Iowa Hawkeyes

Cletusfest Gameday Information

Location: Iowa City, IA
Stadium/Theme: Kinnick Stadium
Date/Time: October 3; 3:30pm
TV: CBS-National

School Details:

Team Site
Travel and Lodging
Gameday (incl. Parking) Info
Weather
Tickets

Fan Websites:

Hawk Fans
Black Heart/Gold Pants
Hawkeye Links

Big Ten School Review

The co-founders of CletusFest have attended football games at every Big Ten Stadium. Although each school visit includes great memories, we thought it would be helpful for Buckeye fans to know what they were getting themselves into when considering a Big Ten road trip. Our Rating is based on a Five Point Scale (5 being best):

Overall Rating: ****

Kinnick Stadium

One of the best places to visit in the Big Ten. The fans bring the noise, and they are one of the most friendly/polite group of fans you are going to meet.  The wave to the Children's Hospital is a cool moment and there is something haunting about this venue.  You will feel very lucky to get out of Iowa with a win, so root on the Bucks as loud as you can.

Fans

Some of the friendliest fans we have ever encountered.  They were great hosts, made us feel very welcome, and are all about football.  Make sure you say hello and make a new friend.

Tailgating/Parking

There is great tailgating on Melrose Ave, along, Melrose Court, and you can continue the fun by walking through the West-side lots.  We especially enjoyed visiting the Grateful Garage Tailgate Club's setup.  There is also an all-inclusive event by Hawkeye Village, but you have to buy tickets in advance.

Nightlife/City Atmosphere

The downtown area is lively, with tons of bars and restaurants to checkout.  They have just about every kind of place you can think of, so walk around and find the place you like the best.

View From the Other Side

Cletusfest has polled Iowa Alumni about their city, and here are their thoughts on what you should check out in Iowa City:

What are the Top 5 Restaurants?

Two words answer this question: Pedestrian Mall. The Ped Mall is at the heart of Iowa City on the east side of the river and the primary action point any non-game night or following the game. There are numerous restaurants, bars, intermixed by a very few retail shops. This is adjacent to the University of Iowa Main Campus and home of the Old Capitol Dome which has been painstakingly replicated after a devastating fire a few years ago( a must see from the pentacrest at night).

What Landmarks / Important Things Should a Visitor check out around town or on campus?

Kinnick stadium can be fun to walk around, and it's near the rest of the Athletic complex.  There are a couple statues of Nile Kinnick outside the entrance worth checking out.

Name the Top Hotels to Stay

Graduate Hotel
Hyatt Place
Hyatt Regency (Coralville)

What is the Best Bar for Alumni?

Joe's Place (Iowa Avenue) - Lots of nostalgic photos on the wall of sports events

What is the Best Bar for Visiting Fans?

What is the Best Bar for Getting Your Drink On?

It's hard to pick just one. Recommendations include: Joe's Place, Deadwood, Sports Column (a favorite of Lanton and Brian from their last visit).  If you like an Irish spin, Mickey's Pub (good food) and the Dublin Underground are great places to hang out

What are the best Game Day Traditions?

Tailgate, just soak up the atmosphere around the stadium and downtown

Where should a Visitor Park on Game Day?

Parking is at a premium arrive early and you can often grab a parking space in a yard are adjacent to the stadium or on the Finkbine Golf Course. If you want to try a different approach there is a large mall on the west side of Coralville and the Hawkeye express train runs for a few hours before the game until a few hours after the game. Ride a train in for a retro feel plenty of parking in this area. If you park downtown there are a number of parking ramps and its only a 15 minute walk to the stadium or catch the Campus bus or city bus if you dont want to walk.

Where should a Visitor go to Tailgate?

On Game day the place to be is Melrose Avenue, on the west side of the River. 10-15 minute walk from downtown. This runs right by the south end of the stadium and there are tons of tailgaiting and on street vendors around the stadium. Just stand on Melrose by the stadium and listen for the yelling.