University of Houston Guide: Campus & Cougars Game Day

At a glance

Where: Third Ward, southeast of downtown; visitor entrance at Calhoun Rd and University Dr (Entrance 1)
Football: TDECU Stadium (40,000 seats); gates typically open 90 minutes before kickoff
Basketball: Fertitta Center, 3422 Cullen Blvd; doors typically open 60 minutes before tipoff
Tickets: UHCougars.com/tickets or 713-GO-COOGS; mobile tickets only
Getting there: METRORail Purple Line stops by TDECU Stadium Gate 3
Parking: Paid; buy game-day parking in advance on the athletics site

The University of Houston sits a few miles southeast of downtown in Third Ward, a historic Black neighborhood. It's a big, busy campus with free art and a light-rail line running through it. Whether you are touring with a future student or heading to a game, here is how to do UH well.

The campus

For a first visit, start at Entrance 1, at Calhoun Road and University Drive. The Welcome Center is there, with a large visitor parking garage attached. Admissions offers self-guided tour maps if you want to wander at your own pace.

Visitor parking is paid. The garage at the Welcome Center is the most central option, and many surface lots have orange-striped visitor spaces you pay for by phone. Rates are posted on the UH Parking and Transportation site, so check before you go.

To get a feel for the surrounding neighborhood, read our Third Ward guide.

Things to see on campus

Blaffer Art Museum. A contemporary art museum in the campus arts district at 4173 Elgin Street. Admission is always free. It is typically open Tuesday through Saturday afternoons; check the museum's site before you go.
Public art. UH has a large public art collection spread across campus, with sculptures and installations you can walk past between classes. The Public Art of the University of Houston System runs campus tours.
Cullen Performance Hall and the Moores School of Music. Check the event calendars if you want to pair a visit with a concert.

Athletics venues

UH's main venues sit together on the east side of campus, which makes game days easy to navigate.

TDECU Stadium is home to Cougars football. It opened in 2014 on the site of the old Robertson Stadium and seats 40,000.
Fertitta Center hosts men's and women's basketball and volleyball. It is at 3422 Cullen Blvd, at the corner of Cullen and Holman Street.
Darryl & Lori Schroeder Park is home to Cougars baseball, and Cougar Softball Stadium hosts softball.

Tickets

Buy through UHCougars.com/tickets or call the ticket office at 713-GO-COOGS (462-6647). The ticket office is at TDECU Stadium's northeast corner, by Schroeder Gate 1 and Legends Plaza. On football game days it opens four hours before kickoff.

Tickets are mobile. Load them, and any parking pass, into your phone's wallet before you leave home. Full-time UH students can claim free tickets to regular-season home football games and must show their Cougar Card at the gate.

Getting there and parking

Take the train. The METRORail Purple Line runs from downtown through Third Ward and stops right outside TDECU Stadium's Gate 3. Riding in skips the post-game traffic on I-45. Our METRO guide covers fares and how to pay.

Driving. Buy game-day parking in advance on the athletics site, which UH encourages. Lots fill with donor and season-ticket parking first, so give yourself time. For basketball, campus lots open two hours before tipoff because many games fall on weekdays.

Rideshare. The designated pickup and drop-off spot is the corner of Elgin Street and Cullen Boulevard, on the north side of campus by I-45.

Shuttles. On football Saturdays, shuttles loop the east and north sides of campus. They start two hours before kickoff and run for an hour after the game.

Game day at TDECU Stadium

Gates open 90 minutes before kickoff, and there is no re-entry. The clear-bag policy is strict: clear bags up to 12" x 6" x 12", a one-gallon clear freezer bag, or a small clutch. Backpacks and regular purses stay in the car. Concessions are cashless, and beer, wine and liquor sales end at the start of the fourth quarter.

Tailgating is allowed at every home game, though you can't grill in the parking garages. If you aren't hosting a tailgate, head to Cougar Alley, the official pregame area on the stadium's east and north sides. Shasta's Kids Zone there opens four hours before kickoff.

Early-season games are hot and humid. Use the water stations inside the stadium.

Traditions to know

The Cougar hand sign. Hold up one hand with the thumb holding down the ring finger. It comes from a 1953 trip to Austin, when Shasta, the live mascot, injured a paw. Texas fans mocked the injury, and UH fans later adopted the gesture.
Shasta. The cougar mascot's name dates to a student naming contest. The pun is "she has to."
The Spirit of Houston. The marching band plays "Eat 'Em Up" and "Touchdown," and the Olympic Fanfare after a win.
Red and white. The official colors are Scarlet Red and Albino White. Wear red.

Where to eat nearby

Third Ward has soul food, barbecue and longtime neighborhood favorites within a few minutes of campus. See our best restaurants in Third Ward. If you're riding the Purple Line, downtown and EaDo are a short ride north for a pregame meal or a post-game drink. For barbecue to bring to a tailgate, start with our Houston BBQ guide.

Last verified: October 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What METRORail line goes to the University of Houston?

The Purple Line. It runs from downtown through Third Ward and stops just outside TDECU Stadium's Gate 3, with more stops around campus.

What is the bag policy at TDECU Stadium?

Only clear bags up to 12" x 6" x 12", a one-gallon clear freezer bag, or a small clutch about 4.5" x 6.5" are allowed. Backpacks and regular purses are not.

Where do I park for a Cougars football game?

UH sells game-day parking passes in advance on its athletics site, and you load them into your phone's wallet. Donor and season-ticket lots sit closest to the stadium. The Purple Line is the easiest way to skip the traffic.

Can I tailgate at University of Houston games?

Yes. Tailgating is allowed at all home football games, but grilling is not allowed in parking garages. Cougar Alley, on the stadium's east and north sides, is the official pregame area.

Do UH students get free football tickets?

Full-time UH students can claim a free ticket to regular-season home games online or on game day while supplies last. They must show a Cougar Card at the gate.