2021 Morgantown Road Trip.

[Uncle Boobs 1,246]

I just booked my hotel for Friday to Sunday in Morgantown. Nov 19th to Nov 21st.

 

Texas vs West Virginia on Saturday.

 

First time in Morgantown. Any advice is appreciated

 

Cheers.

 

 

 

Sent from my SM-A215U using Tapatalk

 

 

[Sgt Hulk 13,648]

I’ll be there. Let’s gooo 

[Pato del Muerto 52,342]

I presume OP is most interested in the best places to eat out. 

[Guest Lobo]

We went there in 2015 and truly lived it up.  Bus dropped us off from Pittsburgh in some mooonshine parking lot.  Did shots and drunk by 9am.  Pre-game fine dining at Kegler's with buckets of beer and shitty friend food at the WVU Athletic Dept. invite.  Running late and too drunk to take the hill to the football stadium so somebody at Kegler's called their cousin or aunt or some shit.  She picked us up in an extended minivan with a mini-fridge and microwave and let us bring our drinks on the road.  We had a blast in the first half, got out asses whipped in the second half. Wanted to stay in town since everybody was so damn nice and maybe we'd do some fishing.  But we forgot we didn't have any luggage so hopped a SWA shuttle from Pittsburgh late that same night back to Austin.  

Super nice people, had a blast.  Would really like to back this year and spend more time in Pittsburgh. 

[FORTY NINE TO ZERO 2,630]

Beautiful country. Recommend taking a long weekend and exploring the area.   Especially if we win. 

[BrazilHorn 6,576]

Stay in Pittsburgh

Hit Church Brew Works

Hit Meat & Potatoes

Limo down to Morgantown

Drink Heavily

Return to Pittsburgh

Drink more.

 

[TKthunder2 4,981]

Went in 2019 had a blast.  Stayed in Pittsburg saw the Andy Warhol museum wanted to do the incline thing but it had bedbugs at the time and was shut down.  Had some good food but fuck if I remember where.  We rented a car to drive to WVU but that was a huge mistake because game day parking was worse than UT which is saying something.  I think they had a park and ride shuttle somewhere but again can’t really remember.  Campus was weird, like they had different little pockets of buildings it wasn’t in like one area or easily walkable or anything.  The stadium was about average the people were nice enough; probably not going to do it again any time soon but it was a good trip.

[billfromlaketravis 11,362]

2 hours ago, Uncle Boobs said:

 

I just booked my hotel for Friday to Sunday in Morgantown. Nov 19th to Nov 21st.

 

Texas vs West Virginia on Saturday.

 

First time in Morgantown. Any advice is appreciated

 

Cheers.

 

 

 

Sent from my SM-A215U using Tapatalk

 

 

 

Something tells you’re going to have a good time. 

[Assman 1,830]

I'll be there or Ames this year.  I haven't been to either but they're both on my list and will knock out one.

[Guest Lobo]

6 minutes ago, Assman said:

I'll be there or Ames this year.  I haven't been to either but they're both on my list and will knock out one.

DO IT! /benstiller.  Been to both.  Admittedly, we were just up and back on SWA for the ISU game on that Thursday night we barely won in Mack's last year.  Never saw the campus (I've been to Iowa several times before).  But the stadium, tailgate, and fans were awesome.  If you can do just one, I'd pick WVU.  Just a different part of the country, really scenic, different vibe, and a helluva fun time if you're into booze and oggling talent.  But Ames is a close 2nd.  Only Big XII school I never went to a game at was Mizzou (obviously too late for that now).  But went on a bender and knocked out every other school in a few years back a few years ago.  And WVU really stands ahead of the group for just overall experience.  Obviously there's other more attractive places (Colorado) and better fans (Nebraska) and better talent (TCU)...but WVU was just a fucking blast from the moment we stepped off the plane.  We got embarrassed in that second half and it still might be my favorite Big XII true road trip game.  

Edited March 22, 2021 by Lobo

[Bernard 879]

I’ve done extensive research.

Mario’s Fish Bowl is one of the best bars in the Big12. Plan to close out your Friday night there.

Blue Lot tailgating before the game is also about as good as it gets in the Big12.

Pittsburgh is for pussies. Always stay in the game city.

Bernard

[Al_4_ISU 12,409]

Stay in Morgantown.  Pittsburgh is a cool town, but it's not a college football town.  Morgantown is a fucking blast.

Wander around the Blue Lot.  You'll probably get a lot of "Horns Down", but they'll immediately slap you on the back and hand you a bottle of moonshine.  And it will be delicious, and potent.

We went in 2013 (ISU's first trip out there) and were absolutely blown away by the hospitality of West Virginia fans.  They were practically falling over themselves to stuff the Big 12 visitors with food and booze.  We rolled in on Friday afternoon (Black Friday that year) and had some wings and Yuengling at Kegler's while watching the Nebraska/Iowa game.  We all had ISU gear on and some locals started chatting with us, giving us recommendations, etc.  When we got ready to leave we found out they had bought the 4 pitchers of beer we'd sucked down.

Later that night, we were at the Sports Page in downtown Morgantown.  They always have karaoke.  We got up and sang "Country Roads" in our ISU gear.  I'm pretty sure I blacked out for less than $10 because people just kept buying us drinks after that.

The next morning we were grabbing beer at Kroger's and some guy came running halfway across the store to invite us to his tailgate in the Sliver Lot.  6 hours later, we had crossed the Blue Lot plied with an unending supply of moonshine and finally made it.

WVU is a blast.  And the scenery is striking and beautiful.  As Lobo said, it's a totally different part of the country.  As different as Iowa and Texas may seem, it's all the central US/plains and they're far more alike than either is like West Virginia.

Edited March 22, 2021 by Al_4_ISU

[Al_4_ISU 12,409]

9 hours ago, Lobo said:

DO IT! /benstiller.  Been to both.  Admittedly, we were just up and back on SWA for the ISU game on that Thursday night we barely won in Mack's last year.  Never saw the campus (I've been to Iowa several times before).  But the stadium, tailgate, and fans were awesome.  If you can do just one, I'd pick WVU.  Just a different part of the country, really scenic, different vibe, and a helluva fun time if you're into booze and oggling talent.  But Ames is a close 2nd.  Only Big XII school I never went to a game at was Mizzou (obviously too late for that now).  But went on a bender and knocked out every other school in a few years back a few years ago.  And WVU really stands ahead of the group for just overall experience.  Obviously there's other more attractive places (Colorado) and better fans (Nebraska) and better talent (TCU)...but WVU was just a fucking blast from the moment we stepped off the plane.  We got embarrassed in that second half and it still might be my favorite Big XII true road trip game.  

If that Thursday game was your only trip to Ames, I'd recommend hitting it for a Saturday game.  Although that atmosphere was nuts, the pregame wasn't quite on par with normal.

Lastly, I don't know what the hell kind of Nebraska fans you came across.  They're one of the worst fanbases I've been around.  I'd take WVU fans over Nebraska fans all day every day.

Edited March 22, 2021 by Al_4_ISU

[Guest Lobo]

Only time I ever attended an UNL game was out 2010 bout with them.  We pulled off the upset.  We got stuck in an absolute shitshow of traffic coming from Omaha on a bus so didn't get but maybe ~75 minutes of true pre-game.  Fans weren't exactly fun, but they were polite.  But during and after the game, they were just so damn polite and cordial, I have to give them props.  We had a fucking blast the whole weekend in Omaha and the game proper, so maybe I'm skewing my results.  I guess the actual gameday atmosphere in Lincoln in hindsight...was pleasant, but not particularly fun.  

Yeah, I would like to try Ames on a Saturday game.  I've spent plenty of nights in Council Bluffs and Des Moines.  We've got some distant family out in Iowa City/Davenport/Cedar Rapids areas.  But yeah, need to give Ames another shot someday.  

I know this is an unpopular opinion---but my one and only trip to Stillwater, OK was fun as well.  Went in 2016, and of course---we lost in Strong's last year.  And it was an up and back trip on SWA that same day, but fans were cool and we had a blast.  I didn't realize how much they hated OU and loved drinking early (11am kickoff), some local invited us into his bar at 8am to drink gratis until Eskimo Joe's opened up at 9am.  

I think worst armpit of the Big XII is Manhattan/KSU.  Waco as a town and fanbase suck more ass, but at least you're home in 90 minutes after the game.  Manhattan is just tough to get to, ugly as fuck, they usually whip the shit out of us, women are fluffy (and not in a fun way), cold and bitter weather, and everything looks like the middle chapters of a Cormac McCarthy novel 

Anyway, fun to reminisce.  Morgantown might be my favorite Big XII town not formerly known as Boulder.  I know we're gonna make it to TCU this year with the two daughters.  But I'd like to sneak off and make Ames or WVU again this year.  

[Texas St. Armadillos 1,381]

30 minutes ago, Al_4_ISU said:

Stay in Morgantown.  Pittsburgh is a cool town, but it's not a college football town.  Morgantown is a fucking blast.

Wander around the Blue Lot.  You'll probably get a lot of "Horns Down", but they'll immediately slap you on the back and hand you a bottle of moonshine.  And it will be delicious, and potent.

We went in 2013 (ISU's first trip out there) and were absolutely blown away by the hospitality of West Virginia fans.  They were practically falling over themselves to stuff the Big 12 visitors with food and booze.  We rolled in on Friday afternoon (Black Friday that year) and had some wings and Yuengling at Kegler's while watching the Nebraska/Iowa game.  We all had ISU gear on and some locals started chatting with us, giving us recommendations, etc.  When we got ready to leave we found out they had bought the 4 pitchers of beer we'd sucked down.

Later that night, we were at the Sports Page in downtown Morgantown.  They always have karaoke.  We got up and sang "Country Roads" in our ISU gear.  I'm pretty sure I blacked out for less than $10 because people just kept buying us drinks after that.

The next morning we were grabbing beer at Kroger's and some guy came running halfway across the store to invite us to his tailgate in the Sliver Lot.  6 hours later, we had crossed the Blue Lot plied with an unending supply of moonshine and finally made it.

WVU is a blast.  And the scenery is striking and beautiful.  As Lobo said, it's a totally different part of the country.  As different as Iowa and Texas may seem, it's all the central US/plains and they're far more alike than either is like West Virginia.

We went in 2013 and had very much the same experience.  Wonderful people, very generous.  Got to meet Whitman, and he was a true gentleman. 

This was the 1st TX/WVU game with WVU as a member of the BIG XII, and they were fired up to have us.   We went out to Cooper's Rock the morning of the game.  Really nice.

The amount of trash that accumulates from a full day of tailgating there is incredible.  

[Al_4_ISU 12,409]

28 minutes ago, Lobo said:

Only time I ever attended an UNL game was out 2010 bout with them.  We pulled off the upset.  We got stuck in an absolute shitshow of traffic coming from Omaha on a bus so didn't get but maybe ~75 minutes of true pre-game.  Fans weren't exactly fun, but they were polite.  But during and after the game, they were just so damn polite and cordial, I have to give them props.  We had a fucking blast the whole weekend in Omaha and the game proper, so maybe I'm skewing my results.  I guess the actual gameday atmosphere in Lincoln in hindsight...was pleasant, but not particularly fun.  

Yeah, I would like to try Ames on a Saturday game.  I've spent plenty of nights in Council Bluffs and Des Moines.  We've got some distant family out in Iowa City/Davenport/Cedar Rapids areas.  But yeah, need to give Ames another shot someday.  

I know this is an unpopular opinion---but my one and only trip to Stillwater, OK was fun as well.  Went in 2016, and of course---we lost in Strong's last year.  And it was an up and back trip on SWA that same day, but fans were cool and we had a blast.  I didn't realize how much they hated OU and loved drinking early (11am kickoff), some local invited us into his bar at 8am to drink gratis until Eskimo Joe's opened up at 9am.  

I think worst armpit of the Big XII is Manhattan/KSU.  Waco as a town and fanbase suck more ass, but at least you're home in 90 minutes after the game.  Manhattan is just tough to get to, ugly as fuck, they usually whip the shit out of us, women are fluffy (and not in a fun way), cold and bitter weather, and everything looks like the middle chapters of a Cormac McCarthy novel 

Anyway, fun to reminisce.  Morgantown might be my favorite Big XII town not formerly known as Boulder.  I know we're gonna make it to TCU this year with the two daughters.  But I'd like to sneak off and make Ames or WVU again this year.  

I love Stillwater/OK State as well.  Real similar vibe to ISU/Ames, but more "cowboy" (literally).  I enjoy Manhattan, TBH.  I have a soft spot for plains/Midwest ag college towns.  Went to several Farmageddons there.  The 3 Big 8 ag schools and their respective towns/fanbases are really similar, IMO.

Baylor/Waco is the worst place I've been to a game, by a country mile.  Fans suck, stadium sucked (Floyd Casey days), town sucks.

My Big XII football road trip wild card good time is Lawrence.  Yeah, KU football is absolute trash, but the area around the stadium is hilly, beautiful in the fall, and dotted with little dive bars on every other corner.  Their fans are pretty cool during football season, and you can practically get paid to go the game.

My synopsis of the Big 12 schools I've visited (includes the formers)

-UT:  Great city, fans were really cool, gameday seemed like a giant logistical mess but in a fun way.  Definitely a "big time" vibe and I felt that the Austin vibe overrode the Texas vibe.  We went in 2010, a year ISU won, and everyone was cool.

-WVU:  Awesome.  Described above.

-OK State:  Great people, great fans, like to party.  Down to earth salt-of-the-earth type people.  

-KSU:  A dorkier version of ISU or OK State, but still a solid town and fanbase.

-KU:  Super laid back, DGAF about football.  Cheap tickets, pretty campus, good watering holes.

-TCU:  Fans we met were cool.  Didn't seem that passionate or into it.  Alleged talent, but it was like 48 degrees in October when we were there and the students didn't show at all.

-Baylor:  Pure trash.  Shitty, rude fans.  Dump stadium.  Shithole town.

FORMER

-Aggy:  Really friendly, actually.  Cultishness becomes obvious quickly.

-Mizzou:  Meh.  Columbia is a pretty town, and it's a pretty campus, but I never found their fans to be exceptional in any direction.  Forgettable people.

-Nebraska:  Godawful tailgating set up.  Like one of the worst I've ever seen.  Insufferably full of themselves.  Good riddance.

[mininghorn88 2,263]

We are making plans to attend again.  We always make the drive from NE Texas to WV and make a vacation out of it.  Typically do some hiking before/after it and hit some of the historical sites (Civil War, etc.).  My daughter (UT-2014), SIL, and granddaughter (future Longhorn)drive over from Chapel Hill, NC.  Attending this game has become an annual event since my daughter moved to NC several years ago. My granddaughter's first UT game was at the age of 3 months at the 2019 UT/WVU game in Morgantown.

The fans are really great.  A few years ago we met some WVU fans in a Cracker Barrell while driving in late one night.  We struck up a conversation with them and found out that they were going to the game as well and that they had parking passes in a private lot right at the stadium.  As a result of that conversation we are now on the permanent list to park in that area now during UT/WVU games.  It is nice to drive right up and not have to worry about parking and then to tailgate right there at the stadium.  We still contact each other throughout the year when Texas/WVU meet up in some event.  Will be claiming my space again this Fall.

And no, this is not some aggy fan fiction either!

[Al_4_ISU 12,409]

This might belong in some "unpopular opinion" thread, and I've never been to a game there, but the wife and I spent a night in Boulder a couple years back on our way back from skiing at A Basin, and good lord was that the most absolute overrated/dead college town I've ever seen.  I'm not sure if everyone was in their dorm/apartment getting baked, but we saw very few college kids out, and the downtown was dead as fuck.

It's a beautiful place that has some awesome breweries, but there was just zero energy.

[Uncle Boobs 1,246]

21 hours ago, Bernard said:

I’ve done extensive research.

Mario’s Fish Bowl is one of the best bars in the Big12. Plan to close out your Friday night there.

Blue Lot tailgating before the game is also about as good as it gets in the Big12.

Pittsburgh is for pussies. Always stay in the game city.

Bernard

Yes. 

[Surly Bevo 24,696]

Blue Lot...Blue Lot....Blue Lot

(went in 13 and 15)

Also that was pre-Uber being there.  Hopefully they got it there now, cabs suck in town

Also the strip clubs kind of suck

The Blue Lot experience (especially when it was 13, a night game and we won in Mack's one and only OT) was amazing.  

In 15 we drove back up to Pittsburgh on Sunday and took in Steelers-Browns from a box I got hooked into.  Look it up, Johnny's finest moment for Cleveland....they still got their asses beat and he was done about 2 months later as an NFL player.  

Edited March 23, 2021 by Surly Bevo

[Al_4_ISU 12,409]

Cabs were god awful in '13.  Worst situation I've ever seen cab wise.  On Friday night we were headed downtown for dinner and boozing, but were staying at the Hampton Inn on Van Voorhis (you could literally roll downhill from the stadium and end up there).  We called a cab company around 5:00PM and they said they could pick us up "sometime between 6 and 11".  They refused to get more specific.

We were going to walk downtown, but ran into an older couple who were ISU fans and offered us a ride to Morgantown Brewing (beer was pretty meh, FWIW). 

To get back that night, we got in line for the cab stand on High Street.  My cousin is a world class small talker, and he made friends with the cabbie (some half retired English prof) who gave us his cell, and he took us back downtown on Saturday night.

I would assume it's much better with Uber/Lyft, but if not, I would suggest the cab stand on High Street and schmoozing with your driver.

[Bernard 879]

Cabs suck in Stillwater, but I stumbled out of a bar there late one night and flagged down a passing two truck. He gladly gave me (and a random friend I ran into on the street) a ride to our hotel for like $40. There's always someone around who wants to make a few bucks. 🙂

As for Morgantown, I just booked the last room (allegedly) at the Lakeview Golf Resort. $99/night. Not as close to downtown as I'd like, but close enough.  It's where the WVU team stays the night before games. And they have a nice (not free) breakfast buffet.

Bernard

[Angry Gorilla 1,764]

I went in '13 too and the trip was awesome.  Met a girl at some bar Friday night and invited us to her family tailgate in the Blue Lot.  The tailgate was great, probably had 6-8 moonshine shots with beer and food too.  They wouldn't accept any money afterwards.  At the time they were the only Big 12 school that served beer in the stadium.

 

Definitely stay in Morgantown.  There is a horse track with a full casino south of Pittsburgh on way from airport to Morgantown that makes for a nice stop.  We were also able to go to the Steelers game on Sunday before heading to airport.

[TrashMaster G 17,391]

On 3/22/2021 at 12:29 PM, mininghorn88 said:

We are making plans to attend again.  We always make the drive from NE Texas to WV and make a vacation out of it.  Typically do some hiking before/after it and hit some of the historical sites (Civil War, etc.).  My daughter (UT-2014), SIL, and granddaughter (future Longhorn)drive over from Chapel Hill, NC.  Attending this game has become an annual event since my daughter moved to NC several years ago. My granddaughter's first UT game was at the age of 3 months at the 2019 UT/WVU game in Morgantown.

The fans are really great.  A few years ago we met some WVU fans in a Cracker Barrell while driving in late one night.  We struck up a conversation with them and found out that they were going to the game as well and that they had parking passes in a private lot right at the stadium.  As a result of that conversation we are now on the permanent list to park in that area now during UT/WVU games.  It is nice to drive right up and not have to worry about parking and then to tailgate right there at the stadium.  We still contact each other throughout the year when Texas/WVU meet up in some event.  Will be claiming my space again this Fall.

And no, this is not some aggy fan fiction either!

Seems very on-brand.

[Zone Read 299]

Went to Morgantown 2 years ago for the game.  Flew into Pittsburgh, spent the night and attempted to drive to Morgantown the next day.  Hit a pothole a block from my hotel which took out both right side tires.  We had allowed plenty of time but with the delays getting another rental we missed all of the first quarter and half of the second.  But,WV fans were great, probably the best I've ever met.  I told some guy on the way into the stadium our story and we got offered beers and food.  After the game WV fans congratulated us and were very cool in defeat.  Every time I see someone with a WVU shirt or hat I tell them that they have the best fans.

On the drive back we stopped at the Falling Water museum, one of Frank Lloyd Wright's residential designs.  If you are into architecture, it's a must see.

Edited May 31, 2021 by Zone Read
Added a CSB

[gmr548 16,517]

This might belong in some "unpopular opinion" thread, and I've never been to a game there, but the wife and I spent a night in Boulder a couple years back on our way back from skiing at A Basin, and good lord was that the most absolute overrated/dead college town I've ever seen.  I'm not sure if everyone was in their dorm/apartment getting baked, but we saw very few college kids out, and the downtown was dead as fuck.
It's a beautiful place that has some awesome breweries, but there was just zero energy.

Sounds like you were probably there on spring break?

[TornACL 7,676]

On 3/22/2021 at 8:36 PM, Surly Bevo said:

 

Also the strip clubs kind of suck

 

We went to one in 2013. My buddy flags down a girl and hands her 40 and says to go give me a couple of dances.

She takes me to the bar where we exchange the 40 for....a wind up alarm clock? She then takes that with me upstairs to a big open room and highly mediocre dances.

Towards the end I asked just for shits and giggles if I want to re up another 40 can we just keep going?  Nope, she said we'd have to go back down to the bar to rewind the clock. 

[Al_4_ISU 12,409]

Sounds like you were probably there on spring break?

In mid February?

[Bevo in VA 342]

Just a PSA for anyone planning on going to Morgantown this year.  The WVU ticket office just put individual game tickets on sale today.  there are still plenty of WVU-Texas tickets available.  I know in years past, the DC Texas Exes have had a block of tickets as well so that may also be an option.

 

Also - Individual game parking passes are available.  The Green lot is the closest lot to the stadium that you can buy a single game pass for.  There will lots of tailgating in this lot and it will sell out well in advance of the game.

[Scholz 11,934]

I'm sure it will be super hospitable this year.

[texifornia 56,526]

6 minutes ago, Scholz said:

I'm sure it will be super hospitable this year.

Anyone going needs to pray the ACC picks them up.

[clapclapclap 9,000]

25 minutes ago, Bevo in VA said:

Just a PSA for anyone planning on going to Morgantown this year.  The WVU ticket office just put individual game tickets on sale today.  there are still plenty of WVU-Texas tickets available.  I know in years past, the DC Texas Exes have had a block of tickets as well so that may also be an option.

 

Also - Individual game parking passes are available.  The Green lot is the closest lot to the stadium that you can buy a single game pass for.  There will lots of tailgating in this lot and it will sell out well in advance of the game.

Ever see the movie Hostel?

We're getting the Pitt reception this year.

[Borachio 416]

Just got my ticket allocation from the ticket office today.   Anyone else at the top of section 201 with me?

Looking forward to my first trip to Morgantown!

Going to make it a long weekend and check out Gettysburg too.

Edited October 15, 2021 by Borachio
Added stuff

[WhatTheBuck 28,713]

It’s too bad the game isn’t next weekend because the trees would be in peak fall colors. Beautiful countryside but in late November the weather might be kind of hostile. Still wouldn’t hurt to take the time to go on a scenic drive. 

[MaybeACoordinator 8,349]

On 3/22/2021 at 8:06 AM, Al_4_ISU said:

 

WVU is a blast.  And the scenery is striking and beautiful.  As Lobo said, it's a totally different part of the country.  As different as Iowa and Texas may seem, it's all the central US/plains and they're far more alike than either is like West Virginia.

That's why it scares me as a game....It's so dark up there during night games. Everything, including the stadium, seems to be lit by torchlight. It reminds me of Lonesome Dove, when the herd made up to Wyoming, and Deets goes over to Gus and says, "What we doin' way up here, Cap'n? These ain't our people."