Hard Rock Stadium Seats in Sun & Shade - Find Miami Tickets (2024)

Hard Rock Stadium, located in Miami Gardens, is a premier sports and entertainment venue. It serves as the home of the Miami Dolphins, Miami Hurricanes, and the annual Orange Bowl. It also hosts the Miami Open tennis tournament, international soccer matches, and concerts by the biggest musical stars. Unlike the city’s baseball counterpart, Hard Rock Stadium does not feature a permanent or retractable roof to keep the players and fans cool. Instead, a canopy style roof provides some relief but sun still splashes onto many seats. Given Florida’s hot climate, fans visiting Hard Rock Stadium should use this article to find the best Hard Rock Stadium shaded seats.

Where are the seats in the shade and sun at Hard Rock Stadium?

Generally, the seats in the shade at Hard Rock Stadium are located:

• South Sideline: Shaded on the Dolphins home side of the field
• Upper deck: Shaded in seats directly under the canopy roof

And the seats in the sun at Hard Rock Stadium are located:

• North Sideline: Sun soaked on the visitors’ side of the field
• End Zones: Sunny in sections closer to the field

Most NFL games at Hard Rock Stadium kick off in the 1:00pm hour with the occasional night game or late afternoon start. Miami Hurricanes games also usually start in the early afternoon, but can differ depending on the NCAA schedule. Miami Open tennis matches take place all day from morning through dark.

Hard Rock Stadium Orientation to the Sun

Hard Rock Stadium is oriented in a northwest to southeast direction. By noon the sun is high in the sky near the east end zone. Over the course of the afternoon the sun dips down behind the south (home team) side of the stadium and eventually sets closer to the west end zone.

The graphic below shows the approximate location of the sun throughout the day on October 1st.

Where to Buy Tickets

Ticketmaster is the official ticketing site for the Dolphins. It is also where you can buy Verified Resale tickets. Season ticket holders may also list unused seats on SeatGeekandStubhubso consider checking all for prices and availability.

Seats in the Sun and Shade at Early Afternoon Hard Rock Stadium Events

Miami is unique in that fans will likely seek out shaded seats year-round, even in the winter months. The good news is that stadium upgrades include a canopy roof over the seating areas. However, this is not a full retractable roof like you might find at other NFL stadiums. The canopy roof has a rectangular hole directly over the field of play. Because the position of the sun changes throughout the day, not every seat is in the shade!

Any seat in the 300-level (upper deck) should be safe from the sun, no matter the time of day. Because the upper deck is set back from the playing field, it has almost full protection provided by the canopy. Additionally, seats in sections 142-150 and 242-250 should stay sun-free for the entire game. You’ll want to avoid the lower level on the north (visitor’s) side if you want to stay out of the sun. Sections 114-122 will be the toastiest sections of the stadium. The east end zone should be sun-free during an early afternoon game, but the west end zone may have some seats in direct path of the sun.

Seats in the Sun and Shade at Late Afternoon Hard Rock Stadium Events

When a game or concert starts after 4:00pm the same general rules apply as for earlier events. Stick to the south (home) side or upper deck for shade. Later in the day, seats in sections 142-150 will start to move into the shade, starting with rows closest to the field and moving upward. For a late afternoon game, some seats in the east end zone may lose their shade as the sun makes its way across the afternoon sky.

Ready to get your Football, Soccer or Concert Tickets?

Use the individual game links or click or tap here to see the upcoming games at Hard Rock Stadium.