Know Before You Go: Enjoying The Dolphins & Hurricanes At Hard Rock Stadium
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Football has been a part of the Miami landscape for decades as the Magic City is home to the NFL's Miami Dolphins and the University of Miami Hurricanes.
Hard Rock Stadium, in Miami Gardens, is the home to both the Dolphins and Hurricanes, and it has been the site of many great football games with many more to come.
However, before kickoff, each teams' stadium has its own set of policies, regarding bags, tailgating, parking and means of transportation to-and-from the stadium.
So here is your guide to make you feel right at home while visiting the home of the Fins and Canes.
The first step to enjoying any football game is getting there.
For those taking public transportation, Miami-Dade Transit is available to Hard Rock Stadium.
Fans can take Metrorail to the Earlington Heights station and transfer to Metrobus route 297 and that will take riders right to the stadium.
Metrobus route 297 can also be picked up at the Brownsville and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Metrorail stations.
Service runs two hours before kickoff and two hours after the game.
Those with SunPass can get a discount on parking as well. As you approach the stadium, look for the SunPass Plus logo at the parking gates and save $15.
Taxi and ride sharing pick up locations are located at Gate 4 and Lot 14
There are also Express Shuttle Routes that depart Hard Rock Stadium from Lot 14. It is $10 per person (cash or credit)
Drop off locations are:
- Miami/South Beach:
Bayside – 401 Biscayne Blvd.
Collins Ave. & 5th St.
Collins Ave. & 15th St. - Ft. Lauderdale
Andrews Ave. & Las Olas
Las Olas & A1A - Pembroke Pines
Shops of Pembroke Gardens (Pines Blvd & I75)
Tailgating is a great way to kick off any game, before the actual kickoff!
For 1:00 p.m. games, parking lots open at 9:00 a.m. and gates open at 11:00 a.m.
During the first hour of Miami Dolphins games, fans with blue or orange parking passes are allowed to park where they want but only in the parking areas for which they have a valid parking pass. After the first hour, you have to park where they tell you. It is called directive parking and it's designed to ensure a smooth traffic flow. Yellow lots are directive parking are in effect from the time lots open.
For Miami Hurricanes games and other stadium events, directive parking is in effect for all lots from the time lots open.
Some other important rules include one parking space per vehicle, beer kegs are not allowed; do not block fire lanes, charcoal and gas grills are allowed but open fires are not. Hot coals and flames must be extinguished promptly after use.
Once you are done tailgating and ready to head inside, remember Hard Rock Stadium does not allow backpacks, fanny packs, camera bags, coolers or seat cushions.
Instead, guests can bring personal items in a 12 x 12 x 6 inch or smaller clear tote. Guests can also use a one-gallon clear plastic freezer bag or a small clutch bag or purse approximately the size of hand.