Cheer loud. Sleep quiet.

You came for the game: the tailgate, the noise, the fourth-quarter comeback, the encore. Then it's over, and the last thing you want is a hotel hallway next to a parking garage.

The tiny home sits on open farmland outside Waxahachie, 40 to 50 minutes from the big venues in Dallas and Arlington. Prep the tailgate in a full kitchen, watch the road games on the smart TV, and end the night on a quiet porch under the stars.

The venues

Drive times are from the tiny home, without traffic.

Arlington Entertainment District

AT&T Stadium, Globe Life Field, Choctaw Stadium, and Texas Live! all sit within about a mile of each other.

Dallas

Fort Worth and Irving

The 2026-27 calendar

Confirmed dates as of October 2, 2026. Times are Central. The NFL can move games for TV, and arenas add shows every week, so check the team or venue before you book.

Fall 2026

Winter and spring 2027

Playoff dates for the Cowboys, Mavs, and Stars get set as the seasons play out.

Before and after the game

The restaurants and bars here are rated 4.3 stars or better on Google. Hours can change on game days.

Stock the tailgate

H-E-B, 800 US-77 (about 8 minutes), is open 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Shop the day before and prep in the tiny home's kitchen. For a Sunday tailgate, buy the drinks on Saturday: Texas stores can't sell beer or wine before 10 a.m. on Sunday, and liquor stores are closed all day (more in our nightlife guide).

Arlington

Dallas

Fort Worth

Watching away games

Cowboys road games left: Oct 4 at Houston (noon), Oct 18 at Green Bay (7:20 p.m.), Monday, Oct 26 at Philadelphia (7:15 p.m.), Nov 8 at Indianapolis (noon), Monday, Dec 7 at Seattle (7:15 p.m.), Dec 20 at the Rams (3:25 p.m.), and the last week of the season at Washington (date to be set).

Watch at the stadium

For the Packers game on October 18, AT&T Stadium throws a free watch party: gates at 6 p.m., food trucks, $5 Miller Lites, the cheerleaders, Rowdy, and free parking in Lot 10. Claim up to 4 tickets per person on SeatGeek; kids 2 and up need one. It's canceled if the weather turns. Texas Live! calls itself sports-watch headquarters, so it's a good bet for the other road games (see above).

Watch near the tiny home

Call ahead to make sure the game will be on. Want a game day without the drive? Stay in, put it on the smart TV, and bring your own streaming logins. For a splurge, Cosm Dallas in The Colony shows big games on a giant dome; see our nightlife guide.

Getting there from the tiny home

• Arlington: US-287 northwest through Midlothian and Mansfield, then TX-360 north to the stadiums.
• Dallas: I-35E north for the American Airlines Center and Fair Park.
• Fort Worth: US-287 northwest into Fort Worth, then I-30 west to Dickies Arena.
• Weeknight games: weekday evening rush hour can add a lot of time. For a 7 p.m. start, leave by mid-afternoon.
• Prepay your parking wherever you're headed, and save tickets and passes to your phone before you leave the house.

Game day at AT&T Stadium

Parking and tailgating

• Lots open about 5 hours before kickoff for Cowboys games. Buy parking ahead on SeatGeek; parking, food, drinks, and merch are all cashless.
• Tailgate on the grass. Tailgating is only allowed on the grass around the edges of the lots. Parking spaces are for vehicles only, so no tents, chairs, or cooking in the space itself.
• Skip these lots for a tailgate: Lot 3, Lot 8, Lot 9, and parts of Lot 5.
• Keep it to about 9 by 12 feet, the most any one tailgate can take up.
• Cooking: charcoal and gas are fine. No deep fryers, no oil frying, and no open-flame fires.
• Hours: from when the lots open until 2 hours after the game.

Getting in

• Gates: plazas and concourses open at least 2 hours before kickoff.
• Bags: a clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC bag up to 12 by 6 by 12 inches, a clear one-gallon resealable bag, or a small clutch up to 4.5 by 6.5 inches. No backpacks, coolers, fanny packs, or seat cushions. Medically necessary items are checked at a designated gate.
• Re-entry: leave through a designated exit gate and have your ticket scanned out to get back in.
• Rideshare pickup is in Lot 15. Taxis wait at the far west end of the Miller Lite House, off N. Collins St. and Cowboys Way.

Make it a weekend

The Saturday before four of the home games is a Rally Day: behind-the-scenes stadium tours, games at the Miller Lite House, and free parking (dates in the calendar). Stadium tours run on other days too; see our family guide.

Arenas, the ballpark, and Fair Park

Every venue sets its own bag rules, and they're not the same as AT&T Stadium's. Check before you go, especially at Dickies Arena and the outdoor amphitheaters.

Getting home safe

• Pick a sober driver before the first drink. The ride home is 40 to 50 minutes, and it ends on dark country roads. Texas takes drunk driving seriously.
• Don't count on a rideshare. A ride from Arlington or Dallas back out to the country late at night can be scarce and pricey.
• Let the traffic clear. Hang out at the tailgate for a while instead of sitting in the exit line.
• Watch for deer on the country roads near the house, especially late at night.
• Coming in late is fine. Self check-in means no front desk to wake up. Just pull in quietly (see the house rules).

A Cowboys Sunday, start to finish

For a noon kickoff. Details on each stop are above.

• SaturdayRally Day and the grocery runStadium tour, then H-E-B and an evening of prep in the kitchen.
• 6 a.m.Load upCoolers in the truck, clear bags packed, sober driver named.
• 7 a.m.Lots openClaim a spot on the grass and start the tailgate.
• 10 a.m.Head inGates are open. Or swing by the Miller Lite House or Texas Live! first.
• NoonKickoffHow 'bout them Cowboys.
• AfterBack to the tailgateLeftovers while the lots empty out.
• EveningHome to the porchRocking chairs, the sunset, and the highlights on the smart TV.

Why stay with us instead of by the stadium

Hotels next to the stadiums put you a walk from the gates, and on big game days their rates climb to match. If walking to your seat matters most, stay there. If your group wants room to spread out, read on.

House rules: up to 7 overnight guests, no parties or outside visitors (so no watch party for friends who aren't staying), and quiet hours from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. Pick your game or show, then book direct, or find us on VRBO or Airbnb.

Tips for game day

• Book the big weekends early: Thanksgiving, Big 12 weekend, New Year's, and the Harry Styles dates.
• Check kickoff times the week before. The NFL can flex games into different time slots, and Week 18 isn't even set yet.
• Buy your clear bag before game day, so you're not hunting for one in the parking lot.
• Pick one meeting spot in case phones die or the group splits up.
• Make it a long weekend. Pair a game with the Texas Motorplex in October, the holiday lights in December, or the Scarborough Renaissance Festival in spring. Our food guide covers dinner in town.

The honest take

• You'll drive. About 40 minutes each way to the Dallas venues and 50 to Arlington, more in traffic. Nobody's walking to the gate.
• Someone stays sober. Settle it before you leave; see getting home safe.
• It's a tiny home, about 400 square feet. Seven fans fit, but it's cozy, and the loft beds are air mattresses.
• Quiet, not silent. A freight train runs on the far line now and then.
• We live on the property. You get the whole tiny home and your privacy, plus hosts close by if something breaks.

Worth it? If you'd trade a 40 to 50 minute drive for room to spread out, a real kitchen, and a quiet porch after the noise, yes.

How far is everything?

Estimated drive times without traffic, October 2026.

Questions we get