Super Bowl LX is transforming the San Francisco Bay Area into a weeklong festival built around football, live music, food, and California culture.

As the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots prepare to meet at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara on Sunday, February 8, 2026, the spotlight is firmly on San Francisco, where fan zones, concerts, and pop-up experiences are drawing visitors from across the country for one of the largest tourism moments of the year.

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Super Bowl LX: A Bay Area Showcase

This year’s championship game returns the Super Bowl to Levi’s Stadium for the first time since Super Bowl 50, with the NFL and local organizers intent on using the occasion to showcase the broader Bay Area rather than a single host city. While the stadium itself sits in Santa Clara, the official event footprint now stretches across San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, creating multiple hubs of activity for visitors who may never set foot inside the venue on game day.

Super Bowl LX is scheduled for a 3:30 p.m. Pacific Time kickoff on February 8, with Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny tapped as halftime performer and pop singer Charlie Puth slated to perform the national anthem. NBC holds the primary broadcast in the United States, with additional coverage in Spanish and via major streaming platforms. Together, the media attention and expanded fan programming are expected to deliver tens of thousands of visitors and a regional economic boost that local officials compare to a major international convention.

For travelers, the structure of Super Bowl Week from February 2 to February 8 means the big game is only one piece of the trip. The days leading up to kickoff are packed with concerts, interactive exhibits, team rallies, and sponsor activations, many of them clustered in walkable, transit-connected parts of San Francisco that allow visitors to experience the city’s neighborhoods, cuisine, and nightlife between football-focused events.

Official NFL Events: Opening Night and Super Bowl Experience

The NFL’s own anchor events provide the backbone of the week’s schedule. Opening Night, traditionally held on the Monday before the game, brings both teams together for their first media and fan-facing appearance. For Super Bowl LX, the event is expected to take place in the South Bay, with ticketed access that lets fans watch interviews, collect autographs, and see players up close in a setting that combines television spectacle with in-arena energy.

The centerpiece for most visitors, however, is NFL Super Bowl Experience, a multi-day interactive theme park that has become a staple of recent Super Bowls. In the Bay Area, the Experience is set to anchor the Moscone Center complex in downtown San Francisco, giving fans a central indoor base where they can test their 40-yard dash, kick field goals, pose with the Lombardi Trophy, and browse exhibits from the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Organizers describe it as a dense mix of games, photo opportunities, youth clinics, and sponsor zones designed for families as much as diehard fans.

Tickets to Super Bowl Experience are timed and date-specific, with bundled access to some outdoor activations in the surrounding neighborhood. Visitors are encouraged to download the NFL’s OnePass app, which serves as a digital guidebook and QR-based passport for many of the official attractions. For travelers using San Francisco as a home base, the indoor Experience provides a reliable, weatherproof option within walking distance of major hotels, Union Square, and the Market Street transit spine.

Fan Zones Across San Francisco and the Bay

Beyond the convention center walls, the Bay Area Host Committee is rolling out a series of branded fan zones that give Super Bowl Week a distinctly local flavor. The flagship is BAHC Live! San Francisco Fan Zone at Yerba Buena Gardens and the YBCA Forum, slated to operate from Tuesday, February 3 through Saturday, February 7. Promoted as the premier local fan destination within the broader NFL Super Bowl Experience, this zone will blend football-themed programming with technology showcases, art installations, and food offerings curated to reflect the Bay Area’s diversity.

Visitors can expect daytime and early evening programming that includes live music from local performers, DJ sets, youth football clinics, and interactive sponsor displays. Because the fan zone sits in a pedestrian-friendly area just south of Market Street, it is designed as a spillover space for those leaving the Moscone halls who want to linger outside, grab a bite, or experience more relaxed, free-flowing entertainment. Entry is tied to Super Bowl Experience tickets, but once inside, many of the performances and activities are free to watch.

Across the bay, the Host Committee is also promoting BAHC Live! Oakland Fan Zone, positioned as a community-forward activation with an emphasis on local vendors, food trucks, and performances. While smaller in scale than the downtown San Francisco hub, the Oakland zone gives East Bay residents and visitors a closer-to-home option and extends the event’s economic impact. Additional pop-up fan spots are expected in San Jose and near Santa Clara’s entertainment districts, helping distribute crowds and reduce pressure on any single neighborhood.

Concerts, Parties, and Celebrity Appearances

Alongside the official schedule, Super Bowl LX is attracting a thick layer of concerts and celebrity-driven parties, many of them clustered in San Francisco’s waterfront and downtown venues. National outlets have highlighted a slate of high-profile performances featuring artists such as Post Malone and Chris Stapleton, with events scheduled at marquee locations including performance halls, historic theaters, and repurposed piers. These shows typically require separate tickets and often sell out quickly, but they serve as a major draw for visitors who see Super Bowl Week as a music festival as much as a sporting event.

Hospitality packages sold through the NFL’s official partner, On Location, fold many of these headliner concerts and pregame parties into bundled experiences that combine verified game tickets with access to VIP lounges, open bars, and celebrity-hosted events. At Levi’s Stadium itself, On Location is promoting exclusive gameday pregame parties on the stadium campus, positioned as the only official tailgate experiences inside the NFL’s event perimeter.

Elsewhere in the city, nightlife districts such as SoMa, the Marina, and parts of North Beach are bracing for a wave of brand-sponsored parties, athlete-hosted events, and last-minute pop-ups. While not all of these gatherings are open to the general public, many bars and live music venues are advertising themed nights, team-specific viewing parties, and extended hours throughout the week. Travelers interested in celebrity-spotting are likely to find the densest scenes around luxury hotels and well-known entertainment venues, particularly on the Friday and Saturday leading into the game.

Bay Area Atmosphere: Neighborhoods, Food, and Local Color

For many visitors, the real draw of Super Bowl LX may be the opportunity to experience San Francisco and its neighboring cities at their most animated. With the event coinciding with the heart of winter elsewhere in the United States, the Bay Area’s relatively mild February weather and dramatic landscapes offer a distinctive backdrop for pregame exploration. Organizers and tourism boards are encouraging fans to build extra days into their trips to sample regional favorites from sourdough and Dungeness crab to Mission-style burritos and Napa or Sonoma wines.

Neighborhoods such as the Mission District, Hayes Valley, the Ferry Building waterfront, and Chinatown are expected to see an uptick in foot traffic as visitors seek out local restaurants and independent shops between official events. In previous Bay Area Super Bowls, restaurant reservations and bar seating filled quickly on peak nights, a pattern that local businesses anticipate repeating for Super Bowl LX. Travelers who want specific dining experiences are being urged to book ahead, particularly for Friday, February 6, Saturday, February 7, and game day itself.

Across the region, public spaces are preparing for fan-centric programming. San Francisco’s waterfront promenades, Oakland’s Jack London Square, and San Jose’s downtown plazas are likely to host sponsored installations, live broadcasts, and team rallies as the week progresses. The broader Bay Area is also positioning itself as an outdoor escape valve, inviting visitors to pair their football itinerary with side trips to coastal viewpoints, redwood forests, or wine country. Tourism officials are using the global spotlight to reinforce the region’s reputation as a destination where major events and natural scenery sit side by side.

Logistics, Transportation, and Getting Around on Game Week

Moving tens of thousands of fans across a multi-city region has become one of the most complex aspects of modern Super Bowls, and Bay Area organizers say they have learned from both Super Bowl 50 and recent host cities. The Bay Area Host Committee has created a central transportation information hub that aggregates details on road closures, transit schedules, and stadium access, with the NFL directing fans to consult these resources as they finalize their plans. The emphasis is firmly on public transit, rideshare, and organized shuttles rather than private car travel to Levi’s Stadium.

On game day, Levi’s Stadium is served by a network of transport options that includes commuter rail, light rail, and dedicated charter buses from select hubs. Fans with tickets are encouraged to arrive early, with stadium entries scheduled to open at 11:30 a.m. Pacific Time and security screening expected to generate waits during peak hours. The NFL is reminding visitors that Super Bowl security protocols are stricter than for regular-season games, with detailed rules on bag sizes and prohibited items available through official guides and the OnePass app.

Within San Francisco itself, the compact layout of downtown allows many visitors to navigate the main Super Bowl venues on foot or via short rides on local transit services. However, authorities anticipate intermittent street closures around Moscone Center, fan zones, and high-traffic nightlife corridors. Travelers are advised to allow extra time when moving between events and to check for updated service changes, particularly in the late afternoon and evening windows when crowds swell around concerts and fan experiences.

Tickets, Packages, and How Non-Ticketholders Can Join In

For those intent on being inside Levi’s Stadium for Super Bowl LX, the official ticketing pipeline runs through Ticketmaster and hospitality partner On Location, which offer a mix of standard seats, club-level options, and suite experiences. Ticket prices, as ever, are at a premium, with dynamic pricing and high demand influencing availability in the final days before the game. Official platforms emphasize verified, mobile-only tickets and caution fans against purchasing from unverified sources that may not honor entry or may fall foul of NFL policies.

Yet a growing share of visitors are coming to Super Bowl Week without game tickets, drawn instead by the surrounding festival of events that do not require entry to the stadium. Many of the NFL’s fan experiences, including elements of Super Bowl Experience and select outdoor fan zones, are relatively affordable compared with game tickets, giving families and casual fans a way to participate without the cost of a seat at kickoff. Free-to-access events, including live broadcasts, outdoor performances, and team rallies, are also being promoted heavily by local tourism boards.

Hotels across San Francisco and the wider Bay Area report strong bookings for the nights surrounding February 8, but availability remains scattered across different neighborhoods and price points. Visitors looking for more budget-conscious stays are often steered toward East Bay cities and South Bay suburbs along transit lines, then encouraged to commute into key Super Bowl hubs for specific events. The distributed nature of the Bay Area means that careful planning and early reservations can significantly improve the experience, whether or not a game ticket is part of the itinerary.

FAQ

Q1. When and where is Super Bowl LX being played?
Super Bowl LX is scheduled for Sunday, February 8, 2026, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, part of the greater San Francisco Bay Area.

Q2. Who is playing in Super Bowl LX and what time is kickoff?
The game features the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots, with kickoff set for approximately 3:30 p.m. Pacific Time.

Q3. Do I need a game ticket to enjoy Super Bowl events in San Francisco?
No. Many Super Bowl Week activities, including fan zones, outdoor concerts, and elements of the Super Bowl Experience, are accessible without a game ticket, though some require separate admission.

Q4. What is the BAHC Live! San Francisco Fan Zone?
BAHC Live! San Francisco Fan Zone is a multi-day outdoor hub at Yerba Buena Gardens and the YBCA Forum, featuring live entertainment, food, interactive exhibits, and sponsor activations tied to NFL Super Bowl Experience tickets.

Q5. How can I get to Levi’s Stadium on game day from San Francisco?
Most visitors rely on organized shuttles, commuter rail, light rail, and rideshare services, with authorities strongly discouraging private car use because of road closures, limited parking, and heightened security.

Q6. What is the Super Bowl Experience and is it suitable for families?
Super Bowl Experience is the NFL’s official interactive fan festival at and around the Moscone Center, offering games, clinics, photo opportunities, and exhibits that are designed with families and fans of all ages in mind.

Q7. Who is performing at halftime and who will sing the national anthem?
Bad Bunny has been announced as the Super Bowl LX halftime headliner, while Charlie Puth is slated to perform the national anthem before kickoff.

Q8. How early should I arrive at Levi’s Stadium if I have a ticket?
Stadium entries are expected to open at 11:30 a.m. Pacific Time, and fans are urged to arrive several hours before kickoff to clear security, explore pregame parties, and avoid congestion.

Q9. Is San Francisco a good base if I do not plan to attend the game?
Yes. San Francisco hosts the largest concentration of fan zones, concerts, and cultural events during Super Bowl Week, making it an ideal base for visitors focused on atmosphere rather than stadium access.

Q10. What should visitors know about booking hotels and restaurants during Super Bowl Week?
Demand is high across the region, so travelers are advised to book hotels and restaurant reservations as early as possible, especially for the nights of February 6, 7, and 8, when crowds and prices typically peak.