Northwestern
Ryan Field · Evanston, IL
Saturday in Evanston is a train day, the CTA Purple Line or Metra, then campus, then Ryan Field once that bowl is open. Early 2026 homes are still on the lakefront at Martin Stadium, so re-check which building you’re actually going to.
Must see / do
Around campus
- New Ryan Field debuts in October 2026 and after, with little or no general lot at the stadium. Plan on transit, not a classic lot scene.
- Early 2026 homes are still at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium, on the lakefront. City District 6 street parking can mean a tow or a fine, and that’s a warning, not a stop to see.
Before the game
- The CTA Purple Line and Metra at Central Street are what the university pushes, and the transportation page frames them as walking distance.
- The Great Chicago Food Festival and Big Ten Grillout is the on-site food and tailgate festival, opening about 2 hours before kick when athletics hosts it. Confirm it that week. Early lakefront games shuttle from the Ryan Field West Lot to Martin Stadium, and you re-map that once Ryan Field is the home field.
On the lot
- This is not a classic lot tailgate. Ryan Field lots are reserved for season tickets, the annual Ryan Field permit is invalid on football gamedays, and towing is a real risk.
- The athletics gameday information page returned a 404 on September 30, 2026. Use NU Transportation and NU Now until that page is back, and confirm the week of the game. Maps are referenced on NU Now and the athletics pages, and they aren’t a file you can treat as locked.
Overview
- Early 2026 homes are at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium, on the lakefront.
- The new Ryan Field opens in October and after.
- Lots are reserved for season tickets.
- The annual Ryan Field permit is invalid on football gamedays, and towing is a real risk.
- The CTA Purple Line and Metra at Central Street are the way in.
- The athletics gameday information page was a 404 on this pass, so use NU Transportation and NU Now until that page is live, and confirm everything the week of the game.
- Don’t invent a grill, tent, or alcohol matrix, because the official athletics writeup is incomplete.
The written rules and what an officer calls that Saturday aren’t always the same. Confirm yours the week of the game.
Map
No football map image is embedded here — the remote file is missing, blocked, or not a parking-map PDF. Use the official page: Open map / gameday info . Confirm week-of; maps move.