It's a Tuesday in July, 6:30 PM first pitch at Centene Stadium — and your company outing of 26 people is scattered across three different parts of Great Falls. Some are coming from Malmstrom, a few from the south side of town, and a handful from a jobsite on 10th Avenue South. The lot at 1015 25th Street North is free and right next to the stadium, which is genuinely pleasant, but coordinating 11 separate cars to arrive at the same time on a Tuesday evening is a different problem.
One person gets held up at the office. Two more take a wrong turn on River Drive North. By the time everyone's parked and found the Grady Picnic Grounds, catering is halfway through the first inning and nobody's quite together.
A Great Falls charter bus rental solves every bit of that — one pickup, one arrival, one plan — and it fits cleanly into the group outing minimum the Voyagers require anyway.
Centene Stadium has hosted continuous professional baseball since 1940, making it one of the oldest active minor league parks in the country. The Great Falls Voyagers play a 54-game home schedule each summer at this city-owned ballpark on the north bank of the Missouri River, and the combination of free parking, an intimate 4,000-seat capacity, and accessible group outing packages makes it a steady destination for company nights, youth team trips, community organizations, and out-of-town groups traveling into central Montana. Greatfallspartybus.com connects you to a large network of bus companies serving Great Falls so you can compare party bus, charter bus, and minibus options in one place — fill out the quick form online or call 406-315-6510 and pricing for your group comes back in about a minute.
Why Rent a Charter Bus or Party Bus to Centene Stadium
The case for a bus at Centene Stadium is not about parking costs — there aren't any. Parking is free and immediately adjacent to the stadium. The argument is about coordination, and it gets clearer the larger your group gets.
Twenty people driving from different starting points on a Tuesday night, hitting a 6:30 PM start time, means at minimum eight or nine separate vehicles, eight or nine separate arrival times, and eight or nine separate conversations about where to park and which entrance to use. By the time the group is assembled at the Grady Picnic Grounds, the pre-game window is gone.
Company outings at Centene Stadium are the clearest example. Your team just finished the workday at different times, from different locations around Great Falls. A bus picks everyone up from one agreed-upon spot — the office lot, the hotel, the brewery on Central Avenue — and makes one clean run north across the Missouri River and up 25th Street.
Everyone arrives together, everyone is at the group area together when catering opens 30 minutes before first pitch, and the return trip is handled. For a Great Falls corporate event bus rental, this is the exact scenario the bus was built for.
The out-of-town case is equally direct. Youth travel baseball teams coming from Helena — about 90 miles south on I-15 — or families organizing a trip from Billings don't want to manage a nine-car caravan across central Montana and then figure out the north-side Great Falls street grid from memory. One bus handles the whole trip and drops the group at the stadium entrance.
Parents get to watch the game instead of being the navigation manager for the caravan. For school and youth team transportation, a Great Falls school event bus rental through Greatfallspartybus.com's network is a clean single-step solution.
And for the high-attendance promotions — opening night fireworks, the Fourth of July game, Bank Night — Centene Stadium's lot does get busier than a typical Tuesday. Four thousand fans in an open industrial lot adjacent to grain elevators and Eagle Falls Golf Course is a different energy than a weeknight in May. A bus drops your group and stages nearby, so the post-game return is already sorted before the final out.
Charter Bus and Party Bus Drop-Off at Centene Stadium
Centene Stadium sits in a wide-open stretch of north Great Falls — grain elevators, railroad tracks, the Eagle Falls Golf Course beyond the outfield wall, and the Missouri River bluff a block away at River Drive North. That industrial character is actually good news for an oversized vehicle: there are no downtown parking garages to navigate, no tight residential cul-de-sacs, and no multi-block walk from a commercial staging lot to the gates. The parking area is flat, unpaved in sections, and immediately beside the stadium on the west side.
Commercial vehicles approach via 25th Street North, which runs directly into the parking area. From central or south Great Falls, 25th Street North is the main northward run after you cross the Missouri River. From River Drive North — the road that tracks the river — a short southward turn onto 25th Street brings you directly to the lot.
The parking area is wide enough that a full-size charter bus can pull in, position close to the main entrance on the stadium's west side, unload the group, and stage in the outer section of the lot while the game is underway. There is no separate commercial vehicle permit required for this lot the way a major-city stadium would require — the lot is open and surface-level, and a bus fits without advance permitting for standard games.
For groups going to the Grady Picnic Grounds along the right-field line, the bus drops at the main entrance and the group walks together to the picnic area. Catering opens 30 minutes before first pitch, so the goal is to be at the entrance by 6:00 PM for a 6:30 game. After the game, the bus stages nearby for the post-game pickup — no rideshare queue, no hunting a car in a dark lot, no waiting for a shuttle.
Your group walks out and boards.
Parking at Centene Stadium is free and immediately adjacent — you are not renting a bus to save on parking costs. You are renting a bus because getting 20 to 50 people from different parts of Great Falls (or from Helena, Billings, or Missoula) to a 6:30 PM first pitch with a single coordinated arrival is the logistical problem a bus actually solves. One pickup, one drop-off, one plan, zero caravan math.
One detail worth noting: the stadium is on the north side of the Missouri River, in the Black Eagle area. Arriving from downtown or from I-15 Business (Central Avenue), you cross a river bridge before reaching the lot. Some streets on the north side of the river run one-way — a known quirk of the neighborhood grid.
On game nights with higher-than-usual attendance, like the Fourth of July or Bank Night, arrival traffic concentrates on 25th Street North. Build in a few extra minutes for those dates. The city's official facility page lists the stadium contact at 406-771-1180, and the Voyagers directly can be reached at (406) 452-5311 for any event-specific parking questions before game day.
Getting to Centene Stadium from Great Falls and Beyond
Centene Stadium is about three miles from downtown Great Falls — a quick run across the Missouri River and up 25th Street North. From the south, I-15 Business (also signed as Central Avenue) runs through downtown and connects northward toward the river crossing. Great Falls International Airport sits approximately eight miles from the stadium by road — one of the easier airport-to-venue runs in Montana, given that the airport and the stadium are on opposite sides of downtown.
| From… | Approx. distance | Typical drive time (off-peak) |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown Great Falls | ~3 miles | 8–12 minutes |
| Great Falls International Airport (GTF) | ~8 miles | 12–18 minutes |
| Helena | ~90 miles via I-15 N | ~1 hour 20 minutes |
| Bozeman | ~180 miles via I-15 N | ~2 hours 30 minutes |
| Missoula | ~215 miles | ~3 hours |
| Billings | ~225 miles | ~3 hours 15 minutes |
For groups flying into GTF — the Great Falls International Airport shuttle guide covers the full airport pickup picture — the airport-to-stadium run is clean and uncomplicated. One bus meets the group at baggage claim at 2800 Terminal Drive and runs straight to Centene Stadium rather than splitting everyone across rideshares in a single-terminal regional airport. For groups coming in from Helena, a 90-minute I-15 run is easily manageable on a charter bus, and the per-seat cost of one vehicle for 30 or 40 people often surprises groups when compared to the combined gas cost of 10 separate cars.
Billings and Missoula groups tend to book charter buses for exactly this reason — the distances are real, and a caravan from either city is a commitment nobody wants to manage twice in one day.
Company Outings and Youth Team Trips at Centene Stadium
The Voyagers have built a notably accessible group outing structure at Centene Stadium, and it drives a significant share of the transportation requests to this venue. The Grady Picnic Grounds along the right-field line divides into two sections: the MVP Deck for groups up to 50 people, and the Picnic Pavilion for groups up to 150. The minimum for a group outing package is 20 people, and minimum billable attendance is confirmed four days before the event — so your headcount needs to be firmed up before that deadline.
Catering in the Grady Picnic Grounds runs two main menus: the Ballpark Classic (hamburgers, hot dogs, brats, potato salad, BBQ beans, chips, cookies, and Pepsi products) and The Smokehouse, which features a choice of meats — pulled pork, sausage links, or brisket — alongside assorted sides. Food service opens 30 minutes before first pitch and runs through the end of the fifth inning. The Voyagers' group outings page has current package pricing and availability, or call the stadium directly to discuss your event.
What a bus adds to this setup: instead of telling 25 employees to meet at the stadium by 6:15 and sort out their own parking, you pick everyone up at the office at 5:45, arrive together at 6:05, and walk in as a group. When catering opens at 6:00 PM, your whole party is already at the Picnic Pavilion. After the game, the bus takes everyone back to the same starting point.
Nobody is waiting for the colleague who drove separately and is stuck behind a train on River Drive North. That single fact — everyone in, everyone out, same vehicle — is the whole reason a Great Falls party bus rental makes sense for this kind of outing.
Youth teams get the same benefit with an extra practical layer. A travel baseball team from Helena, a Little League organization from Cascade County, a community group from around the region — the bus handles the logistics so that parents and chaperones travel together rather than carpooling in a nine-car parade across central Montana. The Kids Zone at Centene Stadium adds playground equipment and inflatables near the picnic area, which keeps younger kids occupied between innings.
And the covered grandstand — the main roof runs from first to third base — provides shelter on breezy bluff evenings, which Great Falls delivers regularly even in July.
The 2026 Voyagers Season at Centene Stadium
The Great Falls Voyagers are playing 54 home games in 2026, the most in recent memory. The season opened May 19 and runs through a final home game on September 6. Tuesday through Saturday games start at 6:30 PM — a new earlier start time for 2026.
Sunday games begin at 11:30 AM. The August schedule is particularly dense, with the Voyagers playing 20 consecutive home dates during the month — which means group outing organizers planning an August date have a wide range of weeknights to choose from.
Several promotions recur throughout the season and draw above-average crowds worth planning around:
- Opening Night fireworks (May 19 each season): postgame fireworks presented by Ace Howard's Pizza and Ace Hardware. Opening Night consistently draws close to capacity and is one of the first dates to fill for group outing reservations.
- Fourth of July game: A summer-tradition home game with postgame fireworks and Jeremiah Johnson Brewing Co. Night. This is one of the highest-demand dates on the schedule for bus rentals — book well in advance.
- Bank Night: Presented by Opportunity Bank, First Bank of Montana, and Belt Valley Bank. Fan-favorite promotion that draws larger weeknight crowds than average.
- 50¢ Hot Dog Night: Presented by Nathan's and Greater Good Health. Budget-friendly promotions like this reliably attract families and youth-group organizers, which means the lot and the group areas fill earlier than a plain weeknight.
For the full schedule with opponent matchups and promotional dates, the official Great Falls Voyagers website is the place to start. The Visit Great Falls venue page also has the stadium's contact information for group inquiries. On fireworks nights and high-demand promotions, bus availability in Great Falls moves quickly — if your group is planning around a specific date, locking in transportation sooner rather than later is the right move.
What Bus Fits Your Group at Centene Stadium
Centene Stadium's group outing minimum is 20 people, and the Picnic Pavilion accommodates up to 150 — so the realistic vehicle range for a Voyagers game runs from a 15-passenger minibus for a small staff outing to a full charter bus for a large organization or out-of-city group. Here is how the options through Greatfallspartybus.com's network break down for a Centene Stadium run:
| Vehicle | Typical seats | Best for | Key features |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15–35 passenger minibus | 15–35 | Small company team, staff outing, community group from Great Falls | Maneuverable in Great Falls traffic; powerful A/C; plush reclining seats; overhead storage |
| 25-passenger party bus | Up to 25 | Birthday group outing, summer celebration, small youth team | LED lighting, premium sound system, flat-panel TVs, perimeter seating |
| 40-passenger party bus | Up to 40 | Larger corporate group, fan group, community organization | LED lighting, flat-panel TVs, premium sound, wrap-around seating |
| 40–56 passenger charter bus | Up to 56 | Large youth team, corporate outing, out-of-city group from Helena or Billings | Undercarriage luggage bays, onboard restroom, reclining seats, WiFi, power outlets, overhead storage |
For an in-city company outing of 20 to 30 people, a minibus or 25-passenger party bus is usually the right fit — easier to stage in the Centene Stadium lot, right-sized for the group, and often the lower-cost option for a short three-mile run from downtown. For a group coming from Helena, Bozeman, or Billings with 40 or more people, the 40- to 56-passenger charter bus is the vehicle that makes that trip work: undercarriage bays handle equipment and gear bags, the onboard restroom means fewer roadside stops on the drive, and the reclining seats and climate control make a 90-to-225-mile run genuinely comfortable. ADA-accessible vehicles are available through the network — note the need in your quote request and confirm it at booking.
Browse the full vehicle lineup or call 406-315-6510 to talk through which option fits your group size and starting point.
Centene Stadium Bus Rental Prices
Bus pricing to Centene Stadium is shaped by vehicle type, total hours, your starting point, and the date — there is no fixed sticker rate, but the online quote tool shows side-by-side options in under 30 seconds with no account required. To give you a planning baseline from Greatfallspartybus.com's network:
- A 15- to 35-passenger minibus runs approximately $200–$250 per hour on weeknights and $200–$275 per hour on weekends, with per-day rates from $1,100–$2,150.
- A 25-passenger party bus runs approximately $250–$350 per hour on weeknights and $275–$375 per hour on weekends.
- A 40- to 56-passenger charter bus runs approximately $200–$350 per hour on both weeknights and weekends, with per-day rates from $1,350–$2,850.
These are planning ranges — your actual number shifts with the date, hours, vehicle, and where the bus is picking up. The per-head math for a typical Voyagers company outing: a 3-to-4-hour minibus rental for 25 people runs roughly $600–$1,000 total — about $24–$40 per person. That covers the entire evening of group transportation, compared to coordinating 10 separate cars, 10 parking spots (free here, but still), and 10 separate return drives at the end of a weeknight game.
For a charter bus run from Helena with 40 people making the 90-mile drive each way, the per-seat cost of one bus often runs lower than the combined fuel cost of the alternative. For more on how rates break down by vehicle, the Great Falls party bus prices page has the full breakdown. Or call 406-315-6510 — free quote, no account, takes about a minute.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does a charter bus drop off at Centene Stadium?
The stadium's main entrance is on the west side of the building, accessible directly from the parking area off 25th Street North. The lot is immediately adjacent to the stadium — a bus pulls in off 25th Street, positions close to the main entrance, and unloads the group. There is no separate commercial vehicle staging lane with a published gate assignment the way a major-league venue would have.
The lot is open-surface and wide enough to accommodate a full-size charter bus. For event-specific parking questions on high-attendance nights, contact the stadium directly.
What time should a bus pick us up for a 6:30 PM Voyagers game?
Gates open roughly 60 minutes before first pitch — so approximately 5:30 PM. Catering in the Grady Picnic Grounds opens 30 minutes before first pitch, at 6:00 PM. For a company outing using the group area, a bus pickup of 5:30–5:45 PM from your starting point delivers the group to the lot by 5:55–6:05 PM — right as catering opens and before the first-pitch rush at the entrance gates.
For out-of-town groups coming from Helena or farther, add drive time to work back to your departure: a 90-minute I-15 run from Helena means a 3:45–4:00 PM bus pickup to arrive comfortably before the group picnic area opens.
Is parking free at Centene Stadium?
Yes. Parking is free and abundant in the lot directly adjacent to the stadium, per the city's official facility listing and confirmed by multiple venue reviews. This is one of the genuinely pleasant surprises at Centene Stadium compared to most professional sports venues.
The reason to rent a bus here is not to avoid a parking fee; it's to solve the coordination problem of getting a group of 20 to 50 people to the same starting point at the same time.
What is the group outing minimum at Centene Stadium?
The minimum for a Grady Picnic Grounds group outing package is 20 people. The MVP Deck accommodates up to 50 people; the Picnic Pavilion accommodates up to 150. Minimum billable attendance is confirmed four days before your event.
Contact the Voyagers or visit the group outings page for current pricing and package options. For groups of exactly 20, a 20- to 25-passenger party bus or minibus is the natural vehicle match.
How far in advance should we book a bus for a Voyagers game?
For a standard weeknight with no special promotion, two to four weeks of lead time is workable. For fireworks nights, the Fourth of July game, Bank Night, and any summer weekend date in July or August, plan on six to eight weeks out at minimum. Great Falls has a smaller total vehicle pool than a major metro, and the right-size vehicles for larger groups get claimed first on high-demand summer dates.
Call 406-315-6510 as soon as your group date is confirmed — earlier is always better.
Can a charter bus handle the trip from Helena, Billings, or Missoula?
Yes — multi-city runs to Great Falls are a standard use case for charter buses across Montana. Helena is about 90 miles south via I-15 North, roughly an 80-to-90-minute ride. Billings is approximately 225 miles away, closer to 3-to-3.5 hours.
Missoula is about 215 miles, approximately 3 hours. A 40- to 56-passenger charter bus with an onboard restroom and undercarriage luggage bays handles those distances without the rest-stop logistics of a car caravan. The per-person cost of one charter bus from Helena for 40 people is typically comparable to — and often lower than — the combined fuel cost of 10 separate cars, with everyone arriving together instead of in waves.
What is the Centene Stadium group outing catering setup?
Two menus are available in the Grady Picnic Grounds. The Ballpark Classic includes hamburgers, hot dogs, brats, potato salad, BBQ beans, chips, cookies, and Pepsi products. The Smokehouse offers a choice of pulled pork, sausage links, or brisket with sides.
Food service opens 30 minutes before first pitch and runs through the end of the fifth inning. For current pricing on each package, contact the Voyagers or visit the group outings page — packages and pricing can update between seasons.
Is there a Kids Zone at Centene Stadium?
Yes — a Kids Zone with playground equipment and inflatables is located near the picnic area. The main grandstand roof runs from the first-base to the third-base line, providing cover for the majority of reserved and general admission seating on breezy or overcast evenings. The facility was last renovated in 2005 and has been retrofitted to include ADA-accessible areas.
For the most current information on stadium amenities and accessibility, check the Visit Great Falls venue listing.
Book Your Bus to Centene Stadium
A Voyagers summer game at Centene Stadium is one of the most straightforward group outings in central Montana — free parking, a covered grandstand, a historic ballpark perched above the Missouri River, and 54 home games from late May through early September to choose from. The only moving part that benefits from help is getting 20 or 50 people there on the same timeline from the same starting point. That's exactly what a Great Falls sporting event charter bus or party bus from Greatfallspartybus.com's network handles.
Fill out the quick online form or call 406-315-6510 any time to compare vehicles and pricing — no account required, free quote, takes about a minute. Also planning a Glacier Range Riders game across the border or a larger event at Four Seasons Arena? The Four Seasons Arena bus rental guide covers the logistics for that venue separately.
