Army Tailgate and Visitors Guide '09

NOTE: CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION

This is one of a series of tailgating guides for Big East and other select football schools written by Syracuse fan and tailgate aficionado TexanMark. If you have any feedback or additional information you think belongs in this guide, please drop an email message to Mark by clicking here.

First Things First: GETTING THERE

If you have a game scheduled at West Point you are very lucky indeed. Often cited as one of college football's best places to watch a game, you will be amazed at its' splendor. West Point is literally a piece of land that juts out and forces the Hudson River to make a 90 degree turn. A quick online overview of the majesty of West Point is offered by the school.

Arriving by air to West Point has to be done with a well thought out plan. Are you coming in for just the game? Or are you coming in to visit NYC?

STEWART NEWBURGH INTERNATIONAL

If you are coming in just for the game you should first look into Newburgh Stewart International. Stewart (SWF) is located about 10 miles north of West Point. It is a small airport and offers Delta/Northwest, Jet Blue, and USAirways air service. Airfares can be very expensive. Rental cars and taxis are available. The taxi drivers are well versed on driving to West Point.

TexanMark's Tip: Albany International Airport (about 90 miles north of West Point) offers Southwest Airlines. Airfares generally are much better than Stewart. If you are renting a car it is a easy drive down the Interstate (I-87). You can even do the the NYC option. You can park your rental car at many of the Metro North Train stations and take the train into the city. The Beacon Station across the river from Newburgh has a lot of parking. It even has an Enterprise Rental Car Agency at the Station. This avoids the hassle of taking a taxi or limo to get to the train station. I only recommend experienced NY City drivers to take their rental car into the city for the day.

Other Airport options will require a rental car or a least the willingness to take some trains, taxis or buses. One thing I recommend is to work a game around a visit to the most exciting city in the World.

Flying into NYC

New York City is served by three airports: JFK , LaGuardia , and Newark Liberty. Actually, the closest airport to midtown is in New Jersey. You can get to midtown via bus, train and taxi from any of the three airports. Two other options are available: White Plains Airport is about 30 miles southeast but should only be used if you have a rental car and MacArthur Islip Airport is about 25 miles east of NYC on Long Island. Note: Southwest Airlines serves MacArthur Airport but it is fairly far from West Point and there is a lot of urban driving. If you are an experienced urban driver this can be a good option to rent a car from Islip.

John F. Kennedy (JFK) International

This airport is located the furthest from West Point of the three major airports. It is still possible to use public transportation from the terminal to midtown Manhattan and MSG. This website details your public transportation possibilities to/from JFK to Midtown Manhattan.


AirTrain your way out of JFK
AirTrain takes you around the airport for free. You connect between the airline terminals, parking, hotel shuttles, and rental car facilities, there's no fee to pay and no ticket is required. In order to catch off airport transportation, take AirTrain to Jamaica or Howard Beach Stations. You have to pay a $5.00 per person access fee in order to connect to or from the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), subway, local bus, or street. For about $7-12 total (peak, includes AirTrain $5.50 fee) you can take the Subway/Long Island RR into Penn Station. Follow the instructions on how to purchase metro cards. Here is a good PDF file of regional rails serving the NYC area.

A taxi to midtown is about $50. This makes sense if you are traveling with several bags, your hotel is far from a subway or bus stop, or you have one or two other passengers to split the bill with or you don't want to mess with public transportation. Another option: the various privately owned shuttle buses (just google shuttle buses + JFK--here is what one looks like). They cost about $15-20 per person. The MTA runs their own express shuttle to Manhattan for $15 and if you really know the city and have time you can find info at the above link about regular city buses.

LaGuardia (LGA) Airport

If your flight takes you into LaGuardia International you likewise have many options. Prices vary from as little as $2.00 (Bus/Subway) to about $40 or so with a Taxi to midtown Manhattan. LaGuardia is located in northern Queens about 6-7 miles from midtown. Unfortunately it is a bit longer mileage wise by car. If you are comfortable with taking the bus/subway, this link will give you a nice overview of the bus routes leaving LaGuardia to connect with the subway. Another good option is to take a commercial bus to Penn Central Station. They run about $10-12 one way. This is a good way to go for first time travelers to NYC. Note: It will stop first at Grand Central Station. If you have a hotel on the east side you might want to exit at Grand Central. If you are going up to West Point you want to get off at Grand Central also. If you are going directly to West Point look below for the Grand Central to West Point instructions.

Newark (EWR) Liberty International Airport

Newark is a great option even though it is in New Jersey. It is located about 8 miles southwest of midtown Manhattan. It is the easiest of the three NYC airports if you plan to rent a car. If you have a portable GPS take it as it is very confusing as you leave the airport. It is about 75-90 minutes to West Point. A real nice option is to fly into Newark and take the train to midtown...stay a few days. Take the train back to the airport. Pick up a rental car. Drive to West Point and take in the game. Drive back to Newark and drop off the rental car and catch your flight home. Unless you are an experienced urban driver you might save your self a lot of stress and fly into Stewart Newburgh or Albany International (90 miles north of West Point) though.

If you are not getting a rental car. You use public transportation from the terminal to midtown Manhattan. Taxi Cabs are most expensive. Expect to pay about $50-60 to take you to midtown Manhattan. If you are traveling in a group of 2 or 3 you can get a group deal which will make it competitive to other transportation options. This option is great if you don’t want to wait, have a lot of baggage or your hotel is not near a subway or bus stop. Other options are numerous. If you want a low hassle trip to Penn Station via bus this link is for you. If you are traveling light the AirTrain and NJ Transit is a great option. Once you deplane and gather your bags you need to take the AirTrain. As the guide says, “All AirTrain rides within the airport are free, so if you only use AirTrain to connect between the airline terminals, parking, hotel shuttle and rental car facilities, no ticket is required.” However, most of you will need to pay $5.00 to leave the airport via AirTrain and hook up with NJ Transit to Penn Station in midtown Manhattan.

From the official website:

AirTrain arrives and departs every three minutes from 5 a.m. to midnight and approximately every 15 minutes between midnight and 5 a.m. On Sundays, the train arrives and departs approximately every 15 minutes from midnight to 7 a.m., during which time a shuttle operation is in effect that may require a transfer of trains. For more information, see AirTrain Newark Map.

NJ Transit Map Click to enlarge


Airtrain Your Way to NYCIt is a little tricky to leave AirTrain and hook up with the NJ Transit service. The train runs around the airport and hooks you into mass transit. It isn’t seamless. Click this link and this link to help you. The Newark airport guide states: “When you exit AirTrain at Newark Liberty International Airport Train Station, follow the signs to NJ TRANSIT trains. You will go up one level, pass through the fare gates and go down one level onto the NJ TRANSIT and Amtrak train platforms. It takes approximately 5 minutes to get from AirTrain to the NJ TRANSIT or Amtrak platforms.”

You can buy your NJ Transit ticket in the Airport terminal before you get on the AirTrain. The Newark airport guide states: “If you are going to take NJ TRANSIT, stop by any one of the NJ TRANSIT ticket machines located on the airport near the entrances to the AirTrain stations in terminals A, B and C, at the Ground Transportation Center in Terminal C, or at Newark Liberty International Airport Train Station.” The trains go into Penn Station (Madison Square Garden is above it). Note: if you are proceeding onto Grand Central Station you need to walk, subway or taxi there.

GRAND CENTRAL STATION TO WEST POINT:

Okay so you are staying downtown and want to get to the game. If you are in a group, an easy option is to order up a limo. If you are more adventurous you can take the Metro North Train from Grand Central Station to the Garrison Station. From there you need to get a taxi (about $25) to West Point. They usually have some waiting. If not call a taxi out of Highland Falls or Peekskill. If you are visiting a USMA Cadet this is the station you get off for the ferry over to West Point. They can take the ferry over and escort you over. The cost is a whooping 25 cents. NOTE: This is only an option if you know a Cadet. If you want to rent a car I suggest going a few miles further north to the Beacon Station. The Beacon train station (on the east side of the Hudson River across from Newburgh) is a great place to go to if you want to rent a car. Enterprise Car Rental is at the station.

West Point Driving Directions
From the Four Airports as supplied by USMA

From JFK Airport
VanWyck Parkway to Bronx-Whitestone Bridge. After crossing the bridge,
look for the Cross Bronx Expressway. Follow the Cross Bronx Expressway
to the Bronx River Parkway north. Take the Bronx River Parkway to left fork
for the Sprain Brook Parkway. Follow Sprain Brook Parkway to Route 287,
left exit to Tappan Zee Bridge and Interstate 87 (New York State Thruway).
Over bridge, take exit 13N onto the Palisades Interstate Parkway heading
north. Take the PIP north to its end (Bear Mountain traffi c circle). Follow
signs for Route 9W north (3d exit off traffi c circle). Take the fi rst “West
Point, Highland Falls” exit. This will lead you into Highland Falls, past the
Visitor’s Center and Museum, and through to Thayer Gate.

From LaGuardia Airport
Take the Whitestone Parkway to Bronx-Whitestone Bridge. After crossing
the bridge, look for the Cross Bronx Expressway. Follow the Cross Bronx
Expressway to the Bronx River Parkway north. Take the Bronx River
Parkway to left fork for the Sprain Brook Parkway. Follow Sprain Brook
Parkway to Route 287, left exit to Tappan Zee Bridge and Interstate 87
(New York State Thruway). Over bridge, take exit 13N onto the Palisades
Interstate Parkway heading north. Take the PIP north to its end (Bear
Mountain traffi c circle). Follow signs for Route 9W north (3d exit off traffi c
circle). Take the fi rst “West Point, Highland Falls” exit. This will lead you
into Highland Falls, past the Visitor’s Center and Museum, and through
to Thayer Gate.

From Newark Airport
Take Interstate 78 West to the Garden State Parkway. Take the GSP north
to the end and follow signs for the New York State Thruway (I-87) south.
Exit Thruway at exit 13N onto the Palisades Interstate Parkway heading
north. Take the PIP north to its end (Bear Mountain traffi c circle). Follow
signs for Route 9W north (3d exit off traffi c circle). Take the fi rst “West
Point, Highland Falls” exit. This will lead you into Highland Falls, past the
Visitor’s Center and Museum, and through to Thayer Gate.

From Stewart Newburgh Airport
Exit airport, make left turn onto New York State Route 207 to the New York
State Route 300 interchange. Make left turn onto Route 300, cross New
York State Route 17K to the Interstate 84 interchange. Take I-84 east
to exit 10 (Route 9W). Make right turn onto 9W south. Take the second
“West Point, Highland Falls” exit. This will lead you into Highland Falls,
past the Visitor’s Center and Museum, and through to Thayer Gate.

Campus Info: West Point is not your ordinary campus. It reminds me of of a medieval city sitting hard by a European River with mountains in the backdrop. I can find few places in the USA I would rather be at to watch a game amid October/November Foliage.


Washington Statue in Fall Glory and a Picture I took Veterans Day 09


Game Day Tailgating/Parking:

Gameday parking is orderly but can take awhile. Only a few entrances.

Important Times to Know
Six Hours--Parking Lots Open
Four Hours--Shuttle Buses Begin Running
Three Hours--Black Knights Alley Opens
Three Hours--Cadet Review On The Plain
Two Hours--Black Knight Walk
Two Hours--Michie Stadium Opens



TAILGATE SUPPLIES

If you are a DoD card holder your best bet for last minute supplies are at the Post Exchange or Commissary. As far as military facilities they are small/medium sized but should have all your essentials. For the rest of you the pickings are slim...there is one super market on the main street of Highland Falls. It is an IGA and it is fairly small. Your best bet is to make sure you have everything before you arrive.


Scalpers and You:

Normal scalping rules do not apply here. No professional scalpers here. Usually you just ask around the tailgates who has an extra. Very little chance you'll get ripped off. It is not unheard of that an old Army grad will give you tickets for free or for a beer or two.



TAILGATE HAVEN--Total Tailgating Resource


Tailgate Haven is your total resource for setting up and managing your football tailgate online. Do you think the tailgate is sometimes just as important as the game? The goal of Tailgate Haven is to make your life easier by organizing your tailgate group; thus eliminating countless emails, text messages and phone calls about the current weeks tailgate information. The concept is simple but pure genius. You easily register by choosing your favorite team and picking a creative name for your tailgate group. Now log in and instantly each of your teams games becomes its own webpage with your team colors. Next, invite your friends to join your tailgate group and the site comes to life. In addition to this tailgate manager, every team has its own tailgate profile. Do you travel to away games? This is where you can find the best information on where to park, find extra tickets, where to stay, eat, party and golf. Navigate the city easily as you travel to a stadium for the first time.


LODGING:: West Point is located in a small, idyllic location. Of course, that is the main problem. Lodging options are expensive for the most part if you you want to stay within a few miles of West Point.

The Thayer Hotel is the best option if you can get in there. It is pricey but it is a historic hotel set on the Hudson River. It is located in the Village of Highland Falls next to the West Point Gate. The West Point Point Museum is located a few steps away.

There are about a dozen other places of varying size and quality within and close by Highland Falls.

Newburgh Lodging: If you are flying into Stewart Int'l or driving in from the north you might consider Newburgh. Newburgh offers shopping and restaurants and quick access to I-84 and I-90.

Central Valley Lodging: If you are flying into NYC or driving in from the south you might consider Central Valley. Central Valley offers extensive shopping at the woodbury Premium Outlets and also offers a lot of restaurants.

Fishkill Lodging: Fishkill is on the east side of Hudson from Newburgh. If you are driving in from New England or along the Thruway (I-90) you might consider staying at Fishkill. Fishkill offers an impressive array of motels which cater to the Sun-Thur night business crowd. It might be a good place to look if you can not find a room closer.





DINING:

To get a good flavor of West Point you should try eating in the Village of Highland Falls. It is literally located outside the Main Gate. The restaurants closest to the gate cater to Cadets, families and old Grads of West Point. A few favorites are: The Park Restaurant, Schades Deli and Restaurant and Dong Fong Chinese.

The Thayer Hotel offers Fine Dining. The Sunday Brunch is the best in the area. I have eaten there for lunch and found the deli sandwiches huge and great. The salads are excellent too. Definitely a place to go if you want linen table clothes.

If you are staying in Newburgh you have several worthy options. I personally recommend The Lakeview House. It is about 5 miles north of the city on Orange Lake. It is a beautiful setting and the food is all prepared by scratch. Johnny D's Diner is a classic NY style diner. It offers all sorts of excellent comfort food. If you show them your motel room card you'll get a discount.

SPORTS BARS:

Shopping: Okay if you have a spouse who does not want to go to the game...you are in luck. About 20 mins south of West Point is a fantastic outlet. Woodbury Commons is huge and should entertain your spouse for hundreds err hours of shopping. If you are looking for Army gear or a last minute rain suit, sweatshirt or hat and you are "on post" (army term for being at the installation) you should try the Association Of Graduates Gift Store.


A Shopper's Nirvana--Woodbury Common

Things to Do: There is so much to do around West Point. I highly recommend the West Point Tour. West Point Tours is a family run company and does a great job. The tours start and end at the West Point Visitors Center.



GOLF:

The Golf Course at West Point actually is open to civilians. The price is reasonable for the area. It is a must do golf course.


The opinions expressed in this guide are those of TexanMark. While every effort has been made to ensure all the information presented is accurate and current, it would be wise to verify things when possible. Please note that this guide is not endorsed by Scout.com, Rivals.com or its site publishers, administrators and/or moderators.
Return to TexanMark's Tailgate Guides Main Page

WVU Tailgate and Visitors Guide '09

Morgantown Click to enlarge
Image from www.retirewv.org

This is one of a series of tailgating guides for Big East football schools written by Syracuse fan and tailgate aficionado TexanMark. If you have any feedback or additional information you think belongs in this guide, please drop an email message to Mark by clicking here.

First Things First: GETTING THERE
If you’re a Pitt fan, finding Morgantown is easy and fairly painless. For the rest of us it is much more involved. The airfares into Morgantown (MGW) can be very expensive. Morgantown has scheduled service with United with daily flights to Washington DC (Dulles-IAD) on commuter aircraft. Probably the easiest way to fly there is to fly in and out of Pittsburgh International and rent a car.

For the rest of us, we drive from our homes. Here is a sample list of travel times by car: Pittsburgh 1 ¼ hrs, Washington DC 3.5 hrs, Cincinnati 5.5 hrs, Syracuse 7 hrs, Northern New Jersey 7 hrs.

This link has some good directions from the interstates. West Virginia offers a tremendous Football Game day environment. Since Morgantown is relatively small, the whole town is involved with the Mountaineers. It is very similar to how Blacksburg, VA takes to the Hokies.

From the Regional Research Institute: “WVU is easily Morgantown's leading employer. When school is in session, Morgantown's population jumps from 29,000 to 50,000. The city is located in the north central part of West Virginia, within 10 miles of the Pennsylvania border and 30 miles from Maryland. It stands near the corner of Interstates 68 and 79, but the more important intersection historically was the confluence of the Monongahela River and Decker's Creek.”

Campus Info:

In order to gain an understanding of how Mountaineer Field sits in the Campus you must first become familiar with the two campuses. A good view of the two campuses and the unique Personal Rapid Transit (PRT).




Two Campuses: Downtown on left, Evansdale on right--click to enlarge


Walnut Street PRT Monorail Station (Downtown Morgantown)

From the Regional Research Institute:

“The university's downtown campus lies on the northern edge of the city's small central business district, and a more striking setting for a university is hard to imagine. Dating to 1870, WVU looks like the Ivy League.
Campus streets lead uphill from downtown to hills and more hills. (After four years at WVU you not only would have a bachelor's degree, but Olympic-class leg muscles as well.)
At the crest of one landscape-dominating mound is Woodburn Circle, comprising three of the university's oldest buildings, which stand like three distinguished professors posing for a yearbook photo, overlooking the city and the Monongahela Valley.
In the 1950s, WVU ran out of room to expand, and a second campus - the Evansdale Campus - was initiated three miles to the north. Unfortunately, the Ivy League architecture stayed downtown. The new campus buildings are more functional and, well, dull. Except for the coliseum, it is on a hilltop is visible for miles. The coliseum looks like a concrete UFO. Saucer-shaped, big enough to hold 14,000 beings, it appears to be merely parked there, waiting for a call from its home planet.
(A WVU alumni friend, whose devotion to the university's sports teams is fanatical, insists that the true atmosphere of the university is revealed on any given football Saturday, when its Mountaineer Stadium is filled with 60,000 people chanting "Let's go, Mountaineers" and the prize-winning marching band performs.)
When WVU began operating two separate campuses, it needed a way to connect them. It was too far to walk, the hills discouraged bicycling and shuttle buses had problems on the narrow streets.
So in 1975 planners created the Personal Rapid Transit system, which is essentially a horizontal elevator. You put 50 cents into the turnstile (WVU students use a "Mountaineer Card") (Editor Note: the PRT is FREE on game day) and select your station, just as you would choose a floor in a high-rise. You wait for a yellow, electric-powered, rubber-tired car about the size of a soccer mom's SUV to sidle up to the platform. And off you go, even though there's no driver at the wheel - and there's no wheel.
The PRT system runs about nine miles from the medical center through the old campus to downtown. Most of the passengers are WVU students and staff, but anyone may use the system.”

West Virginia University Main Campus

Game Day Tailgating/Parking:


Parking on Campus--printable PDF with comments

Like most big time programs the ability of visiting fans to park near the stadium is extremely limited. Unlike some other Big East programs tailgating is very common and fairly easy to do. The close in parking lots are the haven for the season pass holders and the well connected. Some people like to park elsewhere and then wander over to the “Pit” or the Blue Lot for the vendors selling food. The “Pit” is an area most older visiting fans should stay clear from. Alcohol and testosterone rules there and common sense is lacking by most. If you tread there, you should remember you are outnumbered and to keep a sense of humor. One way to make friends with the natives is to buy some Pepperoni Rolls and share them. They sound like the perfect tailgate food as they do not require refrigeration.

The Party in the Parking Lot
Using the “KISS” principle (Keep It Simple Stupid), I suggest first time visiting fans park in the free parking lots surrounding the Basketball Coliseum. It is located about ¾ miles away from Mountaineer Field and is an easy landmark for visitors to find. There are other free lots at the Evansdale Campus if you want a spot with better shade (these lots surround many of the academic buildings southeast of the coliseum). The Coliseum/Evansdale Campus Shuttles run continuously, starting about two and one half hours before kickoff and of course run after the game. The roundtrip cost is $3.50. NOTE: Visiting RV's will have to park out at the coliseum. Green Lot season RV pass holders can arrive at 6 pm on Friday. Looks like visiting RVs can also arrive the evening before. I recommend calling parking services for confirmation. A couple big changes that affect visiting RV'ers in 2008: RV parking at the WVU Coliseum is now $40 (cars are still free) in designated parking areas only. RVs parking at the WVU Coliseum will be issued a special pass when arriving and upon receiving payment. All RVs must now be parked three hours prior to kick-off.

If you arrive early ('eers start early-- 7 am for an afternoon or evening kickoff is considered normal) and want to get in a WVU lot closer to the stadium you can try the Gold or Purple Lots: NOTE from the MSN Website: "•The Gold lot (Area 72, adjacent to the Facilities Management Building in front of ERC/Towers) and the Purple lot (Areas 52 and 61 behind Sheetz on Route 705) will have limited spaces available to purchase single game parking passes. Passes wil be sold for $20, and the Gold and Purple lots are car-only lots." The University’s sports website states, “Private Parking (not affiliated with WVU): is available for a fee at several locations along Patteson Drive, Van Voorhis Road, W.Va. Route 705, University Avenue, Don Nehlen Drive, Willowdale Road and other areas near the stadium.” Two suggestions: The first one is located across from the Kroger Grocery Store on Patteson Ave. It is a strip shopping center (Rite Aid, Boston Beanery Restaurant and Radio Shack). Expect to pay about $10. You can obviously get beer and other tailgate supplies at the Kroger. The White Birch Office Tower is located north of the stadium at 1255 Pineview. Parking costs $5.

A whole host of game day rules and information is provided by the University (this is a very good web link for an overview). Handicapped Parking. It looks like visitors with handicap permits will park in the Brown Lot.

A very good article about the West Virginia Game Day experience was written by a Washington Post reporter a few years ago. Tailgating in its finest form is found in Morgantown, all Big East fans need to circle this game on their calendar to do. One last option is to park in downtown Morgantown and ride the PRT. The PRT will take you the PRT Health Sciences Center Station which is about 1/4 mile north of the statium.


Mountaineer Field The Big East's Largest Crowds are here!

Milan Puskar Stadium has been around since 1980 but has been enlarged and modernized.

TAILGATE SUPPLIES

The closest places to pick up tailgate supplies: Kroger Grocery Store on the west side of the stadium (350 Patteson Ave). It is open 24/7. On the north side of the stadium is a Sheetz Convenience Store on the north side of the stadium. On the west side of town in granville is a WalMart SuperCenter.

Scalpers and You: From the University website:

The scalping of tickets on University property is forbidden. Violators are subject to removal from University property. No solicitation of any kind is permitted in the parking lots or stadium. Individuals discovered soliciting will be asked to cease or will be removed.

You have been warned.

Scalping tickets is illegal in WV. Reality is it is tolerated around the stadium on gameday. The blue lot(the lot located between Puskar Stadium and Ruby Memorial Hospital) is very popular for ticket selling. Another place for scalpers is on Patteson Drive. The road runs between the Coliseum and the stadium. You can find scalpers there with signs.

Since buying/reselling tickets is illegal in WV you can save this for future use at other locales. A few tried and true techniques to get the best price buying I have used: 1. Know what a legit ticket looks like 2. Buy from your own fan base first 3. The smaller the group the smaller the price--single tickets are cheapest 4. Prices usually peak 1-2 hours before kickoff--inside an hour the closer to game time the cheaper the ticket, right after kickoff they plumment to near nothing 5. A fan walking to the stadium in with a group of friends and still holding extra tickets to sell will usually dump them for a cheap price (they do not want to miss the game and often they are doing a favor for a buddy to sell them) usually you'll spot them holding a finger or two out to their side or over their head or saying selling one, etc... 6. If you have to deal with a professional scalper--NEVER give him what he asks, have a seating chart with you, check to make sure all tickets are really together and for that game, offer him lower and be prepared to walk away, after you turn and walk away more than half the time in my experience they'll give in and take your offer, if you can afford to wait...wait inside 20 minutes to kickoff as see the prices drop (assess the situation for the number of tickets available, how many you need before employing that strategy) 7. Don't be embarrassed to go back to a scalper to buy ticket(s) 10 minutes after you said no to his previous offer 8. Don't fall for their tactics to make you feel like you're ripping them off by only offering $20 a ticket, etc...they love to play games with your self-image and ego.

Finally, be sure to visit Larry and his crew and say hi at his WVU tailgate website.



'Eers Know How To Have Fun On Saturday!

TAILGATE HAVEN--Total Tailgating Resource


Tailgate Haven is your total resource for setting up and managing your football tailgate online. Do you think the tailgate is sometimes just as important as the game? The goal of Tailgate Haven is to make your life easier by organizing your tailgate group; thus eliminating countless emails, text messages and phone calls about the current weeks tailgate information. The concept is simple but pure genius. You easily register by choosing your favorite team and picking a creative name for your tailgate group. Now log in and instantly each of your teams games becomes its own webpage with your team colors. Next, invite your friends to join your tailgate group and the site comes to life. In addition to this tailgate manager, every team has its own tailgate profile. Do you travel to away games? This is where you can find the best information on where to park, find extra tickets, where to stay, eat, party and golf. Navigate the city easily as you travel to a stadium for the first time.


LODGING:

Like most small towns it will be next to impossible to find a room if you look a week out. If you are a fan of historic, restored hotels Morgantown has the Clarion Hotel Morgan. It is within walking distance of the PRT. The Hampton Inn is very close to the stadium and might be a good option if you get lucky with a reservation. The Residence Inn by Marriott opened in 2006 and is also very close to the stadium but it sells out quickly. And a newly renamed 16 story Waterfront Place Hotel (nee Radisson) has opened in the Wharf District downtown. New to 2009 is a Microtel Inn near the Mall. Your best resource is to use the local visitors' guide. Last resort if you strike out, try looking for some "Mom and Pop" Motels near Morgantown.

Waterfront Place Hotel
If you decide to travel to Morgantown at the last minute: first see if you can find any cancellations at the motels in Morgantown. If you strike out, you’ll need to try outlying areas.

If you are traveling in from Pittsburgh and points north and east try these three cities: Washington, PA for motels, Waynesburg, PA for motels, and Uniontown, PA for motels.

If you are traveling from the south or west try these cities: Fairmont, WV for motels, Clarksburg/Bridgeport, WV for motels, and Wheeling, WV is another option for motels for those coming from the west as well as Washington and Waynesburg, PA.

DINING:
Almost all restaurants and pubs close to campus are going to be packed to the brim on a football weekend...so so enjoy the scene and have patience.
If you want to go somewhere not to far from the stadium that is a traditional haunt of WVU students/alums...I would suggest....Crockett's Lodge
The Boston Beanery II near intersection of Patteson Dr. and University Dr. has a varied menu, lots of fans and reasonable prices. Expect to have to wait to eat. A few blocks north of the Wharf District in downtown is West Virginia Brewing Company. Morgantown's only brewpub is located at 1291 University Avenue phone(304) 296-BREW It features live entertainment five days per week. A comprehensive list of bars is here. One final website gives you some great options for food and drink and shows you where the bar specials are and menus for lots of restaurants.

SPORTS BARS:Kegler's is a sports bar near the campus, Buffalo Wild Wings is known for their duh, wings, and also lots of TVs carrying all the college football games. The Sports Page has ESPN Gameplan and looks to cater to a younger crowd. Finally, Damon's , on Hwy 705 about 1 1/2 miles from the stadium, is known for their ribs as well as their full offerings of sports programming. Not really a sports bar, Firkin Pub offers you a British Pub environment along with darts and pool. The Firkin Pub is just north of the stadium on Van Voorhis Rd. The Wings are reported to be good.

For older readers who don't want to get caught in the hustle and bustle of the students...I would suggest Colasantes Ristorante & Pub ...this is a place is just west of Morgantown (in the city of Westover) and is very close to both I-79 and I-68. If you want a more upscale place....I would suggest Oliverio's Ristorante....this establishment is located on the beautiful new wharf district in Morgantown overlooking the Monongahela River. Other restaurants can be found here. BTW, you can limit your searches on this website to various neighborhoods of Morgantown.

Shopping: Morgantown has University Towne Center which has a typical assortment of big box retailers and trendy shops found in newer suburbs around most cities. It is located next to Star City/Osage--Exit 155 I-79 on Highway 19. Morgantown Mall is located across I-79 from University Towne Center. It looks to have a nice selection of retailers. If you are in search of chain restaurants you can find them in this area.

Things to Do:

If you happen upon Morgantown during the changing of the colors you need to checkout nearby Coopers Rock. It is the largest and most visited state forest in WV.


Cooper's Rock

A real nice website detailing all your outdoor types of things near Morgantown should keep you busy.
If you prefer to stay in town, the trolley is a great way to see Morgantown.
Whitewater rafting is great in West Virginia. If you are adventuresome, consider going on a river rafting tour on the New River or The Gauley if you have an extra day, they are several hours away. If you don't want to travel as far try the Cheat River or Youghiogheny River.

White Water Rafting on The Gauley
Morgantown is revitalizing an old area of their town into the "Wharf District". You can see the orientation of the Wharf District to downtown Morgantown here.


Wharf District

GOLF:

There are some great courses in West Virginia, including the Pete Dye Golf Club in Bridgeport (about 30 mins south--rated the top course in West Virginia and one of the top 100 golf courses in the US by Golf Digest) and the Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs. Note that White Sulfar Springs is 3 1/2 hours south of Morgantown near Exit 181 off I-64. Lucky for all of us--a very nice course with lodging is located in Morgantown. The Lakeview Resort might just be the perfect solution for a golf and football getaway.


The Lakeview Resort


Pete Dye Club

There are a number of golf courses the Morgantown Area. Here is a list. The Mountaineer Golf & Country Club is a public course for the golf challenged and/or budget minded. It is a short course that is relatively flat and inexpensive. You should be able to walk this course for less than $20, even on weekends.
Hope this helps. Thanks to WVURON and Jackson1011 for helping me with the guide.
The opinions expressed in this guide are those of TexanMark. While every effort has been made to ensure all the information presented is accurate and current, it would be wise to verify things when possible. Please note that this guide is not endorsed by Scout.com, Rivals.com or its site publishers, administrators and/or moderators.
Return to TexanMark's Tailgate Guides Main Page

USF Tailgate and Visitors Guide '09

Tampa Bay Skyline

This is one of a series of tailgating guides for Big East football schools written by Syracuse fan and tailgate aficionado TexanMark. If you have any feedback or additional information you think belongs in this guide, please drop an email message to Mark by clicking here.

University of South Florida (USF) is the lone geographical misfit of the Big East Football Conference. Most felt USF won the BCS lottery when Boston College bolted for the ACC and left the Big East searching for an eighth member for the 2005 season. Well I tell you what, they have fit in quite nicely in the Big East and have become a first tier team strength wise. Due to the southern location USF has become a favorite destination for mini-vacations for Big East football fans. USF is a young program but it is a great asset to the league.

First Things First: GETTING THERE

Unless you want to drive 900 or so miles (Louisville, Cinci, WVU and Pitt) this trip will be a flying event. The good news most everyone can get a nonstop into either Tampa or close by Orlando (90 miles). Both of these airports have a bevy of cheap flights to northern cities. Note: Orlando offers the most nonstops and generally the cheapest flights. It might be worth your while to fly into Orlando and rent a car and drive to Tampa. Obviously, many visiting fans will plan a four-five day mini-vacation and will visit Orlando anyway. If time is tight you should fly into Tampa. The airport is located about a mile from the stadium. You can easily take a cab to the game. Note: Taxis drop/pickup riders at the northwest corner of the stadium.
Other Travel Options:
Several ultra discount charter carriers offer scheduled service between some northeastern/midwestern cities and Orlando Sanford Airport (2 hours) and Saint Petersburg/Clearwater Airport (30-45 mins). Note: These airlines often only fly once a day so a missed flight or broken aircraft could be very problematic. If you have a lot of time, Amtrak offers service into Tampa. The fall season is a great time to visit Florida due to discount prices for rooms and other tourist related services. Consider yourself lucky if your team has a November visit scheduled to Tampa and take advantage!


Getting to the Stadium: Raymond James Stadium Click to enlarge (Thanks USFFan)

USF (like UConn and Pitt) plays their football games off campus. The campus is located about eight miles northeast. Like Pitt, they share a stadium with an NFL team. Raymond James Stadium (RayJay or RJS) opened in 1998 and is a great venue with many amenities. Note: USF games since demand increased are selling upper deck tickets for all games. Listed capacity for USF games is about 66,000. RayJay is located off Dale Mabry Highway which is a major North/South Artery in Tampa. The stadium is located adjacent (east) to the airport.



Directions:

FROM THE NORTH
I-75 to I-275 South to Himes Avenue North
or
Dale Mabry North.
Stadium is approximately one mile north, between Himes and Dale Mabry.

FROM THE SOUTH (SARASOTA AND BRADENTON)
I-75 to I-4 West to I-275 South to Himes Avenue North or North Dale Mabry
or
I-75 North to I-275 North to North Dale Mabry.
Stadium is approximately one mile north, between Himes and Dale Mabry.

FROM THE EAST (ORLANDO)
I-4 West to I-275 South to Himes Avenue North or North Dale Mabry
or
I-4 West to Hillsborough Avenue West or Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard West.
Stadium is approximately one mile north, between Himes and Dale Mabry.

FROM THE WEST
I-275 to North Dale Mabry
or
Highway 60 East to Spruce Street East to North Dale Mabry.
Stadium is approximately one mile north, between Himes and Dale Mabry.



Parking/Tailgating

Map of Parking Near Ray Jay Click to enlarge (From the official Bucs site)
Note:Lot 14 was the old mall lot

The easiest thing is to park at RayJay. The lots open four hours before games. Note: For night games USF fans told me the parking lots south of the stadium open up about 5 hours before kickoff. Buses and Campers are allowed to park on stadium property for USF games in Lot 8 (located south of the stadium). Note: Campers/RVs park in a different lot for Buc games. Expect general admission parking to be directed to Lots 1, 2, 3, and 4 but you can park in some other lots south of the stadium. Looking for where the USF students park and tailgate? Try Lots 3+4 and the old mall lot (Lot 14). Lot #4 is closest USF's student government sponsored tailgate area and student entrance (Gate B). USF fan outrunner states, "There's a lot of frats and clubs partying in there, and a lot of heckling/smack talk."

The official website states: “For USF home games Cars and Motorcycles will be charged $10, Buses will be $35, and Limousines and Campers will be $25.” Tailgating seems to have few restrictions.
Note: The stadium has in the past enforced very restrictive rules on the size of bags brought in the stadium. Definitely err on the conservative side.
However, charcoal grills are okay in the parking lots! Of course, with only three hours to tailgate you better be prepared to get to it. One other parking option is located adjacent to the stadium grounds across the street (west) at Hillsborough Community College.
Note: Just to the east was the old Tampa Bay Center Mall. Recently it was torn down. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are building training facilities there. A lot of Bull fans and USF students have used the free parking at the Mall in the past. ARRIVE EARLY OPTION: The Mall Lot has been converted into Lot 14 now and is a pay lot. Students still flock there. It is a pay lot but people routinely show up 5-7 hours before kickoff. You can arrive early, set up, save spots and throw a football. The rules are more lax. Expect an attendant to come by later to collect money. All Ray Jay lots are still $10 to park.

I tailgated in 2006 and found the convenience of the stadium lot hard to beat. I queued up 3 hours and 10 minutes before kickoff on the roadside of Dale Mabry (northbound) at Gate 9. There were about 15-20 cars waiting with me at 9am. (2009 NOTE: kickoffs now open 4 hours before kickoff.) They opened at precisely three hours prior to kickoff. I went through the gate and turned left and parked in Lot 7 right behind a rope separating me from permit parkers. If you arrive early like I did you get a "primo" spot next to one of the walkways. Tailgaters filled in over the next hour or so. We were about 400 yards south of Ray Jay's entrance. Plenty of porta-potties and lots of good times as Cuse and USF fans intermingled nicely. We stayed about 90 minutes after wards. By then the lot was very empty. If parking on site doesn't appeal to you...try cruising around to find some private lots which might accommodate you earlier. Hint: Parking on the south end of RayJay's parking lots allow you to send someone in the crew to get some food (if you don't have grills) at Miami Subs located just south of the parking lots at the corner of Columbus and Dale Mabry.

Finally, The Bulls Tailgating Association has a good website that gives you even more info. Their forums have some good suggestions in there for Bars, recipes, etc...

Tailgate Supplies: About a mile south of the stadium is Total Wine and it had a huge selection of Liquor, Beer and Wine. I even found quite a few microbrews from up north there. There is a Walmart across the street for all your other supplies.

Ticket Scalping and You: USF fans have told me it is legal to buy and sell tickets now for whatever the market bears. Supply is more than demand currently. You should be able to find tickets offered for less than face around the parking lots and walkways except for the high demand games. Even though ticket reselling has been liberalized there is still a rule not allowing reselling tickets on the grounds of stadiums you have been warned.

With that in mind: A few tried and true techniques to get the best price buying I have used: 1. Know what a legit ticket looks like 2. Buy from your own fan base first 3. The smaller the group the smaller the price--single tickets are cheapest 4. Prices usually peak 1-2 hours before kickoff--inside an hour the closer to game time the cheaper the ticket, right after kickoff they plumment to near nothing 5. A fan walking to the stadium in with a group of friends and still holding extra tickets to sell will usually dump them for a cheap price (they do not want to miss the game and often they are doing a favor for a buddy to sell them) usually you'll spot them holding a finger or two out to their side or over their head or saying selling one, etc... 6. If you have to deal with a professional scalper--NEVER give him what he asks, have a seating chart with you, check to make sure all tickets are really together and for that game, offer him lower and be prepared to walk away, after you turn and walk away more than half the time in my experience they'll give in and take your offer, if you can afford to wait...wait inside 20 minutes to kickoff as see the prices drop (assess the situation for the number of tickets available, how many you need before employing that strategy) 7. Don't be embarrassed to go back to a scalper to buy ticket(s) 10 minutes after you said no to his previous offer 8. Don't fall for their tactics to make you feel like you're ripping them off by only offering $20 a ticket, etc...they love to play games with your self-image and ego.

RayJay Stadium:

This place is great now that USF is consistently drawing over 40,000 fans and a few games over 60,000...great job USF. The facility is absolute first class and has many amenities. I don’t expect all the concessions to be open but you should still have a good variety.


Buccaneer Cove
Buccaneer Cove is a tremendous landmark and you need to wander over and check it out sometime during the game. You should have great sight lines since the stadium was built for football.


City of Tampa a lot of stuff to do

TAILGATE HAVEN--Total Tailgating Resource


Tailgate Haven is your total resource for setting up and managing your football tailgate online. Do you think the tailgate is sometimes just as important as the game? The goal of Tailgate Haven is to make your life easier by organizing your tailgate group; thus eliminating countless emails, text messages and phone calls about the current weeks tailgate information. The concept is simple but pure genius. You easily register by choosing your favorite team and picking a creative name for your tailgate group. Now log in and instantly each of your teams games becomes its own web page with your team colors. Next, invite your friends to join your tailgate group and the site comes to life. In addition to this tailgate manager, every team has its own tailgate profile. Do you travel to away games? This is where you can find the best information on where to park, find extra tickets, where to stay, eat, party and golf. Navigate the city easily as you travel to a stadium for the first time.


Shopping

I’ll keep it real simple. Drop your spouse here. The International Plaza shopping complex is located about 1 ½ miles southwest of RayJay stadium.
From the website: “International Plaza, adjacent to Tampa International Airport, is the most distinctive shopping and dining destination of Florida's West Coast. Four fashionable department stores, over 200 specialty shops and Bay Street at the Plaza... an open-air village of fine restaurants and small boutiques.” This place has a hotel (Renaissance) there and offers some travel packages. Thirty and over crowd alert: The Bay Street Level (Street Level) has a large collection of upscale drinking and dining establishments. This is a good alternative to the rowdier, younger Ybor City area.

Dining/Nightlife

I do know you need to try to eat at a Cuban Restaurant in Tampa. Cuban food is excellent and not too expensive. There is a huge selection in the area around the stadium especially if you drive south of the stadium. I would recommend after the game to head to Bay Street Level of the International Plaza or another option is cruising over to the Port of Tampa area and checking out Channelside.


Map of Channelside/ Hyde Park Areas
Channelside is another retail/dining entertainment area with many great restaurants, bars and lodging to include motels and condos. If you decide to stay downtown this place should be a must do destination. A trolley is available to take you from Channelside to Ybor—a plus. Hyde Park is located just SW of Channelside. There are lots of little shops to browse. Restaurant BT comes highly recommended. It specializes in a modern style of classic French & Vietnamese cuisines and is a great place for a quiet romantic dinner. Recommend using the valet parking because parking is at a premium.


Ybor City--a great place to party
Finally, Ybor City has an international reputation for hosting a great party. The crowd trends a little bit younger than International Plaza and Channelside. Ybor is Tampa’s old Latin community. Like many other urban areas it has been revitalized. If you really want to let lose and mingle with lots of other like minded people this is the place. The Columbia Restaurant (Ybor City) has been around for a century, specializing in Spanish and Cuban fare (get the paella). They have the best sangria, and is it is a great spot for lunch or dinner.
Following are restaurants recommended by local USF fans: “Bern's Steakhouse (South Howard Ave) offers the best steak in the Bay area. It's unique decorative style -- part bordello, part renaissance and the world famous dessert room is something to see. The Colonnade (Bayshore) offers great seafood and wonderful views of Tampa Bay and downtown Tampa. Whiskey Joe's Bar and Grille (Courtney Campbell Causeway) offers good food and reggae music and is built out over Tampa Bay. Salt Rock Grill (Indian Rocks Beach) is a great place to have dinner after a day at the beach. Frenchy's Rockaway Grill (Clearwater Beach) is the best place to grab a quick sandwich when catching rays on a GREAT beach.

SPORTS BAR ALERT!

Lee Roy Selmon's (Boy Scout Blvd - near Tampa Stadium) has some GREAT barbeque as well as alot of TVs. The Pressbox Sports Emporium is also close by. Beef O'Brady's is a large sports pub chain. The Westchase location is fairly close to the airport area. International Plaza has Champps. It is a full service sports bar and should have ESPN Gameplan. Finally, if you are looking to shoot a game of pool and be surrounded by lots of Coeds...well Peabody's Billiards is the place for you. It is located just north of the USF campus.

BARBEQUE

Besides Lee Roy Selmon's (mentioned above)--other great barbeque places: Kojak's House of Ribs (Gandy Blvd), Jimbo's, First Choice BBQ, maybe the best barbeque around Tampa? Near the campus try Lupton's Fat Man's BBQ (located near the college). Finally, Jazzy's BBQ has a legion of fans.

CK's (Tampa International Airport Marriott) is a revolving restaurant with a GREAT Sunday Brunch. Another great place for Sunday breakfast: The Brunchery (S MacDill Ave & N Dale Mabry). Charley's is great for gourmet steaks. Charley's can be seen from I-275 just east of West Shore. For tailgate sandwiches, Publix deli & Brocato's on Columbus and 50th are about as good as you are going to get. The bay area's best buffet (arguable) is right down the road on Dale Mabry (were RJS is) known as the Vari Asian Crazy Buffet. It has steaks, seafood, sushi, Japanese, etc. It's pricey at $22 a head. Looking for Thai? Try the Thai Terrace on Dale Mabry.
For a decent economical steak, try Sam Seltzer's north of RJS on Dale Mabry--located next to the Comfort Inn. Sam's is unique to central Florida. For wings, Hooters is north of the stadium on Hillsborough just west of Dale Mabry and the Press Box is south on Dale Mabry. The original Hooter’s is in Clearwater Beach. For Japanese hibachi steak, chicken, & seafood (cooked at the table), try Arigato's Japanese Steak House. It is north on Dale Mabry. If staying on the beach in St. Pete, for seaford I'd recommend the Hurricane on St. Pete Beach, Crabby Bill's with several locales, Ted Peter's in St. Pete on Pasadena for smoked mullet and Shell's Seafood. TBO.com is a good information source for Tampa Bay eats & things to do too.”

Lodging

Lodging is plentiful and comes in all price ranges. If you want to be able to walk to the game the Day's Inn or Comfort Inn are your best choices. Note: You are smarter to drive and park if you are bringing in supplies staying at either property--Dale Mabry is a very busy road and not pedestrian friendly. A couple others very close to the stadium are the Renaissance Tampa Hotel International Plaza (a Marriott Property, 4 star luxury) and a Mircotel (2 star budget). If you want to benear the airport (Westshore Area), there are a bevy of choices which you can see here. The airport motel area is only about a mile or two from the stadium which means you can avoid a rental car if you are only staying overnight.
Another option to try is the Downtown/Channelside/Ybor area, which is several miles from the stadium. Finally, if you want to stay near the beaches you should try Clearwater or St. Pete areas. Expect you’ll be about 45 minutes from the stadium. The Don Cesar is not to be missed.

Beaches and Other Tourist Stuff

World class beaches await you on your trip to Tampa. USF fan, JimUSFSig says: “Sand Key Beach, just south of Clearwater Beach, is usually less crowded and has some of the best sand around. Clearwater Beach is where the tourists head to catch some rays. St. Pete Beach is where the locals go -- check out the Undertow Beach Bar for one of the best beachside bars around.” BullDoug says, “don't forget Fort DeSoto Park. It was voted the nation's overall best in 2005. It is south of St. Pete Beach just west of the Skyway Bridge. It is about a 50-60 min. trip from (RayJay) and good for a relaxing day to picnic. Treasure Island is a nice beach too. T.I. is south of John's Pass where there are numerous shopping opportunities and dinner cruises leave from there.”

You all know about Disney in Orlando so I won't tell you about it. The Tampa Bay area has some neat attractions, too. Busch Gardens offers a chance to view animals, be entertained by performers, drink a couple brewskis and ride some awesome roller coasters. Hint: Any active duty, activated or drilling reservist, or National Guardsman is entitled to free admission under the "Here's to the Heroes" program. More info here. The Florida Aquarium a few miles south in Channelside is a neat place to take the kids. Into tropical gardens? Drive over to St. Pete's Sunken Gardens. About 60-90 minutes north of Tampa is Homosassa Springs and Weeki Wachee Springs if you want to get away from typical amusement parks.

GOLF

Good and cheap:
East Bay
Located in the heart of Pinellas County, minutes from the Gulf Beaches, Eastbay is an 18 hole, par 72-championship layout. A William Mitchell design, this track features elevated, well-bunkered greens with water in play on 14 of 18 holes. Eastbay has the GPS yardage system on its brand new fleet of carts. All tees, greens and fairways are overseeded with winter ryegrass for the winter months, ensuring lush, green playing areas.

Babe Zaharias
Babe Zaharias Golf Course is a municipal course that winds through a residential area in North Tampa. It's the shortest of the city courses, but tight fairways and small greens keep it challenging.

Rocky Point
Rocky Point, located near Tampa International Airport, is a scenic course with a mix of tree-lined fairways and open holes. Water comes into play on 12 of the 18 holes.


The Claw at USF
Featuring long, tight fairways lined with oaks, cypress and pines, this attractive course is home to a variety of wildlife, including the occasional alligator. Located just off I-75 near the University of South Florida, the club is home to the university's golf teams and is a par-71 layout with driving range, golf clinics, individual lessons by PGA professionals and a golf shop. Summer golf camps are featured here, and players gather at Rocky's Sports Grill to moan over the score sheets.

Good and not so cheap:

Westchase

Since opening in the fall of 1992, Westchase Golf Club has established itself as one of Tampa Bay's upscale golf facilities. The 6,710 yard, Par-72 Westchase course was designed by nationally known architect Lloyd Clifton. Located in northwest Tampa, it is one of the better upscale courses in the Bay area. The natural setting and the well manicured fairways and greens of this course surrounded by natural wetlands, wooden bridges and bulkheads are what set it apart.

The Eagles
This facility features two 18 hole layouts, The Lakes and The Forest:


The Lakes
An abundance of water inspired the moniker for this course. Water comes into play on virtually every hole. This 18-hole course measures over 7,100 yards and is more like the traditional Florida course with huge greens and generous driving areas. Both nines of The Lakes start out with unique par-5's that challenge golfers to use their creativity to make a sub-par score. As you play these outstanding layouts, you soon understand why The Eagles Golf Club of Tampa Bay has a hard-won reputation for well-conditioned tees, greens, and fairways. Four sets of tees offer golfers a wide choice of challenges. When the St. Petersburg Times canvassed several dozen Tampa Bay golf courses to put together a Tampa Bay "Dream 18," two holes from The Eagles were selected.


The Forest

Noted golf course architect, PGA Tour professional and NBC-TV commentator Gary Koch and master architect Rick Robbins are responsible for the front nine of The Forest Course, while noted architect Ron Garl designed the back nine. Accuracy is a premium on this course, with its highly contoured fairways and well placed, meticulous greens. This course measures 6,700 yards and features the signature island-green, par-3 sixth hole, which rivals the famous 17th hole at the TPC at Sawgrass in Jacksonville.

Belleview Biltmore
Designed by world famous golf architect Donald Ross, the Belleview Biltmore Golf Club opened in 1925. It is a challenging course that features lush lined fairways and water hazards and is noted for its beauty.

TPC of Tampa Bay

The TPC of Tampa Bay is part of a network of outstanding stadium golf courses across the country owned and operated by the PGA Tour. Winner of the Golf Digest's four star award for places to play, this course is the home of the Verizon Classic, the area's only Senior PGA Tour event.

I’d like to thank USF fan JimUSFSig and BullDoug for helping me with this guide. I hope this helps.

The opinions expressed in this guide are those of TexanMark. While every effort has been made to ensure all the information presented is accurate and current, it would be wise to verify things when possible. Please note that this guide is not endorsed by Scout.com, Rivals.com or its site publishers, administrators and/or moderators.


Return to TexanMark's Tailgate Guides Main Page

......

Syracuse Tailgate and Visitors Guide '09

Syracuse Looking Toward Onondaga Lake from Mount Olympus--click to enlarge

This is one of a series of tailgating guides for Big East football schools written by Syracuse fan and tailgate aficionado TexanMark. If you have any feedback or additional information you think belongs in this guide, please drop an email message to Mark by clicking here or make a comment below.

NOTE: I have populated a map found here with most of the places talked about here (be patient it might take 30 seconds to load). This wonderful website has informational maps on most major colleges. Check it out http://www.mapgameday.com

First Things First: Getting There:

Syracuse is the northernmost school in the Big East (Football schools). It is a relatively short trip from Rutgers and UConn (each about 4 hours). Other schools within a reasonable drive for a weekend game are 6-7 hours away (Pitt and WVU). Cincinnati and Louisville are too far to drive to unless you have 3 days or love spending the weekend in a car.

Flying into Syracuse is fairly easy. It is a decent sized airport but beware that some of the airfares can be artificially high. The airport has a proposed and much needed renovation coming in the next few years. Jet Blue generally has the lowest airfares and have helped a lot to lower airfares into Syracuse. However, airlines like Delta, American and United often will meet or beat flight rates into Syracuse from Jet Blue Destinations. USAir is supposedly evolving into a low airfare carrier which might help. USAirways is the dominant carrier into Syracuse. If you are flexible flying in/out of nearby airports (both origin and destination) you can save 100's of dollars. Be sure to check nearby airports.

The airport is about 5 miles north of the downtown/university areas, many local motels will pick you up in their courtesy shuttles if you want to avoid renting a car. The great thing about Syracuse is 500,000 people live in the city and suburbs but you are never more than 10-15 minutes from anything. If you are going to rent a car you might want to check into flying in/out of Albany, Buffalo and Rochester (all are within 2 hours of Syracuse) for lower airfares. Southwest serves Albany and Buffalo while Air Tran serves Rochester. NOTE: Airfare differences between various Upstate NY cities can vary by 100's of dollars. Obviously, if you have an extra day or two you might want to check out Niagara Falls, Turning Stone Casino, Cooperstown and the World Famous Baseball Hall of Fame, Thousand Islands or the Finger Lakes wineries (all are within 2 ½ hours of Syracuse). A national travel writer recently named the Finger Lakes and the 1000 Islands in the Top 10 of all Lake Districts in the world! Cruising famous Skaneateles Lake on a boat, Note: World Class Salmon fishing is just 40 minutes north in Pulaski. If you really want a special trip try mixing in fishing and stay up in Pulaski for a few days and check here first for anything you forgot. A few more suggestions. Finally, something for the kids close by. Big Don's Wild River is less than 15 minutes from Downtown in Cicero. A new family entertainment center awaits you with many "first ever's" for Syracuse. Another family entertainment center (Maya Indoor Waterpark) on the NW side near the I-90 exit 39 is being development. There is a hotel, restaurant along with a bmx park, paint ball and skate. The swim park is being constructed. Expect it to be open in 2010. The other attractions are currently open.


Turning Stone Casino--Oneida Nation


The train station and bus station are co-located about a mile north of downtown and it is a short walk (under an I-81 overpass) to the huge Carousel (DestiNY USA) Shopping Mall. You can catch a bus or cab from the train station to the university.

Game Day Parking/Tailgating:

Finding the Carrier Dome is fairly easy. It sits just east of downtown and is perched on top of a hill overlooking the city. However, the University provides a nice overview and has a general map you can use.

The Syracuse tailgating scene is one of lots of small tailgates spread throughout the campus. This is due to the Carrier Dome being built in the middle of a cramped campus with little close by parking. If you are a visiting fan you can find tailgating/parking options in the University area but it will be mostly by private vendors.


The Main Campus Click to enlarge
A link with interactive maps of all the Campuses

Suggested areas to look:

Check the fraternities/sororities on Walnut, parking garages (Sheraton Hotel, a few others can be found around Crouse and Irving Avenues a few blocks north/west of the Dome), and private residences. Expect to pay about $5-20 to park. BTW, I found a $5 lot near Adams St north of the Crouse Irving Hospital which sold out about two hours prior to kickoff. If you are lucky enough to have a connection there are several nice lots near the Dome for parking/tailgating but require a permit (based on donation level). All of the lots owned by the university close to the Dome are permit only. PARKING TIP: If you decide to try your luck with the Stadium West parking lots area just west of the Dome (streets between Dome and I-81) you need to arrive at least three hours early. NOTE: Unless you have a permit you can't park in the lots but on street parking is fair game. The police set up Orange Barrels on the side of the street with no parking. If you find a space open and you aren't blocking a driveway or too close to an intersection or fire hydrant park there. Bottomline: parking is only allowed on one side of the street. They will ticket and tow. If you have a small tailgate crew you (as a visitor) shouldn't have a problem tailgating in the stadium west lots. Just don't set up in the prime spots as regular CUSE fans might raise a stink. The safest lot to set up is in the Henry Lot. It hosts visiting buses/RVs there so you will blend in. A nice printable map shows the permit parking lots as well as the non permit day game lot at Skytop. To reiterate: best advice is to arrive 3-4 hours before kickoff and scout around for a spot. The university does offer two parking garages for gameday parking without a permit. University Ave Garage and Booth Garage are available but are expensive($20). See link above for locations. Additionally there are a few other parking garages in the area. The one just south of the hospital complex along Irving Avenuecharges $15. The Sheraton Hotel garage also allows gameday parking for about $15-20.

Tailgating on campus is much different than a lot of other universities due to this lack of parking. Most of it takes place in small parking lots and parking garages. If you park at a parking garage obviously take a spot on the roof. Don't even try cooking with propane or charcoal in the garages. You are smart to send a scout out early to claim a spot. For 12:00 kickoffs you should be able to find a decent spot as late as 9:30am. For 3:30pm or evening kickoffs you should arrive 3 hours prior.

The University recommends visitors without passes to park at Skytop, this map will give you a good overview of where it is in relation to the main campus. It is located about ½ mile south on Comstock from the main campus just past Manley Field House. Shuttle buses are available and free and run continuously two hours before football games from both Skytop and Manley. Out of town RV’ers should expect to park at Skytop. Here is a visual look at the Skytop area. I have been told RV's can park at Skytop the night before the game. You should call parking services to check though. Tailgating out at Skytop is good but it is usually mellow with smaller tailgate groups. It is usually the most popular area for visiting fans to go to. The disadvantage is you usually need to take the shuttle to the game. It is about a two mile walk but it is a nice walk. Expect to pay $10 to park a car at Skytop. Bottom line: if in doubt before game day call the parking services department on campus for more info. NOTE: if you are bringing a group of fans in with a bus or RV, I recommend calling parking service if you want to park on campus. They will be able to sell you a parking spot very close (Henry Lot, look about two blocks west of the Dome) to the the Carrier Dome for $60 or out at Skytop for $40. This is a great deal as parking in here (Henry Lot) is usually reserved for fans who donate larger sums of money to the Orange Club)but visiting fans with RV's and Buses can also park there with advance notice. This view of how close your RV will be to the Dome from the Henry Lot should be the clincher. If parking services is giving you the run around try calling the SU Box Office at 888-DOMETIX (366-3849) for RV/Bus parking at the Henry Lot. If you get in the Henry Lot walk across the street to the Fine Lot (SW corner of Raynor and Henry) and say hello to me as I'll be at some games tailgating with The Fine Mess.

CENTRO Bus Service:

CENTRO (the local bus company) offers several great options from different parts of the city. Out of Towners if you find yourself staying near the Great Northern Mall (I-481 and SR 31) in Clay (North Side) or Wegman's Grocery Store in Dewitt (near I-481 and SR 5 on the east side) this could be a handy stress free option. They also provide this service for basketball games.

Tailgate Supplies:

NOTE: In New York State you can buy beer in grocery stores but hard liquor and wines are sold in liquor stores. There is a movement to change this but I expect 2009 will still be the status quo. Obviously the Huge 24/7 Walmarts (this one isn't a Super Center but it is close to the liquor stores mentioned below) around town offer good selection of tailgate supplies and beer. If you are already situated at your tailgate and need a few items try these places (all are within 10 mins of the campus): The Party Source (extensive beer selection) at 2646 Erie Blvd., Phone: (315) 446-8281, The biggest and closest liquor store is also out near the Party Source. Pascale's Liquor Square has a huge selection of liquor and wine. Galeville Grocery has an awesome amount of beer and good prices. It is pretty close to Carousel Mall on the north side. The closest Full Scale 24 hour Grocery Store is Price Chopper at 2515 Erie Blvd., Ph 315-449-2314.. If you want to shop the best Supermarket Syracuse has to offer try the Wegman's Chain (this one is about 10 mins from the University. They have a very loyal following on the east coast. NOTE: Allow an hour to shop here--once you enter you get sucked in and don't want to leave. LOL

Money Saver Tip: Wegmans, Price Chopper and the P+C Grocery Stores in Syracuse use loyalty cards. If you are a one time shopper usually if you ask a person in line they'll let you borrow their card to swipe for the discounts or the checkout person sometimes will swipe a card for you.

If you can't drive and are tailgating on/just off campus and need some beer/food. The closest walkable place is a Quickway Food Mart at 701 Crouse and Adams, Ph 315-475-0900 (about a block north of Marshall Street Ticket Scalping Area). They offer a limited selection of beer and some food stuffs.


ARMORY SQUARE PARKING/TAILGATING (Alternative)

NOTE: As of March 2008 the Orange Express Train Service was discontinued. There are some behind the scenes efforts to keep it running for in the future for sporting events. The good news: merchants around Armory Square are running buses from Armory Square to the Dome.

Okay so no train. You can still tailgate downtown and take a shuttle bus from Armory Square. Armory Square is a fabulous area of entertainment choices about 1.5 miles away in Downtown Syracuse. It literally was a decaying old warehouse area that was rejuvenated in the last 15-20 years.The local bars and restaurants are running a free shuttle bus that leaves from Walton Street in the heart of Armory Square. They start bus service 40 minutes before kickoff and go until 20 minutes before kickoff. After the game go back to the same spot you were dropped off at and take the bus back. IT IS FREE!

The merchants hope you party before and after kickoff with them. I would certainly stop in and give them some business. However, if you want to tailgate find a nearby parking lot and go for it. The Trolley Lot is large and RV friendly. Enter through a tunnel off the circle around the MOST Museum. Fall 2008 the West Jefferson Circle is undergoing some construction. Look for the tunnel under the train track here to the Trolley Lot (Use the streetview option to get a picture). There was free parking there during the day last year. I expect it the same this year. Night games you might have to pay $5.

I can't vouch for how the tailgating is downtown anymore since the train left. However, it is okay to tailgate in the lots downtown. If you park at the Trolley Lot or any of the other nearby lots in the Armory Square Entertainment area you should some some others doing the same.

Be sure to visit PJ's Pub and Grill and SyracuseSuds and say thanks for the buses.


The Carrier Dome Switched To FieldTurf in 2005

TAILGATE HAVEN--Total Tailgating Resource


Tailgate Haven is your total resource for setting up and managing your football tailgate online. Do you think the tailgate is sometimes just as important as the game? The goal of Tailgate Haven is to make your life easier by organizing your tailgate group; thus eliminating countless emails, text messages and phone calls about the current weeks tailgate information. The concept is simple but pure genius. You easily register by choosing your favorite team and picking a creative name for your tailgate group. Now log in and instantly each of your teams games becomes its own webpage with your team colors. Next, invite your friends to join your tailgate group and the site comes to life. In addition to this tailgate manager, every team has its own tailgate profile. Do you travel to away games? This is where you can find the best information on where to park, find extra tickets, where to stay, eat, party and golf. Navigate the city easily as you travel to a stadium for the first time.

CARRIER DOME, TICKETS and SUCH

Tickets are a buyers market right now in Syracuse. The Dome's capacity is just shy of 50,000 but the last few years have seen crowds of around 30,000 for most games. There hasn't been a sellout in many years. I don't expect it to change until the Orange start winning again. The school offers Internet purchasing of tickets. They are doing both "print at home" and traditional mailing of tickets. If you arrive without tickets the best place to buy tickets are near the intersection of Marshall and Crouse, the walkway between the Quad (near Hendricks Chapel) and the Dome or the area surrounding the parking lots just west of the Dome. New York appears to be relaxing the rules on scalping tickets so the Police shouldn't bother you as long as you don't buy on the sidewalks next to the Dome.

A few tried and true techniques to get the best price buying: 1. Know what a legit ticket looks like 2. Buy from your own fan base first 3. The smaller the group the smaller the price--single tickets are cheapest 4. Prices usually peak 1-2 hours before kickoff--inside an hour the closer to game time the cheaper the ticket, right after kickoff they plummet to near nothing 5. A fan walking to the stadium in with a group of friends and still holding extra tickets to sell will usually dump them for a cheap price (they do not want to miss the game and often they are doing a favor for a buddy to sell them) usually you'll spot them holding a finger or two out to their side or over their head or saying selling one, etc... 6. If you have to deal with a professional scalper--NEVER give him what he asks, have a seating chart with you, check to make sure all tickets are really together and for that game, offer him lower and be prepared to walk away, after you turn and walk away more than half the time in my experience they'll give in and take your offer, if you can afford to wait...wait inside 20 minutes to kickoff as the prices drop (assess the situation for the number of tickets available, how many you need before employing that strategy) 7. Don't be embarrassed to go back to a scalper to buy ticket(s) 10 minutes after you said no to his previous offer 8. Don't fall for their tactics to make you feel like you're ripping them off by "only offering $20 a ticket", etc...they love to play games with your self-image and ego.

The Dome mostly has aluminum bench seating (without backrests) and it is very easy to improve you seating into vacant areas. If you buy your tickets through your own University you should expect to be in the corner of the endzone near Section 111. Click here for the seating chart and here for what your view will look like. Normal questions about what you can bring into the stadium, where is disabled seating, etc...can be found here. Concessions include Beer (sales end at the start of the 3rd Quarter) and the normal food fare. I was told there is a better selection of beer on the first level. If you get a Dome Dog make sure it is Hoffman Brand. Concession prices are fairly cheap compared to those at some other Big East Stadiums. Beer is $5 for 16 ounces.


A FULL DOME--aka "The Loud House"

LODGING (Close):

Note: The local Syracuse Visitor’s website a good place to help you find addresses and phone numbers for businesses. If you have waited until summer or fall for football weekends the rates around the Dome will be high (local motels traditionally jack up the rates even higher for Parents Weekend over a standard football weekend). Bottom line, if you have a car and want to save money you should look to the suburbs or outlying towns (Clay, Auburn, Cortland, Tully, Oneida, etc...). Note: If you are in dire straits for lodging try this website for some "Mom and Pop" motels. I like the convenience of being near the Dome and usually stay Downtown or near the campus. If you are flying or taking the train in for the game most of these hotels listed below will pick you up at the Airport/Train Terminal via Courtesy Shuttle.

I've compiled a list a few places below that all have proximity to the Dome, you can walk to them all or take a Bus from Armory Square on gameday.

Downtown/SU Area Lodging

Econolodge (2 star quality) on James Street is usually the cheapest choice: Obviously, the benefit is you can get a room (they are clean) usually for around $60-100 with a breakfast and TV/Fridge/Microwave. Lately, the hotel has been jacking up the rates for some games. IMHO, it isn't worth paying $120+ for some of the games. It is about a mile walk to the Dome and about a half mile to Armory Square. They do provide courtesy shuttle to the airport and other locales. The downside is the distance to the Dome and it is near St Joseph’s Hospital. You'll hear the ambulances. Be advised there are some street people in the neighborhood but the area is as safe as you can expect for an urban downtown environment. The Parking Lot is secure and well lit and the manager lives on site. This is a great place to go with a bunch of guys--probably not the family. I have stayed here several times in the past and have never had a problem.

One other option for those on a very limited budget is the Hi-Downing Hostel about 1 1/4 mile from campus.

Parkview Hotel: A new boutique hotel opened May 2005. It is related to the Genesee Grande property a few blocks away and mentioned below. Bottomline: it is reasonable (mid 100s) and close (about 5/8ths mile away to the Dome). All rooms feature custom fabrics, bright living spaces and flat-screen LCD TV; extended-stay suites also have kitchenettes. The Parkview also provides voice mail, speaker phone, high-speed Internet access and a 24-hour on-site business center with administrative support. Local phone number is #315-701-2600 (you might be able to get a better discount by calling) and they do provide a courtesy shuttle.

Renaissance, formerly the Marx Hotel The Marx Hotel converted over to the upscale Marriott Renaissance brand in 2007. This hotel is a far cry from the mid 90's when it still looked like the old Holiday Inn stuck in the 70's. A major renovation has been done and it looks great. It is in my opinion the best value among the upscale hotels near the campus. Located about 5/8 mile from the Dome. Nice onsite restaurant. The place is very clean. Rooms are around $150. I have heard Redfield's is a great restaurant and located in the hotel.
A very nice point is the free covered parking lot.
Note: If you ask, you can get complimentary shuttles.
A View From the Rennaissance click to enlarge

Genesee Grande Inn They recently did a major renovation--it is just beautiful. It is about 1/2 mile walk to the Dome on the north edge of campus. The pricing varies from the mid 100s and up (Suites). Valet parking is available. The restaurant has received good reviews. This place sounds real good if you are bringing your wife. Be advised the neighborhood turns dicey about several blocks away east or north.

Sheraton at the UniversityThis is the place to stay if you want to soak up the college experience. It is literally steps from the Dome. I always run into somebody famous there on gameday. The downside is it is expensive ($200+ a night) and most football weekends will book up early. On game day it has a lot of people mingling and the Hotel sets up a tailgate (fee to get food/drinks) outside for guests and visitors alike.


Sheraton at the University the closest Hotel to the Dome


Closest (Upscale) to Armory Square/Bars:
Jefferson-Clinton Hotel (nee Hawthorn Suites) at Armory Square This is my favorite place but that is the problem, it is also with others and is usually booked. The Hotel is across the street from the Trolley Lot and within staggering distance of all the bars at Armory Square. It is amazing what they did to the old Jefferson-Clinton, a one-time “flea bag” hotel in the 70s. If you get lucky with reservations expect to pay $150+ a night for a Queen Euro. Suites are $225+. A hot breakfast buffet is included. Free parking is outdoors in a contracted lot, valet/concierge services available.

LODGING (5-15 minutes away)

There are quite a few motels in the Carrier Circle area. This area is about 3 miles northeast of the university near the Thruway (I-90, exit 35) interchange by the same name. Note: You can click on this link and get the Yahoo interactive guide for the area. You can click under the “Smartview” toolbar to find restaurants, etc… This Candlewood Suites is fairly new and might have rooms when others don't in the Carrier Circle Area.

Another area is around the intersection of I-81 and I-90. The 7th North area also has several options. Two independent motels here are worth checking out. The Maplewood Inn and the United Inn sometimes will offer much cheaper rates but still are well maintained properties. A real bargain can usually be had at the Econolodge near the Airport. The property is nearly new and clean and less than 10 minutes from the campus and real close to the next two suggestions. Two newer hotels are a Candlewood Suites and a Holiday Inn Express located about 5 miles N of the Dome at the entrance to the Airport on South Bay Road. I recently stayed at the Holiday Inn Express Airport and was quite pleased. A very clean property about 3 mins from the terminal and very close to several restaurants. Both including the previously mentioned Econolodge may have rooms available when others are soldout.If you want something a little different in a motel try the Red Mill Inn in Baldwinsville. It is a neat little village about 15 minutes northwest of Downtown. The Hotel is an old mill on an island next to the old Erie Canal. Prices are generally about $100 a night and people have told me it is a great alternative to chain motels. Hint: A new Wingate just opened up about 6 miles NW of the Dome near Exit 39 on the Thruway. New for 2009 and close to the Dome are a Holiday Inn Express a few miles east and still under construction but nearly complete is a Hampton Inn at Erie Blvd and Thompson Road also a few miles east.


The Red Mill Inn lodging next to the lock on the canal


If you are looking for a Bed and Breakfast in the city try Moonstruck Manor on the west side. If you want a romantic getaway town, I recommend Skaneateles (pronounced "skinny- atlas"), Aurora or Cazenovia (pronounced "Caz -a-no-via"). Each village is charming and possesses excellent hotels, B and B’s and restaurants. One of the best lodges (Mirbeau) in the country is located in Skaneateles. Another lodge with an excellent reputation is the Sherwood Inn. If you are looking for a more casual lodging experience in Skaneateles try Skaneateles Suites. Both Skaneateles and Cazenovia are under 30 minutes from the University. Aurora is about 50 minutes southwest of Syracuse on Cayuga Lake and has The Aurora Inn in a quaint setting. A little bit closer in the eastern suburb of Fayetteville is the Craftsman Inn. The hotel is noted for fine Syracuse made Stickley Furniture. For the sportsmen: try a weekend trip of fishing and football. This resort has it all for you about 40 minutes north of Syracuse.


Skaneateles Suites: Unique collection of lodging options in a beautiful setting

SHOPPING (Nonfootball Watching Spouse Option)

Carousel Mall is huge and expanding. It should be able to keep your spouse busy for hours. It is located about 2 miles north of downtown off I-81. Be advised the mall will be undergoing major, major changes over the next 5-10 years. It is soon to be renamed DestiNY USA. It is planned to be a multi billion dollar destination place.


Carousel Mall--Phase One of Expansion (Photo from Syracuse.Com, Jun 13, 2008)

Two other shopping options: Shoppingtown Mall has been an institution in Syracuse for nearly 50 years. It is located near the hotels around Carrier Circle.

The COR Center has a nice mix of stores in a warm village atmosphere typically found in upper income areas, check out the Fayetteville Towne Center property. It is located on the east side about three miles further east from Shoppingtown. Note: There is a nice YMCA located at the development. UPDATE: LL Bean opened an outlet in late September 07. Another COR Center is in the northern suburb of Clay.

Sports Clothing: If you forgot a rain jacket or sweatshirt...you have a couple choices on Marshall Street: Shirt World, Manny's, and Syracuse University Bookstore. You can also try the Marshall Square Mall just behind Marshall Street.

DINING DOWNTOWN

When you arrive back after the game, a multitude of choices in the Armory Square area await you.

Visitors should check out: Syracuse Suds Factory and world famous Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, the Blue Tusk (a cool meeting place with an awesome selection of beer on tap), and Clark's Ale House. Clark's in my opinion has the best roast beef sandwich I have ever tasted. Dinosaur has the best BBQ in the North and the most eclectic atmosphere of any place in CNY. Lemongrass and Bistro Elephant offers upscale Thai-Pacific Rim and Euro=Asian Food respectively as good as you'll get in large metropolitan areas. Great News! Armory Square has reopened its second brew pub in summer '07. The Empire Brewing Company shut down and reopened. I visited fall '07 and it still retained its quality of food and brew before. It is a must for visitors. BTW, the other Brew Pub (Syracuse Suds-mentioned above) is also quite good and has TVs for viewing games. Finally the Syracuse Downtown Committee has put together a nice compilation of where to eat, shop and play in Armory Square.


World Famous Dinosaur Barbeque--CLICK Here For VIDEO
Photo by Lucy Saunders (c) Who does a website about cooking with beer that is very useful for tailgating.


Still in Armory Square is a cool Irish Pub with good food called Kitty Hoynes. A nice Italian Restaurant called Pastabilities was one of the original pioneers in the Armory Square area. The Black Olive serves Greek/Mediterranean specialties and is located in the Armory Square area. Finally, a new restaurant that has good reviews is the upscale BC Restaurant. Not in Armory Square but a few blocks away by the OnCenter is Ale 'n' Angus Pub. It serves awesome steaks, burgers, and other American favorites at reasonable prices.

NOTE: SOMETHING FOR THE KIDS If you want a neat place to kill a few hours or you have children with you should check out M.O.S.T. it is an interactive science and children's museum. MOST also has an IMAX movie theater.




Blue Task and Kitty Hoyne's--two great places to have a drink

The City of Syracuse has a good website for visitors that is also worth checking out.

HANOVER SQUARE (Another Downtown Option)

Hanover Square is a smaller version of Armory Square but it is considered quite good. Hanover Square is #5 on the linked map is bit more sedate and caters more to the 25+ crowd. The live music scene is alive an well at the Bull and Bear Pub. Bull and Bear Pub offers a Food Menu. If you desire Italian try Anthony's Pasta Bar. If French is your choice, try L'Adour. Just around the corner from Hanover Square is a nice Restaurant called Traditions of Syracuse at 201 S. Salina Street. Finally, the Downtown Committee has put together a nice compilation of where to eat, shop and play in the Hanover Square area.

If you want the college experience you need go no farther than the Marshall Street area (this is the main retail area for Syracuse University just a few blocks from the Dome).

Another option is the funky off campus college neighborhood on Westcott Street (between Genesee and Euclid) about ½ mile away. There are several neat little restaurants and bars.

If you are staying at the Renaissance, Parkview, Genesse Grande, or Sheraton the dolce vita world bistro bar/kitchen is nearby at 907 E. Genesee St. It offers wifi, big screen TVs, craft beers, world-infused cuisine at reasonable prices.

Places that come highly recommended in the Marshall Street area (the main student retail center about 3 blocks from the Dome) are Faegan’s Café and Pub (famous beer and food joint for meeting friends), Varsity Pizza (local institution where all SU’s opponents pennants are on the wall. If SU wins a SU player gets the honor to turn the losing team’s pennant upside down) of course has good, cheap NY style pizza, Acropolis Pizza and Cosmo Pizza (two another great pizza places) and King David (Middle Eastern and Greek food). While famous Hungry Charlies is gone, Chuck's Cafe replaced it. The food is decent but on gameday and the evenings this place is hopping with coeds. A few more places can be found at the "Shoppes at Campus Plaza". Walk downhill on Crouse just below Marshall Street and turn right into an alley. You can find several ethnic restaurants and bars there. Sal's Birdland is noted for their Wings and located in the Schine Student Center on campus.

DINING AWAY FROM CITY CENTER

A few other unique places (you’ll need a car) to try: Heid’s of Liverpool is located about four miles north of downtown in the quaint village of Liverpool. The art deco styled restaurant has been an institution for generations of Syracuse residents. You need to try the coney “co-nee” (a white hot).

The Coney behind Heid's is actually made by Hoffman Sausage. It is a local treasure and most Syracuse natives prefer no other. Like wise Syracuse prefers Gianelli Italian Sausage. I highly recommend trying them at your tailgate in Syracuse.

Heid's of Liverpool
Hoffman "Coneys", Made in Syracuse and Served at Heids

Another unique place is Coleman’s Irish Pub in the Irish neighborhood of Tipperary Hill. Tipperary Hill is famous for having the only green over red traffic light in the USA. The restaurant can be difficult to find so I suggest you print out a good map. The food is excellent and the atmosphere can’t be beat. It has been rated as one of America's 10 great Irish Pubs.



Coleman's Pub--Check Out The Leprechaun's Door

If you are coming from the South or Midwest you should try the Clam Bar for excellent seafood. I love their haddock fish sandwich. It is huge! It is located near W. Taft Rd and Brewerton Road ( US 11) also known as “Sweetheart Corner” in North Syracuse. It is about five miles north of Downtown. Parking is located in the rear off South Bay Road.

Another famous seafood restaurant in Syracuse is Doug's Fish Fry. There are several locations throughout Central New York. It is especially well worth the drive to Doug's in the scenic village of Skaneateles.


Scenic Skaneateles (skinny-atlas)is 25 mins SW of Syracuse

Another excellent restaurant on the north side is Zebb's in Mattydale. Zebb's is located right next to the northbound Interstate 81 exit 26, in the Mattydale Plaza, opposite the parking lot from the K-Mart, about 4 miles north of downtown. Zebb's offers a varied menu with great burgers, BBQ, salads, etc. Another restaurant on the north side is famous for their comfort food. The Plainville Natures Fare Restaurant serves the finest organically raised turkey from their own farm. It is located about 10 mins north of downtown in Cicero. Cicero is also home to, Thee Diner, it is about 1/2 mile east of I-81 on SR 31 across the street from Cicero-N. Syracuse High School. It offers a diner type menu (most items under $8) with some of the best desserts to be found.

Little Italy

If you crave Italian Food you should wander around Syracuse’s “Little Italy”. It is located just north of downtown. Two of the best restaurants there are Antonio's (a fairly expensive linen napkin type place that specializes in veal and seafood and is a favorite haunt for a certain local HOF basketball coach) and Angotti's (a little less expensive and more children friendly) and located about 3/4 miles east of Little Italy. Both have great Italian food. Francesca's Cucina in Little Italy is know for great food. You must try the local specilaity "Utica Greens" at Francesca's. Also in Little Italy is Asti Caffe. They known for their Shrimp Scampi and other Italian specialties. Another Italian restaurant near Little Italy is Gentile's Restaurant, they serve "eclectic Italian". Finally, the best pastry shop in Syracuse is in Little Italy. The Biscotti Cafe is one of those places you quit your diet for a day. All types of Italian pastries will be sure to please. Biscotti Cafe also offers excellent Italian style sandwiches.

One more excellent restaurant is Delmonico’s Italian Steakhouse, located on Erie Blvd East near Thompson Road, not far from Carrier Circle or the SU campus. It has become a great meeting spot for people who enjoy huge steaks and great Italian Food. You’ll have to try the 24 ounce steak and pasta for under $17.00! One last excellent Italian Restaurant is Casa di Copani, located about two miles northeast of downtown on Burnet Ave, near Thompson Road, also not far from Carrier Circle.

Finally if you crave a great sandwich/sub in the Jewish Deli style then look no further than the Brooklyn Pickle. They have an extensive menu and you will not leave hungry. They are at the corner of Midler and Burnet next to I-690 about 1 mile east of the university. They cater. Phone: 315-463-4969.

SPORTS BAR ALERT: Good news--walking the campus looking for new sports bars yielded me a new one offering ESPN Gameplan on campus. ZJ's Pizza and Wings (aka Harry's) offers multiple screens with ESPN gameplan. It is located at 700 S. Crouse Ave in the basement....look for the CVS drugstore. No website but you can call them to see if they'll put on your game (315-422-2123). Maggies off Marshall Street sez they are a sports bar too..not sure if they have Gameplan.

In the local area: If you are looking for good times and good food in a sports bar offering ESPN Gameplan, you need to drive to one of the four Tully's locations in the Syracuse/Liverpool area. A west side favorite is Rosie's Sports Pub and Grill located at 1443 W. Genesee St. 315-468-1269. They offer ESPN Gameplan. Another classic sports bar is Buffalo Wild Wings. It is located near Lowes off Route 11 and Circle Drive in the North Syracuse/Cicero area and they offer all the college games via ESPN gameplan, Directv, etc... Another place to check is the Beginning II, it is very close to the Carrier Circle Motel area. I recommend calling to see if they can get your college game as I'm not sure if they offer ESPN Gameplan. Quaker State and Lube has quite a following and is another option to watch games--however it is located about 8 miles NW of the Dome.

Golf

Central New York is blessed with a wide variety of affordable public golf courses. If you are a golfer and have time to get in a round, bring your clubs and check out one of the local tracts. You should be able to play golf in CNY at least through the end of October and sometimes you can get a round in during November. Here is a quick rundown of some of the best choices the area has to offer:


Green Lakes Golf Course--a nice bargain

Green Lakes

Green Lakes is a state course designed by the legendary Robert Trent Jones Sr in 1935. Built on a series of drumlins about 10 miles east of Syracuse, the course is very hilly. Flat lies are rare. Not very long...5920 from the white tees and 6212 from the blues. The greens feature the massive undulations that became a trademark of the young RTJ. Some look like potato chips. Very pretty area. You can see Oneida Lake and the foothills of the Adirondacks from the high points of the course. Closes just after Thanksgiving each year.
The course was not well maintained just a few years ago. An extensive irrigation system has been installed and the course is looking better since they become operational.
Yardage: reds: 5481, whites: 5920, blues: 6212.

Battle Island State Park Golf Course

If you are staying in the northern suburbs this is a fun course to play. It sits next to the Oswego River on State Route 48 a few miles north of Fulton. It is about 25 minutes from Downtown. It has hills, a little bit of water and no sand but fairly tight fairways in places. It is a real nice value and in decent shape. It is short but you'll use every club in your bag save your sand wedge. Par 72 plays from about 5400 to 6000 yards.

Radisson

Radisson Greens Golf Club is a semi private, 18 hole layout. It is located northwest of the city of Syracuse, about 20 minutes from downtown near the village of Baldwinsville. The design features large, bent grass greens, tight tree-lined fairways, large bunkers guarding all greens, with fairway bunkers on all but 5 holes. Lakes provide water in play on 6 holes and add to a challenging round for the most skilled player, packaged in a beautiful, scenic layout. Designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr., the course opened in 1978.
The course features a number of striking and impressive holes and is arguably the most challenging layout for a public course in Onondaga County (the Turning Stone courses are not in Onondaga County). It is unfortunately not well maintained. Bunkers are rarely raked and the fairways are troubled in some areas.
Yardage: reds: 5543, whites: 6360, blues: 7010.
Weekend cost: varies.....see the web site.


Links at Sunset Ridge

The Links at Sunset Ridge is a relatively new course in Marcellus, about 20 minutes west of the SU campus. Built on rolling hills, the course features some great views of the surrounding countryside and farms. It is consistently well maintained.
The course is fairly wide open and has little danger....water and sand come into play on only a handful of holes. Despite having 6 par 5s, it is fairly short. The greens are hard to read and fairly quick. The carts are outfitted with GPS devices.
Yardage: reds: 5298, whites: 6123, blues: 6700

The 16th hole at Links at Sunset Ridge requires a precise approach shot over a large ridge to a green cut into the side of a large hill.

Foxfire

Foxfire is a challenging course located just off route 690. about 15 minutes northwest of the city of Syracuse. The well manicured layout meanders through various townhouses, patio homes and private residences. The fairways are fairly tight and most of the greens are protected by several fairway and greenside bunkers.
The course is generally well maintained.
Yardage: reds: 5401, whites: 6372, blues: 6856

Turning Stone

The Oneida Nation Turning Stone golf facility has emerged as the premiere golf destination in New York State. In fact it just hosted its first PGA Tour last September. It features 3 outstanding premium priced 18 hole courses: Atunyote, Kaluyat and Shenendoah. All three are spectacular designs, especially Atunyote, which hosts an annual PGA event the 3rd week of September. All have been built in the past 5 years. All are extremely well maintained. If you have the money and the game, this is the place to go. Note that Turning Stone is a 35 minute drive from downtown Syracuse. It is worth the drive.

Atunyote reds: 5102, gold: 6069, whites: 6561, blues: 6998 Weekend cost: varies....see web site (but $150-$200)

Kaluhyat reds: 5293, gold: 5690, whites: 6183, blues: 6724 Weekend cost: varies....see web site (but $70-$125)

Shenendoah reds: 5185, gold: 5839, whites: 6328, blues: 6685 Weekend cost: varies....see web site (but $70-$125)


Kaluhyat


Atunyote

BUDGET GOLF


Drumlins West

If you are golf challenged and/or budget challenged, consider playing at the Drumlins West Course. Drumlins is owned by Syracuse University and is located very near the SU South Campus. The West Course is open to the public, features short holes and open fairways and great rates ($17 to walk the course).


Orchard Vali

For you bad weather "golfaholics" I offer Orchard Vali. It is located about 10 mins south of downtown. It is short, rather wide opened golf course suitable for the beginner/hacker or the golfer who wants to get a round in when other courses are closed. It is noted for the fastest drying fairways in the area due to a gravel base. Rates are reasonable and food is very good.

Finally, if you just want to work on your irons the city offers two municipal 9 hole courses. Rates are very reasonable--about $6 but you get what you pay for--don't expect alot. Burnet Park Golf Course is about a mile west of downtown. Sunnycrest Park Golf Course is about 1 mile northeast of downtown.

Hope this helps! TexanMark

The opinions expressed in this guide are those of TexanMark. While every effort has been made to ensure all the information presented is accurate and current, it would be wise to verify things when possible. Please note that this guide is not endorsed by Scout.com, Rivals.com or its site publishers, administrators and/or moderators.


Return to TexanMark's Tailgate Guides Main Page

Rutgers Tailgate and Visitors Guide '09

New Brunswick (Raritan River in background) Click to enlarge
Photo Courtesy of RUNYYFan

This is one of a series of tailgating guides for Big East football schools written by Syracuse fan and tailgate aficionado TexanMark. If you have any feedback or additional information you think belongs in this guide, please drop an email message to Mark by clicking here.



Rutgers University is located about 30 miles southwest of Manhattan along both banks of the Raritan river in the City of New Brunswick and the suburban Township of Piscataway, New Jersey. It can be an intimidating environment for the uninitiated. Traffic and a confusing road network compound a new visitor’s anxiety. The whole key is to have a well thought out game plan. Folks, this isn’t like driving to Syracuse, Louisville or Morgantown. You can’t drive into town with just a hazy idea where to go. If you prepare well, you will reap the rewards of having a car to visit many of New Jersey’s hidden secrets. If you decide against driving flying into Newark Liberty International or taking the train into New Brunswick are your two best options. I think most fans will be pleasantly surprised with a trip to Rutgers. IMHO, if you have a few extra days, you have the best city (good link for an overview of option to get from Airports to midtown) in the world 45 minutes away to visit. This website can help you figure out which subway line to take in NYC. Philadelphia is a decent alternate airport especially if you are flying USAirways, Southwest or AirTran. It is about 90 minutes from Rutgers. I saved $150+ flying in to Philly per ticket from Texas as opposed to Newark in 2008.

Flying

You can fly into Newark and rent a car and drive to Rutgers. If you decide to rent a car, you need to do your homework. Note: Leaving Newark International airport without an explicit set of directions is a sure way to risk embarrassment or worse yet an accident. There is another option for anybody who isn’t comfortable driving in a busy, fast paced area. It is possible to fly into Newark Liberty International and get to the game without using a car. You can get a train from the airport and take it into New Brunswick. From there your hotel should be able to provide you a courtesy shuttle. Expect to take a cab or hop a ride with fellow fans to the game though unless you are staying in downtown New Brunswick. Note: There are not any motels really close to the stadium but the Hyatt and Heldrich (see below in Lodging) offer shuttles to the game and are very close to the train station. If you leaving immediately after the game you can get a shuttle back to New Brunswick and work your way back to the airport or Midtown Manhattan. NOTE: Rutgers Fans have told me that there are many shuttles running and even if you aren't staying at the Hyatt or Heldrich you can move easily between the stadium and Downtown New Brunswick and the train station.


AirTrain to NJ Transit

How to Transfer to the train after landing at Newark Int’l:
1. Find out which terminal you are arriving to.

2. Obviously collect your bags

3. Proceed to the airport shuttle train. Look for signs marked Monorail / AirTrain Link. Note: Do not follow signs for Ground Transportation. There are three different terminals (A, B and C) and you need to get on the shuttle (AirTrain) and go to the Newark Liberty Int’l Train Station. Note: AirTrain takes you between the airline terminals, central parking areas, car rental facilities and hotel courtesy vehicles. All travel within the airport is free. You need to go past Terminal C and P4 (Parking) and onto the train station.


4. Get off the AirTrain Shuttle From the NJ Guide, “When you exit AirTrain at Newark Liberty International Airport Train Station, follow the signs to NJ TRANSIT trains. You will go up one level, pass through the fare gates and go down one level onto the NJ TRANSIT train platforms. It takes approximately 5 minutes to get from AirTrain to the NJ TRANSIT platform.” A nice 360 view of the ticket/gate area is here.

5. Purchase your ticket; there are several different areas where to purchase your ticket. NOTE: AirTrain is free around the airport but you pay an approximate $5 surcharge to exit the airport using AirTrain on top of what NJTransit or Amtrak charges. If you are a first time visitor, it is best to get it at the Train Station. You are going to the Central New Jersey area. You want to get on the New Jersey Transit Northeast Corridor Line (NEC) run by NJ Transit. A sample check for a Saturday shows a train leaving about every 20-30 minutes to New Brunswick. The cost is about $13.00 (which includes the $5.00 airport fee). If you get on the train without a ticket you can pay the conductor cash but he/she will charge you an additional $5. More info about the NEC here. Using the trip planner select Newark Airport and New Brunswick for your departure/destination as appropriate. Note: Some of the options have you getting on the “North Jersey Coastline” and transferring at the Rahway Station. One other option is to take Amtrak from the Airport but it is quite a bit more expensive than NJTransit.

6. Get off at the New Brunswick Train Station. It is located in downtown New Brunswick at the intersection or Easton Ave (Route 527) and Albany Ave (Route 27). You are within walking distance (a tad over a mile) of the Busch Campus where the Football Field is located. There are shuttle buses that run from the Hyatt Hotel and and the Ferren Parking Deck (across from the train station) in NB directly to the stadium.

Best Bet: Take the Red Northeast Corridor line to New Brunswick, be careful to avoid express routes which do not stop at New BrunswickClick to enlarge

Driving By Car

The official Rutgers University web site has directions from several approaches. I have been told by Rutgers fan Scarlet16E to forget them. Generally your best course of action is to

come in on I-287 and exit 7 or 8 (and follow signs. This is accessed from the New Jersey Turnpike (NJTP) exit 10 or The Garden State Parkway (GSP) exit 127.
Route 18 through New Brunswick will take you an extra hour on game day, and River Road is the absolute worst way to get to the stadium (TRAFFIC). A RU Fan noted:

Given the construction going on you may want to mention it for those trying to enter the stadium from the south end. It may be limited or no access from the river road side. Keep checking the Rutgers Website for official info.

287 exits 7 & 8 both have signs directing you to Hoes Lane which eventually becomes Route 18 as you head south, however you will then take the RAC exit or Campus Road exit before getting on to Route 18.

Use this Map of New Brunswick, NJ US as a guide.

NOTE: Ongoing construction of NJ Route 18 may affect your travels, check here for up to date info. Construction is expected to continue into 2009. NOTE: It is nearing completion in late 2009 and shouldn't be much of a problem now.

NOTE 2: This definitely applies for weeknight games. If you are driving from North NJ or NYC and taking the NJ Turnpike do not use exit 9 and NJ Route 18 to get to the game. It is much quicker if you take I-287 (NJ Turnpike Exit 10) to the west and take a surface street into the stadium.

Finally, one more useful web site with directions is here.


Rutgers Stadium

Parking


PARKING AT RUTGERS--mostly prepaid except for the RAC, downtown and a few other spots

Parking is not easy at Rutgers, especially since they are now drawing great crowds. Officially, all parking on the Busch Campus (stadium is located at the south end of Busch Campus) is prepaid except the RAC lot (Rutgers Basketball Arena about 1 mile from the stadium) with one notable exception (see insider parking tips). The RAC lot now costs $20! A nice overview (Interactive Map) of the Busch, Livingston and College Ave campuses shows you that Rutgers is spread out among many different locales.

Gameday Parking Options

College Ave Area Downtown: You can park for free on the College Ave. campus during game day (weekend games only) and walk or shuttle to the game. The best thing to do is park in one of the lots behind the College Avenue Gym (College Ave and Senior Street)and then jump on one of the buses that are lined up in front of the gym. There's also plenty of parking along Senior Street and Sicard St. alongside of and beyond the gym. There are indoor rest rooms in the student center next door to the gym. I have been told the parking lots here are not known for tailgating but parking for patrons of nearby bars. However, if your plans are modest, "what the hay" give it a shot and set up a couple chairs. Before cracking beers open you should to check about open containers though.

Ferren Deck Downtown: When you buy your Rutgers ticket, you might be able to buy a parking pass for the Busch Campus (where the stadium is located). Possibly visiting fans can pay for this option through through their university but you need to work this out with your school. I wasn't given an option when I bought tickets through Syracuse. If it isn't available then then parking at the RAC on gameday is your easiest option besides the College Avenue (New Brunswick) Campus or adjoining areas in downtown New Brunswick. On weekends you will be able to park for free (from 7:30am Saturday to 7:30am Monday) at the Ferren Daily Deck. It is across from the Train Station. You can then take the same shuttle bus serving the train to Johnson Park (located just south of the stadium). For a weekday game this might still be a viable option since the parking rate is reasonable.

Buccleuch Park: sits just across the Raritan River from the stadium. It is a 15 minute walk. If you arrive about 3 hours before kickoff you should be able to park for free here. Rutgers fan ABRO1975 states, "There is a circular road that loops around the park. Parallel parking anywhere here is fine, unless sign prohibits (usually fire hydrants). There is a small lot with spaces. The circular lot is about a mile in distance, the further west in the park you are, the closer you are to the Landing Lane Bridge, where you cross over the Raritan River. A good landmark is the high rise apartment building, which is adjacent to Landing Lane Bridge. You can see the High Rise Apt from anywhere in the park. If you get there anywhere before 10:30 you should be fine for a Noon Kickoff." I would assume allow at least 2 hours for later kickoffs. Since it is a park you should be able to do a modest amount of tailgating. Just see what the Rutgers fans are doing.

Saint George Greek Orthodox Church Lot: It is pricey but very close and secure. It does allow a kick getaway if you need it. They charge $35 (tax deductible with receipt) and open four hours before kickoff. They do allow beer but obviously frown upon rowdiness. They offer indoor bathrooms--a real plus for the ladies. They have 250 spaces, first come, first serve. They also sell pre-paid season passes for Rutgers fans. If anyone wishes to secure their spots (10 or more), please send an e-mail: stgeorgeparking@comcast.net and they will be able to accommodate your request.
Lot usually fills one hour before kick-off but varies with the opponent.

Insider Parking Tip: There used to be several spots you could park on the Busch campus for free. They are gone. There are two gameday cash lots. The RAC and the other unpublicized lot is located in front of the Physics Building at Lot 53. You should get there at least 3 hours prior to kickoff to assure a spot. It is located at the corner of Frelinghuysen Rd. and Allison Rd. I would recommend having a campus map and a Plan B in case the lot is full. It costs $20 the same as the RAC. BTW, the Busch Student Campus Center which also has a has a convenience store if you need some extra drinks for your tailgate. This is current for 2008, with stadium expansion happening it most likely will be different in 2009. Thanks to Rutgers fan RUNYYFan for the tip.

RV PARKING

Those with RVs will need to park at the RAC unless they have a parking pass in advance to park elsewhere. I would recommend calling parking services for the latest guidance. Cars are $20 to park. Not sure what RVs are charged. Rutgers fans have told me RVs can park in the permit lots. I'm not so sure about 2008, RVers need to call to check. The following is the parking info supplied by the University.

The official Rutgers Policy for 2008.

Unofficial Note from a Rutgers Fan: “It's not in writing, but if you bring an RV to the game, park at the RAC. I know for a fact, you will be able to park overnight. The RAC is the place to go if you don't have prepaid parking passes.” A shuttle bus runs before and after games between the RAC parking lots and the football stadium. Cost is $20 for cars.



Rutgers Tailgating

Tailgating suffers officially from short duration (officially only starts three hours before kickoff) but you can tailgate until dusk if you have an early kickoff. Numerous fans have told me you can start tailgating waaaay earlier than three hours prior to kickoff. Fans told me you can arrive early to the RAC and if a parking attendant isn't there to drive in and park. They will be by to collect the money.

With the improved team play Rutgers is developing a large tailgating scene. Rutgers has always done up tailgating right, some have suggested they were the first school to tailgate. During the "dark years" some fans would only tailgate and not even go to the game, not anymore! Bottomline: I wouldn't worry too much about the three hour before rule and show up 5+ hours before kickoff and stay as long as you want afterwards. The RAC is a good place to go for visitors since Rutgers opens up the bathrooms inside the RAC to use (always popular with the ladies). The university web site outlines the following policies:

Tailgate Policies

• Parking lots open three hours before kick-off and close at dusk.

• Parking spaces are limited and tailgating must be confined to a small area around your vehicle. For safety purposes, traffic aisles & parking spaces can not be blocked at any time.

• For fans wishing to park together, all vehicles must enter lots at the same time, displaying matching parking passes.

• For reasons of crowd safety, all stadium parking lots are reserved for those attending the game. If you do not attend the game you will be asked to leave the stadium parking lots at kick-off time.

• University regulations and state statutes on drug and alcohol consumption will be strictly enforced.

• Kegs, beer balls, tents and canopies are prohibited. These items are not permitted in the parking lots/adjacent areas at any time. Note: I have been told by Rutgers fans the canopy/tent policy isn't enforced.

• For safety purposes, charcoal should be discarded in specially marked yellow barrels located throughout the parking lots.

• Please remember that the grass fields are used by our students for recreation; putting trash in proper receptacles is appreciated.

Stadium Policies
• Emergency medical and police assistance is available at the First Aid and Police Command Posts inside the Stadium North Gate on the lower concourse. Medical assistance is also available at the Upper West and Upper East Concourses or by contacting the nearest usher.

• No smoking in seating area, bathrooms and lower and upper concourses.

• No pass outs allowed. Once you have entered the stadium, if you leave, you will not be allowed to re-enter the stadium. Ticket stubs are not valid for re-entry.

• Fans should not bring large bags, backpacks, and similar items into Rutgers Stadium. All items brought into the stadium will be inspected, including small bags such as purses and diaper bags. Spectators can speed their entry into the stadium by leaving these items behind. Rutgers Stadium regulations prohibit glass bottles, cans, alcoholic beverages, coolers, umbrellas, noisemakers, pets, (with the exception of guide dogs) balls, weapons, sticks/poles, containers, fireworks, and any other items deemed dangerous or inappropriate from being brought into the facility. By use of your ticket, you consent to a reasonable search for prohibited items.

Scalping and You

A few years ago you could get freebies. Not anymore. A disclaimer:

The maximum resale premium, in accordance with New Jersey State Law, is 20 percent of the ticket price or $3, whichever is greater.

For 2009 Rutgers has expanded their stadium. The early season games should definitely be a buyers market as the the opponents are not good and the stadium will not be sold out.

Now where do you look? The most popular area is along "Scarlet Knight Way" (Frelinghuysen Rd) near the intersection of Sutphen Rd. This is just north of the Stadium. On game days this road is a pedestrian walkway into the stadium from the Blue, Yellow and Purple lots. Another area is on the far side of the practice bubble in the vicinty of where the RAC shuttle bus drops off fans. Stubhub is another souce of tickets.

A few tried and true techniques to get the best price buying: 1. Know what a legit ticket looks like 2. Buy from your own fan base first 3. The smaller the group the smaller the price--single tickets are cheapest 4. Prices usually peak 1-2 hours before kickoff--inside an hour the closer to game time the cheaper the ticket, right after kickoff they plumment to near nothing 5. A fan walking to the stadium in with a group of friends and still holding extra tickets to sell will usually dump them for a cheap price (they do not want to miss the game and often they are doing a favor for a buddy to sell them) usually you'll spot them holding a finger or two out to their side or over their head or saying selling one, etc... 6. If you have to deal with a professional scalper--NEVER give him what he asks, have a seating chart with you, check to make sure all tickets are really together and for that game, offer him lower and be prepared to walk away, after you turn and walk away more than half the time in my experience they'll give in and take your offer, if you can afford to wait...wait inside 20 minutes to kickoff as see the prices drop (assess the situation for the number of tickets available, how many you need before employing that strategy) 7. Don't be embarrassed to go back to a scalper to buy ticket(s) 10 minutes after you said no to his previous offer 8. Don't fall for their tactics to make you feel like you're ripping them off by "only offering $20 a ticket", etc...they love to play games with your self-image and ego.

Last Minute Tailgate Supplies

If you need some supplies the day of the game there are a few places. Just a mile east of New Brunswick in Highland Park there is a Stop and Shop at 424 Raritan Ave. A list of liquor stores show alot of choices. If you need more extensive tailgate supplies there are two Wal Marts closeby. One to the north and one to the south.

TAILGATE HAVEN--Total Tailgating Resource


Tailgate Haven is your total resource for setting up and managing your football tailgate online. Do you think the tailgate is sometimes just as important as the game? The goal of Tailgate Haven is to make your life easier by organizing your tailgate group; thus eliminating countless emails, text messages and phone calls about the current weeks tailgate information. The concept is simple but pure genius. You easily register by choosing your favorite team and picking a creative name for your tailgate group. Now log in and instantly each of your teams games becomes its own webpage with your team colors. Next, invite your friends to join your tailgate group and the site comes to life. In addition to this tailgate manager, every team has its own tailgate profile. Do you travel to away games? This is where you can find the best information on where to park, find extra tickets, where to stay, eat, party and golf. Navigate the city easily as you travel to a stadium for the first time.

LODGING


The Heldrich--New Brunswick's Newest Hotel
Rutgers lacks the close by hotels/motels where you can walk to the game. Some folks will walk from the Heldrich and Hyatt but check out a map first and decide for yourself. Note: Three bridges from east to west allow you to cross the Raritan on foot. 1. The Rt-27 (Albany St. Bridge) goes to Highland Park Borough (pedestrians should turn left (west) at river road and walk though Johnson Park about 1.5 miles to the stadium). 2. The Rt-18 (John Lynch Bridge) goes to Piscataway (There is a pedestrian walkway on this bridge that is part of the inter-campus ped/bikeway system. It leads directly to the Busch tailgating areas near the stadium, and continues to the RAC). 3. The Landing Lane Bridge (there is a pedestrian walkway - Landing Lane leads directly to the South end of Rutgers Stadium. A walkway leads up the hill to the West Gate). Walking is a viable option for those who do not mind a one to two mile walk from New Brunswick.

The Hyatt has a nice advantage because there is a shuttle that leaves in front of their hotel for the game. A new luxury hotel has recently opened in New Brunswick. The Heldrich looks like a nice property and also offers shuttle service.. They are both accessible within a few blocks from the train station and both allow you to stumble home after an evening on the town. If you decide not to stay at the Heldrich or the Hyatt there are a lot of motels within a short drive. They mainly cater to the business traveler. Your best bet is to stay in New Brunswick or the nearby strip of motels. If you want to save some dough $$$, try the Motel 6 chain by the freeways (I-95/287). there are three motels close by and have rooms for under $60. The university has negotiated rates with local motels. I suggest to call and ask if they'll honor the rate on a football weekend. Worst case the link gives you a real nice list of local hotels. Note: Do not stay at the motels listed for the Newark or Camden campuses unless you enjoy driving an hour each way. Another source of hotels near campus lists many hotels that cater to business travelers.

Finally, a few miles NW of New Brunswick is Somerset, NJ. There are a lot of hotels here. If you have your gameday parking figured out this is a great option. The Homewood Suites comes recommended as a great value.



New Brunswick Hyatt

New Brunswick is an urban environment with a nice variety of restaurants, bars, and cafes. These are found primarily along George Street and Easton Avenue near the New Brunswick campus. The Piscataway campuses (where the stadium is located) are isolated from alot of commercial development. It is a 2-3 mile drive from them to Piscataway's retail district found along South Washington and Centennial Avenues and Stelton Road (generally the area near I-287 to the north). Here you will find the usual array of chain restaurants, fast food, supermarkets and big-box stores. Below I'll concentrate on the on local places versus the national chains.


SHOPPING

Looking for Rutgers Fan Gear and Tailgating Stuff? Try the non-profit Rutgers Student Co-op oncampus. It has been serving all that is Rutgers since 1939.

A couple large scale malls are nearby. Menlo Park Mall and Brunswick Square Mall should keep your non-football watching spouse happy. Another large mall is the Woodbridge Center. One other suggestion is to wander around the many shops in downtown New Brunswick.

Menlo Park Mall

DINING

For classic game day grub, you need to wander down to College Ave and experience the Grease Trucks. Basically these are parked trucks which serve food. It doesn’t sound too appetizing to me, but the students love them.
Grease Truck--->
Stuff Yer Face has a reputation for excellent strombolis and a great selection of beer. Looking for Pizza and Subs--look here they all deliver. Jimmy's Grill has people raving about their Fat Sandwiches. Harold's Offers huge NY Style Deli Sandwiches. Want a great burger? Try Blitzbrger. There is one next to the Olde Queen's Tavern and one in North Brunswick. Want a great dog? Try Tido N His Junk Yard Dogs. Excellent Pizza at a moderate price, try Panico's Brick Oven Pizza.
R.U. Grill and Pizza is also noted for pizza and such. And they offer the famous “Fat Darrell”. Eat at your own risk. Many of the places above are on or near Easton Ave. the main student drag with lots of cheap eats. On Easton Ave try Thomas Sweets Ice Cream and Chocolate it is a local institution.


Fat Darrell (aka Fat Steve)

Fine Dining

New Brunswick has developed a theater district along George Street. George Street has become a street know for upscale dining. If you dine on George Street Old Man Rafferty's and the Harvest Moon Brewery are two of the most reasonably priced places. Both are very popular on game day. Most of the others located on George Street are very upscale.

As mentioned above, Old Man Rafferty's is an excellent American Style Restaurant with a nice menu featuring delicious desserts. Old Man Rafferty's and Stuff Yer Face are very popular on gameday. Other restaurants (some are 4 and 5 star rated fine dining establishments) that come recommended include: Tumulty's (noted for Prime Rib), Harvest Moon (gets overflow from Old Man Rafferty's--very good beer and food Brewery, Old Bay (for cajun), Catherine Lombardi (upscale Italian), Hotoke (Upscale Asian/Sushi) Stage Left (Upscale and Romantic), and The Frog and Peach (Exquisite Upscale Dining). Downtown New Brunswick Downtown New Brunswick offers huge selections of restaurants. Another list here. A nice map overview here of bars. Clydz Martini bar also hosts an upscale restaurant and is a great bar for the post college crowd. Rutgers fan RC1971 sez:

Very close to the Heidrich and a fantastic place. Flexible dress code, from jeans and a tee shirt to slacks and a button down, relaxed but somewhat sophisticated atmosphere, excellent cocktails, attentive staff, usually a fair amount of people. Not much of a "college" bar though.

Additionally he sez:

If someone is looking for a Dive, or to sample some of New Brunswick's local Music Scene, the Court is the way to go, at 124 Church Street (not too far from Clydz in the downtown area). It's a "rough around the edges" type of bar, but it is the heart of the high in tradition new brunswick music scene. Cheap Beers, Dim Lighting (Probably a good thing) and always good music. FWIW, it's my favorite move to spend a swanky first half of the evening at Clydz and then roll straight into the Court.

Enjoy!

Bars for the Younger Crowd

For the younger crowd: Olde Queen's Tavern is Rutgers signature student bar. another place with a young crowd is the Olive Branch, (nee: Patty's). The Golden Rail linked below in sports bars is another bar loaded with college students. The Knight Club is another well known bar for the college crowd. A few other places are reviewed here. A list showing other bars shows many places that cater to the students. A few suggestions: Doll Place Restuarant--a restaurant and also a place to meet and mingle. Glo Ultra Lounge looks like it caters to those out of college. Perle is a classic upscale disc jockey dance club. The Corner Tavern is close to the train station. A great place to relax with pool, darts and shuffleboard. Drink prices are reasonable. Finally,a very good website going over all your entertainment options in and around New Brunswick.


Olde Queen's Tavern--A Rutgers Drinking Institution

Sports Bar Alert!

Stuff Yer Face is a great place to watch some games, eat a stromboli and enjoy an extensive beer menu. Houlihans is your classic chain sports bar but very good. It is located on US 1 in New Brunswick. Glass Woods Tavern is an upscale sports bar in the Hyatt. Champps is another sports bar chain. It is located in nearby Edison. It should have ESPN Gameplan. South of town (about 10-15 mins) is Damon's. They are a national chain but are noted for great ribs as well as being a good sports bar.


GOLF
Consider playing one of these three Middlesex county golf courses, all located close to the Rutgers New Brunswick campus:
Raritan Landing Golf Course
This easy 3,400-yard, par-58 family style golf course, designed by Stephen Kay, opened on October 1, 1999. It is located a short drive from the Rutgers New Brunwick campus. Cost for 18 holes on the weekend for a non resident is about $30 walking (carts are $26). If you don't have much time or are a mediocre golfer, this would be a good choice.
The Meadows at Middlesex Golf Course
The Meadows is an 18-hole, 6,290-yard, par-70 championship course. It is located a short drive from the Rutgers New Brunswick campus. This bent grass golf course was designed by Joe Finger in 1972 and finished in 1980 by world renowned designer Tom Fazio. It features a full-service restaurant, locker rooms and electric carts. Cost for 18 holes on the weekend for a non resident about $35-50 walking (carts are $28).
Tamarack
Tamarack features two 18-hole championship golf courses, both designed by Hal Purdy (who designed a number of course in the Syracuse area, including Foxfire, Pompey Club and Kanon Valley). The East (Gold and Blue) course is a 6,226-yard, par-71 course and the West (Red and White) course is a 7,025-yard, par-72 course. The West course is tougher and is the better choice if you are an advanced golfer.
Tamarack includes a full-service restaurant, locker rooms and electric carts. The driving range features 34 stalls, five target greens and top-of-the-line tees and teepads. Located in East Brunswick, it is a short drive from the Rutgers New Brunswick campus.
The New Jersey State Golf Association rated Tamarack West as the second most-difficult course in Middlesex, Monmouth, Mercer, Somerset and Union Counties. Cost for 18 holes for either course on the weekend for a non resident is about $40 walking (carts are $28). Please note that these courses never close.
Rutgers University Golf Course
Over 6,000 yards in length, the picturesque, tree-lined course is a par 71 and offers a challenging layout with four teeing areas per hole. Like Tamarack, this course was designed by Hal Purdy (who designed a number of courses in the Syracuse area, including Foxfire, Pompey Club and Kanon Valley). Highlights include narrow fairways, fast greens, and water hazards on nine holes. Golf Magazine awarded the course a 4 star rating in 2004.

Rutgers University Golf Course
Cost for 18 holes on the weekend is about $50 walking (golf carts are $30). If you want to play here, get a tee time ASAP. The course is in great demand on football weekends.


Golf and Stay at Crystal Springs A nice resort with multiple golf courses (six signature courses within five miles!) is located about an hour north of New Brunswick in NW New Jersey. Crystal Springs ranks among Golf Digest’s top ten list for public golf courses in New Jersey.

I'd like to thank all the Rutgers fans who helped in making this guide better: Scarlet16E, Jumba72, Upstream, srru86, lawmatt78, Andrew, Randall, RC1971 and several others.

The opinions expressed in this guide are those of TexanMark. While every effort has been made to ensure all the information presented is accurate and current, it would be wise to verify things when possible. Please note that this guide is not endorsed by Scout.com, Rivals.com or its site publishers, administrators and/or moderators.


Return to TexanMark's Tailgate Guides Main Page









......

Pittsburgh Tailgate and Visitors Guide '09

The Pittsburgh Skyline

This is one of a series of tailgating guides for Big East football schools written by Syracuse fan and tailgate aficionado TexanMark. If you have any feedback or additional information you think belongs in this guide, please drop an email message to Mark by clicking here.

First Things First: Getting There

Pittsburgh is the most centrally located University among the football members. All teams’ fans (except USF) can drive to Pittsburgh in less than 7-8 hours. If you decide to fly to the Pittsburgh Airport. you will find it is huge and only 15 miles west of the stadium. If you decide not to rent a car there are several ways to get downtown. The official airport guide should give you more specific information. Southwest, Air Tran, Jet Blue, and USA3000 are some of the several discount carriers. US Airways still maintains a huge footprint in Pittsburgh but it has decreased (once the main hub of US Airways)somewhat in the last few years.Amtrak and Greyhound both have stations downtown not too far from Heinz Field and might be another good option for those who don’t want to hassle with driving or flying.


If you driving to Pittsburgh for the first time I would suggest you find a motel near the stadium and leave your car parked most of the time. Pittsburgh due to the topography and geography is very tough to navigate around. Apply the “K.I.S.S. Principle” (Keep It Simple Stupid) and you’ll do okay.


Heinz Field
The stadium as most of you know is shared by the Steelers and it is located across the Allegheny River from downtown in an area called the “North Shore”. The University is actually located a few miles away to the east.
A tour of the campus is a must and is well worth your time.



University of Pittsburgh Campus along Forbes Ave.

If you are visiting in September or even October (if the Pirates do well) you could get lucky and get the opportunity to take in a major league baseball game. The PNC is located about 1/2 mile east of Heinz Field.

Getting to Heinz Field

Directions to Heinz Field--from the Pittsburgh.About Website--this site offers a bunch of useful info.

Driving Directions to Heinz Field
400 Art Rooney Avenue
Pittsburgh PA

From the East:
Take I-376, US-22 and go West for 14.2 miles. Take Exit 1 to North Shore and I-279 North. Bear left on ramp at sign reading Exit 11B - North Shore.

From the North:
Take I-79 and go South to I-279. Follow I-279 to Exit 21 I-279 South to Pittsburgh. Take Exit 12 to North Shore.

From the South:
Take I-79 North to Exit 14 for I-279 North towards Pittsburgh. Follow I-279 through the Fort Pitt Tunnel/Bridge (Left Lane) to the sign reading Exit 11A, 11B PA-65 North to North Shore/Ohio River Blvd and US-19. Take Exit 11B - North Shore.

From the West and Airport:
From the PA Turnpike (I-76 East), take Exit 1A Rt-60-South towards Pittsburgh (Portions Toll), or from the Pittsburgh Airport follow PA-Route-60-South towards Pittsburgh. Continue to Pittsburgh following signs for US-22, US-30 and I-279 through the Fort Pitt Tunnel/Bridge. Follow I-279 through the Fort Pitt Tunnel (Left Lane) to the sign reading Exit 11A, 11B PA-65 North to North Shore/Ohio River Blvd and US-19. Bear left on ramp at sign reading Exit 11B - North Shore.

Heinz Field


Heinz Field Seating Chart Click to enlarge
Tailgating/Parking
This is a great place to start learning about Heinz Field.
This guide has laid out all your options and is the best source I found. Bottom-line: You usually need to have a season permit to park close to Heinz Field proper (for the most part). Pitt fans have told me sometimes you can get into a permit lot on game day in some season ticket permit lots with "ahh umm" shall we say a tip to the parking lot attendant and his lot buddies. I personally wouldn't recommend it but leave it to you. If you arrive early, a limited number of parking spaces around Heinz Field are available per game on a first come-first served basis for $12. There are also a few lots/parking garages that sell game day parking but they are located east toward PNC (Pirate's BB Stadium). If you are coming with a big group one option is to call the Pittsburgh Parking Authority and prearrange a rented lot, a Pitt fan said he arranged 30 cars for $300.

The following are suggestions if a large crowd is expected: If you are traveling in a smaller group I would suggest making a copy of this guide, print this map and arrive early (of course), and enter the Northshore Garage (Blue 10) $12, West General Robinson Garage (Red 5) $12 or Allegheny Center Garage $10. The "North Blue Canal" Garage/Lot is one block south of the Allegheny Center Garage but there isn't any link/info but it might be available. Okay now you are in a parking garage--how do I tailgate? If the weather is dry I suggest parking on the roof. Open flames are not allowed but you should be able to bring in subs/sandwiches/drinks and do a reasonable job. Another option is to locate empty space in a lot or grassy strip nearby. Lastly I suggest fraternizing with the enemy--there is usually a common bond of mutual respect and they may just either invite you to join them or give you tips where to setup. Who knows you might develop a network of opposing teams' fans and have your parking/tailgating worries taken care of. The Station Square Option (below) is a very good option for out of town visitors. Another option is to hunt around the Northshore for private lots. There are some private lots near PNC but can be expensive. If you arrive early try around Isabella Street just east of PNC or the area near South Commons (across Hwy 279) about 3 blocks north of PNC.

Finally TexanMark's secret parking location: I was invited to a tailgate in Lot 22 and was able to park one block away from the lot and about 4 blocks from the stadium. The lot was at the corner of Western and Alleghany. It was $10 to park and located across the street from convenience store. They double parked people so if you plan on leaving early allow yourself an exit. The only issue with this lot is tailgating didn't look promising unless it was just a couple of you. I arrived three hours early for a Noon kickoff and the lot only had a few parkers but attendance was around 25,000 that day. Other lots are running toward Ridge toward PNC. Another fan also suggested areas just north or possibly west of the Carnegie Science Science (located just west of Heinz Field) has spaces on a daily rate if you arrive early.

Sports Bar Alert!
Don't want to tailgate but looking for a place to have a meal and watch a few games on TV close by? Try McFadden's Restaurant and Saloon in the Equitable Building near PNC. Mullens Bar and Grill near PNC stadium. In the same location as the old Hi-Tops (closed due to cash flow problem), Mullen's (has several Chicago establishments) opened Spring 08. They promise good food and a young professional crowd. Looking for a close by Irish Bar? Try Finnegan's Wake. All should be decent home away from homes. I'd like to thank the Scout Pitt board for helping me with the parking section.

More options are below. If you (the reader) know of any good tailgate spots in private lots pass them on. I’ll need an address, cost, charity if any they support, and how many cars it can park and when does it fill up. Email me.


Heinz Field Parking Link for PDF Map

Station Square (Tailgate Alternative)

If you don’t need to tailgate in the traditional way, this might be your best option. It is going to cost you $10.00 for parking but it is a good deal if you plan to stay after the game. There are a ton of things to do in Station Square. You can even stay at the Sheraton during your visit.
The neatest thing is the ability to take a riverboat over to the game. It costs $10 roundtrip per person. Here is a decent overview of the Station Square in map form. I have been told Station Square's surface lots are disappearing but some are still available. Full scale tailgating is not going on here but I suggest you ask what they'll allow on game day.


Map of Station Square Area Click to enlarge

More Parking Options Including Downtown
More Heinz Field Parking/Tailgating Options can be found here. The Steelers provide this map of downtown lots for your situational awareness. The Robert Clemente Bridge on gameday is a huge pedestrian walkway on gameday. If you don't mind a walk downtown should provide several opportunities to tailgate in a lot.

TAILGATE HAVEN--Total Tailgating Resource


Tailgate Haven is your total resource for setting up and managing your football tailgate online. Do you think the tailgate is sometimes just as important as the game? The goal of Tailgate Haven is to make your life easier by organizing your tailgate group; thus eliminating countless emails, text messages and phone calls about the current weeks tailgate information. The concept is simple but pure genius. You easily register by choosing your favorite team and picking a creative name for your tailgate group. Now log in and instantly each of your teams games becomes its own webpage with your team colors. Next, invite your friends to join your tailgate group and the site comes to life. In addition to this tailgate manager, every team has its own tailgate profile. Do you travel to away games? This is where you can find the best information on where to park, find extra tickets, where to stay, eat, party and golf. Navigate the city easily as you travel to a stadium for the first time.

Lodging

For “out of towners” seeking convenience and don’t mind paying a higher price should check out the Sheraton at Station Square first (really nice if you want easy access to the Gateway Clipper). Be advised by the time you read this it is probably already too late to find a vacancy if the game is the same weekend as a Steelers game unless you get lucky.





Sheraton at Station Square located across the river from downtown

North Shore Lodging
The Priory Hotel is located on the Northshore near PNC Ballpark. It draws rave reviews by almost all. If you want a smaller boutique hotel, this is it.
The Priory Hotel


The SpringHill Suites by Marriott is located right next to the PNC stadium, and within walking distance to Heinz Field. It looks to be a very good option.

The Inn on Mexican War Streets (yes that is the name) is a B+B in a restored mansion. It is not far from Heinz Field.


Downtown
There are several major hotels downtown I found using Google. Staying downtown over the weekend is often a good way to stretch your dollar. Many downtown hotels have weekend rates since their business stays are low over the weekend. The major hotel chains represented downtown were: Courtyard by Marriott, Hilton, Marriott, Omni, Ramada, Renaissance and Westin.


Staying a Few Miles Away Near Campus?
This website gives you directions to the Pitt campus.
The university recommends these places near the campus.
I see there is a Quality Inn nearby, a Holiday Inn Select, and the Wyndham Garden University Place also are close by. One thing must be noted about the Oakland area where the Pitt campus is located. This is an urban area with urban crime. When walking about, use common sense. If you want to stay on the southside The Morning Glory Bed and Breakfast surely will appeal to your spouse.

Restaurants/Entertainment:
I’d like to thank “PittFan7” and my brother-in-law Don Lancaster for giving me the local insight as follows in this guide.
"Pittfan7" lists five places that you should look into for hang outs, bars, food, etc…

1. South Side which info can be found on Yahoo or Google and type it in as I wrote it. This place is every college guys dream; 70 some bars all on one street (East Carson Street) and all within walking distance. That street is called. This is one of the busiest streets on weekends. It has everything... Bars, Restaurants, Hotels, Movie Theatre, Grocery Stores, Shops, EVERYTHING!! Southside Works is a great starting point. A few restaurants to check out: Le Pommier, Dish Osteria, Mallorca, Gypsy Cafe and Abruzzi's. Lastly, Fatheads is a institution in Pittsburgh. It features truly great wings, mega varieties of beer and something called a “Headwich”. Review. If you are looking for a pool hall and bar try Dee's Cafe. Also, Shootz Cafe and Billards offers Pool and Big Screens.
Finally, something new to Pittsburgh and frankly to the rest of the US...a real German Beer House...The HofbrauHaus is in SouthsideWorks.

2. The Strip District (on the Allegheny River near downtown) offers lots of produce/artist's markets in the day time and night life/restaurants at night for the “Club” people that enjoy dancing. If you are looking for upscale Italian--you should try Lidia's. Several neat, original, must do eating places are in the Strip District. Sports Bar Alert: Sports Rock Cafe has a great reputation and delivers live bands on the weekends.


Map of the Strip District

3. Oakland which is where the Pitt campus is located. They have quite an array of entertainment. Good food not as many bars but a good college environment. Not technically Oakland, this Shadyside bar (Doc's Place) near the Pitt Campus has a great party rep. Sports Bar Alert: In ShadySide and your hungry for Wings, Ribs and Big Screen TVs try Buffalo Blues.

4. Station Square (mentioned above) has bars, clubs, food, hotels and the Gateway Clipper Fleet for river tours and concerts etc... You also have the option of taking the Monongahela Incline, which will take you to the outlooks of Mt. Washington, from which you and your main squeeze can have a romantic view of the city skyline. Also, awesome at night to take loved ones to. Another neat suggestion is to ride the Dusquense Incline and head over to some awesome restaurants. A few are very upscale and come highly recommended: LeMont, Tin Angel, Monterey Bay Fish Groto, Grandview Saloon, Cliffside,...If you want to stay and eat at Station Square the Sesame Inn has excellent Chinese/Asian Food.

5. Homestead Waterfront This area isn't quite the bar scene atmosphere, but it has a huge variety of entertainment. They have a huge outdoor shopping plaza, movie theater, a few bars here and there but a lot of bar/restaurants. Great food, comedy club, an overall great environment for fun.
If you want to eat near Heinz I can personally recommend one place I ate at. If you want your fill of the taste of Pittsburgh, try Peppi’s before or after the game for a great sandwich. SPORTS BAR ALERT: Dave and Buster's has an establishment on the waterfront.

6. The Northside is starting to add more restaurants. A couple (Mc'Fadden's and Finnegan's Wake) were mentioned above. Just a long field goal to the east of Heinz on Northshore is Calico Jacks, a lively place for sports fans and singles. Jerome Bettis Grille 36 is newly opened...it features steaks, sandwiches, 36 beers and other man food and is very close to Heinz. The Northside additionally has a fabulous German Restaurant located about 8 blocks from PNC. Max's Allegheny Tavern is well worth the trouble of finding a parking spot on the street to eat there. Penn Brewery offers fine a German restaurant. It is located about a 1/2 mile east of PNC.

My brother-in-law knows Pittsburgh and knows the great local food joints. He has shared a few of them with us.
Peppi's (927 Western Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15233, (412) 231-9029) This is a local chain that specializes in submarine/hoagie/hero/grinder type sandwiches, both hot and cold. This Peppi’s is located on the North Side about 2 blocks from Heinz Field. Go up the hill from Heinz Field on Allegheny Ave. When you reach Western Ave. (There is a 7-Eleven there.), turn right. Peppi’s is located mid-block on the right. Peppi’s is the quintessential mix of classic great tasting but mostly high calorie food.


Primanti Brothers' Signature Sandwich

Primanti Brothers: the original shop is in Pittsburgh’s Strip District and is open all night. (The Strip District is the produce area of Pittsburgh.) Their sandwiches are served on thick slices of Italian bread and have the cole slaw and French fries on them. There are Primanti Stands at Heinz Field. Review.

The Original Hot Dog Shop is located in Oakland next to the Pitt campus. It is open all night and is known for inexpensive food. The hot dogs are good; the old fashion deli dogs that make a crack when bitten into. If you order fries, you will get fresh cut potatoes. WARNING - A regular order is enough for 3 to 4 people. It is a basket full. (This is a college eatery.) Also, you order different items from different stations. This speeds up the lines for anyone getting just one thing. Review.


The Original Hot Dog Stand

Jo Jo's is another Strip District eatery. Jo Jo’s serves meals all night but closes during the afternoon. Good cheap eats. WARNING, the Jo Jo omelet is enormous.
DeLuca's is in the heart of the Strip District. They are open early and close in the mid-afternoon. Good cheap eats.>
Benkovitz Fish is located in the Strip District. They are a fish store that of course also serves excellent fish sandwiches. There is NO seating but stand up counters. It closes in the afternoon. There are Benkovitz stands at Heinz Field.
Robert Wholey & Co. (Fish) is located in the heart of the strip district and is a fish and grocery store that serves excellent fish sandwiches. It closes in the late afternoon.
A small, growing chain that has developed a strong following in the area is Quaker Steak and Lube. Yes, it is a close namesake of the motor oil and yes, the place serves food. BTW, you can try these Wings at Heinz Stadium. Check it out.

Diversions/Shopping for the non football Watching Spouse


Below are a few suggestions to do while in Pittsburgh. Some of these places are within walking distance of Heinz Field. This might come in handy for a spouse who might not want to go to the game.
Andy Warhol Museum
The National Aviary
Ft. Pitt Museum
Carnegie Science Center
SportsWorks
Mattress Factory, yes it is a museum and located about 1/2 mile NE of Heinz Field

NOTE: SportsWorks is a great place to take kids for several hours. BTW, if you are an educator tell them and receive a nice discount. A good place to visit if Pitt is playing at night is the Western Pennsylvania Sports History Museum at the Heinz History Center. The Heinz History Center is an excellent history museum that is affiliated with the Smithsonian Institute. Over on campus. The Cathedral of Learning, the center-piece Gothic skyscraper on campus that is the tallest edcational building in the Western Hemisphere. Thirty to forty thousand tourists a year visit the 27 National Classrooms inside the Cathedral. The Heinz Chapel and Stephen Foster Memorial are on the Cathedral lawn. The Phipps Conservatory is beautiful and located next door to the campus in Schenley Park. One last museum in Oakland is the Carnegie Museum of Natural History. Your kids will love the dinosaurs. On the North side (a short car ride from the stadium)is the Allegheny Observatory in Riverview Park. In the warmer months, tours are conducted on Friday nights (no cost). The website gives info about the tours.

SHOPPING
If your spouse wants to shop there are a few close by choices. A few miles away is Southside Works. It has food, movies and quite a few popular store brands. Another option is Station Square. The nice thing about Station Square is you can tailgate/go to the game while she shops. One last option is to take in the big department stores downtown. You can find more info on Pittsburgh shopping here.


H.J. Heinz Local History Museum in the Strip District

Golf

Thank you, Pitt fans “Willemakit” and “Pittee3” for the following suggestions:

A comprehensive list of courses in the Pittsburgh metro area shows a wide range of prices. If you are a hacker or just want a quick, cheap round of golf try Schenley Golf Course Note: It will be renamed Bob O'Connor Golf Course at Schenley Park in September 2007, North Park (county course), Holly Hill (9 hole course), Pittsburgh North, Oakmont East, or Maplecrest (9 hole course).

Schenley Golf Course
If you want a more challenging round, consider the following courses:
Quicksilver 4 star course. You can play 9 or 18 holes for between 30-60 bucks (includes golf cart). You'll need a tee time and there is a dress code. Overall, it is a class operation and a wonderful course.

Champion Lakes About an hour east of downtown, this excellent and challenging course should also be considered. Note that they have a dress code (collared shirt, no jeans) and tee times are required. $40.00 includes cart. Rated one of the top 50 public courses in the US by Golf Digest.
Championship Lakes Grand View This is not your normal 'hit driver 14 times' type course. You need to play target golf. Great test for your course management skills. Not recommended for the high-handicapper (if you are, bring lots of balls). This course is very close to downtown and features some great views of the industrial areas of Pittsburgh.

Grand View Golf Course
WestwoodNever played there but it's not far from downtown and the reviews are goodBirdsfoot Very nice course that is relatively new. A subtle links-style beauty, the Pittsburgh-area course opened in May 2003 and features more than 100 deceptively treacherous grass and sand bunkers between whisker-wide fairways. Seven two-tiered greens yield more than two tears for three-putters. It is reasonably priced and represents a good value, but is a fairly long drive from downtown (50 miles north of Pittsburgh). There are a lot of other golf courses in this area.


Birdsfoot Golf Course

I hope this helps. I'd like to thank “Pittfan7” and Don Lancaster for helping me with this guide. TexanMark

The opinions expressed in this guide are those of TexanMark. While every effort has been made to ensure all the information presented is accurate and current, it would be wise to verify things when possible. Please note that this guide is not endorsed by Scout.com, Rivals.com or its site publishers, administrators and/or moderators.


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......

Penn State Tailgate and Visitors Guide '09

Penn State is the "Big Daddy" of tailgating in the northeast. It is the "Flagship" of the football rich state of Pennsylvania and has a large student body (about 45,000) that really gets into football weekends. Being a rural campus it has plenty of parking and you definitely know that the college and the game is the biggest event around central Pennsylvania.

GETTING THERE

Penn State, a land grant school, is the most eastern school of the Big 10 and can be hard to get to by car depending on which direction you're coming from due to the Appalachian Mountains (more precise the Alleghenies). The closest Big 10 school (Ohio State) is 5.5 hours away. The good news is Penn State is RV friendly and allows parking starting on Thursday evening for RVs. The school is located in the small city of State College in Centre County (Pop. 150,000). State College however lately has become a popular destination for retirees that enjoy the four seasons and outdoor activities.


Pattee Mall on the campus

Flying and Riding
State College is served by the small regional University Park Airport (SCE). Delta, United and US Airways offers limited service. The airport is conveniently located just a couple miles from the campus. Train service is not available into State College. However, it is a short trip away (about an hour) from several Amtrak train stations, located in Altoona, Lewistown, and Huntingdon. Greyhound Bus Service is another option for those living close by as it offers service to the University. An easy to read map showing Penn State and State College is here.



Hotel State College on Allen Street in State College, PA a nice place to spend a weekend
Picture from Nittany Memories check it out



The stadium is situated on the expansive Penn State Campus. Click to enlarge

Directions to the Stadium

Lots of different printable maps here.

All info taken from the 2008 Penn State Parking and Stadium Information Guide except where noted. This is a good read from 2007. The newest 2008 stadium brochure is smaller and suitable for printing. Additionally Penn State offers up a great game day web site for the visiting fan.

A nice overview map to use--centered on Beaver Stadium.

Fans arriving from the West via U.S. 322 SHOULD USE THE MOUNT NITTANY EXPRESSWAY (East/West Expressway just north of the stadium US 220/322).

U.S. Interstate 80 Traffic: Fans arriving from the West should take Exit 158 and follow Route 150 South to Route 26 South. Fans arriving from the East should take Exit 161 to Route 26 South or U.S. 220 South.

Persons without parking passes should follow the football directional signs from their route of arrival. Parking fee payment will be made at the lot entrance. Day of the game cost is $20 for parking instead of $10 if you prepay. You will be directed to lots# 11 and 26.

TRAFFIC ON UNIVERSITY DRIVE SOUTH OF CURTIN ROAD IS RESTRICTED TO BUSES AND
BLACK PASSES ONLY. PORTER ROAD IS RESTRICTED TO PRE-PAID PERMITS ONLY.

If you have a prepaid (highly recommended) parking pass click here for directions. If you want to avoid game day hassles--here is the prepaid parking website--operated by Ticketmaster. NOTE: The website for prepaid won't seem to be working if you check before July 31st or so, have patience grasshopper and wait until early August. Also, learn from my mistake: don't wait until two weeks before to puchase because the pre-paids will not be available. I did hear you can buy a prepaid parking pass at the Bryce Jordan Center up to Friday closing before the game. If you are a visiting fan without a prepaid pass you will be directed to lot 11 or 23 depending on where you arrive from. Non prepaid RV's will be directed to lot 9. Non prepaid RVs will cost $40 instead of $20 if bought in advance.

Arriving via the Mount Nittany Expressway, YELLOW pass holders will be directed to: Lots# 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 and 26 northeast or east of the stadium.

Arriving via Porter Road, YELLOW pass holders will be directed to Lot# 25.

Arriving via Park Avenue (Atherton Street, Business Route 322), YELLOW pass holders
will be directed to: Lots# 11, 12, and 13.

Arriving via (Airport) Fox Hollow Road, Yellow pass holders will be directed to Lots# 16, 17, 18 and 19 northwest of the stadium.


Driving to Beaver Stadium--Can be a slow process


RV's are a Common Site at Penn State--photo from Tailgater's Handbook

Overnight and Game day RV Parking

Limited overnight parking for recreational vehicles ONLY is permitted Thursdays after 6 p.m. in the designated area (see Parking Map--Lots# 19 + 20 NE of the stadium). A $60 per-night fee (for Thursday and Friday) is charged for this service. There will be separate charges for towing and towed vehicles. Gameday RV parking is $40 or $20 prepaid. Lots# 13 and 25 are set aside for Gameday RV parking.

A Printable Parking Map is here.

Disabled Parking

From the PSU Parking and Stadium Information Guide

(Automobiles) Patrons using a Disabled License Plate or Placard in accordance with Pennsylvania law must arrive via Park Avenue traveling East(from Atherton Street) to access Lot #9. For those with pre-paid parking, a limited number of spaces are available behind Wagner Building. If you have pre-paid parking and wish to park behind Wagner Building, indicate that to the parking attendant as you enter Lot #9. An accessible parking lot for wheelchair spectators only is located adjacent to the Bryce Jordan Center on Curtin Road. Arrangements for wheelchair parking must be made in advance by calling the Penn State Ticket Office. Directions to the lot will be
provided at that time.

Scalping

If you plan ahead you usually can buy tickets for games through Ticketmaster. The early season OOC games usually have seats. Additionally at the Ticketmaster website, PSU runs a secondary market for ticket resell by season ticket holders. If you waited and can't get any through Ticketmaster then you have to scalp. From what I could tell Pennsylvania allows you to resell tickets to football games over the Internet (if you are instate) for whatever price the market will bear. The buyer of course can be out of state. It appears to be illegal to do it in person to sell above face value. The linked article above stated they arrest between 50-100 people each season. Penn State fans have told me tickets are easy to come by right in front of the stadium along Curtin Road. 'Pro' scalpers and regular fans are selling and buying tickets in that area. Earlier in the day tickets are also easy to find anywhere along College Ave especially between McLanahans (Grocery Store) and the book store. With that warning above (about arrest) in place if you still want to buy tickets above face value the following techniques usually have worked for me in other states: I have always found the best spot to find extra tickets is at the tailgates. I would troll the tailgate lots before game time. As game time approaches you can find tickets leading to the stadium. It is always preferred to buy extras from fellow fans.

If you are willing to risk arrest the following techniques have served me well where it is legal. If you run into a professional scalper as opposed to a fan some off the following tips are key. A few tried and true techniques to get the best price buying I have used from both scalper and fan: 1. Know what a legit ticket looks like 2. Buy from your own fan base first 3. The smaller the group the smaller the price--single tickets are cheapest 4. Prices usually peak 1-2 hours before kickoff--inside an hour the closer to game time the cheaper the ticket, right after kickoff they plummet to near nothing 5. A fan walking to the stadium in with a group of friends and still holding extra tickets to sell will usually dump them for a cheap price (they do not want to miss the game and often they are doing a favor for a buddy to sell them) usually you'll spot them holding a finger or two out to their side or over their head or saying selling one, etc... 6. If you have to deal with a professional scalper--NEVER give him what he asks, have a seating chart with you, check to make sure all tickets are really together and for that game, offer him lower and be prepared to walk away, after you turn and walk away more than half the time in my experience they'll give in and take your offer, if you can afford to wait...wait inside 20 minutes to kickoff as see the prices drop (assess the situation for the number of tickets available, how many you need before employing that strategy) 7. Don't be embarrassed to go back to a scalper to buy ticket(s) 10 minutes after you said no to his previous offer 8. Don't fall for their tactics to make you feel like you're ripping them off by offering $20 less per ticket, etc...they love to play games with your self-image and ego.


Beaver Stadium Seating Chart--don't forget your binoculars

TAILGATING

Penn State has been argued by many to be among the best tailgating schools in the country. They come early and stay late. From the Penn State Parking and Stadium Guide:

Parking lots generally open at 8:00 a.m. For Noon games lots open at 7:00 a.m. For late afternoon or night games lot openings will be posted on the Web site: Plan to arrive at Beaver Stadium after the lots open in order to avoid standing traffic prior to opening.

Fans have told me it is best to arrive early before the lots open. Park your car in queue and wait.

Most of the tailgating is done in fields. Just remember, "No Charcoal Grills!" As long as it isn't pouring rain this creates a much nicer environment than compared to most other northeastern schools who heavily rely on paved parking lots.

Also new for 2009: NO GLASS BOTTLES IN THE TAILGATE LOTS!

PSU fan, "psufleish23" said:

There are green dumpsters spread around the tailgate areas and on them are rolls of Trash/Recycling bags. At the very least put all your trash in bags in a neat pile so the crews working overtime on Sunday can easily pick them up.

Bathrooms
Lots of port-a-potties but the lines are usually pretty long at them. A tip is that most of the public campus buildings within walking distance are open on weekends, especially the Law Bldg, Forestry Bldg, Business Bldg, Findley Commons, and IM Building. They have nice restrooms in them and the lines are not nearly as long.

Wearing The Other Team's Colors
Most of our fans are pretty nice to opposing team's fans, but we have had a few bad apples in some high-profile incidents recently. Most of those were with major rivals in town. For most games, don't be surprised to have people invite you over for some food or a beer. Some tips to avoid any trouble (applies to all sporting events): Try not to provoke. Avoid the larger tailgates with lots of students/drinking at them. Night games tend to be worse.

Also, a lot of fans like to give some good-nature ribbing to each other on game days. I've found that if you can be a good sport with them about it when you're at their venue, then they are usually pretty nice to you after that.

Photos from: Straight outta Johnstown

Tailgating Alternative

If you are downtown or along South Atherton (Business US 322) in one of the hotels...try setting up in your hotel parking lot and take the shuttle to the stadium. From the Penn State Parking and Stadium Information Guide:

Shuttle Bus (CATA) For the convenience of fans, shuttle buses provide continuous service between the many area hotels along South Atherton Street, Downtown State College, and Beaver Stadium(the corner of Curtin Road and University
Drive). They begin three hours before kickoff and run continuously until one hour after the game is over. They operate in both directions approximately every ten minutes before the game and every twenty minutes during the game. Following the game, they run continuously one-way from the stadium. All shuttle buses are fully accessible and the fare is $2.00 (exact fare only) each way. Individuals presenting a valid U.S. Medicare Card, Senior Transit Identification Card, or a CATA Reduced Fare Identification Card may ride for half the fare ($1.00). Call CATA at 814-238-2282 or visit the Special Services section of CATA’s website.

The shuttle run is quite extensive and ends at Hills Shopping Plaza and also a nearby street area and Easterly Elementary School is about a half mile away from Hills Plaza but is walkable to a shuttle stop. Parking spots are offered but be sure to read the website as to where to park. This might be a nice option for visiting fans. NOTE: I went to a game in Sep 09. I did this option. Parked in backside of the Hills Plaza. It worked out well. The parking lot isn't really conducive to good tailgating. It is best if you have a friend who is hosting in a lot near the stadium. The shuttle bus drops you off about a 1/4 mile from the stadium (near the basketball arena). It was well run.

A Few More Parking Tips

From PSU fan, psufleish23:

Parking on campus in most lots is free on the weekends after 9 pm Friday. If you can get their early enough on Saturday, you get free parking and it's usually a short walk to the stadium. But, this DOES NOT apply to the parking garages on campus.

A lot of the streets in the Highlands Area (the residential area basically bordered by Beaver Ave, University Drive, Easterly Parkway, and Atherton Street) all say that parking is prohibited from 2am-6am, and it's usually enforced pretty well based on all the yellow envelopes on windshields come Sunday morning. If you come in for the weekend, you can call the State College Police Department before 10pm at 814.234.7510 with your license plate # and the location of your vehicle and they won't ticket it for the weekend.

One last note: Do Not bring a backpack to the stadium...they will not let you in.

Hope this helps.

Last Minute Tailgate Supplies

A couple things make this more of an ordeal than many other schools. Pennsylvania has archaic alcohol laws and doesn't do the consumer any favor. Beer can not be bought in grocery stores or convenient markets. Hard Liquor and Wine is only available the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board Stores. Centre County has several shops listed. Beer is not available at PLCB stores. For beer in State College you'll need to go to one of the larger distributors (Pletchers is one and is located near the largest PLCB store) or to a smaller 6-pack bottle or take away shops. The 6-pack shops are always attached to a restaurant - for example Hooter's has one and there is another attached to Sharkies. At the larger distributors you can get only get full cases and kegs (kegs are illegal in the tailgating lots). The smaller shops sell smaller packs but have a limit on the volume of beer purchased and are much more expensive. Wine and liquor are only available at the PLCB stores. So either bring it from home or get severely inconvenienced by finding one of these stores on gameday.

PSU fan "psufleish23" said:

The distributors usually carry all major brands, they generally align themselves with certain brands, giving better prices for that brand than its competitors. For example, Nittany Beverage gives better deals on Miller products, and W.R. Hickey gives better deals on Anheuser-Busch. I'm not sure about Pletcher's alliances, but I've heard they have a better overall selection, including micros. If you're looking for a semi-local beer, PA-brewed Yuengling Lager is a pretty good choice.

Although State College has an ordinance against open alcohol containers, it is relaxed during game day in the tailgate areas around the stadium. Also, they made a new rule a few years ago that prohibits drinking at the tailgate during the game. Once the game starts, cops patrol the lots and this will be enforced.

The closest store for all the other tailgating and food supplies is Mc Lanahans Penn State Room. The sell PSU merchandise and all sorts of tailgating supplies. Note: They don't sell beer, wine or liquor.

McLanahan's--a must for any one looking for PSU Merchandise and Tailgate Supplies.
If you are looking for a regular grocery store State College has several options. State College has a Wegman's Market on the west side. Wegman's is huge and competes with the best grocery chains in the US. Giant has two locations in State College. One on the east side and one on the west side. Weis Super Markets have four stores in the State College Area. Finally, Walmart has two Supercenters. One on the west side and one on the east side. Wegmans, Giant, and Walmart are all open 24 hours. Finally, if you are buying food for your tailgate be sure to pick up some Seltzer's Lebanon Bologna...it is one of those must try local foods.

Money Saving Tip: Both Wegmans and Giant use loyalty cards. Either apply for one online or at customer service and maybe ask someone to scan their card for you to get the discounts.


TAILGATE HAVEN--Total Tailgating Resource


Tailgate Haven is your total resource for setting up and managing your football tailgate online. Do you think the tailgate is sometimes just as important as the game? The goal of Tailgate Haven is to make your life easier by organizing your tailgate group; thus eliminating countless emails, text messages and phone calls about the current weeks tailgate information. The concept is simple but pure genius. You easily register by choosing your favorite team and picking a creative name for your tailgate group. Now log in and instantly each of your teams games becomes its own webpage with your team colors. Next, invite your friends to join your tailgate group and the site comes to life. In addition to this tailgate manager, every team has its own tailgate profile. Do you travel to away games? This is where you can find the best information on where to park, find extra tickets, where to stay, eat, party and golf. Navigate the city easily as you travel to a stadium for the first time.

LODGING

State College boasts over 3000 hotel rooms and they need all of them for football weekends. The key thing is to book early if you want to be close. Here are some of the more popular motels in State College. Of course if you do some detective work you can find some hidden gems like the Nittany Budget Motel on the budget end or the Carnegie House on the higher end. The Hotel State College only offers 11 rooms but can't be beat for location. If you are a Bed and Breakfast fan this link will sure to please. This is the most comprehensive list I found for the listing of all lodging in the State College area.

Te Penn Stater Inn and Conference Center is located on campus and is usually very popular. Occasionally for out of conference opponents you can still find rooms a few weeks out.

Some out of town options: Clearfield, PA is about 45 miles NW located next to I-80. It has a nice assortment of motels. Altoona, PA is about 45 miles SW and also has quite a few motels. Another resource for Altoona showing all types of lodging options. About 70 miles east is Milton/Lewisburg and they offer options for those coming from the east coast. Finally, this guide is good for giving you phone numbers for various "Mom and Pop" Motels.


DINING
Famous Berkey Creamery
Okay let me get this out of the way first before talking about food: you need to go get ice cream at the University's Berkey Creamery (the largest college creamery in the US). They open early and close late on the weekends. Parking is available in the East Deck Parking Garage on Bigler Road located directly behind the Creamery Store and the Food Science building. The first 30 minutes is FREE. Just go you won't be disappointed.

FINE DINING: The Carnegie House, a few miles west, is a lodge but offers meals in a nice setting. The Atherton Hotel boasts the Tarragon Restaurant and a varied menu. The Tavern Restaurant is a long standing tradition and is very popular. Mario and Luigi's offers up the finest in Italian...they have an extensive menu. Spat's Cafe and Speakeasy offers Cajun Food on their varied menu. Zola's Bistro has a varied menu and popular.

CASUAL DINING: The Diner is just that but they offer the Grilled Sticky. Sounds interesting. The Diner is also a popular breakfast place. If you want something different try Korean at the Korean Kimchi Restaurant. Herwig's Austrian Bistro has fine food in a casual,cozy setting. Try Penn State Sub Shop#1 for great subs, cheese steaks and wraps. If you want steak, seafood and don't want to spend a fortune then Hoss's Steak and Sea House is for you. It offers alot of food for the money. Try Kelly's Steak and Seafood...it offers a nice menu at reasonable prices but is more upscale than Hoss's. Barbecue is hard to find in State College but west of town (about 10 miles) is Clem's Wood Fired BBQ. Clems also sell BBQ on the weekend in State College. Fat Jack's also come recommended for BBQ. See Buelah's below for another BBQ option. If you are looking for Mexican Food--State College offers the fast food chain Qdoba Mexican Grill. Burritos are their specialty. The Rathskeller offers lunches by day and lots of beer and coeds by night. The Saloon is another college bar. Okay where do I go on Sunday morning after a hard night of partying? The Original Waffle Shop is outstanding. Expect a wait on Sunday mornings.


Beulah's BBQ: Get your Q fix here

Sports Bar Alert Beulahs BBQ serves Kansas City Style BBQ and offers HDTV to watch your sporting events. The Arena offers lots of TVs and is a full fledged sports bar--they should be able to find your game. Bill Pickle's Tap Room is Bar/Restaurant that also has TV's. Champs Sports Grill has reviews all over the place. It might be worth a look. One regional chain also has a sports bar in State College. Damon's offers their famous ribs as well as a full setup of TVs.

Bars

State College has a ton of bars catering to the younger crowd. Check out your specials here: Bar Guide
SHOPPING If you are looking for a slightly older crowd, I heard the Rathskellar, Adam's Apple (at the Tavern), or Allen Street Grille should be to your liking.

If you have a spouse that doesn't want to go to the game the Nittany Mall should keep them busy. The Woolrich Clothing Store is a must see if you love their outdoor wear. It is located about 45 minutes NE off US 220. Other shopping possibilities are here.

GOLF

Penn State Golf Coures--Blue and White Courses

Blue Course--from the official website:

The Blue Course finished renovations in 2006. We added three ponds and lengthened the course over 640 yards. The front nine, par 36, measures 3691 yards off the New Nittany tees. Its layout is quite different than you will find on the back nine. Tee shots require close attention to placement. A rewarding tee shot puts you in position to try your luck at carefully guarded greens. Twenty seven strategically placed green side bunkers on the front nine will challenge your course management skills, and patience. The front nine provides a challenge to the most experienced player by demanding not only length but accuracy.

The Blue Course back nine awaits your arrival. The back nine, par 36, is a newly constructed nine holes completed in 1994 and new additions in 2006. It measures 3481 yards off the New Nittany tees and provides a quite different experience than the front nine. The back nine not only includes 16 green side bunkers, but adds to the challenge by including 11 strategically placed fairway bunkers. Water hazards on the 14th and the 18th can add pressure to a seemingly easy tee shot. The back nine will provide you with large undulating greens and a links style atmosphere. Bring your "A" game. The Blue Course is the more expensive of the two courses.

White Course--from the official website:

The White Course, renovated in 2005, provides a challenging alternative to the Blue Course. With holes dating back to 1922, the White Course will test even the most skilled player. The front nine, par 36, measuring 3245 yards from the blue tees. The older course provides smaller crowned greens adding to the character and demanding a creative short game. Nearly 40 bunkers on the front side alone force you to manage your game, in your efforts to shoot a low score.

The back nine, par 36, measures 3099 yards and starts your journey with a straight forward par 5. Take advantage of these first few holes and you will be in good shape as you approach the home stretch. Elevation changes and deceptively placed fairway and green side bunkers will challenge your distance control and depth perception. Your finishing hole is a 492 yard, uphill slight dog leg right, that can make a strong case of being one of the toughest finishing holes in the area. The White Course par 3's will prove to be some of the most challenging you have played. This course will test your creativity. When in doubt, bump and run. Greens Fees here.



Toftrees Golf Resort and Conference Center

This might be the best choice for the Football Fan who also wants to play alot of golf. They offer stay and play packages. Five different tee settings allow you to play easy or play hard. Toftrees - meaning "Home among the trees" - is nestled amid 1500 scenic wooded acres in beautiful Centre County, Pennsylvania.

Toftrees Golf Resort has recently been rated 4 1/2 stars by Golf Digest magazine's "Places to Play" and one of Pennsylvania’s Best Resort/ Public Golf Courses. Toftrees was selected by Meetings and Conventions magazine as one of the Top 75 Golf Conference Center Resorts in the U.S.A.