Arizona Cardinals Stadium Tours – State Farm Stadium

Arizona Cardinals Stadium Tours – Your Complete Guide to State Farm Stadium

Arizona is home to one of the most architecturally remarkable venues in professional football, and if you have never experienced State Farm beyond a game-day ticket, you are only seeing part of what this building has to offer. The Cardinals tours program gives fans access to spaces that are completely off-limits on game day, and I have helped thousands of fans plan trips to Glendale who consistently say the same thing after completing a behind-the-scenes visit: they wish they had added it to their Arizona itinerary sooner. Walking through the Cardinals Press Conference Room, standing at field level without 63,400 fans around you, and looking out from the Press Box at one of the NFL's most distinctive venues is something that hits differently than anything the standard game experience delivers. There is simply no other way to experience State Farm the way the tours program lets you.

State Farm opened in 2006 at 1 Cardinals Drive in Glendale, Arizona, and was immediately recognized as one of the most innovative facilities in professional football. The Arizona Cardinals home venue houses the first retractable natural grass field in North America, a playing surface that grows outdoors in the Arizona sun and is mechanically rolled into the building ahead of each home game. The retractable roof keeps the facility comfortable year-round in Arizona's desert climate while allowing it to host everything from Cardinals home games to the Fiesta Bowl, college football championships, and major concerts. No other venue in Arizona, or anywhere on the continent, was built with this combination of engineering ambition, and the State Farm tours program is the only way to experience what that actually means from the inside.

Every State Farm Stadium Tour Type Explained

The Arizona Cardinals tours program at State Farm Stadium offers several distinct formats, and selecting the right one depends entirely on when you are visiting Arizona and what kind of access matters most to your group. The flagship experience is the Behind the Scenes Tours, a guided 75-to-90-minute walk through interior areas of the building that Arizona Cardinals fans never access on game day. Your guide takes the group through the Main Concourse, the Club Level, and down to Field Level when the facility schedule allows, with stops at the Cardinals Hall of Famers area, the Cardinals Press Conference Room, the NFL Visiting Team Locker Room, the Press Box, and an exclusive Private Loft. Arizona Cardinals tours enter at Gate 2, located directly next to the Cardinals Team Shop, and complimentary parking is available in the North Preferred Parking Lot at the intersection of 95th and Maryland Avenues. All Behind the Scenes Tours at State Farm Stadium are fully wheelchair accessible, and the venue provides wheelchairs on-site for any Arizona visitor who needs one.

The Gameday Prep Tours run on Arizona Cardinals home game days and offer fans a behind-the-scenes look at the building as the Cardinals prepare for action. The field is already inside the facility, final preparations are underway, and the energy inside the building is unmistakably different from a mid-week Arizona Cardinals tour visit. Parking for Gameday Prep Tours is in East Preferred, accessed on Maryland Avenue just west of the stoplight at 91st Avenue. Arizona Cardinals groups seeking full exclusivity can arrange a Private Tour directly through State Farm Stadium, requiring at least 14 days advance notice and giving your party dedicated access with a guide focused entirely on your group. Spanish-language private Arizona Cardinals tours start at $100 for up to five guests. A Virtual Tours option is also available for fans who want a digital Arizona Cardinals preview of the building before making the trip to Glendale.

The Field Roll-In Tour: What Makes State Farm Stadium Unlike Any Other NFL Venue

Of every Arizona Cardinals tour option available at State Farm Stadium, the Field Roll-In Tours are the ones with absolutely no equivalent in North American professional sports. The Arizona Cardinals home playing surface grows outdoors in the Arizona sun and is moved inside the building on a massive mechanical tray system ahead of every Cardinals home game, and the Field Roll-In Tours place Arizona Cardinals fans in position to watch that process unfold in real time. Sessions run two days before each Arizona Cardinals home game at 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM, and watching 234 feet of natural grass glide through the end zone opening and lock into position inside a climate-controlled building is one of those Arizona Cardinals experiences that is genuinely difficult to prepare for the first time you witness it. Cardinals fans who complete the Field Roll-In Tours consistently call it a highlight of their entire Arizona trip, and it reframes your understanding of what State Farm Stadium actually is as a feat of engineering.

The Field Roll-In Tours resonate particularly well with Arizona visitors drawn to architecture and engineering, and with families who want something more visually dramatic than a conventional NFL venue walkthrough. The spectacle is immediate and requires no Arizona Cardinals context to appreciate. Because Field Roll-In Tours are tied directly to the Arizona Cardinals home schedule and operate only on specific pre-game days, availability is limited and advance booking is strongly recommended. If you are building an Arizona trip around a Cardinals game, checking whether Field Roll-In Tour dates align with your travel window is one of the first planning steps you should take after securing your Cardinals tickets.

What You'll Actually See on an Arizona Cardinals Behind the Scenes Tour

Arizona Cardinals behind-the-scenes tours at State Farm Stadium are more structured and more rewarding than the typical NFL venue walkthrough, and knowing exactly what the experience covers helps set the right expectations before you book your Arizona visit. The route begins at the Cardinals Hall of Famers area, which gives real historical grounding on a franchise that most Arizona visitors underestimate until they hear the full story laid out in front of them. The Arizona Cardinals are the oldest continuously operating professional football team in the United States, founded in 1898, and that history is presented with genuine depth during State Farm Stadium tours rather than a few plaques on a wall.

The Cardinals Press Conference Room is a stop that carries more weight than most Arizona Cardinals visitors anticipate before entering it. This is the room where Arizona Cardinals coaches and players face the media after every game, and standing in it without a crowd around you gives that space an entirely different character. The NFL Visiting Team Locker Room is consistently one of the most popular stops across all State Farm Stadium tours, delivering the professional scale, the setup built for elite athletes, and the genuine sense of being somewhere Arizona Cardinals game-day tickets never get you access to. The Press Box provides one of the finest elevated views of the playing field in the entire building, and the exclusive Private Loft is a premium Arizona Cardinals hospitality space that most visitors never access under any other circumstances. Tour stops are subject to change based on the facility's event schedule, and the overall runtime of 75 to 90 minutes is enough time to move through the building meaningfully without feeling rushed.

How to Choose the Right State Farm Stadium Tour for Your Trip

The decision between Arizona Cardinals tour formats comes down to three things: when you are visiting Arizona, who you are bringing, and how much control you want over the experience. If you are traveling to Glendale specifically for an Arizona Cardinals game and building the full trip around it, the Gameday Prep Tours or Field Roll-In Tours are the natural choices because both connect directly to the Cardinals game-day story you are already planning around. There is a meaningful difference between walking through a quiet building mid-week and moving through the same facility while 60,000 Arizona Cardinals fans are hours away from filling it, and the Field Roll-In Tours add a dimension that becomes part of how you describe the Arizona Cardinals home venue to anyone who has not been there yet. Both formats have limited availability, so securing your spot on Arizona Cardinals tours as soon as dates are announced is the practical approach.

The Behind the Scenes Tours are the most flexible Arizona Cardinals option and the right choice for anyone visiting the building outside a game weekend, traveling with a mixed group that includes younger kids, or building a broader Arizona itinerary that extends beyond just the Cardinals. These tours run on a regular weekly schedule, enter at Gate 2 with complimentary parking at 95th and Maryland Avenues, and the 75-to-90-minute runtime fits cleanly into a full Arizona day in the West Valley. Arizona Cardinals corporate groups and private parties should go straight to the Private Tours route, arranged directly through State Farm Stadium at least 14 days in advance. Whatever format you select, purchasing tickets ahead of your Arizona visit is consistently recommended. Arizona Cardinals tours at this venue reach capacity regularly and walk-up availability on the day is never guaranteed.

Fun Facts About State Farm Stadium

Arizona is one of only a handful of states to have hosted multiple Super Bowls, and State Farm Stadium is the reason why. The venue was built between 2003 and 2006 at a cost of $455 million, opening on August 1, 2006 as University of Phoenix Stadium before State Farm acquired the naming rights in 2018. From the moment it opened, Arizona Cardinals fans had something no other NFL fanbase could claim: a home venue with both a retractable roof and a roll-out natural grass playing surface, the first of its kind in North America. The natural grass field spans 234 feet wide and 403 feet long, moves on 546 steel wheels across 13 tracks, and takes approximately 70 minutes to roll from its outdoor Arizona growing position into the interior of the building, a process that the Field Roll-In Tours were built specifically to showcase.

The Arizona Cardinals call one of the most decorated event venues in the country home. State Farm Stadium has hosted three Super Bowls, more than almost any other facility in the NFL. Super Bowl XLII was played here in 2008, Super Bowl XLIX in 2015, and most recently Super Bowl LVII on February 12, 2023, when the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35 in one of the highest-scoring Arizona Cardinals home games in the building's history of championship events. The venue has also hosted the College Football Playoff National Championship in 2016, the NCAA Men's Final Four in 2024, the annual Fiesta Bowl every year since 2007, and Taylor Swift's The Eras Tour. The Arizona Cardinals themselves are the oldest continuously operating professional football franchise in the United States, founded in 1898 and purchased by the Bidwill family in 1933 for $50,000, a piece of Cardinals history that lands with real weight when delivered inside the Hall of Famers area during State Farm Stadium tours.

Planning Your Full Arizona Cardinals Trip with Elite Sports Tours

Arizona Cardinals tours at State Farm Stadium are one piece of a complete Cardinals trip. Coordinating Arizona Cardinals game tickets, a hotel near the venue, and flights from separate platforms is where most fans lose time and overpay on components they could have bundled. Elite Sports Tours is a sports travel planning platform built specifically to remove that friction for Arizona Cardinals fans traveling to Glendale. You can browse Arizona Cardinals game packages that combine tickets, hotel accommodations, and flights in one place, compare options across different Arizona Cardinals home game dates, and lock in your full itinerary without juggling separate bookings across multiple sites. The platform does not operate or sell the State Farm Stadium tours themselves, as those are arranged directly through the venue, but it handles everything else that goes into making an Arizona Cardinals trip work from start to finish.

The bundled pricing at Elite Sports Tours regularly unlocks savings not available when booking each component separately, and for Arizona Cardinals fans traveling from out of state, having everything consolidated in one itinerary eliminates the risk of a hotel booked too far from State Farm Stadium or scheduling gaps that eat into the Arizona trip. Browse Arizona Cardinals Travel Packages at Elite Sports Tours to find the right combination of tickets, hotel, and flights for your group. Plan the Arizona Cardinals tours directly through State Farm Stadium, plan everything else through Elite Sports Tours, and your Arizona Cardinals trip comes together without the usual coordination headaches.

Frequently Asked Questions About Arizona Cardinals Tours at State Farm

Are Cardinals tours at State Farm worth it?

For any fan visiting Arizona, the Behind the Scenes Tours at State Farm deliver genuine value that a game-day ticket simply cannot replicate. Over 75 to 90 minutes, fans access the Cardinals Hall of Famers area, the Cardinals Press Conference Room, the NFL Visiting Team Locker Room, the Press Box, and an exclusive Private Loft, spaces that are completely off-limits during any other Arizona visit to the building. The tours build real historical context around the Cardinals franchise and the engineering of State Farm itself, and tour guests receive a 10% discount at the Cardinals Team Shop, a useful bonus for any Arizona visitor planning to pick up merchandise during their trip.

How do I book Arizona Cardinals tours at State Farm?

Cardinals tours at State Farm are booked in advance through the venue's official channels, and purchasing ahead of your Arizona visit is strongly encouraged since capacity is limited and tours do sell out, particularly on dates close to Cardinals home games. On the day of your visit, enter at Gate 2, located directly next to the Cardinals Team Shop at State Farm. Complimentary parking is available in the North Preferred Parking Lot at the intersection of 95th and Maryland Avenues in Glendale, Arizona.

What are the Field Roll-In Tours and when do they happen?

The Arizona Cardinals Field Roll-In Tours at State Farm give guests a real-time view of the retractable natural grass field being rolled mechanically into the building from its outdoor Arizona growing location. This is the first retractable natural grass field in North America, and there is no equivalent experience at any other venue in the country. These tours run two days before each Cardinals home game at 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM. Availability is tied directly to the Arizona Cardinals regular season home schedule, so checking Field Roll-In Tour dates against your Arizona travel window early in the planning process is essential.

Can I visit the Cardinals locker room on a tour?

State Farm tours include the NFL Visiting Team Locker Room rather than the Cardinals home facility. Tour stops are subject to change based on scheduling and active events on the day of your Arizona visit. Groups with specific access priorities should explore the Private Tours option, arranged directly through State Farm at least 14 days in advance, which allows for a more tailored Arizona experience with a dedicated guide focused entirely on your group.

Are State Farm tours wheelchair accessible?

Yes. All Arizona Cardinals Behind the Scenes Tours at State Farm are fully wheelchair accessible throughout the entire route. The venue provides wheelchairs on-site for Arizona visitors who require one, and guests needing accessibility support are encouraged to notify State Farm in advance so the appropriate assistance is confirmed and ready upon arrival.

How much do Cardinals tours at State Farm cost?

Behind the Scenes Tour pricing should be verified through State Farm's official channels before booking your Arizona visit, as it can vary by date and availability. Private tours start at $100 for up to five guests for Spanish-language experiences, with standard private pricing arranged directly through State Farm. Discounts for Arizona educational institutions are also available through the private booking process.

Can I combine Cardinals tours with a game ticket?

Yes, and combining both is one of the most effective ways to structure an Arizona trip around a Cardinals game in Glendale. The tours give you an intimate perspective on State Farm before experiencing it at full capacity, and those two versions of the building are genuinely different in ways that are hard to anticipate until you have done both. Elite Sports Tours helps fans plan the full Arizona trip in one place, combining game tickets, hotel accommodations, and flights into a single package so nothing gets left to last-minute scrambling.

What should I wear to Cardinals tours at State Farm?

There is no formal dress code for Arizona Cardinals tours, but comfortable walking shoes are the practical choice since the tours move through multiple levels of a large building over 75 to 90 minutes. The interior of State Farm is climate-controlled and the retractable roof remains closed on most tour days, so the Arizona heat outside is not a concern inside the facility. Cameras are welcome throughout, and stops like the Press Box and Private Loft offer photo opportunities that fans never get access to during a regular Arizona Cardinals game-day visit.

Explore More Arizona Cardinals Travel Guides

Want to get the most out of your Arizona Cardinals trip? Check out these related guides to ensure the journey is seamless and enjoyable:

• Best Hotels Near State Farm Stadium for Arizona Cardinals Games: Find the best hotel options near State Farm Stadium when planning your Arizona Cardinals travel trip.
• Arizona Cardinals Travel Guide for Fans: Plan the perfect Arizona trip to catch a Cardinals home game live at State Farm Stadium.
• How to Get to State Farm Stadium: Find the best transportation options to avoid traffic and arrive at State Farm Stadium with ease.
• Where the Arizona Cardinals Stay on the Road: Curious where the pros stay? Learn about the hotel options NFL teams use when traveling on the road.
• Best Seats and Ticket Options at Arizona Cardinals Games: From budget-friendly tickets to luxury suites, find the best seats for an Arizona Cardinals home game.
• State Farm Stadium Tours and Attractions: Take a behind-the-scenes look at State Farm Stadium with exclusive tours and insider access.
• Arizona Cardinals Travel Packages: Explore complete travel packages that include flights, hotel, and tickets for your next Arizona Cardinals trip.

Editorial Note and Travel Expertise

This guide was written by Tim Macdonell, CEO of Elite Sports Tours, based on 15 years of planning sports travel experiences for fans across North America. State Farm Stadium is one of the genuinely special venues in professional football, and the retractable field alone makes it worth a visit even outside of a Cardinals game day. The Behind the Scenes Tour program is one of the better-structured stadium tour experiences in the NFL, and the Field Roll-In Tour is something that has no comparison anywhere else in the sport. Our recommendations are grounded in verified information sourced from the official State Farm Stadium tours program, real-world fan travel logistics, and continuous research into scheduling and availability, updated for 2026.

Travel Information Disclaimer

Ticket prices, tour schedules, stadium access areas, tour stop availability, and operational details are subject to change without notice. All information in this guide reflects research conducted for the 2025 to 2026 season and is intended as a general planning resource. Tour routes may vary on any given date based on active stadium events and operational decisions made by the venue. Always verify current pricing, tour availability, and booking requirements directly through the State Farm Stadium official website before finalizing plans. Elite Sports Tours is not responsible for third-party pricing changes, tour cancellations, or modifications to stadium access policies.

Updated April 2026