New York Giants Tailgating

Getting to Giants stadium for some tailgating prior to a Sunday 1PM game from Princeton New Jersey is easy provided that you leave early enough to beat the traffic.  The drive is just around 50 miles and will take you a little over an hour on Sunday morning.  You should plan on arriving before 10AM if you want to get into the stadium without waiting too long.  As game time approaches, not only does the traffic entering the stadium back up, but it also starts getting congested on the major thoroughfares surrounding the stadium, like the New Jersey Turnpike.
 
Currently the parking situation at the stadium is particularly difficult, as the new stadium is under construction, and the Xanadu project is not yet completed.  Both of these projects have eliminated a lot of the parking around the existing stadium that used to be good spots for tailgating.  In fact, unless you have a parking pass, expect to park in the overflow lots and take a bus to get to the game.
 
If you’re lucky enough to have a parking pass, and you get to the game 3 hours ahead of time, then you’re ready for some good tailgating.  You should be able to find a parking spot to set-up your grill, table and chairs and enjoy the festivities prior to the game.  Cooking on the grill seems to be the preferred method of food preparation, although there are plenty of larger parties where grilling isn’t a suitable option.  Both propane and charcoal grills are acceptable, but getting your charcoal grill extinguished prior to the game can be challenging.  You’ll face the risk of someone stealing your grill if you leave it unattended in the parking lot during the game.
 
In addition to eating and drinking prior to the game, you may want to bring a football to toss around in the parking lot, especially if you have some youngsters along who get bored easily.  On that note, while taking kids to a Giants game might seem like fun, it’s really an adult oriented activity.  From the partying that takes place both outside and inside the stadium, to the language used by the fans (especially during poor plays by the Giants), you may want to reconsider bringing children until they get older.
 
You’ll want to finish up your tailgate at least 30 minutes or more prior to the start of the game if you want to see the kickoff.  To get through security and comfortably seated will require at least that long if you are in one of the lots closest to the stadium.  You can add at least another 30 minutes if you are in one of the overflow lots, and have to take a bus to the game.
 
Once the game is over, you have two options to finish up your day at Giants stadium. Your first choice is to resume your tailgate and wait for the traffic leaving the stadium to subside.  Traffic leaving the parking lots will be bumper to bumper and can be backed up for miles.  It’s not unusual for it to take 2 hours or more to get back home to Princeton.  The other alternative is to leave the game early, and try to beat the traffic altogether.  Posted 11/21/08.

 

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