Advice on Bama fan's first trip to Tuscaloosa

fundytide

1st Team
Oct 22, 1999
661
0
0
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
I'm hoping to make my first trip to Tuscaloosa this fall to see a Bama game. I've been a Bama fan for a long time but just haven't been able to make the trip happen until now. I'm hoping to get some advice from the good folks here.

Either the MSU (November 15th) or Western Carolina (November 22nd) game would work best for me for timing. What are my chances of getting tickets for either of these games? There are some available on StubHub but I haven't gone that route before so i don't know if its the best option.

Will I be able to find a hotel room in Tuscaloosa these weekends?

I'm thinking about flying in to Atlanta rather than Birmingham (much cheaper), renting a car and driving to T-town. Is that really about a 3 hour drive?

Anything else I should consider?
 

cuda.1973

Hall of Fame
Dec 6, 2009
8,506
607
137
Allen, Texas
I get the part of flying into Atlanta, but I am partial, and would stay in B'ham, somewhere in the Hoover area. Almost 3 hours from ATL to B'ham. Game day, especially heading back, that 45 min trip, to T-town, is a lot longer.
 

WMack4Bama

Administrator
Staff member
Nov 7, 2008
11,483
1,219
232
Tuscaloosa, AL
Everything he just said. Hotels (the good ones) are almost certainly booked already. And Hoover is just a lot more convenient, honestly. I live in Tuscaloosa and pretty much love it here. Gameday now is a lot better than it used to be, but for the most part it is a madhouse. Hoover gives you close enough proximity to Tuscaloosa, but enough breathing room

I get the part of flying into Atlanta, but I am partial, and would stay in B'ham, somewhere in the Hoover area. Almost 3 hours from ATL to B'ham. Game day, especially heading back, that 45 min trip, to T-town, is a lot longer.
 

nickel42

1st Team
Dec 2, 2013
514
0
0
Nashville, TN
I get the part of flying into Atlanta, but I am partial, and would stay in B'ham, somewhere in the Hoover area. Almost 3 hours from ATL to B'ham. Game day, especially heading back, that 45 min trip, to T-town, is a lot longer.
Agreed.

Tickets for the WC game will probably be easy to come by, but if I were you I'd go for the MSU game so you can see some SEC action and a great atmosphere. I have used StubHub countless times for multiple sports and never had any problems, so I wouldn't be too worried about that. Good luck and I hope you have a great first Bama experience!
 

BamaHoosier

All-American
Jan 17, 2011
3,614
620
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Noblesville Indiana
Check rolltide.com. they were advertising on facebook today that they were offering a value package for the WCU game. $55 for a ticket and a $10 voucher for the concession stand. The ticket won't be very good, but that's a pretty unbeatable price. (FYI, they were also offering the same deal for FAU and So. Miss in Sept. as well)
 

bamatex82

All-SEC
Oct 5, 2001
1,769
211
182
Greenville, TX
I wouldn't pay for tickets in advance for either game. You will be able to get tickets at face value or better at both of those games. Go to the west side where the "genteel" sit. They aren't looking to make a profit. They just don't want a jerk sitting next to them. I've gone to the MSU game several times. I traveled form Texas. Never went with a ticket in hand.
 

fundytide

1st Team
Oct 22, 1999
661
0
0
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Thanks for the good advice folks. I'll look for a place to stay in Hoover and try for the MSU game. I'm a bit nervous about going all that way without a ticket in hand but I may just do that to get a good seat. This may be a 'once in a lifetime' trip for me (I sure hope not but I have to treat it like it might be) so I would rather save the $$ on the flight and spend it on a good seat and sociables pre and post-game :) I've been longing for this trip for thirty years so needless to say I am pretty excited about it.
 

Crimson57s

1st Team
Aug 18, 2012
557
0
0
Game day in Tuscaloosa is hard to describe, you just have to experience it. When replying to these questions, I always say go early in the day and walk around a lot. There is so much to see. One "must" is Bryant Museum. Go to Denny Chimes and see the hand and foot prints of those team captains you have been watching all these years. Eat some good barbeque and make some great memories.
 

Rama Jama

All-American
Jan 4, 2011
3,303
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Tuscaloosa
Thanks for the good advice folks. I'll look for a place to stay in Hoover and try for the MSU game. I'm a bit nervous about going all that way without a ticket in hand but I may just do that to get a good seat. This may be a 'once in a lifetime' trip for me (I sure hope not but I have to treat it like it might be) so I would rather save the $$ on the flight and spend it on a good seat and sociables pre and post-game :) I've been longing for this trip for thirty years so needless to say I am pretty excited about it.
You may be able to get a better seat for the Western Carolina, but not the the MSU game. There are poeple who gets tix at the last minute, but if I am coming that far, I'd like to know where I am going to be sitting. There aren't many bad seats in Bryant Denney. Soak up the atmosphere and enjoy. I would come for the MSU game. It will be an SEC game and there will be a much better game day environment. Do the Bryant museum while you are here as well.

If you come down early enough try the Waysider for breakfast.
 

4Q Basket Case

FB|BB Moderator
Staff member
Nov 8, 2004
9,568
12,865
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Tuscaloosa
Agreed on MSU as opposed to WCU, and on staying in Hoover. Regarding tickets, MSU might actually be fairly good this year, so there could be more demand than normal. It's just a trade off. If you buy ahead of time, you'll pay more,especially for a good seat. But you'll have peace of mind. If you buy from a private seller outside the stadium, you'll probably save some money. But maybe not if MSU has a good year.

AAA Tix in Birmingham is who I've used, with success for several years.

On game day, leave your hotel about 4 to 4.5 hours before game time. That far ahead, even in gameday traffic, it should be about a 60-75 minute drive.

Since you're probably not familiar with Tuscaloosa, park in one of the downtown parking decks. It'll be a 10 block or so walk down University Boulevard, but will take you right through The Strip, where you'll want to hang for your sociables anyway.

Continue on to the Quad. You won't believe the tailgating setups. And when folks find out you're from Canada, all the way from Nova Scotia for your first game, you'll want for neither food nor drink. The University Supply Store (a/k/a "Supe Store") has a big tent set up on the Quad, and you can stock up on your Alabama gear, both clothing and other stuff, while you're there.

Make the pilgrimage to the Bryant Museum, though if you're tired of walking, or pressed for time, that's the thing I'd cut out. Be sure you're at the stadium for the Walk of Champions.

Be in your seat about 20 minutes before kickoff for the flyover. That never gets old.

Enjoy the game, hopefully an Alabama win. Afterward, head back to The Strip for post-game sociables. It's on your way back to parking anyway. But don't get over-served....you still have a drive back to Hoover. Let the traffic clear for at least an hour, preferably longer. Even at that, the drive back to Hoover will probably take 90 minutes or more.

On The Strip, I'd recommend The Houndstooth and Egan's. They're directly across University from one another. Egan's is my personal favorite, but it can get smoky. The Campus Party Store, commonly referred to as Gallette's, does a big business, too. Only catch there is that it's full of 22-year old kids, and if you're over 30, you'll feel like Methuselah.

Soak it all in and enjoy. You're going to have a great time.
 

J4Bama

All-American
Mar 24, 2002
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Sarasota, Florida
I live in Atlanta and travel to Tuscaloosa every weekend for the games and advise you not to do this if you want the real experience of game day. It is a 3 hour drive and Atlanta is in the eastern time zone which makes your arrival time home an hour later. Do yourself a favor and pony up the few extra dollars for the flight to Birmingham. As far as which game to go to? I would suggest MSU. There will be hardly any emotion from the team and fans for Western Carolina.
 

bamaga

Hall of Fame
Apr 29, 2002
13,378
8,238
282
JAWJA
Beware buying outside of the stadium, this story is not likely, but did happen. It happened to. Me. A few years ago I had a project in South Georgia. I had to work on Saturday of the Bama/LSU game, so I gave my TidePride tickets to friend. On Friday, the project was delayed, so I had a window to attend the game. I couldn't break my friends heart, especially after he was in a hotel in Hoover. Me and my wife went to the game early and bought decent seats at a decent price outside the stadium. We got in the stadium and 5 minutes before the game started, a Tuscaloosa police officer approached and told us the tickets were stolen. He didn't make us leave the stadium, but we did have to give up our seats. Moral? I would go with the sure thing.
 
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cuda.1973

Hall of Fame
Dec 6, 2009
8,506
607
137
Allen, Texas
I live in Atlanta and travel to Tuscaloosa every weekend for the games and advise you not to do this if you want the real experience of game day. It is a 3 hour drive and Atlanta is in the eastern time zone which makes your arrival time home an hour later. Do yourself a favor and pony up the few extra dollars for the flight to Birmingham. As far as which game to go to? I would suggest MSU. There will be hardly any emotion from the team and fans for Western Carolina.
May be more than just a few dollars, coming from Canada. No reason he can't fly into Atlanta, and stay in Hoover. Just an extra 3 hours, and a car rental, which he will need anyway.

As long as he remembers the different time zones, for his drive back to ATL.
 

92tide

TideFans Legend
May 9, 2000
58,146
44,863
287
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East Point, Ga, USA
Game day in Tuscaloosa is hard to describe, you just have to experience it. When replying to these questions, I always say go early in the day and walk around a lot. There is so much to see. One "must" is Bryant Museum. Go to Denny Chimes and see the hand and foot prints of those team captains you have been watching all these years. Eat some good barbeque and make some great memories.
this is great advice. these days, when I'm fortunate enough to get to a tuscaloosa game, it is a whirlwind type visit and its been at least a decade plus since i have spent any "quality" time there. if you have the chance, take a day or two before and a day or two after to take in the atmosphere.
 

fundytide

1st Team
Oct 22, 1999
661
0
0
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Thanks again to each of you that have taken the time to give me some advice and suggestions- this is really helpful and I really appreciate it. I'm planning to get a flight on Thursday that will get me in to Atlanta in the afternoon so that I have all day Friday and Friday night to see the campus, Bryant museum and as much as I can before game day. I'm an early riser so I will probably plan to be on campus by 9 or 10 am on Saturday to take in the tailgate and the Strip and I'll probably stay long after the game is over. I want to be able to have the whole experience and not feel rushed before or after the game.

I'd love to meet some fellow Tidefans posters. I thought I read here once that Tidefans puts up a tent on the quad. Is that true?
 

James Eagle

1st Team
Aug 9, 2011
369
1
42
North Georgia
Thanks for the good advice folks. I'll look for a place to stay in Hoover and try for the MSU game. I'm a bit nervous about going all that way without a ticket in hand but I may just do that to get a good seat. This may be a 'once in a lifetime' trip for me (I sure hope not but I have to treat it like it might be) so I would rather save the $$ on the flight and spend it on a good seat and sociables pre and post-game :) I've been longing for this trip for thirty years so needless to say I am pretty excited about it.
I agree with you about traveling all that way without a ticket in hand but there all always tickets for sale around the stadium before the game. I personally have had very good luck with "seatgeek.com". Check it out.
 

fundytide

1st Team
Oct 22, 1999
661
0
0
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Sorry about bumping my own post back to the top. I've found a flight, hotel and game tickets and now just have to close those deals.

About lower bowl seating at Bryant Denny : is it better to be on the Bama sideline or the Visitor sideline. I'm guessing the Bama sideline based on availability and pricing of tickets on StubHub but I thought I would ask the good people here. I'm seriously considering getting seats in section FF row 30. Are these good seats? Would Ms. fundytide and I be sitting with MSU fans?
 

Rama Jama

All-American
Jan 4, 2011
3,303
240
82
Tuscaloosa
Sorry about bumping my own post back to the top. I've found a flight, hotel and game tickets and now just have to close those deals.

About lower bowl seating at Bryant Denny : is it better to be on the Bama sideline or the Visitor sideline. I'm guessing the Bama sideline based on availability and pricing of tickets on StubHub but I thought I would ask the good people here. I'm seriously considering getting seats in section FF row 30. Are these good seats? Would Ms. fundytide and I be sitting with MSU fans?
It is possible, but unlikely. MSU will have 8000 seats for the game and they will be fairly spread out. If you are behind the bench, generally you should be in good shape. The visitor's seats are usually in the corner and upper deck. There should be a stadium diagram on Rolltide.com.

http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools.../misc_non_event/20130102bds-seating-chart.pdf
 

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