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 for Red River Rivalry
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 one of the following ways to get there:
- DART Green Line: Stops at Fair Park Station, one block from the stadium gates, with frequent service on event days. From any hotel below, a trip from the nearest downtown station takes under 15 minutes.
- Uber and Lyft: Prices surge on game day, so book your return ride before you leave the stadium or allow 20 to 30 minutes of buffer time.
- Parking: Lots inside Fair Park sell out well before kickoff, and lots along Parry Avenue and Second Avenue fill by mid-morning on State Fair days.
- Rideshare drop-off: Fitzhugh Avenue moves faster than the main gate approach.
The DART Green Line is the most predictable option for avoiding post-game rideshare surges. Deep Ellum Station and St. Paul Station are both within walking distance of the hotels on this list, and Fair Park Station deposits you one block from the Cotton Bowl gates. If you drive, plan to park at a DART station further out and ride the Green Line in rather than competing for Fair Park lots.
Red River Rivalry hotels 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) |
Red River Rivalry 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 for Red River Rivalry
The Cotton Bowl is in Fair Park, roughly 1.5 to 2.2 miles east of the Deep Ellum and downtown Dallas hotel corridor, which 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.
- 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: Lands under two miles from the venue and offers a mid-range option with strong guest scores.
- Element by Marriott: Also lands under two miles from the venue and offers a mid-range option with strong guest scores.
- Home2 Suites: Suits a multi-night State Fair weekend with its extended-stay format.
- Residence Inn: Also suits a multi-night State Fair weekend with its extended-stay format.
Hotel-by-hotel breakdown for Red River Rivalry
Kimpton Pittman Hotel by IHG on Elm Street is the closest four-star property to Fair Park on this list. Its Deep Ellum location puts you at the center of the neighborhood's bars and restaurants for pre- and post-game activity, and Deep Ellum Station is a short walk away for the Green Line ride to Fair Park.
Element by Marriott Dallas Downtown East on Gaston Avenue sits on the east side of Dallas, closer to Fair Park than any other Marriott-branded hotel in this group. The extended-stay format, with in-room kitchens and laundry, suits fans planning a long State Fair weekend.
SOVA Micro-Room & Social Hotel on Commerce Street is a compact, social-format property that keeps costs mid-range while staying under two miles from the Cotton Bowl. Deep Ellum Station is walkable from the front door.
Residence Inn by Marriott Dallas Downtown on Commerce Street offers suite-style rooms with full kitchens, making it a practical base for multi-night stays. St. Paul Station on the DART Green Line is about eight minutes on foot.
Home2 Suites by Hilton Dallas Downtown at Baylor Scott & White on Gaston Avenue is the furthest property on the list but compensates with a DART Green Line station under five minutes on foot, which matters most when rideshare demand spikes after the final whistle.
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.
View hotel →
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.
View hotel →
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.
View hotel →
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.
View hotel →
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.
View hotel →
Planning a longer stay? See all our Dallas hotel guides.
Frequently asked questions
What is the closest hotel to Cotton Bowl Stadium for Red River Rivalry?＋
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 Red River Rivalry 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.
