Ames Game Day To Do List
- Thread starter Pokit N
- Start date
Yeah, from what i can find WRNL did one several years ago but it is pretty out of date.
Hickory Park is a great family restaurant as well. And before anyone says "It's not real BBQ!" they have some of the best french fries I've had in my entire life. Diverse menu and great portions and an Ames institution since 1970. There is a lengthy wait at peak times but they run people thru surprisingly fast.
Oh, and you can also head to Tip Top after you put the wife and kids to bed.
Oh, and you can also head to Tip Top after you put the wife and kids to bed.
A prewelcome to you and your family, and remember all true cyclone tailgaters love to entertain and do some modest bragging about the State of Iowa (not TOE) and our great University. SO if you have time tour our campus; then visit the lots and prepare to be entertained. Most of us have soft beverages for the kids, and are well stocked for adult beverages. Im in A2 if someone doesnt grab you in other lots!
How young are the girls? I don't have any children, but I always hear that the kid section outside stadium is always really good. Although, I'm not sure if you need to be in the cyclone kids club for that.
With you having no sentimental ties to Ames like most of us, here is the breakdown for a family going to a game in Ames:
Great Plain Sauce & Dough - This pizza place downtown is what I believe is the only showstopper of Ames food.
Hickory Park is an Ames staple and you will get a good meal with hurried service. It will be good, but certainly not great.
Aunt Maudes is Ames' answer to fine dining and I would highly recommend it for a nice meal.
There are a lot of good places to eat in Ames, good places. If you are looking for something in particular I would recommend Tripadvisor opposed to the varied opinions that you will get here. Like I mentioned, without a sentimental tie to a certain restaurant or bar, you might find the Ames scene a little average.
Perfect Games is an entertainment complex with bowling, laser tag and video games that we take our kid to when we are in town for games.
Great Plain Sauce & Dough - This pizza place downtown is what I believe is the only showstopper of Ames food.
Hickory Park is an Ames staple and you will get a good meal with hurried service. It will be good, but certainly not great.
Aunt Maudes is Ames' answer to fine dining and I would highly recommend it for a nice meal.
There are a lot of good places to eat in Ames, good places. If you are looking for something in particular I would recommend Tripadvisor opposed to the varied opinions that you will get here. Like I mentioned, without a sentimental tie to a certain restaurant or bar, you might find the Ames scene a little average.
Perfect Games is an entertainment complex with bowling, laser tag and video games that we take our kid to when we are in town for games.
There is no kid section (aka Cyclone Experience) this year due to all the construction going on.
Welcome! Poke fans have been the nicest fans I have encountered. As others have said Hickory Park is an Ames staple. It isn't the greatest BBQ in the world but it is very good for the little you pay ($6 for a sandwich and fries). Don't be intimidated if there is a huge crowd. They do a great job turning folks to get more people sat sooner.
Pizza Pit is the most underrated pizza place in town and smack dab in campus town (just a few blocks from the stadium). Great thin crust pizza and there's almost always a table open to sit at even on Gameday.
General parking is south and southwest of the stadium for $20 (brown spots below). General lots open 6 hours prior to kickoff so bring some drinks and a football if your girls will play catch.
I pretty much agree with this. Without knowing what time the game is, I would book a hotel room for Friday and Saturday nights. If it's 11am, cancel Saturday, if it's a night game, cancel Friday. It's tough to even put a schedule together until you know what time kickoff is. At the very least, I would plan to be in the lots 3 hours before kickoff. I doubt that you'll have to worry about finding food or beer there.
Jethros. It's not unique to Ames, but it is unique to Iowa, and it's got decent food and decent atmosphere. I would take it over Hickory Park any day of the week.
The entrance to the visiting team locker room is on the east side of the Olsen building (north end of stadium) / just west of the 85E parking lot. You may be able to see your team arrive a couple hours before the game or hang out there after the game and catch them as they are leaving.
After the season kicks off, there should be a section on the official football website that will cover game day stuff like spirit walk and when and where the marching band will be playing before the game.
You may also want to check with OSU to see if your alumni association is going to rent a tailgate tent. Schools that do that usually have it on the Southeast corner of the paved lots.
After the season kicks off, there should be a section on the official football website that will cover game day stuff like spirit walk and when and where the marching band will be playing before the game.
You may also want to check with OSU to see if your alumni association is going to rent a tailgate tent. Schools that do that usually have it on the Southeast corner of the paved lots.
Funny, I guess I wasn't familiar with the joke - other than it being one damn long walk if you actually tried it - especially after eating at a place like Old Main or Hickory Park.
Honestly there is a lot to do in the area and lost have stated the obvious of Hickory Park. If you are into all that you will have plenty to do. If you just want to tailgate, drink, eat, and play bags, I’m sure 98% will welcome you to their group and be very glad you came. I would be one of those people. The campus is beautiful and Jack Trice and the surrounding Reiman gardens is also. Just have fun man, enjoy the game, visit, and the experience that is ISU football!
Instead of sending an out-of-towner to an undisputed legend of Ames cuisine (whether you like it or not) you are seriously suggesting a non-Ames original with "decent food and decent atmosphere?"
Hey, it’s like setting your friend up with the less attractive one so you could hit on the hottie. Send the out of towners to the decent places so you can go to the better places.
If I like the person and don't want them to be underwhelmed? Absolutely! There are numerous restaurants I would suggest before Hickory Park. It doesnt even reach decent.
Sounds like he has a couple kids, HO is generally the safest place to send people with kids. Very family friendly. Jerhros didn’t give me that feel the few times I’ve been there.
For parking, if you get their early you can park on the side streets west of the stadium for free, most of those spots fill up 5 to 6 hours before kickoff. The rest of the general public parking is too the south of the stadium, G2 and G3 are for students, but you can park in G4-G9 or vet med. All except vet med are grass lots, parking is $20.00 for the day.
The only bad thing about parking to the south of the stadium is most of the tailgating will be going on to the North, in the parking between JTS and Hilton. Be sure to walk up there and to see the rows upon rows of tents and the tailgating.
Just walk around, plenty of people will offer you food and drink. Remember our motto, At ISU win or lose we still booze.
The only bad thing about parking to the south of the stadium is most of the tailgating will be going on to the North, in the parking between JTS and Hilton. Be sure to walk up there and to see the rows upon rows of tents and the tailgating.
Just walk around, plenty of people will offer you food and drink. Remember our motto, At ISU win or lose we still booze.
I can't speak to the one in Ames because I haven't taken kids to that one, but my kids love the one in Ankeny. Guess I don't know what you mean by "safe". They have those wax stick things they give to kids to play with. My girls love those things, and they always like the food. Hell, my daughters daycare took a field trip there for lunch. Lol!
Hickory Park is ok as long as you know what it is. Dont go in there thinking you are going to get great BBQ, cause your not. It sucks. Or I guess some people want to try and say it's not bbq and they dont call it that. Fine. Their hickory smoked meats suck then. Stick with a burger and fries and it's fine. You'll get a **** ton of mediocre food for cheap, so that's a selling point I guess.
