Take out driving time and cost as a factor.

Which towns/cities in the Sun Belt would you most want to visit NOT FOR SPORTS?

*Caveat: You can't count your own school's town.*

- I think the one I am most curious about is San Marcos. It just sounds like a quintessential college town deep in the heart of Texas. I'd love to see what is there.

- A very close second is Lafayette. My parents went there just a couple of months ago and said the food was amazing. I would love to see it... probably in early spring or late fall, lol. Humidity and heat, I'm not a fan of them.

- Continuing eastward, Mobile would be interesting. I love cities on the water, and I love history. Mobile's old and on a bay. Good fit for Michael.

- Statesboro would be good, but only if I get a night in Savannah out of it.

- Norfolk, I would love to see that area, especially the Virginia Beach boardwalk.

I've been to Atlanta, Conway, Harrisonburg, and Boone (of course).

ULM, stAte, USM, Troy, and Marshall people, sell me on making a visit to your place.

(06-29-2022 08:08 PM)Michael in Raleigh Wrote:  Take out driving time and cost as a factor.

Which towns/cities in the Sun Belt would you most want to visit NOT FOR SPORTS?

*Caveat: You can't count your own school's town.*

- I think the one I am most curious about is San Marcos. It just sounds like a quintessential college town deep in the heart of Texas. I'd love to see what is there.

- A very close second is Lafayette. My parents went there just a couple of months ago and said the food was amazing. I would love to see it... probably in early spring or late fall, lol. Humidity and heat, I'm not a fan of them.

- Continuing eastward, Mobile would be interesting. I love cities on the water, and I love history. Mobile's old and on a bay. Good fit for Michael.

- Statesboro would be good, but only if I get a night in Savannah out of it.

- Norfolk, I would love to see that area, especially the Virginia Beach boardwalk.

I've been to Atlanta, Conway, Harrisonburg, and Boone (of course).

ULM, stAte, USM, Troy, and Marshall people, sell me on making a visit to your place.

Agree with your first 2, Lafayette really interest me since I only live 3 hrs from Louisiana and have really enjoyed our weekend trips to NO, would really love to explore the rest of the state. Mobile on the other hand just isn’t my taste, agree with Statesboro as long as Savannah is part of the trip. Finally, would like to see the surrounding areas around JMU, from the little I’ve seen it looks really nice.

Well, with money being a non-factor... I've been to Atlanta. Would like to visit everywhere else...

But insofar as visiting Marshall. You will have the royal green carpet rolled out for you. You will be welcomed and appreciated and thanked endlessly for coming to Huntington. You will be offered food and beer at the tail gates...before and after...win or lose...

We pride ourselves on our hospitality and treatment of visitors. We do anything we can to help them feel at home while they are here. Just ask Purdue fans... I actually think that I might have been that guy with the case of beer, but who knows? I distinctly remember giving a man a beer near the port-a-johns...

https://www.hammerandrails.com/2015/9/8/...-forgotten

Just sayin'...

EDIT: Just read, "NOT FOR SPORTS"... My answer still stands... All of them save Atlanta. Spent a lot of time there...

Well I’ve been to Boone, Conway, Atlanta, Norfolk, Mobile, and Troy

The top two spots on my list are Lafayette and San Marcos.

Also totally agree with Statesboro as a GS fan. Love going back but when I do, Savannah is the majority of my trip.

I have been to Boone, Conway, Norfolk, Huntington, Harrisonburg, Atlanta, Mobile, Lafayette, and San Marcos. I have also driven thru Monroe and Hattiesburg on the highway but that doesn't really count.

That leaves Troy, Statesboro, and Jonesboro left. I have no preference between the three.

(06-29-2022 09:18 PM)AppfanInCAAland Wrote:  I have been to Boone, Conway, Norfolk, Huntington, Harrisonburg, Atlanta, Mobile, Lafayette, and San Marcos. I have also driven thru Monroe and Hattiesburg on the highway but that doesn't really count.

That leaves Troy, Statesboro, and Jonesboro left. I have no preference between the three.

We have far prettier waterfalls...

Boone, Conway, San Marcos, Hattiesburg, Mobile are away trips I'd like to make.

1. Harrisonburg. I hear it's almost as beautiful as Boone up there.
2. Norfolk. I love the beach, and could enhance the trip with days at Busch Gardens and/or Colonial Williamsburg.
3. Huntington. An ECU fan told me it's his favorite place to travel for away games.
4. Atlanta. Georgia Aquarium? College Football Hall of Fame? World of Coca-Cola? Add in the High Museum of Art, and you've got more than enough for a full weekend.
5. San Marcos. I'd like to float down that river, and eat authentic Tex-Mex.

If we're talking about a trip without football, I'd take out Huntington and put Conway in its place. Seeing a football game at Marshall would be fun, but I have no idea what to do in Huntington outside of that.

(06-29-2022 09:18 PM)AppfanInCAAland Wrote:  I have been to Boone, Conway, Norfolk, Huntington, Harrisonburg, Atlanta, Mobile, Lafayette, and San Marcos. I have also driven thru Monroe and Hattiesburg on the highway but that doesn't really count.

That leaves Troy, Statesboro, and Jonesboro left. I have no preference between the three.

To add to my prior statement above, I only know Boone, Conway/MB, and Norfolk/VA Beach best, and will be in Norfolk and Va Beach all next week - not for the beach, but for my girls' team playing in the U14 National Club Field Hockey Championship. For a beach vacation I prefer MB to VA Beach.

Of the places I have been to only once, I'd like to spend more time in Mobile most of all. I was in San Marcos for work a few years back and really liked it as well. I'm not a big fan of Atlanta from the two times I've been there - though the College Football Hall of Fame is really cool.

I'd like to be one of those guys who goes to an away football game at each conference school at least once, but that will have to wait until I retire, especially if my three girls all play college field hockey like they want - I will have to go to those instead.

(06-29-2022 09:26 PM)chiefsfan Wrote:  

(06-29-2022 09:18 PM)AppfanInCAAland Wrote:  I have been to Boone, Conway, Norfolk, Huntington, Harrisonburg, Atlanta, Mobile, Lafayette, and San Marcos. I have also driven thru Monroe and Hattiesburg on the highway but that doesn't really count.

That leaves Troy, Statesboro, and Jonesboro left. I have no preference between the three.

We have far prettier waterfalls...

Anytime you can work our waterfalls into a conversation you have done well.

Somehow I’ve never been to Boone or Myrtle so those are on top of the list (tried to get to the MB Bowl but couldn’t make time off work out). The only other SB city I’ve been to is Atlanta and that was for three layovers and a 10-minute gas station visit, so that hardly counts. I have a lot of catching up to do.

(06-29-2022 09:39 PM)Yosef181 Wrote:  1. Harrisonburg. I hear it's almost as beautiful as Boone up there.
2. Norfolk. I love the beach, and could enhance the trip with days at Busch Gardens and/or Colonial Williamsburg.
3. Huntington. An ECU fan told me it's his favorite place to travel for away games.
4. Atlanta. Georgia Aquarium? College Football Hall of Fame? World of Coca-Cola? Add in the High Museum of Art, and you've got more than enough for a full weekend.
5. San Marcos. I'd like to float down that river, and eat authentic Tex-Mex.

If we're talking about a trip without football, I'd take out Huntington and put Conway in its place. Seeing a football game at Marshall would be fun, but I have no idea what to do in Huntington outside of that.

I'll preface this by saying that when my brother and I go on vacations, I do college visits because...ya know..WVU has to play them eventually, so I need a shirt to show support :)

I've been to campus visits for: Ark St, USA, App, Coastal, and JMU
Actually, went to a game in Hattiesburg and got to stay in N'awlins and drive over, so that was a plus! When it's just me, I could see myself enjoying the Louisiana schools for the N'awlins re-visit 0 : ) look forward to going back to USA, and my cousin and her bf live in VB. I was planning a game to watch the Herd at ODU one year, but things got cancelled.

And to reiterate, for those coming to Herdtown, unless you're wearing blue n yella, we'll show ya around, tell ya what to need to know and feed ya well! My first q is always "have you seen the movie yet?!" And then I'll tell you how to go up and see the cemetery up the hill from the stadium... and if you ARE wearing blue n yella, we'll just tell ya where you CAN go...

I’ve been to Mobile, Jonesboro, and Hattiesburg. All 3 are fine enough places.

You should visit Marshall for your team, not for our city.

(06-29-2022 08:08 PM)Michael in Raleigh Wrote:  USM people, sell me on making a visit to your place.

Not for sports, ok. Are you married? Bc the local talent is tops. Pretty girls everywhere you look.
Great food.
90 minutes away from Gulf Coast (casinos will be happy to take your money) or New Orleans, so easy double up.

Still haven't ventured west of Mobile in the conference, but hope to get it done in the coming years:
San Marcos is at the top of the list based on what I've heard and seen in pics. Looks like a beautiful college town.
Will probably visit Lafayette and Hattiesburg for baseball before football
The only thing I can see to do in Monroe is go visit Vicksburg where two ancestors were captured.
Norfolk is on the list and looking forward to Harrisonburg and Huntington.

What I love most about the new additions is getting teams that have passionate fan bases which makes visiting a much better experience. There are only a few in the conference who play in mostly empty stadiums.

The only SBC town I've spent time in was Atlanta and it was fun and I've driven through Lafayette and Monroe but that doesn't count

In no particular order I'd love to spend time in Lafayette, Mobile, Norfolk, and Conway for food, and Harrisonburg and Boone for the sights, especially with Hburg being near DC.

But yes for everyone commenting on San Marcos it in itself is definitely worth a short trip but one could definitely make a two week trip out of Austin, San Marcos, New Braunfels, Fredericksburg, and San Antonio. Lots of things to see and do and great food to eat in the area.

I've been to all except Hattiesburg, Jonesboro, Mobile, and San Marcos.

Mobile and Hattiesburg would probably the first two I'd visit due to location and proximity to one another.

(06-30-2022 07:11 AM)Bobcat2013 Wrote:  But yes for everyone commenting on San Marcos it in itself is definitely worth a short trip but one could definitely make a two week trip out of Austin, San Marcos, New Braunfels, Fredericksburg, and San Antonio. Lots of things to see and do and great food to eat in the area.

I heard the Republic of Austin resembles Berkley, CA more than Texas