Inside the Stadium:

Gates open 2 hours before kickoff, and your ticket indicated which gate to enter closest to your seats. Before the game, you may want to stop by the Miller Lite Party on the Plaza. It's a sort of festival on the NW side of the stadium and it's totally free. You can get alumni and cheerleader autographs, there's often live music, and interactive games like Field Goal Kick and a Dunk Tank, among others. Concessions there include standard food vendors selling hot dogs, corn dogs, popcorn, and our favorite midwestern snack - cheese curds. As for drink, there's mostly Miller products available here but you'll also find an Absolut Bar. 

Following the Miller theme, there's also the Miller Lite Party Deck. Four suites in section 103 were combined to create it. Tickets to the PArty Deck are given away by Viking Street Teams throughout the season, and it's a pretty fun atmosphere with complimentary food and of course, Miller Lite. Basically the only way to get tickets is to win them. You can register to win tickets online by visiting http://www.vikings.com/fans/promotions/party-deck.html

Food and Drink:

The concessions inside are not really anything to get super excited about. In fact, Esquire ranks The Dome 30th out of 31 stadiums, behind only the Bengals' stadium in terms of quality and choices.

At both Grandstand Grill at Sec 123 and Field Fare "Plus" at Sec 222 you'll find a variety of burgers including a pretty good Bison Burger and Veggie Burger as well as some unhealthy, yet super tasty cheese curds. For a different kind of dog, Bison Hot Dogs can be found at Sheboygan House stands (Sec 120 and 221).

There's a Minnesota Carvery on each level serving up Hand Carved Turkey or Roast Beef Platters as well as various snacks. New for the season - Doritos Walking Tacos found at Corona Cantina. What's a walking taco? It's better if you just order one and find out for yourself. It's awesome.

As for beer you can find regional brews like Summit Ale, Leinenkugel, and Midwestern favorite Grain Belt Premium (it's as bad as it sounds). A Miller or Coors will run you around 7.50 in a bottle while premium beers like Blue Moon or Guinness will be around $11 in a bottle. The draft Miller beers will be a whole quarter cheaper, so if that's important, go for the draft found at almost any large concessions stand. We recommend finding the Leinie Lodge and getting a Leinenkugel's Honey Weiss draft for just $7.50.

Oddly enough a mixed drink will cost you the same as a Miller Lite, so look for Absolut Bloody Marys, Camarena Tequila Margaritas or VSOP Brandy & Pepsi along with other concoctions at a few bar areas for something a little harder.

The Stadium and Neighborhood:

Home to the Minnesota Vikings since 1982, "The Dome" is the only stadium in the World to host all of the following: The Super Bowl, MLB's All-Star Game, 2 World Series, and the Final Four NCAA Championship. Now officailly called Mall of America Field at the H.H.H. Metrodome, it's named after former Minneapolis Mayor Hubert Humphrey.

In the Downtown East neighborhood of Minneapolis, it's about a mile from Target Field, where the Twins play. It's not far from many great places to grab a meal or post game drink that are well within walking distance. You'll find that many of the bars and nightclubs in the area are geared toward a young 20-something crowd and often have a cover charge and bouncer at the front door, although there are other options around as well if that's not your scene. Check our exterior map for some suggestions.

Driving and Parking:

Located near the Junction of I-94 and I-35W, it's easy to get to the stadium via car, however there is no on-site parking at the stadium. There are several privately owned ramps and surface lots, however, and prices can range from $10-$55 depending on proximity. Check our "Before & After the Game" map for parking icons which will take you to Parkwhiz links, where you may be able to book a spot directly from your phone or computer ahead of time depending on the lot.

Tailgating passes are only available as a season pass purchase and the 3 official tailgate lots are located between 3rd and 4th Street. We found individual parking passes sold online although some were up to $86.

Public Transportation:

Much cheaper than parking and a fairly convenient method of getting to the game is mass transit. The Hiawatha Light Rail Line has connected the Minneapolis entertainment district to the Metrodome. If taking the Light Rail: take the train to Downtown East/Metrodome. There are several FREE park and ride stations along that line, and you can save time and buy a roundtrip "Event 6 Hour Pass" from a ticket machine. For more info on the Hiawatha Line click HERE.

The Northstar Line will also give you access to the stadium by connecting you to the Hiawatha Light Rail at Target Field.

You can also take the bus to the game. From the North or South, routes 5,7,14,19, and 22 will get you there, or Routes 3,16,94 from the East and routes 7 and 9 from the West.

http://www.metrotransit.org/metrodome.aspx for additional information on all methods of mass transit to the game