Man, let me tell you about the parking situation at the UK football games. It’s a whole thing, but I’ve got it down to a science now.
So, first off, I started checking out the official UK Athletics Parking site. It’s a pretty good resource, honestly. But I also wanted to see what the deal was with free parking, ’cause who doesn’t love free, right? From there I found that there’s a few options like the Rose Street garage, the Press Avenue garage, and the Kentucky Clinic garage. Those seemed like decent backup plans, but I wanted to be closer to the action.
Then I dug into the paid options around Kroger Field. There are a bunch of lots – Red, Blue, Green, and Orange. They’ve also got the Commonwealth Drive Lot and the College Way East and West Lots. And if you’re feeling fancy, there’s even the Sports Center Drive Garage.
I decided to go with the Red Lot for one game. Got there early, like a couple of hours before kickoff. Navigating to the lot was a breeze, and I found a spot without too much trouble. Tailgating scene was pretty lively, which was cool.
For another game, I tried parking at Commonwealth Drive Lot. It was a bit cheaper, but a little further out. Still, the walk wasn’t bad, and I actually enjoyed seeing the campus a bit more. Plus, I saved a few bucks, so that’s a win.
- Here’s a little tip: I learned the hard way that parking along University Drive is a no-go on game days after midnight. Don’t even think about it, unless you want a nice little ticket.
- Oh, and another thing: They’re pretty strict about what you can bring into the stadium. Basically, it’s one clear bag (like a Ziploc or one of those 12″ x 6″ x 12″ ones) plus a small clutch. I saw some folks getting turned away at the gate for having the wrong bag, so don’t make that mistake.
Honestly, the parking situation isn’t as bad as some people make it out to be. Just do a little research, maybe check out the official site, and decide if you wanna pay for convenience or save a few bucks and walk a bit.
Extra Note
For the high rollers, they’ve got this fancy Longship Club up on the mezzanine. Patio access, 50-yard line view. I haven’t tried it myself, but it sounds pretty swanky.
Anyways, that’s my experience with parking at UK football games. Hope it helps you out! Go Cats!
