Travel & Parking

In this Section:

Below you will find details regarding parking and travel.

Spring Commencement will be held at Michigan Stadium (1201 South Main Street). There is NO OPEN public parking at Michigan Stadium for Spring Commencement.

 

For hotel and restaurant information, please visit Destination Ann Arbor’s website.

 

Ann Arbor Map

Located less than 40 miles from Detroit Metropolitan Airport, Ann Arbor offers convenient access to major freeways.

Map of Ann Arbor

 

Parking & Walking Map

Michigan Stadium is located at 1201 South Main Street in Ann Arbor. Guests are encouraged to park in lots indicated on the maps below.  A complimentary shuttle service is also available throughout Ann Arbor, with convenient stops near U-M parking locations.

There is no open public parking at Michigan Stadium for Spring Commencement.  Parking for vehicles with state-issued “handicap plates or tags” is available on the north side of the stadium.  See more information here.

There are a number of campus parking lots at a walkable distance from the stadium, but please note these do fill up quickly.

April 25 (Sat) – The gates to the Thayer, Fletcher, Hill, Thompson and Palmer-Blue Area structures will be opened at 10:00 a.m. for commencement guests. Parking enforcement in these areas will be suspended from 10:00 a.m. until the end of posted enforcement hours.

April 30  (Thu) – The gates to the Thayer, Fletcher, Hill, Thompson and Palmer-Blue Area structures will be opened at 9:00 a.m. for commencement guests. Parking enforcement in these structures will be suspended from 9:00 a.m. to the end of posted enforcement hours. 

May 1 – May 3 (Fri-Sun) –The gates to all the structures on Central Campus will open on Friday (see detail below) and remain open throughout the weekend. Parking enforcement in these structures will be suspended until the end of enforcement hours on Sunday.

  • Palmer-Blue Area, Fletcher, Thayer: Gates open Friday 9:00 a.m. through Sunday
  • Thompson, Hill, Church:  Gates open: Friday 9:30 a.m. through Sunday

In addition, all University parking areas/surface lots on Central, North and South Campuses will have suspended parking enforcement Fri-Sun, and commencement guests are welcome to park in any available unrestricted parking space (blue, orange, yellow).

May 8 (Fri) – The gates to the Thayer, Fletcher, Hill, Thompson and Palmer-Blue Area structures will be opened at 9:00 a.m. for commencement guests. Parking enforcement in these structures will be suspended from 9:00 a.m. to the end of posted enforcement hours.  

May 11 (Mon) – The gates to the Thayer, Fletcher, Hill, Thompson and Palmer-Blue Area structures will be opened at 9:00 a.m. for commencement guests. Parking enforcement in these structures will be suspended from 9:00 a.m. to the end of posted enforcement hours.  

May 15 (Fri) – The gates to the Thayer, Fletcher, Hill, Thompson and Palmer-Blue Area structures will be opened at 9:00 a.m. for commencement guests. Parking enforcement in these structures will be suspended from 9:00 a.m. to the end of posted enforcement hours. 

A map featuring parking zones.

Click to enlarge

Additional Parking

Additional parking can be found at Pioneer High School. Enter off Main St. Gates 3 and 5 – there are no in/out privileges. Parkers can arrive at 7 AM, one hour before commencement. Pioneer High School should not be contacted directly regarding parking. For questions, visit michigangamedayparking.com.

Please note: there is NO tailgating allowed at Pioneer High School.

 

Shuttle Service

Due to limited parking near Michigan Stadium, we encourage guests to use the complimentary shuttle service to and from area hotels and parking lots. The shuttle service will begin at 7:30 a.m. and continue until 11 a.m. After the ceremony, shuttles will resume from the stadium from 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.  Please note that schedules are subject to traffic conditions.

Shuttle buses are expected to be quite busy, so users should expect to wait anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes for service, especially during the hour immediately following commencement.

All shuttle buses are wheelchair-accessible.

Note: Shuttles will NOT pick up guests from the Pioneer High School lot.  

 

Click to enlarge

Accessible Parking & Drop Off

The University has designated two lots–with entrances from Main Street and Hoover Street–for accessible parking only. Spaces will be available on a first come, first served basis and open at 6:30 a.m. A state-issued accessible parking sticker or hangtag is required to park in these lots. Accessible parking stickers or hangtags can be issued by any U.S. state.

Gate 9 on Keech Street will function as a drop-off area for any guests who have difficulty walking.  Guests may wait at Gate 9 in a designated area for the rest of their party to join them.

Gate 2 on E. Stadium Boulevard will function as a drop-off area for Uber, Lyft, and any other Rideshare options.

U-M staff will use golf carts to transport those who need assistance from Gate 9 to their sections in the stadium. U-M staff will not transport guests from the parking lots to the stadium, nor will they provide return trips following the ceremony from the stadium to parking lots.

Hotels & Restaurants

Please check Destination Ann Arbor’s website for information on hotels and restaurants, and make your reservations early.

 

On-Campus Commencement Brunches

Enjoy a beautiful brunch with your graduate(s) on-campus following the ceremony. Reservations are needed in advance and can be found in the links below. Payment will be made at time of reservation. Open to all ages and parties of all sizes. Commencement Brunches are hosted by Conference & Event Services in conjunction with MDining and MCatering.

Date: May 2, 2026

Location: Michigan Union (Central Campus)

Details:

  • Brunch begins immediately following the Spring Commencement ceremony. Check-in ends at 1:30 p.m. and the Buffet ends at 2:30 p.m.
  • A cash bar will be available.
  • Children 5 and under are free.
  • Commencement brunch is a prepaid activity. Pricing is inclusive of sales tax & gratuity.
  • This relaxed-style buffet brunch includes breakfast, lunch, and desserts and is friendly to all dietary needs.
  • Major credit cards are accepted.
  • Cancellations must be received by no later than 11:30 a.m. on Monday, April 20, 2026 to be refunded.
  • Cancellations received after that time are non-refundable.
  • Registration will close once Michigan Union reaches capacity.

 

For questions or concerns, please contact Conference & Event Services at (734) 764-2000.