on pricing visit the Bills site here.
Tailgating and Eating Options at Bills’ Games
The Buffalo Bills are famous for their tailgates. You can eat, drink and even get married right at your car in most parking lots around the stadium. Alcohol is permitted however no kegs, funnels or glass bottles/containers are permitted. The Buffalo Bills also provide more information and guidelines to tailgating on their website.
If you get to the game and don’t have time to tailgate, the stadium has a great selection of food that isn’t your typical ball-park fare. Some options for your culinary enjoyment include:
- Bourbon Meatballs in a Cup
- Pork Belly Bahn Mi Sandwich
- Buffalo Tender Hoagie
- Ribeye Sandwich
- Classics such as popcorn and nachos
- And much more
No matter what your taste is, showing up hungry to Bills games is not a problem.
Getting into Ralph Wilson Stadium
If you have not been to an NFL game in a couple of years, or if this is your first NFL game there are a couple of new procedures to get into the stadium that you must know. The NFL has a clear bag policy that began at the beginning of the 2013 season. You can find the full policy here. This year the Bills are also implementing a new walk-through metal detection screening to further increase the safety at ga
mes. To be safe, be sure to show up to the games 60 to 90 minutes before the game to ensure everything goes smoothly getting into the stadium. If you are trying to get into the stadium 5 minutes before the game starts, do not plan on being to your seats in time to watch the Bills take it to the house on the opening kickoff.
Watch the Buffalo Bills Win
This one is pretty self-explanatory. If you are planning on making the trip to Buffalo for a game this season, make sure you have a plan for success. Contact one of our Ellicott Hotel locations today to complete step one.
