Gameday Activities:Athens is anticipating the big LSU weekend said Amy Clark, leisure travel marketing director of the Athens Convention and Visitors Bureau. While University students set up for tailgating on Friday nights, this isn’t allowed at the University of Georgia. According to Georgia’s “Gameday Gameplan” Web site, “no one wants someone partying in their neighborhood before 7 a.m. The campus is the ‘neighborhood’ for UGA students, and we hope our fans will respect that.” Students can find tailgating options similar to LSU’s campus on gamedays. ”As far as tailgating goes, North Campus, near downtown, is where the really crazy tailgating happens, probably closest to what y’all are used to at LSU,” said Courtney Glueck, UGA psychologydoctoral student. “If you head that way, you really can’t miss it.” For those looking for a more family-based tailgating experience, there is a “family-friendly area” available designated on the North Campus Quad where no alcohol is allowed. Nightlife:The hotspot for all the night time action is just north of the campus in the downtown area of Athens where there are dozens of options. ”You have your typical college-aged bars like Allgood Lounge, Sandbar Athens and Walkers Pub,” Glueck said. “Decent prices for drinks, always pretty busy, dress code is casual. Most of the bars don’t have a cover, unless you’re going somewhere where there is a show going on like Nowhere Bar or 40-Watt Club.” Other options are available to those students looking for a more mellow night out. Trappeze Pub is a local place great for beer enthusiasts, Glueck said. With almost 40 beers on tap and more than 200 different bottled options, a beer lover should not skip this pub. The Pub at Gameday is also a local favorite with average drink prices and is typically not too busy Glueck said. ”It’s a really chill place,” Glueck said. “Entertainment includes a Wii you can play, a dart board and board games to play in the booths.” With plenty of bar options in Athens, LSU students are certain to find a bar they will enjoy. ”Athens is a relatively open town on all counts,” Clark said. ”At any one gathering, you will see folks sporting jeans as well as dressed to the nines. We are a very economical, southern hotspot—all geared toward the younger, energetic, creative crowd. No need to expect really pricey restaurants or cover charges.” Dining and Shopping:“Shopping and dining in downtown Athens is top-notch,” Clark said. Athens offers a wide variety of restaurants ranging from The Grit’s solely vegetarian menu and Five Star Day’s southern soul food to Shokitini’s fresh sushi. Many of Athen’s restaurants and chefs are culinary award winning, including Weaver D’s, Five & Ten, The Grit and Bischero Specialita Italiane. Athens offers students a variety of shopping options ranging from local boutiques downtown and the Five Points which offers the finest in fashion, jewelry and antiques to the Georgia Square Mall and the Prince Avenue/Normaltown. Music:For music lovers, Athens is a great place for live shows. Rolling Stone Magazine named Athens the No. 1 College Music Scene in America. Many live bands will play the weekend of the LSU game. Clark suggests finding a copy of the Flagpole, a local alternative weekly, for a full list of shows for the weekend.
– Luke Bryan and Colt Ford play Friday at 6:15 p.m. at Tucker Plantation; tickets are $20- Chrissakes, Savagists an Subrig Destroyer plays Friday at 10 p.m. at Caledonia Lounge; tickets are $5-7-Eddie & the Public Speakers and Mama’s Love play Friday at 10 p.m. at Tasty World Uptown-Leaving Countries plays Saturday after the game at Gnat’s Landing.
Popular Weekend Activities:The Terrapin Brewery is a popular destination for Athens visitors. It offers tours with live music and beer tasting Thursday through Saturday nights. Glueck said if students are in Athens for the weekend and over 21, they should check out the Terrapin Brewery Beer Tour. Cover costs $8 and visitors get a Terrapin pint glass to keep and eight drink tickets, each good for a 4-6oz pour of the Terrapin Beer choice. “It’s just a great place to hang out and pre-game it before going downtown for the evening,” Glueck said. For students who enjoy viewing historical sites, Athens has plenty to visit.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation labeled Athens one of its 2009 Dozen Distinctive Destinations. There are self-guided tour brochures available for downtown Athens, Dearing Street, Athens music history tour and Milledge Avenue—home to many of the university’s fraternity and sorority houses. Eric Orphys, geology freshman, said he enjoyed the campus of UGA the most.  ”There was an interesting story about the architecture of the library,” Orphys said. “The woman who wanted it built wanted Roman columns. They’re not columns, but if you stand in front, they look like real Roman columns. Also, the quad area is very spacious with lots of tree cover.”