Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, may hold about 70,000 football fans, but millions more will still want to watch the Super Bowl.
Plenty of fans will be traveling to the Bay Area for the big game, even if they don’t have tickets to get into the stadium. Fear not, though, there’s still plenty for sports enthusiasts to do in the San Francisco area around the game.
From festivals to watch parties, here’s how visitors can experience Super Bowl LX without a ticket.
Super Bowl photos: Most memorable moments from Super Sunday
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Super Bowl I (Packers 35, Chiefs 10): Green Bay Packers running back Jim Taylor (31) follows the blocks of Jerry Kramer (64), Marv Fleming (81) and Forrest Gregg (75) against the Kansas City Chiefs at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
NFL fan events that don’t require game tickets
Even if you don’t have tickets to the game, there’s plenty to do around the stadium.
The two biggest official opportunities are:
The Super Bowl Experience at the Moscone Center
The Bay Area Host Committee (BAHC) Live! San Francisco Fan Zone at Yerba Buena Gardens and YBCA Forum
Both of those installations are the official NFL-backed events. Tickets for the Super Bowl Experience start at $70 and include access to the San Francisco Fan Zone.
More information on both events and how to buy tickets is available on the BAHC website, where all the other official events are also listed.
In addition, there are pop-up installations across San Francisco, including a free light projection show on the Ferry Building from Feb. 5 to 7. The show runs for about 10 minutes and will play at 8 p.m., 9 p.m., and 10 p.m. local time each evening.
Around the Embarcadero, brands are also sponsoring activations to get fans excited and engaged ahead of the game. Official player and football alumni appearances are primarily taking place in the Fan Zone from Feb. 3 to Feb. 7, but other surprises could be in store.
BAHC is also hosting a concert series Feb. 5 through Feb. 7. The series features Benson Boone on Feb. 5, Martin Garrix on Feb. 6, and Chris Stapleton on Feb. 7. Tickets for all three concerts are on sale now.
“Lean in, do all of it, and participate as much as possible,” Anna Marie Presutti, CEO of SF Travel, told USA TODAY.
Where people actually watch the game
Bars and hotels around the city will be showing “The Big Game,” so it’s a safe bet you’ll be able to find something near where you’re staying if visiting the Bay Area during the Super Bowl.
Presutti said there will be watch events all over the city, including a big festival-style party at Thrive City.
Why this weekend matters beyond football
In addition to the game-related events, many other attractions around the city plan to pounce on the visitor surge.
There will be a Lunar New Year block party in Chinatown on Feb. 4 with live performances and food, and other neighborhood events around the Bay Area to get people exploring.
The San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge is seen behind the Embarcadero in San Francisco.
“The great thing about San Francisco is people can wander into the neighborhoods, North Beach, Chinatown, Japantown, the Mission District, the Castro, Fisherman’s Wharf,” Presutti said.
She added that she hopes the shots of the city during the gameday broadcast will remind visitors who have been to San Francisco before why they love the city, and inspire others to come for the first time.
“Just the aerial shots alone that will take place during the game of the city, we can’t buy that kind of advertising. The millions upon millions of eyeballs that will be on this city from around the world, that helps us promote tourism,” she said.
Zach Wichter is a travel reporter and writes the Cruising Altitude column for USA TODAY. He is based in New York and you can reach him at zwichter@usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Visiting SF for the Super Bowl? What to do without game tickets