Best College Football Towns Worth Visiting

Traveling to a college town during college football season can be an unforgettable experience. The pageantry, tradition and fanfare create a one-of-a-kind time you won’t find with any other sport. Some teams do things better than others, though. Here are a few of our favorites.

You probably won’t find yourself in Tuscaloosa, Ala., unless you’re headed to the University of Alabama, where nearly the entire town shuts down each fall Saturday for some great college football. In addition to the more than 100,000 fans that can cram into the stadium, you’ll find many arrive without a game ticket for just the tailgating alone. The campus is covered with festivities, making it easy for you to join in with gusto.

Of course, Ole Miss may do the southern college football tradition the most justice. Even if you’re not a football fan, you’ll still enjoy The Grove, the tailgating venue where you’ll find students and visitors alike in their game day finest (collared shirts and bowties for the men, sundresses for the ladies, all in team colors) enjoying a more refined atmosphere than you’d often associate with tailgating.

College Station’s Texas A&M, with students making up the majority of the town’s population, certainly knows how to do college football. Don’t miss the Midnight Yell, held at midnight the day before a game, during which fans practice their cheers and get pumped for the next day’s event.

Head to LSU and Baton Rouge for tailgating and traditions ranging from the infamous Mike the Tiger to all the local cuisine you can eat. While most tailgating operations stick to your normal favorites like barbecue or burgers, LSU fans serve up lots of jambalaya, gumbo and, when playing Florida, fried alligator. Bloody Marys are, of course, a must.