Since you'll be going to Boston the next day stay north of the stadium unless you get a really good rate south. Traffic away from the stadium post-concert is bad going north and south. You have to take Route 1 going either direction from the stadium and that's where the worst of the traffic is so there's no real advantage north or south. Traffic will probably add about 90 - 120 minutes onto your commute post-concert from my experience.

Since you're parking at Gillette Stadium your options are limited more because you'll be stuck in traffic getting out of the huge parking lot in addition to the traffic on Route 1. I usually tell people if they're going north after a game or concert to try to park on Route 1 north, north of the stadium in one of the private parking lots that are open on concert/game days. Those smaller lots are quicker to get out of.

One note for parking at the stadium, make it clear to the parking attendant when you enter that you will be remaining for the duration of the concert. In the past since it's a shopping mall and a concert venue they have spots for people to go to the movies/shopping, but I think there used to be a time-limit on how long people could park to shop or go to the movies. Wouldn't want your car to get towed. Just ask when you're entering the lot that day.

You should probably look into hotels on Route one in Norwood like the mariott Courtyard. Free parking and close enough to the stadium. You may want to have a meeting point about a mile from the stadium. This way you have the option to go back to the hotel.

I would not park inside, it can take forever to get out. Once out the traffic does move so meeting a mile down the road is something many do.

Traffic is a nightmare when there is a concert or game at the stadium. One Direction is going to be a popular event and someone else did another post about getting to/from the stadium from the Best Western in Sharon. It is located on Route 1 and not too far from the stadium. Hotel gets good reviews and they may offer a shuttle service to the stadium which would be a great option. No way would I suggest you try and park right at the stadium lot as it will take you hours to get out. Our SIL goes to the games and he and his friends park at an off-site lot or we have dropped him off. You may be able to get into the movie theater area to park but that will be difficult also. There is no easy way around going to Gillette. You could check out the Best Western (it may already by sold out) as that has a fairly easy access onto Route 95 north where you can drive into Boston.

Best Western Plus The Inn at Sharon/Foxboro

395 Old Post Road

Sharon, Massachusetts, 02067-1619, US

Phone: 781/784-1000

I just did a quick check for 8/7 as it looks like there is still availability w/ rate coming up at a bit over $200 per night. Free parking and breakfast. This would be a good option for you if they had the shuttle.

If there is no shuttle available to the stadium, then you could drive and park at one of the outlying lots near the stadium but you will still be stuck in traffic for a long time trying to exit any lots. I would advise either trying Best Western in Sharon or Walpole or Norwood area.

You could also stay in Norwood which is not too far from Foxboro. Hampton Inn, Residence Inn, Marriott, are a few of the hotels there.

http://www.patriot-place.com/parking

Map showing the parking at stadium.

Good luck!

We bypassed a couple of small lots on Rte 1 and entered the big parking lot for the Patriots game we attended. It took hours to get out of that lot. I suggest you park in one of the smaller lots along Rte 1 even if you have to walk a mile to get to the stadium. I'm done with Foxboro for sure. The traffic nightmare isn't worth it.

I can vouch for all the horror stories on this forum. Last July we (me, wife, 2 daughters) attended the Taylor Swift concert @ Gillette. Although I'd been there twice already for Pats games it was the first time I'd be staying until the end of an event. We parked in the North lots so we could exit right and head north on US 1 to our hotel in Freeport Me. We even planned to hang out in the lot afterward to pass some time.

After watching cars lining up to leave the lot and not move for the longest time, we decided to take the plunge. As it turns out, we would have been better off sleeping in the car! Once we finally made it out of the lot, it took an hour alone on Route 1 to reach the 95 North on-ramp.

It was 5:30AM when we got back to our hotel. The sun was rising!!! Not my idea of an all-nighter!

Botton line: scores of attendants prior to event to take your money and guide you to your parking spot, none to be found to organize the virtual free-for-all when thousands of cars bottle-neck to exit the stadium parking lots.

ps Going to One Direction this August as well. Have booked a spot @ the Lafayette House thru Parkwhiz. Hoping to use side streets to get back and forth from Franklin hotel before and after concert.

Flanalan: Have to agree with you 100% about concert traffic around Gillette. Daughter went to the Beyonce concert there last week. She and her friend parked at the Lafayette House - liked it very much. Said they were friendly and offered the use of their bathrooms which was most welcome. Her problem was that they needed to head north after the concert, but the LH parking lot is south of the stadium so they ended up stuck in heavy traffic anyway. Live and learn...I showed her (after the fact) some of the alternate routes they could have taken to escape the traffic exiting the stadium lots. They'll know next time (if there is a next time for a concert at Gillette for her!). Best if someone is heading north back to Boston to park north of the stadium on Route 1. Won't be able to avoid heavy traffic completely, but at least you won't get tangled up with those exiting the parking lots there.

The problem leaving the games or concerts are the roads and they just can't handle the volume of traffic. Route 1 is 2 lanes and divided by barriers to try and control the flow of traffic. Unfortunately, the Stadium was built long after the roads and there is no way to make route 1 wider.

Flanalan - think you made a decent choice parking at Lafayette House. I can give you directions for back roads to Franklin if you like. Where are you staying in Franklin? We don't go near route 1 when there is anything at the stadium, use the back roads. You may hit some traffic but not like what is on route 1.

Good luck. Enjoy the concert.

Anyone have tips or directions on getting from Gillette back near the airport after the 1D concert? My husband will be picking us up and he does have a handicapped parking permit which may or may not be of any use to use. My girls and I are fully capable of walking quite a distance, so if there is some place he should park to pick us up let me know...and what direction do we walk in??

The permit really won't be helpful. Leaving the parking areas after an event is an hours-long event in itself. If there is a concert train available, I would highly suggest you using that instead of him trying to pick you up.