A Stanford alumni weekend

Every October the Main Quad fills with long tables and old friends. Classes that graduated ten, twenty or fifty years ago come back for Dinner on the Quad, lectures by favorite professors, class parties and a home football game. That is Stanford Reunion Homecoming, the Stanford Alumni Association's biggest weekend. Many more alumni come back outside reunion years, for a game, a conference or simply to walk Palm Drive again.

This page covers both kinds of trip. The first half explains how Reunion Homecoming works and what to book for 2027. The second half is a three-day plan for any alumni visit, with notes on what has changed. Our Reunion Homecoming guide has the full 2026 schedule if you want more detail.

How Reunion Homecoming works

The weekend combines two traditions. Milestone classes hold their reunions, with class parties, panels and dinners run by volunteer committees. At the same time the university runs a campus-wide program open to all registered alumni and guests, with faculty talks, tours, receptions and the Homecoming game. Each class returns every five years, so two sets of classes celebrate together. In 2026 those were the classes ending in 1 and 6. The weekend ran October 15 to 18.

The hub is the Arrillaga Alumni Center at 326 Galvez Street, at Campus Drive. It held its grand opening on October 13, 2001, during that year's Reunion Homecoming. Its Ford Alumni Gardens host the Saturday hangout and Sunday farewell brunch.

The signature events

• Dinner on the Quad. The Thursday dinner under the arcades, after cocktails in Memorial Court. Tickets are sold online only and Stanford warns they often sell out within two weeks of going on sale.
• Classes Without Quizzes. Short faculty talks on Friday, a tradition since 1993. No advance registration and first come, first seated.
• Class parties. Each milestone class runs its own lunches, tailgates and parties, often at a class headquarters on campus or the Faculty Club.
• The game. In 2026 Stanford hosted Elon on Saturday, October 17. Game tickets are separate from reunion registration.
• Class Books. Milestone classes submit pages about their lives since graduation. In 2026 they were due November 1, after the weekend.

Planning for Reunion Homecoming 2027

Stanford had not posted dates for 2027 as of November 2, 2026. Recent weekends have run Thursday to Sunday in mid-October. On the five-year rotation, 2027 should bring the classes ending in 2 and 7, but check your class page on the Stanford reunion site. In 2026, pricing went up on class pages in July and registration opened on August 11, so expect a similar summer timeline.

1. Book a hotel as soon as dates appear. The weekend fills rooms near campus, especially in milestone years for big classes. Pick a refundable rate.
2. Register early if you want Dinner on the Quad. It is the hardest ticket of the weekend.
3. Buy football tickets separately through Stanford Athletics once the 2027 schedule names the Homecoming opponent.
4. Coordinate with classmates. A rental house can work better than hotel rooms for a group.
5. Bringing children? Stanford lists limited kids' programming and childcare referrals. Registered children may attend Classes Without Quizzes, but some tours have age limits.

When you are ready, compare hotels near Stanford for the weekend.

Any alumni visit, Friday: the old routes

Outside reunion weekend, a Friday arrival makes sense. The free Marguerite shuttle runs on weekdays, campus feels alive and the Arrillaga Alumni Center's business center is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Start at the Oval and walk the Main Quad. Memorial Church was closed to visitors for maintenance from June 15 to October 31, 2026, so check the Memorial Church visitor page for hours before you plan a quiet moment inside.

Walk on to White Plaza and Tresidder and Old Union, where the food court and cafes are open to visitors. The Axe and Palm in Old Union serves until 2 a.m. The Stanford Bookstore on White Plaza is open Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. for the sweatshirt you lost years ago. One change to note: the White Plaza post office closed on October 31, 2026.

Dinner downtown is a short walk or bike ride down Palm Drive. University Avenue has changed more than campus has, though the Stanford Theatre still shows classic films in its 1925 movie palace.

Saturday: the Dish, a game and the new campus

Start with a sunrise loop on the Dish, the paved trail of about 3.5 miles in the foothills. Stanford sets its hours by month, roughly sunrise to sunset. The main gate is at Stanford Avenue and Junipero Serra Boulevard. Dogs and bikes are not allowed.

On a fall Saturday, build the day around a game. Stanford has played in the ACC since 2024. The last 2026 home football game is against SMU on November 28. The 129th Big Game is at Cal in Berkeley on November 21, 2026, after Stanford won the 2025 game 31 to 10 at home. Our Stanford football guide covers tickets and seating. In winter, basketball and volleyball fill Maples Pavilion instead.

Then see what has gone up since you graduated:

The Cantor Arts Center and Anderson Collection are free and open Thursday to Monday. Pollock's Lucifer is on loan to The Met until January 31, 2027. Hoover Tower's observation deck is closed until January 25, 2027.

Sunday: farewell brunch your own way

Ride Caltrain one stop south to California Avenue for the Sunday farmers market, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the car-free blocks. Or have a long brunch downtown before the drive to the airport. If you want one more campus stop, walk the Arboretum to the Stanford Mausoleum and the Angel of Grief, whose 1908 replacement still stands among the oaks. Our Stanford traditions guide is good reading for the flight home, from Full Moon on the Quad to the Axe.

What has changed since you left

• Electric Caltrain. Electric trains began in 2024. Pay with a Clipper card or a contactless bank card on the platform.
• Names. Jordan Hall had David Starr Jordan's name removed in 2020 and is now Building 420.
• Libraries. Lane Medical Library has been card access only since April 27, 2026.
• Getting around. The Marguerite main lines run Monday to Friday only. Visitor parking is paid through ParkMobile, with many central zones free on evenings and weekends unless an event overrides that. Our parking and transit guide explains the zones.
• Waymo. Robotaxis now serve Palo Alto alongside Uber and Lyft.

Getting here and where to stay

San Jose airport is about 15 miles from campus and SFO about 20. A prebooked car saves a late-night queue, so you can book a fixed-price airport pickup to your hotel. By train, ride Caltrain to Palo Alto station on University Avenue. Caltrain said the Stanford stadium station would not open for 2026 games, so on game days walk about 22 minutes along Palm Drive to the stadium.

The closest hotels sit on El Camino Real between University Avenue and Sand Hill Road, with Rosewood Sand Hill farther up the road. The Stanford Guest House is only for guests with a Stanford, SLAC or Stanford Medicine purpose. Our staying near Stanford guide compares them. For other big campus dates, including Family Weekend on February 26 and 27, 2027 and commencement on June 10 to 13, 2027, see our Stanford event weekends page.

Frequently asked questions