The Houston Rodeo is an absolute beast of a thing to attend — especially if you’re not super familiar with the grounds. I’ve attended my entire life, and now I’m on a rodeo committee that’s had me super connected to the show — all the insides and out!

Now, with my years of experience, I shall bequeath on you my knowledge of getting in, around, and out of the rodeo! PSA. Here’s a link to the NRG Park map that’s extremely helpful to use.

Lots of Options

There are three onsite parking lots at NRG that are open to the public — the yellow, OST, and 610 lots are $20 each. Just a heads up that they do fill up and if you are planning on arriving an hour before the concert (which starts at 8:45 pm on weekdays and 5:45 on weekends), those lots will for sure be full.

The yellow and 610 lots have trams that pick up and drop off — yellow lot is the yellow line and the 610 lot is the pink tram line. There are also park and ride locations that use huge, constantly moving busses. It get’s a bit confusing, so make sure you plan your route using this page full of info and pay attention to pick-up and drop-off options.

Hey! There’s an app for tracking parking, by the way. Get it on itunes here.

Rideshare Don’t Care

So ridesharing at the rodeo can be hit or miss. Just know that if you’re leaving the stadium after the concert, you’re going to have to wait for a ride for sure.

Drop-offs and pick-ups are in the Miller Lite Yellow Lot 38. Take the entrance gate 16B off Main St.; from the north bound lanes of Main Street is the only access to the lot. Here’s a map. There is the yellow line tram that takes you from the north side of NRG Stadium (around the exit that’s closest to wine garden).

Go Metro

There’s a METRORail red line that runs north and south parallel to Main Street. Highly recommend it if you can figure out a way to park and ride OR catch a ride to get out of the surge pricing for ridesharing.

Here’s where you can get the line info.

Here’s our blog post about where to post-game the rodeo, including some info about where to go on the METRORail.

How to Wait Out a Surge

Did you know there are things to do on the rodeo grounds AFTER the show that aren’t sitting in your car in parking lot traffic or waiting in in an Uber line?

The Hideout has concerts on weeknights at 10:15 pm and weekends at 8:30 pm. The venue is located on the west side of the NRG Arena in a white tent. Exit the Amegy Bank gate, cross through the carnival diagonally and you should see it. Park Map link.

The Wine Garden is open until 11 pm Monday-Thursday, until midnight Friday and Saturday, and until 10 pm on Sundays.

The Carnival is open until midnight every night (dependent on weather conditions).

Other rodeo guides

I hope you found this helpful for rodeo season!!!! While we are on the topic, allow me to direct you to our rodeo guides. We’ve got:

• 5 Places You’ll Probably Find Us at RODEOHOUSTON
• RODEOHOUSTON: Where to go before/after the Rodeo
• What to Wear to the Houston Rodeo
• A Definitive 10-Point Checklist for Your First Rodeo
• What NOT to do at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo