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For Those Of You Traveling to Iowa City This Fall...

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frydaze

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Nov 25, 2001
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UPDATED JUST NOW: ..for the Penn State-Iowa game in less than one week, please feel free to either private message me via Rivals or just post here if there's any info. I can lend you.

I have lived in Iowa City for years, and quite familiar with this area and want your trip out here, if you're making it for the football game, a great experience.

I have said several times on here what a tremendous fan base Penn St has. I have been to State College so many times for Iowa games, and Penn State is easily in my mind the #1 best place to travel in all of the Big 10. I absolutely love that trip so I'd like to give back in any way I can to help Nittany Lion fans traveling to Iowa City this fall.
 
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frydaze, thanks for the kind words and the offer. I will not be going to the game in Iowa City this year, but I'm sure some folks here will appreciate your assistance.
 
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Really appreciate the offer for info frydaze. So we are coming out early Friday and leaving Sunday.

Where do we drink and dine Friday evening?

Let's assume it is a night game, where do we grab lunch and beers before the game?

Same question if it is a noon game, where do we head afterwards.

Very much looking forward to making the trip.

Also, I am a Pilsner / lager kind of person, is there a local beer I should seek out to try?
 
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tgar said:
Really appreciate the offer for info frydaze. So we are coming out early Friday and leaving Sunday.

Where do we drink and dine Friday evening?

Let's assume it is a night game, where do we grab lunch and beers before the game?

Same question if it is a noon game, where do we head afterwards.

Very much looking forward to making the trip.

Also, I am a Pilsner / lager kind of person, is there a local beer I should seek out to try?
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tgar, well my two favorite drinking spots in downtown Iowa City before or after the game are the legendary Airliner (the place where Tom Brokaw will tell you that he drank his freshman year away at Iowa years ago) and Joe's Place (right around the corner from the Airliner). Both places have been around forever and are known for a bit of an older crowd but VERY lively.

I also very much personally like The Sports Column (generally a bit younger crowd) and Micky's (downtown Iowa City).

All four places I mentioned are literally across the street from the campus (what's known specifically as the Pentacrest area).

In Coralville (located right next to Iowa City), the place I love going for drinks and beers is 30hop (have just as great food there too).

As for dining, so many places to recommend: For steak and very fine dining, Joseph's in downtown Iowa City or the legendary Iowa River & Power Company in Coralville (10 minutes or less from campus).

For breakfast especially, a MUST do is the famous Hamburg Inn #2 in downtown Iowa City and close to campus. GET THERE VERY EARLY THOUGH if going for breakfast. This is the famous small eatery that several Presidents of the United States have eaten and EVERY politician campaigning for President for many years eats at for their photo ops. They serve food all day though.

If you want INCREDIBLE pizza, 3 can't miss choices: again either the Airliner or Pagliai's not far from campus in Iowa City or Wig & Pen (get their famous "Flying Tomato" pizza) in Coralville.

For GREAT burgers- either Short's Burger & Shine (located right next to the Airliner) or Zombie Burger (close to campus). Make Short's happen, you won't be disappointed! Look up Zombie's web site to get an understanding of what that place is like.

For barbecue, a "must" is Jimmy Jack's in the Old Capital Mall right across the street from the Pentacrest. I love barbecue and travel throughout the Midwest for work and Jimmy Jack's is as good as I've ever eaten.

Final best recommendation for food is Pullman's (owned by former Hawkeye kicker and NFLer Nate Kaeding--as is Short's) which is also in downtown Iowa City. Have to try their fried pickles as an appetizer. Their food is damn good.

With these choices you can't go wrong, period.

Let me know what else I can help with as far as info.
 
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frydaze said:
tgar, well my two favorite drinking spots in downtown Iowa City before or after the game are the legendary Airliner (the place where Tom Brokaw will tell you that he drank his freshman year away at Iowa years ago) and Joe's Place (right around the corner from the Airliner). Both places have been around forever and are known for a bit of an older crowd but VERY lively.

I also very much personally like The Sports Column (generally a bit younger crowd) and Micky's (downtown Iowa City).

All four places I mentioned are literally across the street from the campus (what's known specifically as the Pentacrest area).

In Coralville (located right next to Iowa City), the place I love going for drinks and beers is 30hop (have just as great food there too).

As for dining, so many places to recommend: For steak and very fine dining, Joseph's in downtown Iowa City or the legendary Iowa River & Power Company in Coralville (10 minutes or less from campus).

For breakfast especially, a MUST do is the famous Hamburg Inn #2 in downtown Iowa City and close to campus. GET THERE VERY EARLY THOUGH if going for breakfast. This is the famous small eatery that several Presidents of the United States have eaten and EVERY politician campaigning for President for many years eats at for their photo ops. They serve food all day though.

If you want INCREDIBLE pizza, 3 can't miss choices: again either the Airliner or Pagliai's not far from campus in Iowa City or Wig & Pen (get their famous "Flying Tomato" pizza) in Coralville.

For GREAT burgers- either Short's Burger & Shine (located right next to the Airliner) or Zombie Burger (close to campus). Make Short's happen, you won't be disappointed! Look up Zombie's web site to get an understanding of what that place is like.

For barbecue, a "must" is Jimmy Jack's in the Old Capital Mall right across the street from the Pentacrest. I love barbecue and travel throughout the Midwest for work and Jimmy Jack's is as good as I've ever eaten.

Final best recommendation for food is Pullman's (owned by former Hawkeye kicker and NFLer Nate Kaeding--as is Short's) which is also in downtown Iowa City. Have to try their fried pickles as an appetizer. Their food is damn good.

With these choices you can't go wrong, period.

Let me know what else I can help with as far as info.
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Thanks frydaze, you hit on everything I wanted to discover. Since we will be partying, we will probably pass on the fine dining and stick with bar food and barbecue. I have heard it is a friendly fun town so really looking forward to it.
 
tgar said:
Thanks frydaze, you hit on everything I wanted to discover. Since we will be partying, we will probably pass on the fine dining and stick with bar food and barbecue. I have heard it is a friendly fun town so really looking forward to it.
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I am not a fine dining guy either and while Joseph's and IRP are good, you'll definitely enjoy any of the other places I have noted.

Have you been to Iowa City before?
 
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I appreciate the gesture by the OP, but no matter how nice he is, it won't make up for how poorly we were treated in 2012. I've been to every B10 school, and this was by far the worst experience. It sure made 38-14 that much more enjoyable. That game wasn't even as close as the score indicates as Iowa scored only in the 4th quarter once the game was already over.
 
frydaze said:
I am not a fine dining guy either and while Joseph's and IRP are good, you'll definitely enjoy any of the other places I have noted.

Have you been to Iowa City before?
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I have not and I am looking forward to it. So far, only away games at Purdue and Maryland and Northwestern. We plan to hit every other stadium except Ohio State, I have ne desire to put up with their BS.
 
tgar said:
I have not and I am looking forward to it. So far, only away games at Purdue and Maryland and Northwestern. We plan to hit every other stadium except Ohio State, I have ne desire to put up with their BS.
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I have been to every Big 10 stadium several times as I have made most every Iowa road game for the past several years. Glad you're exploring the other Big 10 venues and that Iowa is one of your earliest trips.

The Iowa City/Coralville area is still a bit under 100,000 in total population; it's a college town in every sense of the word.

The campus is divided by the Iowa River; all the sports facilities on the west side of the Iowa River and the huge majority of the academic campus buildings are on the east side.

If you are hanging out on the east side of campus during the day before the game (the word we've gotten here the PSU game will be a night game) eating and drinking, you could literally walk to Kinnick Stadium from there in 20 minutes tops.
 
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pandaczar12 said:
I appreciate the gesture by the OP, but no matter how nice he is, it won't make up for how poorly we were treated in 2012. I've been to every B10 school, and this was by far the worst experience. It sure made 38-14 that much more enjoyable. That game wasn't even as close as the score indicates as Iowa scored only in the 4th quarter once the game was already over.
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Everybody has had bad experiences at almost any venue.....and that includes visitors having poor experiences in State College. But they are the exception, not the rule.

I've been to Iowa City maybe 5-6 times over the years and it ranks right there tied with Madison (right behind Happy Valley) as the best place to be on a Sat in the fall.
 
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frydaze,

What kind of touristy things are there in Eastern Iowa to see (on Thurs, Fri, or Sun)?

All I can think of is Field of Dreams in Dyersville.

Thanks.
 
We'll be going out--and spending some time in SE Iowa as my wife's paternal grandfather was from that part of Iowa, so we're doing some family research (and she's never been to that part of Iowa--we were in the western part, briefly, when we flew into Omaha for a PSU-Nebraska game many years back).
 
ebervale said:
frydaze,

What kind of touristy things are there in Eastern Iowa to see (on Thurs, Fri, or Sun)?

All I can think of is Field of Dreams in Dyersville.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

The American Pickers place is a complete waste of time. But it's in Eastern Iowa. Toppling Goliath Brewing is one of the best and most remote breweries in the country. Field of dreams is absolutely worth it.
 
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Frydaze,

What advice/suggestions do you have with respect to tailgating? Is parking available? Is a permit needed? How far from the stadium could we expect to park.

In lieu of tailgating, are bars within reasonable walking distance to the stadium? If not, are shuttles available?

Are there delis where we could pick up sandwiches & other tailgating food?
 
007Bulldog said:
Frydaze,

What advice/suggestions do you have with respect to tailgating? Is parking available? Is a permit needed? How far from the stadium could we expect to park.

In lieu of tailgating, are bars within reasonable walking distance to the stadium? If not, are shuttles available?

Are there delis where we could pick up sandwiches & other tailgating food?
Click to expand...

Bulldog, as for tailgating/parking, the spots closest to Kinnick Stadium are indeed permit parking. My suggestion for someone not wanting to buy a parking permit from a scalper, is to park at Finkbine golf course (university owned course) that's only a 15-minute walk from Kinnick (west of Kinnick).

They open up a massive area on the golf course there to park for tailgating. Frankly, it's as close to Kinnick for tailgating as finding a place to park/tailgate in a resident's yard closer to the stadium (there are those available too).

Unfortunately there is only one bar close to Kinnick--called Stella's and it's right on Melrose (the street than runs directly on the south side of Kinnick) and a 5-minute walk to the stadium. Stella's is small and obviously has a huge turnout on game days so keep those things in mind.

Your best bet for bars before the game is across the Iowa River (east of Kinnick) in downtown Iowa City and probably a 25-minute walk from the stadium. Many great bars to pick from that are all very close to one another. My top personal choices are the Airliner, Joe's Place, Sports Column, Micky's, the Summit are the top choices. No shuttles from any of those places that I know of.

As for picking up food for tailgating before the game, I've only grabbed food for tailgates on game day a couple times, and that's been at the Hy-Vee food stores as they are always well equipped for the game day crowds/tailgaters on the go.

Are you thinking potentially sandwich places? If so, let me know and I can give you some options.
 
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ebervale said:
frydaze,

What kind of touristy things are there in Eastern Iowa to see (on Thurs, Fri, or Sun)?

All I can think of is Field of Dreams in Dyersville.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Yes, Field of Dreams is 90 minutes northeast of Iowa City away in Dyersville,IA. A very cool place to visit--looks just like it did in the movie.

I highly recommend to visit the quaint little Amana Colonies (Main Amana is the best) which is only 15 minutes west of Iowa City/Coralville. Wonderful quaint old English shops and a few awesome eating places that serve food family style. GREAT food at the Colony Inn and Ox Yoke Inn and Ronneburg are the three best. Also there visit Millstream Brewing as they brew their own beer and root beer and you can sit outside in the fall weather while drinking. The meat smokehouse in town also is fantastic.

West of Iowa City by 2 hours is Winterset, IA, which is the birthplace of John Wayne and they have a museum/boyhood home there of his, and now Winterset even better known as the filming of the movie "Bridges of Madison County" starring Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep. Check out the covered bridges there and small town square, even visit the home where much of the movie was filmed in--small town.

On the University of Iowa campus, I suggest visiting the Old Capital which sits in the heart of campus in what's called the Pentacrest. It's the former capital of the state of Iowa and it's really beautifully restored. Open to guests to tour free of charge.

Are you into plays/performances? If so, attend a performance while in town at the gorgeous Hancher Auditorium on the UI campus.

What are your particular interests? Let me know and I can give you more ideas.

Providing a link to the Amana Colonies below:

http://www.amanacolonies.com/
 
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frydaze said:
Bulldog, as for tailgating/parking, the spots closest to Kinnick Stadium are indeed permit parking. My suggestion for someone not wanting to buy a parking permit from a scalper, is to park at Finkbine golf course (university owned course) that's only a 15-minute walk from Kinnick (west of Kinnick).

They open up a massive area on the golf course there to park for tailgating. Frankly, it's as close to Kinnick for tailgating as finding a place to park/tailgate in a resident's yard closer to the stadium (there are those available too).

Unfortunately there is only one bar close to Kinnick--called Stella's and it's right on Melrose (the street than runs directly on the south side of Kinnick) and a 5-minute walk to the stadium. Stella's is small and obviously has a huge turnout on game days so keep those things in mind.

Your best bet for bars before the game is across the Iowa River (east of Kinnick) in downtown Iowa City and probably a 25-minute walk from the stadium. Many great bars to pick from that are all very close to one another. My top personal choices are the Airliner, Joe's Place, Sports Column, Micky's, the Summit are the top choices. No shuttles from any of those places that I know of.

As for picking up food for tailgating before the game, I've only grabbed food for tailgates on game day a couple times, and that's been at the Hy-Vee food stores as they are always well equipped for the game day crowds/tailgaters on the go.

Are you thinking potentially sandwich places? If so, let me know and I can give you some options.
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Thanks to the valuable info. Are their delis or sandwich shops that sell pre-made sandwiches/hoagies, salads, chips, brownies/cookies, etc? Also, where are the best places to buy beer & wine?
 
frydaze said:
Yes, Field of Dreams is 90 minutes northeast of Iowa City away in Dyersville,IA. A very cool place to visit--looks just like it did in the movie.

I highly recommend to visit the quaint little Amana Colonies (Main Amana is the best) which is only 15 minutes west of Iowa City/Coralville. Wonderful quaint old English shops and a few awesome eating places that serve food family style. GREAT food at the Colony Inn and Ox Yoke Inn and Ronneburg are the three best. Also there visit Millstream Brewing as they brew their own beer and root beer and you can sit outside in the fall weather while drinking. The meat smokehouse in town also is fantastic.

West of Iowa City by 2 hours is Winterset, IA, which is the birthplace of John Wayne and they have a museum/boyhood home there of his, and now Winterset even better known as the filming of the movie "Bridges of Madison County" starring Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep. Check out the covered bridges there and small town square, even visit the home where much of the movie was filmed in--small town.

On the University of Iowa campus, I suggest visiting the Old Capital which sits in the heart of campus in what's called the Pentacrest. It's the former capital of the state of Iowa and it's really beautifully restored. Open to guests to tour free of charge.

Are you into plays/performances? If so, attend a performance while in town at the gorgeous Hancher Auditorium on the UI campus.

What are your particular interests? Let me know and I can give you more ideas.

Providing a link to the Amana Colonies below:

http://www.amanacolonies.com/
Click to expand...

My wife was from Iowa and I second The Smokehouse (killer beef jerky) and Millstreams root beer is very good!

Tom
 
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007Bulldog said:
Thanks to the valuable info. Are their delis or sandwich shops that sell pre-made sandwiches/hoagies, salads, chips, brownies/cookies, etc? Also, where are the best places to buy beer & wine?
Click to expand...

The best place I can recommend for pre-made sandwiches would be Hy-Vee food stores--or, you could always call a day or two ahead of the game to Milio's (sandwich chain) or Timmy Flynn's on Riverside Drive in Iowa City (oustanding locally owned). As for brownies, pastries, chips, cookies...again, Hy-Vee in Coralville or any of the Iowa City locations would be the best recommendation.

John's Grocery in Iowa City has an amazing selection of any kind of beer or wine you'd like. It's a very old fashioned grocery that looks small from the outside, but is known for literally hundreds of different kinds of beers and wines from all over the world. Hy-Vee also has a great beer and wine selection too.
 
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showmeyournits said:
Any advice on RV parking? Specifically Friday night?
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Well, RV parking closest to the stadium is all permit parking. I must admit I will need to check this out for you as I am not certain what to recommend for RVs.

Hancher Auditorium across the Iowa River (east of Kinnick) has lots of parking for non-permit holders, but not certain if RVs are allowed there. One can either take a shuttle from there to Kinnick or make the 20-25 minute walk.
 
Frydaze thanks for all the information. What sections are the visitors sections at Kinnick Stadium? Thank you in advance.
 
Thanks for the posts. I have been to all of the PSU games in Iowa City since 1980 and have enjoyed myself each time. It's a fun college town. Would like to find a tailgate to attend. The PSU away game get together just don't do it for me.
 
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I am an Iowa fan living in the Iowa City area who is bumping this thread I started back in early August for the Penn State fans traveling to Iowa City for the game--which is now just 6 days away.

I have provided my very best of recommendations from eating and drinking establishments to hotels to parking locations to places to see while out here.

Please feel free to also private message me if I can be of any specific help on questions you have if you travel to Iowa City for the next weekend. I will keep checking here all week to keep seeing if I can answer things.
 
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Here's the answer that I received from Iowa ticket office back in June. They don't have a seating map that shows where visitors sit.

"The away team sits in the north end zone in sections 132 Rows 39 and up, section 133-137 rows 36-44 and in 101 rows 64 and up."
 
ebervale said:
Here's the answer that I received from Iowa ticket office back in June. They don't have a seating map that shows where visitors sit.

"The away team sits in the north end zone in sections 132 Rows 39 and up, section 133-137 rows 36-44 and in 101 rows 64 and up."
Click to expand...

I can confirm that's where the visitors sit and I also think they put some (the last game they did) in the upper southeast end zone.
 
If you're looking to make a mini vacation out of it, the Des Moines metro is only 100 minutes up the road from IC. Lots to see & do there for tourists (state capitol, museums, etc). GREAT biking trails (Hight Trestle Trail Bridge), golf, disc golf, GREAT restaurants, bars (East Village), boating, etc. DM is our flagship city for entertainment. IC is a great town as well. Just much smaller.
 
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Oops, I guess I should have checked here before buying tickets. I used the (apparently) outdated information on http://www.iowatailgate.com/about/kinnick/ which said the visitors sit mostly in 101 and 110.
I shouldn't have any problems sitting in 101, right? This is my first trip to Iowa.

Thanks for this thread, it was really helpful for planning.
 
Another great place to park is the main library parking lot. Just across the Iowa river on Burlington St. Usually plenty of parking and the library is open for restroom usage. I've parked in there a few times and it is great to have a couple drinks then walk over to the area around the stadium to hit the big tailgates. I think the best food and drink spots have already been mentioned.
 
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