Wednesday, August 26, 2009

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



My West Point Son Would Love This


New to 2010 are great tailgate products offered to my readers...BTW, you get a 10% discount.

College Flags and Banners Co. is the ultimate source for your tailgate. They offer a huge selection of college flags and banners including: Army, Cincinnati, Connecticut, ECU, Louisville, Memphis, Navy, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Syracuse, USF, and WVU. Plus everything else you need for game day, from tailgating flagpoles and wheel stands to conference pennant sets. All products are officially licensed and ship within 24 hours. Order today and relieve 10% off your order by typing in coupon code "MARK10" at checkout.

If you are looking for more than just college try their sister company.

Other Sports Flags:
Sports Flags and Pennants Co. is the premium source for all of your NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, and Nascar flags and pennants. Fast, secured shipping to your doorstep and all products are officially licensed. Through our site we are offering a coupon code for 10% off your order. Just enter "MARK10" at checkout.


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. If you are staying in Newburgh or Fishkill check out the Walmart Supercenters.


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

Friday, August 7, 2009

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



Get WVU Gear Like This at College Flags and Banners

New to 2010 are great tailgate products offered to my readers...BTW, you get a 10% discount.

College Flags and Banners Co. is the ultimate source for your tailgate. They offer a huge selection of college flags and banners including: Army, Cincinnati, Connecticut, ECU, Louisville, Memphis, Navy, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Syracuse, USF, and WVU. Plus everything else you need for game day, from tailgating flagpoles and wheel stands to conference pennant sets. All products are officially licensed and ship within 24 hours. Order today and relieve 10% off your order by typing in coupon code "MARK10" at checkout.

If you are looking for more than just college try their sister company.

Other Sports Flags:
Sports Flags and Pennants Co. is the premium source for all of your NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, and NASCAR flags and pennants. Fast, secured shipping to your doorstep and all products are officially licensed. Through our site we are offering a coupon code for 10% off your order. Just enter "MARK10" at checkout.

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.

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.

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!


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

Monday, August 3, 2009

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 SUPPLIES:



Get USF Gear Like This at College Flags and Banners

New to 2010 are great tailgate products offered to my readers...BTW, you get a 10% discount.

College Flags and Banners Co. is the ultimate source for your tailgate. They offer a huge selection of college flags and banners including: Army, Cincinnati, Connecticut, ECU, Louisville, Memphis, Navy, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Syracuse, USF, and WVU. Plus everything else you need for game day, from tailgating flagpoles and wheel stands to conference pennant sets. All products are officially licensed and ship within 24 hours. Order today and relieve 10% off your order by typing in coupon code "MARK10" at checkout.

If you are looking for more than just college try their sister company.

Other Sports Flags:
Sports Flags and Pennants Co. is the premium source for all of your NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, and NASCAR flags and pennants. Fast, secured shipping to your doorstep and all products are officially licensed. Through our site we are offering a coupon code for 10% off your order. Just enter "MARK10" at checkout.

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






......