Hey folks, looking ahead at becoming members of the Fun Belt. Sorry if I missed it, but I was looking for a thread to discuss travel. There’s quite a few teams in the conference I look forward to attending away games and was wanting to see if you could shed light on a few key points. 1 Gameday experience/ Traditions 2 Best places to eat in town 3 Attractions to stay around for a couple extra days. Thanks in advance!

I’ll start (Marshall fans please add what I left out):

1. Gameday/ Traditions - If you are not familiar Marshall is a program founded in tragedy with the Marshall plan crash, to which is highlighted by the movie We Are Marshall, if you’ve not seen it, I recommend watching it. We have a pretty significant tailgating crowd the tends to conjugate in the parking lot to the west of the stadium, (referred to as the west lot) also this year they have began closing off the street in front of the west lot on gamedays and is utilized for food trucks and such. For the most part Marshall fans welcome visitors so come and enjoy. Next up Joan C Edwards Stadium was constructed in the 1990s and seats up to 38,227. Average attendance is around 25k, but have been known to drawl some large and energetic crowds. Most recent examples being crowds of 40,592 when Lamar Jackson came to town in 2016 and a crowd of 38,791 when Purdue came to town in 2015. Be warned we’ve been known to have cold and rainy games later in the year that really hurts our attendance. Other exciting things to look for are our We are.. Marshall chats that echo back and forth across the stadium.
2. Food - I would recommend for the most Marshall experience is hitting up Fat Patty’s or you can drive downtown to the “Pullman” area where you can find can find many of our more popular eateries such as Marshall hall of fame cafe.
3. Attractions - If you’re looking to make a trip out of it I’d recommend stopping on your way at the New River Gorge National Park that hosts some unforgettable fall foliage and endless outdoor activities. West Virginia is also the home of The Greenbrier Resort of which is featured on the PGA tour. Depending on the time of year I’d recommend stopping at Snowshoe or Winterplace for some quality skiing.

Depends on the time of year you're coming. Quite a bit to do in San Marcos and surrounding area. San Antonio and its attractions. This time of year I highly recommend Wurstfest in New Braunfels, which runs for two weeks in November. A little commercialized now, but still a great show and celebration of all things sausage. During September and October you can still enjoy tubing in the river(s) San Marcos river in San Marvelous or either the Comal or Guadalupe rivers in New Braunfels area. San Marcos has a great night life especially for the younger crowd, New Braunfels has some great bars but its geared more towards the older folks. Although there's plenty of young people here as well, but its just calmer and feel like you can slow down a bit and enjoy your drink or meal.

I'm calling a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct foul on Herdforlife (sorry man) with Fat Patty's. Frozen and nasty burgers (which they pride themselves on) are disgusting. Calamity J's four blocks west down 3rd ave is great, but there are many places with fresh food close to the hotels downtown.

For Louisiana:
Saturday game tailgating is huge food festival. Usually can’t walk too far without being offered food and adult beverage.

Speaking of food, occasionally a visitor will venture on to fan board and ask simple “what’s a good place for xxx? That will result in a multi page debate on the best gumbo/jambalaya/poboy in a 4 Parish (county) radius. Sometimes they are longer than the game discussion. Hell you don’t even have to ask, you could probably just do a search on the site.

Depending on the month, there are usually food or music festivals every weekend though Covid put dent in that

I’ll let others throw in more suggestions

Astate:
For anyone that has made the trek to Jonesboro I apologize as with this being the lowest the program has been in over 10 years it has reflected in the poor turnout for tailgating and crowd turnouts. That being said…

We are among the most “chilled” of the funbelt I’d say; tailgating spots are relaxed and plenty (though athletic administration has gradually been taking away the spots they used to leave for “first come/first serve” tailgaters as well as the hotel/convention center having taken a lot the old track and field area that was open to general tailgating). On the flip side, the hotel has just started a tradition of becoming the center of pregame festivities, with food trucks, live bands inside and outside the hotel with their two hotel bars and an outside bar set up. The band and spirit squad will gather in the hotel lobby to perform and the team will walk from hotel down Olympic boulevard to the stadium. Gameday staff don’t start showing up for to their positions until 8-9 in the morning so if you get out beforehand you can almost surely get you a pretty prime spot; forewarning the county is dry so you’ll need to load your cooler up with adult beverages ahead of time (the closet liquor store is the north of the stadium in Goobertown-yes that’s really the name of it-which Is about a 15 minute drive from stadium. The campus is technically draw, but the prevailing policy is “closed cup”-pour your drinks in a cup and you won’t be bothered by UPD. The primary tailgating spots are tailgate city (the corporate/business/entity rented spots which is next to the Pavilion Pond behind the press box grandstands); the pines (section of pine trees on the opposite side of pressbox stadium. This is where our Greek organizations and students tailgate and is usually the more rambunctious side). Red Wolf Foundation has taken the majority of the areas around the stadium for “foundation paid parking”

Local places I’d recommend checking out:
JTowns: Since it opened 6-7 years ago, it has been among the most popular spots to go in town; American eatery and very supportive of Astate Athletics (and located just across the highway adjacent to stadium). It is rather small and gets packed fast. Unfortunately this is to date the only “gameday establishment/bar within walking distance of stadium).

Downtown Area: About a 5-10 minute drive westward of the stadium is Jonesboro’s downtown district with its various local shops, businesses and more local restaurants bar. Among them include Skinny J’s, Yesdog Grill, RiceBox and Elanore’s Pizzeria. Some of the more “swazier”/fine dining local restaurants are located here too (Omar’s Steakhouse and Roots Southern/Ecuadorian style restaurant). In addition, there are Creegans Irish style pub and Brickhouse New Orleans style bar.

The latest addition to Jonesboro is the town’s first micro brewery, Native Brew Works. They experiment with their beers and rotate them out frequently and also have craft style tacos and Tex-mex cuisine. This place is great but biggest bugaboo is this establishment is clear on the other side of town and Parking is extremely limited/small.

Hotels are a plenty (majority are located on “hotel row”-areas immediately off of red wolf blvd directly off of I-555 (If you swing it and nab a room id highly recommend the campus hotel though be forewarned Astate football rents majority of the rooms for the team to stay for home games).

There are a few things for families to do (Craighead Nature Center, the Arkansas State University Mueseum, Hijinx Bowling and Arcade, couple of golf Courses as well as disc golf course). I’m sure there is some other red wolves that can add more as I’m still not familiar with it but there is another location that has or is fixing to open called “The Social” which has advertised itself as a “restaurant, vintage bowling alley and entertainment lounge.”

Boone sucks tell your friends.

(11-11-2021 07:10 AM)RamblinRedWolf Wrote:  Astate:
For anyone that has made the trek to Jonesboro I apologize as with this being the lowest the program has been in over 10 years it has reflected in the poor turnout for tailgating and crowd turnouts. That being said…

We are among the most “chilled” of the funbelt I’d say; tailgating spots are relaxed and plenty (though athletic administration has gradually been taking away the spots they used to leave for “first come/first serve” tailgaters as well as the hotel/convention center having taken a lot the old track and field area that was open to general tailgating). On the flip side, the hotel has just started a tradition of becoming the center of pregame festivities, with food trucks, live bands inside and outside the hotel with their two hotel bars and an outside bar set up. The band and spirit squad will gather in the hotel lobby to perform and the team will walk from hotel down Olympic boulevard to the stadium. Gameday staff don’t start showing up for to their positions until 8-9 in the morning so if you get out beforehand you can almost surely get you a pretty prime spot; forewarning the county is dry so you’ll need to load your cooler up with adult beverages ahead of time (the closet liquor store is the north of the stadium in Goobertown-yes that’s really the name of it-which Is about a 15 minute drive from stadium. The campus is technically draw, but the prevailing policy is “closed cup”-pour your drinks in a cup and you won’t be bothered by UPD. The primary tailgating spots are tailgate city (the corporate/business/entity rented spots which is next to the Pavilion Pond behind the press box grandstands); the pines (section of pine trees on the opposite side of pressbox stadium. This is where our Greek organizations and students tailgate and is usually the more rambunctious side). Red Wolf Foundation has taken the majority of the areas around the stadium for “foundation paid parking”

Local places I’d recommend checking out:
JTowns: Since it opened 6-7 years ago, it has been among the most popular spots to go in town; American eatery and very supportive of Astate Athletics (and located just across the highway adjacent to stadium). It is rather small and gets packed fast. Unfortunately this is to date the only “gameday establishment/bar within walking distance of stadium).

Downtown Area: About a 5-10 minute drive westward of the stadium is Jonesboro’s downtown district with its various local shops, businesses and more local restaurants bar. Among them include Skinny J’s, Yesdog Grill, RiceBox and Elanore’s Pizzeria. Some of the more “swazier”/fine dining local restaurants are located here too (Omar’s Steakhouse and Roots Southern/Ecuadorian style restaurant). In addition, there are Creegans Irish style pub and Brickhouse New Orleans style bar.

The latest addition to Jonesboro is the town’s first micro brewery, Native Brew Works. They experiment with their beers and rotate them out frequently and also have craft style tacos and Tex-mex cuisine. This place is great but biggest bugaboo is this establishment is clear on the other side of town and Parking is extremely limited/small.

Hotels are a plenty (majority are located on “hotel row”-areas immediately off of red wolf blvd directly off of I-555 (If you swing it and nab a room id highly recommend the campus hotel though be forewarned Astate football rents majority of the rooms for the team to stay for home games).

There are a few things for families to do (Craighead Nature Center, the Arkansas State University Mueseum, Hijinx Bowling and Arcade, couple of golf Courses as well as disc golf course). I’m sure there is some other red wolves that can add more as I’m still not familiar with it but there is another location that has or is fixing to open called “The Social” which has advertised itself as a “restaurant, vintage bowling alley and entertainment lounge.”

^JTown Grill is awesome. I had their BBQ burger I think it was? It had like 3 different meats on it. It was incredible.

My Initial thoughts to places I’ve been in the league (still plenty of places to go!)

Cajuns:
Haven’t been down in a hot minute but I can attest Louisiana tailgating is fun; it is really like a festival more than a tailgate (fans are very inviting and stuffed my face with some delicious gumbo). Primary complaint was we had to park way on the other side of Cajun dome and it was quite the trek.

ULM:
Monroe is a damn sneaky fun town If you know where to go (waterfront is a classic with a great view of the bayou and tons of ULM memorabilia; The Fieldhouse, the Airport Lounge and Daq’s wings are some of the other places I’ve enjoyed). I’m
Not sure if Cotton’s is still open but great fine eatery in west Monroe).

South Al: Haven’t been to the new stadium but hot damn I love Mobile (Wintzells was the first place I ever had chargrilled oysters). Also have fond memories of Pats (the entire 2011 football team, managers, trainers and other staff drank that place dry)

Troy: I went on a tour bus with some random fans in 2008 and we got to the stadium right before kick off so I was unable to explode Troy but they had and still have among the finest looking stadiums in the league (great architecture and design).

Southern Miss: I actually stayed in Gulfport the week prior to our game against USM in 2007 and we drove back up for the game on our way home but their stadium is also a very impressive, fine looking facility (holy S*** it’s steep as all get out) I’m
Very excited I can do this trip on a semi regular basis again

I'd tell you about Coastal but with as many West by God Virginians we have here already ask them

Southern Miss/Hattiesburg

Stay:

Hotel Indigo- New hotel across the street themed aged the Pine Belt and Hattiesburg. Great bar downstairs. Located in the Midtown are surrounded by some restaurants including smaller, but good, chains: Fuzzy’s Tacos, Pyro’s Pizza, and Chicken Salad Chic to name a few.

Eat:

The Midtowner (Midtown)- Breakfast and Lunch place in Midtown. Has a donut place attached to it.

Glory Bound Gyro Co. (near campus)- Gyros. Good gameday drink specials.

Mugshots or Ed’s (towards I59)- Burgers. Depending on who you ask some favor one over the other. Mugshots is traditionally the favorite of the two.

Keg and Barrel (towards Downtown)- “Family Pub” feel. Has a lot of beers on tap. Great food. Get the Sweet and Smoky sandwich.

Hattiesburgers and Blues & Blu Jazz Cafè (Downtown) - Both good burgers and southern food.

Southbound Bagel Co. - Breakfast spot downtown. Great bagels, omelettes, and breakfast sandwiches

Drinks

Southern Prohibition Brewing (Downtown) - some of their staples include Suzy B. Fire Ant. Crowd Control.

Collidium Brewing (off 4th Street)- newest place in Hattiesburg. Haven’t gotten a chance to go yet.

The Porter (Downtown)- Good Pub with a lot on tap.

Brass Hat (Midtown)- Bar inside the hotel. Great cocktails.

The Mahogany Bar- Connected to Crescent City Grill so it serves the same food. A lot of beers on tap. Good cocktails as well.

Coffee: Try T Bones Records, Equinox Coffee, or The Depot for your caffeine fix.

Gameday

Parking- Most lots on campus are reserved for Eagle Club members. There’s free parking in lots on the west side of campus off of Ross Blvd and beyond.

Tailgating- You’ll find tailgates spread throughout campus. The newest and biggest area is Spirit Park by the Thad Cochran Center. There are food trucks, live bands, axe throwing, as well as the student tailgates and a lot of family tailgates. It’s a great spot to spend the day. Some of the other more popular areas are near the Administration Building (“the dome”) and the front of campus. Most people are warm, friendly, and welcoming.

Traditions to Look For

Eaglewalk- The team parades into the stadium. Takes place 2 hrs before kickoff on the East Side of the Stadium

The Little Rock- by the Ogletree House. Painted weekly by students on campus with a message for that week’s game/promoting on campus event/other message.

5th Quarter Concert- The Pride of Mississippi plays a selection of songs following the game. Sometimes you can make it into the field during his time.

Game Staples:

Replica of the Rock- The team runs out from the athletic center and touches a replica of the original “Rock” (Part stadium which players helped build in the 1930s)

“Are you from Dixie?”- The “second fight song” and song of the Pride’s Dixie Darlings is played after each USM extra point attempt

“Hey Baby”- Played in the second half of every game.

“Margaritaville” sing along- Jimmy Buffet is a USM alumnus and Alumni Hall of Fame Member

There’s plenty more, but that’s a good primer to get you started.

The New River Gorge National Park and Preserve is the nation’s newest National Park. It and the ski resorts are a couple hours east of Huntington.

Mid-September to mid-October is known as Fall Gauley Season when Summersville Lake, WV’s largest lake, is drawn down to winter pool. The Gauley River turns into the world’s best whitewater Rafting destination for that month. There’s also WV Bridge Day on the third Saturday of every October.

Fayetteville WV is outdoor adventure ground zero. Camping resorts, world-class whitewater and rock climbing. The ski resorts don’t usually start making snow until early to mid-November and the ski season doesn’t usually start until after Thanksgiving.