Hotels near Cotton Bowl Stadium fill fast for Red River Rivalry weekend, when roughly 92,000 fans pack Fair Park alongside the State Fair of Texas crowd. The five hotels below are the closest bookable options to the venue, ranked by walking distance. Each one gives you a realistic base for getting to and from the Cotton Bowl on October 10, 2026.
Getting to the Cotton Bowl on game day
Cotton Bowl Stadium is inside Fair Park at 3750 Midway Drive, Dallas, TX 75210. No hotel on this list is close enough to walk to the game comfortably, so plan on a rideshare, taxi, or DART bus. DART's Green Line stops at Fair Park Station, one block from the stadium gates, and runs frequent service on event days. From any of the hotels below, a DART Green Line trip from the nearest downtown station takes under 15 minutes. Uber and Lyft surge on game day, so book your return ride before you leave the stadium or allow 20 to 30 minutes of buffer time. Parking inside Fair Park sells out well before kickoff. If you drive, the lots along Parry Avenue and Second Avenue fill by mid-morning on State Fair days. Rideshare drop-off on Fitzhugh Avenue moves faster than the main gate approach.
Hotels near Cotton Bowl Stadium at a glance
| Hotel | Distance to Cotton Bowl | Star rating | Guest score | Nearest transit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kimpton Pittman Hotel by IHG | 1.63 mi / 33 min walk | 4 | 9.0 | DART Green Line, Deep Ellum Station (~5 min walk) |
| Element by Marriott Dallas Downtown East | 1.86 mi / 37 min walk | 3 | 8.6 | DART Green Line, Deep Ellum Station (~10 min walk) |
| SOVA Micro-Room & Social Hotel | 1.88 mi / 38 min walk | 3 | 8.8 | DART Green Line, Deep Ellum Station (~8 min walk) |
| Residence Inn by Marriott Dallas Downtown | 2.13 mi / 43 min walk | 3 | 8.8 | DART Green Line, St. Paul Station (~8 min walk) |
| Home2 Suites by Hilton Dallas Downtown at Baylor Scott & White | 2.17 mi / 43 min walk | 3 | 8.5 | DART Green Line, Baylor University Medical Center Station (~5 min walk) |
Game-day logistics tips
- Book your DART day pass before you leave the hotel. The Green Line runs to Fair Park Station, one block from the Cotton Bowl gates.
- Rideshare prices spike in the 30 minutes after the final whistle. Pre-schedule your return pickup or walk two blocks east before requesting a ride.
- The State Fair runs concurrently with the game, so Fair Park fills with non-football crowds from 9 a.m. onward. Give yourself extra time getting in.
- All five hotels below are in or near Deep Ellum and the Baylor University Medical Center corridor, which puts you on the east side of downtown Dallas closest to Fair Park.
- Red River Rivalry also goes by Red River Showdown and Red River Shootout depending on who you ask. All three names refer to the same Texas-Oklahoma game at the Cotton Bowl.
Why these five hotels
The Cotton Bowl is in Fair Park, roughly 1.5 to 2.2 miles east of the Deep Ellum and downtown Dallas hotel corridor. That corridor holds the closest concentration of quality, bookable hotels to the venue. Properties further west in downtown Dallas add another mile or more to your trip. The Kimpton Pittman leads the list because it is on Elm Street in Deep Ellum, the closest major hotel to Fair Park in this inventory. SOVA and the Element by Marriott both land under two miles and give you mid-range options with strong guest scores. Home2 Suites and the Residence Inn round out the list with extended-stay formats that suit a multi-night State Fair weekend.
The hotels
Kimpton - Pittman Hotel by IHG
2551 Elm Street
9.0514 reviews
At 1.63 miles from the Cotton Bowl, the Kimpton Pittman is the closest four-star hotel to Fair Park in this inventory, and Deep Ellum Station on the DART Green Line puts you at Fair Park Station in one stop.
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Element by Marriott Dallas Downtown East
4005 Gaston Avenue
8.6356 reviews
The Gaston Avenue address places this Element property on the east side of Dallas, closer to Fair Park than any other Marriott-branded hotel in this inventory, and the extended-stay format suits a multi-night State Fair trip.
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SOVA Micro-Room & Social Hotel
2105 Commerce Street
8.81,809 reviews
SOVA's Commerce Street address puts it under two miles from the Cotton Bowl and within walking distance of Deep Ellum Station, giving game-day riders a direct Green Line connection to Fair Park.
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Residence Inn by Marriott Dallas Downtown
1712 Commerce St
8.8453 reviews
The Residence Inn's suite format and Commerce Street location make it a practical multi-night base for fans combining the game with State Fair days, and the DART Green Line connection at St. Paul Station keeps the Cotton Bowl under 15 minutes by rail.
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Home2 Suites by Hilton Dallas Downtown at Baylor Scott & White
3301 Gaston Ave
8.5760 reviews
On Gaston Avenue near Baylor University Medical Center, this Home2 Suites is the closest extended-stay option to Fair Park with a DART Green Line station under five minutes on foot, which matters when rideshare demand spikes after the game.
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Planning a longer stay? See all our Dallas hotel guides.
Frequently asked questions
What is the closest hotel to Cotton Bowl Stadium?＋
The Kimpton Pittman Hotel on Elm Street in Deep Ellum is the closest four-star hotel to Cotton Bowl Stadium at 1.63 miles. No major hotel is within one mile of the venue, so a rideshare or DART Green Line trip is part of every game-day plan.
How do you get from these hotels to the Cotton Bowl on game day?＋
The DART Green Line is the most reliable option. Board at Deep Ellum Station or St. Paul Station depending on your hotel, and ride one or two stops to Fair Park Station, which is one block from the Cotton Bowl gates. Rideshare works too, but prices rise sharply in the hour after the game ends.
When is the next Red River Rivalry at the Cotton Bowl?＋
The next edition is October 10, 2026, at Cotton Bowl Stadium in Fair Park, Dallas.
Do hotels near Fair Park sell out for Red River Rivalry weekend?＋
Yes. The game draws roughly 92,000 fans to a neutral-site sellout, and the State Fair of Texas runs at the same time, compressing hotel availability across east Dallas and downtown. Book as early as possible, especially for Friday and Saturday nights.
Is there parking near Cotton Bowl Stadium for game day?＋
Fair Park has on-site lots, but they fill well before kickoff on State Fair days. Lots along Parry Avenue and Second Avenue are the closest alternatives. Most attendees find it easier to park at a DART station further from Fair Park and take the Green Line in.
What is the Red River Rivalry also called?＋
The game goes by several names: Red River Rivalry, Red River Showdown, and Red River Shootout. All three refer to the annual Texas-Oklahoma football game played at Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas.
