Iowa road trip this year

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Smoyer

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Me and some of my friends are going on our first gopher road game to see the Iowa game. Thought it would be fun since we won Floyd last 2 years. I just wanted to hear some of your experiences and maybe some tips for a great road trip. Also what is the parking situation like near the stadium?
 

I've always stayed at the Sheraton (once a Holiday Inn) right downtown on Dubuque St., even though they gouge you at $300/night-2 night minimum, 1 night non-refundable because you're right there near all the bars. Couldn't help with the tailgating as we usually did up the bars and then walked across the river to Kinnick. It's a pretty easy walk & a nice walk on a good fall day.

Been to Kinnick 4 times & had no problems on 3 of the trips. For some reason, I feel Iowa fans are worse here than they are in Iowa City; must be tall buildings....
 

You are all invited to crash on my living room floor.
 

This will be our first time crashing in IC - we've stayed at or near the team hotel in Cedar Rapids on previous trips, so I'm also curious on the best places to go on Friday night and after the game.

The Finkbine Golf Course is a short ways west of the stadium, that's been our place to tailgate in the past. Agreed with FDL that the Iowa fans seem worse in Minneapolis than they do in IC, but I anticipate a more hostile crowd this time around after the results of the last two games.
 

I'm still hoping someone will swap my Madison tickets for Iowa City. I had the Iowa seats in my checkout and decided last minute that Madison was a better choice than Iowa and Nebraska because of the excitement around the recent success and Madison as a college town. Now I wish I would have stuck with Iowa.
 


We used to always stay on the Ped Mall at the Sheraton, but have moved next door to the Vetro. Cost is the same (outrageous) but the Vetro has larger rooms with better fixtures and a kitchen. Booked ages ago though, sure everything is sold out downtown due to it being Iowa's homecoming.

The times I've parked near the stadium was for tailgating, and we left our car there on a Friday night to save the spot. Not sure if that's still legal, but parking in general isn't too bad, plenty of lawns you can drive onto for $20 or whatever.

I've never had a problem with their fans in Iowa City. We usually go out downtown in and around the Ped Mall since that's where we stay. Fridays used to be an absolute madhouse starting around 4-5 pm with crazy drink specials, but last time it was fairly quiet. All the bars are more or less the same on football weekends and are pretty mixed with students and the old creepers rolling into town.

Best part of all is the street food after the bars close. My favorite is Marco's Grilled Cheese but the whole Ped Mall is littered with carts selling various greasy foods.

Iowa City is usually my favorite Big Ten road trip.
 

My experience to Iowa City is simple, My brother and I have made 4 trips (he's a Hawkeye fan, don't get me started), but we simply got up at 3am, he would drive to Iowa City, watched the game, I would drive back afterwards, often getting home at 10pm with a stop at a Hardees on the way back. We've parked from in a parking ramp right across the street from Kinnick to way down by the baseball stadium that was quite the hike to the field. Outside the SE side of the stadium, just outside the the student section endzone bleachers there's always a large gathering along that road that's somewhat fun to walk through and get heckled at wearing Gopher Maroon, I enjoyed it, just smiled :) but usually the Iowa fans were decent to us, gave us crap as we gave it back (big brother- lil brother thing) but at the end of the game, shook hands and gave our fair wells. You'll enjoy it, much better than Madison where the fans are retardedly drunk and assholes.
 

This will be my first year going to Kinnick. Traveling with three hardcore Hawkeye fans, leaving Friday afternoon, staying at casino outside Des Moines, Texas no-limit 'til dawn then head out to 11:00 a.m. kickoff. Booya! They have all been there before and assure me parking is easy to find and close to stadium. Gophers gotta get the threepeat or it will be a looooong ride back home.
 

My first rip this year too. If you haven't already get your hotel because its homecoming weekend.
 



Got some dumpy hotel a bit outside of IC for cheap. Got Iowa student tickets the last time I was there, got into the stadium without them checking for Iowa Student Ids and sat a few rows behind the Iowa Band. Don't bother trying to park anywhere near Kinnick, park farther away by the art museum and some of the fraternity houses and walk through campus if you don't go the hotel route. Then celebrate at the bars later that night. We should pick one for pre-game and post-game celebration. You can party on the street pre-game, it's pretty awesome.
 

I live in West Des Moines and will be heading over to North Liberty (5 mi north of Iowa City) and staying there Friday night, heading to tailgate early Saturday am and going to the game with a Hawkeye fan with season tickets in NE corner of Kinnick. Can't wait.
 

I should be there. One of my good friend's friend is a student there so we'll be crashing at his place. Not sure exactly what I'll be doing on gameday (obviously it will involve a good deal of beer) but I'm sure it will be a good time, haha.

Also can't wait.
 

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