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Mountain View’s Shoreline Amphitheatre is the biggest dedicated concert venue in the Bay Area. The open-air theater holds 22,000 fans and hosts a wide variety of music genres, from classical to hip-hop. Since it opened in 1986, Shoreline has featured such major acts as R.E.M., Phish, Black Sabbath, Britney Spears, Wu-Tang Clan, Bjork, Darius Rucker and, perhaps most famously, the Grateful Dead.
The venue is split into two main areas — the reserved seating sections near the stage and the general admission lawn area in back. Here’s what else you need to know:
2019 concert highlights
This season features an wide array of entertainment, including such top shows as Mary J. Blige and Nas on Aug. 14; Nelly, TLC and Flo Rida on Aug. 30; Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band on Sept. 26; and, for you Westeros fans, “Game of Thrones: The Live Concert Experience” on Oct. 3.
Also eagerly anticipated: the Vans Warped Tour 25th anniversary show lineup on July 20-21.
And, of course, there have already been some big shows at the venue this season. You’ll find our reviews of Hootie and the Blowfish and Dead and Company here.
Where to eat before a show
There aren’t many dining options near Shoreline, in large part because its closest neighbors tend to be high-tech companies like Google, which have their own employee dining halls. But there are some fun eateries nearby if you know where to look. Here are six tasty dining possibilities, from an upscale Italian restaurant to a cool kebabery, near Shoreline. And here’s what you’ll find to eat inside the venue, as well.
Parking and transportation
Basically, everyone who goes to Shoreline drives and parks at the venue’s massive parking lots. General parking is free, but folks can pay to park in the VIP/premier lots which are significantly closer to the theater entrance (see venue website for details).
Concert traffic at this venue can be intense, especially on a weeknight for a sold-out show. Give yourself plenty of time when driving to Shoreline. Our recommendation: Leave for the concert at least two hours before show time — even if you’re only coming from a few cities away. It’s once you get to Mountain View that the traffic really becomes an issue.
The nitty gritty
Shoreline is located at 1 Amphitheatre Parkway in Mountain View. Find tickets and show schedules at LiveNation.com.
