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re: 2 Games, 2 States, 1 Long Weekend - Columbia/Athens
Posted on 7/15/14 at 8:33 pm to ColoradoAg03
Posted on 7/15/14 at 8:33 pm to ColoradoAg03
UGA has a beautiful campus and a great gameday feel, you won't regret this trip.
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Posted on 7/15/14 at 8:35 pm to ColoradoAg03
It will probably be a little too far to walk to downtown/campus, but its a very nice and safe area of Athens.
Cabs are really cheap and there's plenty to go around usually
Cabs are really cheap and there's plenty to go around usually
Posted on 7/15/14 at 8:39 pm to GhostofCrowell
quote:
Cabs are really cheap and there's plenty to go around usually
As someone that uses uber/cabs frequently, this is music to my ears.
Posted on 7/15/14 at 8:56 pm to GhostofCrowell
It is not a horrendous walk to downtown from there, but it would probably take at least 30-40 minutes to walk to stadium from there. There is also this thing called a bus system in Athens. I would imagine there is a campus bus running from the health science campus to the main campus, but not late at night. However, just make friends while there and I bet most would be happy to drop you back off near your place. Also the main hospital, Athens Regional, is near there and so one should be able to grab a cab fairly easily from there.
You can always find tickets on Gameday, no matter how big the game. You will be paying out the nose for lower bowl or club seats, but they are always there to be had. Honestly, though, I don't think there is a bad seat in Sanford as far as seeing the field well. I have sat just about everywhere. I guess the Tech Deck is a bit steep, but I still think it is closer to the field than most other upper decks I have been to.
I would recommend making friends at the tailgates. You can often find extra tickets that way. You definitely will find free alcohol and food. And most have a TV with earlier games going.
Normaltown is sort of a trendy area. It is usually fine, but I wouldn't go walking around at night looking obviously drunk. Right near there is an awesome place for Sunday Brunch called Heirloom.
Also fairly close to that area is Big City Bread. In general there are so many incredibly good Sunday brunch places in Athens, I feel it is criminal to leave town on a football weekend without eating brunch.
Restaurants/bars downtown you might like: The National, Clocked, The Last Resort, The Globe, etc etc. Really there are so many and they often come and go. But yes, getting to Athens by 3 PM on Friday would be perfect. The traffic will just be picking up and the downtown will be rockin'. There are usually plenty of great live bands as well.
5 points is a bit out of your way, but I love The Royal Peasant. Also the best restaurant in AThens, 5 and 10. is there as well.
I too am jealous, as I have to work that weekend and will have to miss being at the game. Alas, my tickets have already been promised to friends or you could have bought them.
You can always find tickets on Gameday, no matter how big the game. You will be paying out the nose for lower bowl or club seats, but they are always there to be had. Honestly, though, I don't think there is a bad seat in Sanford as far as seeing the field well. I have sat just about everywhere. I guess the Tech Deck is a bit steep, but I still think it is closer to the field than most other upper decks I have been to.
I would recommend making friends at the tailgates. You can often find extra tickets that way. You definitely will find free alcohol and food. And most have a TV with earlier games going.
Normaltown is sort of a trendy area. It is usually fine, but I wouldn't go walking around at night looking obviously drunk. Right near there is an awesome place for Sunday Brunch called Heirloom.
Also fairly close to that area is Big City Bread. In general there are so many incredibly good Sunday brunch places in Athens, I feel it is criminal to leave town on a football weekend without eating brunch.
Restaurants/bars downtown you might like: The National, Clocked, The Last Resort, The Globe, etc etc. Really there are so many and they often come and go. But yes, getting to Athens by 3 PM on Friday would be perfect. The traffic will just be picking up and the downtown will be rockin'. There are usually plenty of great live bands as well.
5 points is a bit out of your way, but I love The Royal Peasant. Also the best restaurant in AThens, 5 and 10. is there as well.
I too am jealous, as I have to work that weekend and will have to miss being at the game. Alas, my tickets have already been promised to friends or you could have bought them.
Posted on 7/15/14 at 9:29 pm to SoGaFan
Thanks for the good info. Just looking quickly at current stubhub market prices, looks like the corners of the 300 level will likely be the better deals. But who knows what will come up on gameday. 
Posted on 7/15/14 at 9:33 pm to ColoradoAg03
This (discussion of ticket acquisition) happened to our group several years back when we (A&M) played at VA Tech.
As it turned out, Hurricane Isabel blew through Blacksburg that evening, and a sold-out game ended up being an easy ticket to procure.
You never know what will happen.
As it turned out, Hurricane Isabel blew through Blacksburg that evening, and a sold-out game ended up being an easy ticket to procure.
You never know what will happen.
Posted on 7/15/14 at 9:36 pm to ColoradoAg03
You can also check the247sports Georgia board. Closer to the season, they usually end up with a ticket board. You can always put in a request there via PM to someone selling.
Posted on 7/15/14 at 9:39 pm to ColoradoAg03
I lived on Child St just off Prince Ave. near Normaltown this past year. Definitely close enough downtown to have a blast. Let me know if there is any more questions you have closer to time.
Posted on 7/15/14 at 10:51 pm to ColoradoAg03
I would definitely recommend leaving Atlanta that night if you're getting in at 8:20pm, especially because your body clock will still be at 7:20. I don't think game day traffic will be that bad getting to Columbia, but you don't want to take any chances with that. Athens is a helluva place to spend your Friday night and I would make sure that you book your place early because hotels will fill up. Most people you'll meet should be friendly, especially to a neutral party, and by the time Friday night ends you should have multiple offers for places to tailgate the next day. I don't think our stadium will compare to Kyle in terms of noise, but we will be loud for that game and I would definitely recommend going to the game, because who knows the next time you will have that opportunity. I think people covered most of the major points but feel free to ask more questions if you have any. Hopefully we'll show you that Athens is a little bit better college town than Columbia, and maybe even better than C Stat.
Posted on 8/13/14 at 9:17 am to ColoradoAg03
Question for USCe fans..
We're staying out by the Lexington Medical Center off I-26. Is there a bus system we can use to get to the stadium to start tailgating, then back from the bars after, should we pay for a parking pass a couple of blocks away from the stadium, get a cab both ways, or mix bus there and cab back at the end of the night?
What would be your suggestion on getting to the action, then back to the hotel after it's time to call it a night?
We're staying out by the Lexington Medical Center off I-26. Is there a bus system we can use to get to the stadium to start tailgating, then back from the bars after, should we pay for a parking pass a couple of blocks away from the stadium, get a cab both ways, or mix bus there and cab back at the end of the night?
What would be your suggestion on getting to the action, then back to the hotel after it's time to call it a night?
Posted on 8/13/14 at 9:28 am to ColoradoAg03
quote:
Posted by Message ColoradoAg03 2 Games, 2 States, 1 Long Weekend - Columbia/Athens We booked a small house in Normaltown, a few blocks south across Oglethorpe from the UGA Health Sciences Campus. Is that a pretty solid spot, logistically?
That is fricking outstanding
Posted on 8/13/14 at 9:30 am to ColoradoAg03
quote:
Question for USCe fans..
We're staying out by the Lexington Medical Center off I-26. Is there a bus system we can use to get to the stadium to start tailgating, then back from the bars after, should we pay for a parking pass a couple of blocks away from the stadium, get a cab both ways, or mix bus there and cab back at the end of the night?
What would be your suggestion on getting to the action, then back to the hotel after it's time to call it a night?
I wouldn't waste your time with a bus system. Lexington Medical Center is in Lexington county, while Columbia is in Richland. While they share a transportation agency, I just don't think the logistics are worth it. Public transportation is pretty shitty in Cola.
I'd pay for parking near the stadium, and really soak in the tailgating atmosphere. People rail on USC because the stadium is off-campus, but honestly, that's my favorite thing about it. It keeps the trash and traffic off of campus, and campus stays pristine after the weekend. Anyway, prepare to do a lot of walking. There's a lot to see and take in if you're parked anywhere near the stadium.
As far as making it back to the bars, you've got a couple of options. Your best bet is to drive back to the Vista and find parking. You *can* walk north on Assembly (and I have, many times) in order to avoid traffic. If you choose to do this, it'll be an easy cab ride back to your car, and you won't have the headache of trying to park downtown. By the time you're ready to go back to the hotel, the traffic will have cleared out, and it's smooth sailing back to your hotel.
And I'd echo what SC Libertarian said. Take 378/78 out of Columbia and back to Athens. It's beautiful countryside, and the most direct route to get to Athens. You'll be approaching Athens from the south east, with most of the gameday traffic from Augusta. (Trust me, you'd rather deal with the Augusta traffic than the Atlanta traffic).
I hope that helps.
Posted on 8/13/14 at 9:31 am to ColoradoAg03
What is y'alls scene as far as bars and clubs go? Music interests?
Posted on 8/13/14 at 9:37 am to tylerdurden24
quote:
What is y'alls scene as far as bars and clubs go? Music interests?
A regular bar/taphouse with any kind of rock music really. The 4 of us are in our early-mid 30s, so we're past the dance club scene. We do love some live music though. If there's a place with some live classic rock or southern blues rock bands, that would be awesome.
Posted on 8/13/14 at 9:43 am to ColoradoAg03
quote:
A regular bar/taphouse with any kind of rock music really. The 4 of us are in our early-mid 30s, so we're past the dance club scene. We do love some live music though. If there's a place with some live classic rock or southern blues rock bands, that would be awesome.
Then my suggestion for your trip to Columbia is to spend a little more time in Five Points than in the Vista. Delaney's and Jake's are two places that are right up your alley. Hell, SpeakEasy is awesome if you like live jazz and manhattans.
As a general rule, Five Points is where the college kids hang out, while the Vista is for the more professional adults. With some exceptions (notably the two bars I mentioned). If you decide to stay in the Vista, check out the Wild Hare.
If you have time to eat lunch or whatever on Friday, go to the Publick House on Devine St. Off the beaten path a little bit, but a really cool pub with legitimately good grub. Great place for a little hair of the dog.
This post was edited on 8/13/14 at 10:05 am
Posted on 8/13/14 at 10:00 am to ColoradoAg03
Can't say this far out which places will have which live bands (though Umphrey's Mcgee is playing the Classic Center that Friday), but I'd recommend Allgoods, the Rooftop Bar at the Georgia Theater, and Trappeze as places to definitely make a point to check out on Friday and/or Saturday night.
As for the others, I'll just give you a run down of what to expect:
General's (General Beauregards), Magnolias, and Pauley's tend to house a lot of your Greek crowd (if you're into sorority chicks, you may post up at one of these three and never leave).
Bourbon Street and Whiskey Bent tend to be lousy with underage freshmen/sophomores (which can be either really entertaining or a real pain in the arse).
Manhattan, the World Famous, and Little King's are your go-to Hipster bars. All three are generally well-received even if hipsters aren't your thing.
Walker's Pub and The Globe are pretty laid back pubs.
There's also Cutters Pub, Bar South, Nowhere Bar, Barcode, the upstairs bar at Transmetropolitan, Blue Sky, Speakeasy, NONA, Double Barrel, Stonewall's on Jackson, The Bury, Moonshine Bar, Amici's, the Mad Hatter, Utage, Boar's Head, Silver Dollar, Sandbar, and City Bar.
I would urge you to check out the three I mentioned at the beginning of this post and then do a little research before coming into town to figure out what other places you may want to hit up (as you can see, we have an absurd amount of bars all in one square mile, and I didn't even mention all of them).
In addition to all those, I'm sure Creature Comforts (the micro-brewery downtown) will have some event going on you could check out, 40 Watt and the Georgia Theatre will likely have shows, and when you need good soaker, there are a million and one places to do so late night amongst all the bars including Waffle House, The Grill, and Five Guys.
Use these two links to help you out. Both are by the Flagpole which is infamous for its coverage of Athens legendary music scene and culture at-large:
2014 Guide to Athens
Athens Calendar of Events (upcoming shows, etc.)
As for the others, I'll just give you a run down of what to expect:
General's (General Beauregards), Magnolias, and Pauley's tend to house a lot of your Greek crowd (if you're into sorority chicks, you may post up at one of these three and never leave).
Bourbon Street and Whiskey Bent tend to be lousy with underage freshmen/sophomores (which can be either really entertaining or a real pain in the arse).
Manhattan, the World Famous, and Little King's are your go-to Hipster bars. All three are generally well-received even if hipsters aren't your thing.
Walker's Pub and The Globe are pretty laid back pubs.
There's also Cutters Pub, Bar South, Nowhere Bar, Barcode, the upstairs bar at Transmetropolitan, Blue Sky, Speakeasy, NONA, Double Barrel, Stonewall's on Jackson, The Bury, Moonshine Bar, Amici's, the Mad Hatter, Utage, Boar's Head, Silver Dollar, Sandbar, and City Bar.
I would urge you to check out the three I mentioned at the beginning of this post and then do a little research before coming into town to figure out what other places you may want to hit up (as you can see, we have an absurd amount of bars all in one square mile, and I didn't even mention all of them).
In addition to all those, I'm sure Creature Comforts (the micro-brewery downtown) will have some event going on you could check out, 40 Watt and the Georgia Theatre will likely have shows, and when you need good soaker, there are a million and one places to do so late night amongst all the bars including Waffle House, The Grill, and Five Guys.
Use these two links to help you out. Both are by the Flagpole which is infamous for its coverage of Athens legendary music scene and culture at-large:
2014 Guide to Athens
Athens Calendar of Events (upcoming shows, etc.)
This post was edited on 8/13/14 at 10:05 am
Posted on 8/13/14 at 10:24 am to tylerdurden24
Wow that's a lot of good 411 for both places. We're really very adaptable to different types of places/atmospheres. We're really social people that still go out on a pretty consistent basis with friends and can have a good time almost anywhere. Just looking forward to enjoying good atmospheres and meeting some good people.
Posted on 8/13/14 at 10:31 am to ColoradoAg03
I'm sure you'll do so in Cola, but I can guarantee it in Athens. One of the reasons visitors and locals love it so damn much is because of how walkable the downtown is and seamlessly it meshes into the campus. You will literally park your car or take a cab to downtown and then not have to drive to get anywhere for the rest of the day or night. The stadium is built into the dead middle of campus and you'll walk through the most beautiful parts of UGA to get there from downtown. And if for some reason you just can't find a way into the game, just hike your arse back to downtown and pick a place to watch it (I'd recommend the Georgia Theatre; people from around the state flood Athens with and without tickets, so you'll have a good time anywhere). It's like some sort of collegey, footbally wonderland.
Posted on 8/13/14 at 10:33 am to ColoradoAg03
You'll have a good time. Make sure you go out Friday night in Athens to get a better feel for the town. Saturday will be an absolute clusterfrick downtown after the game and a lot of bars will be wall to wall crammed with people. If you start feeling claustrophobic or want to get in a bar that you can actually breathe air in, head towards Washington street and check out some of the bars there. They are generally a good bit less crowded than the bars off of Broad and Clayton street.
If you don't want to shell out the $150+ on tickets and GA theater is too crowded, I've found that Bar South is a good spot to catch the game.
If you don't want to shell out the $150+ on tickets and GA theater is too crowded, I've found that Bar South is a good spot to catch the game.
This post was edited on 8/13/14 at 10:35 am
Posted on 8/13/14 at 10:36 am to ColoradoAg03
spend Friday in Athens. Go to terrapin brewing company that evening. Get dinner somewhere downtown and then go to the bars. Very simple
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