🏈 This is the year I will finally get to see a Bama game

[PhillyGirl]

Now that I have a stable long term job, and will have vacation time starting in July, I can officially begin planning a trip back down to the Yellowhammer state for my first ever Alabama football game!!! (next visit: Alabama softball game!)

So, for home games, I've got:

Middle Tennessee
Ole Miss
UL Monroe
Arkansas
Tennessee
LSU
Charleston Southern

Whatcha recommend? Definitely can't afford LSU and UT, probably not Ole Miss or Arkansas either, so that limits me haha.

Can't wait to get me some Dreamland ..

 

[alabama mike]

You'll have a good time no matter which game you attend with it being your first game. If money is a problem for tickets, go the with MTSU, ULM or CS.

 

[silvermetalflake]

Philly..... why can't you afford LSU or Arky? Are flights on those dates more expensive or something?

Some advice.. if you don't if you already have it or are aware.....but book a hotel/motel ASAP. Those suckers book up quickly for next season even before the end of the current season. Whoops.

 

[planomateo]

I'd say go for a big game...but I don't know your finance situation.

 

[PhillyGirl]

Philly..... why can't you afford LSU or Arky? Are flights on those dates more expensive or something?

Some advice.. if you don't if you already have it or are aware.....but book a hotel/motel ASAP. Those suckers book up quickly for next season even before the end of the current season. Whoops.

Oh I was planning on driving .. No idea how I'd get to Tuscaloosa from Syracuse flight-wise, and I am not 26 yet so to rent a car would be insanely expensive. And hell, I would sleep in my car if I had to haha.

Also, high student loans and a low salary (you don't work in higher ed for the money, that's for sure!) are quite crippling. I may see if my boyfriend could gift good tickets as a "happy anniversary/birthday/Christmas for 2015 and 2016" package hahaha.

 

[PhillyGirl]

Any recommendations for cheap hotels/motels though?

 

[UAgrad93]

The bigger game gives you the better atmosphere! Since I'm not helping with your expenses, you know how far your dime will stretch better than me.

 

[TerryP]

There's always Moon Winx. :bolt:

 

[rick4bama]

There's always Moon Winx. :bolt:

:rolf: Being her first game she may take it! :neener_neener:

 

[BamaFan334]

Not trying to be snobby here, but make it worth it and come to a Tennessee game. Ole Miss is a good one as well. LSU may fall out of your price range, but you never know until you start looking over the Summer. All games are fun of course, but an SEC game is just heads and shoulders above as an all around experience. I'll help you out and send you $100 since it'll be your first game and you're travelin so far. I'd much rather see you enjoy a game than some corporate idiot that is not a fan and was just given tickets by his company or friend or an opposing teams fan sitting in the stands. Let me know what game you decide on and I'll send you money closer to that game so it can help with your traveling expenses or the ticket price.

 

[sean]

There's always Moon Winx. :bolt:

 

[silvermetalflake]

Oh I was planning on driving .. No idea how I'd get to Tuscaloosa from Syracuse flight-wise, and I am not 26 yet so to rent a car would be insanely expensive. And hell, I would sleep in my car if I had to haha.

OMG.... Syracuse to Tuscaloosa.... jeezus girl... you're not climbing the south face of Everest. LOL.
Syracuse Hancock Int'l. You must have heard of it...it's IN Syracuse. United, Delta, etc do flights to Birmingham via connections through Atlanta, etc. Costs vary though generally mid $400s return to mid$500s return. You may be able to get cheaper on a seat sale. How do I know this? I took 2 and a half minutes to search on Expedia.

Good Lord, woman. It's the bloody internet age.

FYI... then from Birmingham airport you rent a car and drive straight on the interstate one hour. You don't even need a GPS it's that easy.

NOW........... driving?

Driving to Tusacloosa from Syracuse? That's a 16-17 hour drive (again... Internet). That would maybe a little fun on the way down.... but coming back??? Brutal. You'll also need to rent a motel half way there and halfway back, so that's two motel rentals and gas. That's pretty close to renting a car in Birmingham after the flight.

Listen.... you have 9 months until the season starts. Flight cost - worse case scenario - $550.00 divided by 9 months = $61.00 a month you need to save in order to fly. Just do it.

Now.... TICKETS.
One word. BUY FROM SCALPERS!!! They are everywhere. It's easy.

That's what I do. A SINGLE ticket is cheap and scalpers are dying to get rid of them. Harder to sell a single.

How close can you get for $100 ???? I always get just off center field about 25 rows up. Here was Bama / Arky seat.

And hell, I would sleep in my car if I had to haha.

Oh that's just gross. Showering??? I know you're kidding but lest we forget, it's semi tropical in Alabama in September.... you sweat even when there's a col breeze. And it's not an Arizona dry heat... it's a southern "swamp" heat. Wet as hell.

 

[UAgrad93]

The wife and I have stayed at the Quality Inn off of McFarland. It is about 1 mile from the original Dreamland. The rooms are nice and they have a good breakfast there as well.

 

[silvermetalflake]

Any recommendations for cheap hotels/motels though?

Not to sound sexist or anything, but I'm a guy, a big guy - not fat big... well taken care of big.... so my choice of motel may not be yours. Then again, you could be trained in mixed marital arts, so WTF do I know.

In Tuscaloosa I've stayed at different places: The Master Inns, Super 8, and Econo lodge. All were fine. No problems whatsoever.

Here are my reviews with pictures from Trip Advisor. At the top of the TA page, there's pictuires... I take everything right down to bed linen shots. LOL.

Be advised.... these reviews are based solely on MY EXPERIENCE..... cuz others on Trip Advisor and this site will BASH THE CHYTE out of these places.
In my three trips, I have NEVER ONCE experienced anything negative, ugly, life threatening, troublesome, or otherwise problematic staying and travelling extensively (shopping LOL) in Tuscaloosa. I find it a wonderful place - great people too. You WILL read reviews and get comments that make it sound like demilitarized zone..... but I think they are confused with Birmingham. STAY AWAY from there. LOL.

FYI Philly..... where ever you choose BOOK ASAP. The best places fill up quickly and BE ADVISED.... ALL motels and hotels TRIPLE their room rates for TIDE weekend. Even at the lowest end motel there is... Masters Inn.... it's about $100 or more a night.

Masters Inn (18 photos)
http://www.tripadvisor.ca/ShowUserR...nn_Tuscaloosa-Tuscaloosa_Alabama.html#REVIEWS

Super 8 (14 photos)
http://www.tripadvisor.ca/ShowUserR..._8_Tuscaloosa-Tuscaloosa_Alabama.html#REVIEWS

EconoLodge (15 photos)
http://www.tripadvisor.ca/ShowUserR..._Lodge_Suites-Tuscaloosa_Alabama.html#REVIEWS

 

[PhillyGirl]

OMG.... Syracuse to Tuscaloosa.... jeezus girl... you're not climbing the south face of Everest. LOL.
Syracuse Hancock Int'l. You must have heard of it...it's IN Syracuse. United, Delta, etc do flights to Birmingham via connections through Atlanta, etc. Costs vary though generally mid $400s return to mid$500s return. You may be able to get cheaper on a seat sale. How do I know this? I took 2 and a half minutes to search on Expedia.

Good Lord, woman. It's the bloody internet age.

FYI... then from Birmingham airport you rent a car and drive straight on the interstate one hour. You don't even need a GPS it's that easy.

NOW........... driving?

Driving to Tusacloosa from Syracuse? That's a 16-17 hour drive (again... Internet). That would maybe a little fun on the way down.... but coming back??? Brutal. You'll also need to rent a motel half way there and halfway back, so that's two motel rentals and gas. That's pretty close to renting a car in Birmingham after the flight.

Listen.... you have 9 months until the season starts. Flight cost - worse case scenario - $550.00 divided by 9 months = $61.00 a month you need to save in order to fly. Just do it.

Now.... TICKETS.
One word. BUY FROM SCALPERS!!! They are everywhere. It's easy.

That's what I do. A SINGLE ticket is cheap and scalpers are dying to get rid of them. Harder to sell a single.

How close can you get for $100 ???? I always get just off center field about 25 rows up. Here was Bama / Arky seat.

Oh that's just gross. Showering??? I know you're kidding but lest we forget, it's semi tropical in Alabama in September.... you sweat even when there's a col breeze. And it's not an Arizona dry heat... it's a southern "swamp" heat. Wet as hell.

I've driven from Philly to Alabama multiple times, wouldn't mind driving at all, especially given my crippling fear of flying haha if I can't do direct, I can't do it .. unless the doc got me some nice meds .. hmm.

Re: renting a car, remember that I am charged a lot more than most because I am under 26. Insurance is the killer. Blah.

Re: sleeping in a car, I've done it many times, in the actual tropics and in the tundra haha not a real issue for me but I would really prefer to stay in a motel (driving long distances + back pain = not a good combo!), so I will definitely look into those. Re: showers, you simply pay $1 to wash up at truck stops (which are actually insanely clean 99% of the time in my experience). You get a private bathroom and shower for 20 minutes! It's not the Grand Plaza but it's cheap, clean, and efficient!

Is Bama/Arky generally cheaper than other SEC matchups (not counting Auburn, TN, LSU)? May look into that one.

 

[TerryP]

Is Bama/Arky generally cheaper than other SEC matchups (not counting Auburn, TN, LSU)? May look into that one.

I doubt it will be that much cheaper this upcoming season.

The number of fans that'll travel from Fayetteville will likely be determined the last week of September when they play A&M. If they can pull out a win there, I can see the 'Backs being 1-1 in conference play coming into Tuscaloosa.

If I were you, I'd watch the TN game. If they pull out a win on the road at UF, they'll have UArk and UGA at home before traveling to Tuscaloosa after a bye week. That should be one of the better games in Tuscaloosa this upcoming season. I certainly would expect the ticket prices (off of the corner) to be a little over face around kick—especially if you're just looking for a single.

 

[PhillyGirl]

I doubt it will be that much cheaper this upcoming season.

The number of fans that'll travel from Fayetteville will likely be determined the last week of September when they play A&M. If they can pull out a win there, I can see the 'Backs being 1-1 in conference play coming into Tuscaloosa.

If I were you, I'd watch the TN game. If they pull out a win on the road at UF, they'll have UArk and UGA at home before traveling to Tuscaloosa after a bye week. That should be one of the better games in Tuscaloosa this upcoming season. I certainly would expect the ticket prices (off of the corner) to be a little over face around kick—especially if you're just looking for a single.

It will be my boyfriend and I. Are pairs difficult to find?

 

[TerryP]

It will be my boyfriend and I. Are pairs difficult to find?

No. Not really. Just a little more expensive.

My suggestion would be get two singles and put his ass on the other side of the field so you aren't bothered in the game.

 

[bigdaddy51200]

If you can't score better tickets , I always sell my tide pride seats(pair) for all the non conference games for face value before the season even starts . My TP seats are in U4 BB.

 

[rammerjammer]

If you end up going to a "lesser" game. I would suggest going earlier in the season. People are more apt to tailgate earlier in the season and the atmosphere will be better as opposed to later in the year. As far as places to stay........I think finding a motel in Tuscaloosa can be taxing. If you have trouble let me know. There is a new bed and breakfast opening up in Centreville (25 miles south of T-town). Might be able to reserve a room there before they get snatched up.