So what did you think of Iowa City?

[mebisonII]

I'm sure this is scattered through-out the hundreds of other pages, but I haven't read all of those. As a former Iowa City resident, I'm curious how you all found the city, atmosphere, etc? Where does it rank in the list of away-game experiences?

Highlights and lowlights from around town? Favorite restaurants, bars, port-a-potties?

[MNLonghorn10]

I liked college street in down town. would be fun place to go pre/post game to hang out on nice fall days. the walk back there sucked but whatever. do what you gotta do. They make their drinks strong, unlike places in Ames.

Stadium was whatever, nice, not ZOMG...always thought the Childrens hospital and water tower over looking it(our seats didnt face the water tower but I know about it) were unique looks and gives it it's own little character. Glad our seats had nobody in front of us, Im 6'4 and have sat @ Nebraskas Memorial stadium...not comfortable at all, and Iowas is just the same.

Tailgating was a huge fizzle. not that I didnt have fun...but i was expecting house parties, music, invites........and all we got was families, parking lots in yards and small gatherings. Ended up in the donors with our group of NDSU fans. Plenty of Iowa fans came up and talked who were nice...including the guy who lives in Fargo and went to UI. nice guy.

Shitters were being cleaned up during tailgate from last weeks game. So that smelled lovely, well done Iowa.

Sushi restaurant inside the hotelVetro was money. Brothers was packed with NDSU fans on Saturday night...cool vibe with it being out doors...Drive home felt shorter due to the win, so that helped.

Id rank the experience as a whole:

Colorado St
Kansas St/Iowa
Iowa St
Minnesota
Kansas

[BisonAccountant44]

Manhattan>Ames>Iowa City.

I didn't make it to Kansas or Colorado St. and I'm not including Minneapolis because we did it 3 times and I'm here everyday.

[NDSUstudent]

Downtown was cool, I liked the ped mall. I wish Fargo had something like that, we went there right after the game and had some food and drinks outside. We hit up the Airliner on Friday night, had some solid food(nachos were great) and it was a cool college bar. Had breakfast at the Hamburg Inn on gameday, it was really good.

Like I said in the other thread, Iowa fans were great. Lots of good talk before the game and compliments after, they took the loss well.

Tailgating was interesting but with that said I hate everything about 11 am games, I'd guess it is a bit more lively for later games and I bet a night game is really cool.

Stadium was solid, it was a bit tight though. At times I felt like I was in a mosh pit when the Bison scored or did something big. It was a pain whenever somebody tried to get to and from their seats. But most of those bigger college stadiums just pack people in so I expected it. It was a great setting for a college football game, probably my favorite.

[Christopher Moen]

Downtown was cool, I liked the ped mall. I wish Fargo had something like that, we went there right after the game and had some food and drinks outside. We hit up the Airliner on Friday night, had some solid food(nachos were great) and it was a cool college bar. Had breakfast at the Hamburg Inn on gameday, it was really good.

Like I said in the other thread, Iowa fans were great. Lots of good talk before the game and compliments after, they took the loss well.

Tailgating was interesting but with that said I hate everything about 11 am games, I'd guess it is a bit more lively for later games and I bet a night game is really cool.

Stadium was solid, it was a bit tight though. At times I felt like I was in a mosh pit when the Bison scored or did something big. It was a pain whenever somebody tried to get to and from their seats. But most of those bigger college stadiums just pack people in so I expected it. It was a great setting for a college football game, probably my favorite.

I find it absolutely amazing that they can fit about the same amount of people as they do at Mile High (I was at both this weekend). I was surprised though that the crowd wasn't loud and apparently that's the norm. Between being a Bison and Broncos fan, I'm used to loud crowds.

[BISONBRI53]

Ped mall was cool. Brothers was cool and turned in to a Bison bar. Joseph's steak place was amazing. Our hotel sucked. Hawkeye express was cool. Stadium was cool. Fondue says ehhhh!

[grizlandbisonfan]

Maybe I didn't do it right, but I thought Kinnick was a dump. Several hours before the game the porta-johns were a mess and you couldn't find a garbage can anywhere. Concourses were way too small for the crowd (maybe herdbot can do some research into whether they can remove the columns in the walkway of the concourse) and they were running out of water in the 3rd quarter. Yes, the view outside the lidless stadium was cool, but otherwise the facility was Iowa-bland.

As per the tailgate scene, the food vendors were ok, but the parking lots around the stadium were beyond underwhelming.

[StL Bison Fan]

The high school tailgate lot was full by 6:15. No shuttles as advertised. Maybe 10-12 portas.
We miss Sherri
But we make our own fun and had a great time.

[Bison03]

The high school tailgate lot was full by 6:15. No shuttles as advertised. Maybe 10-12 portas.
We miss Sherri
But we make our own fun and had a great time.

They eventually opened up the big lot on the other side of the school. We found a spot to park there at like 7:45. As far as the town, people were great, fans at the game were great as well. Ticket takers welcomed us as did most fans. Even after the game, fans congratulated us and our team. They were impressed with our team. They were more impressed with how well traveled, loud, and passionate our fan base was. Ate at Red's Alehouse which was a hidden gem with great food and drinks. Kennik was every bit of a big time Big 10 stadium atmosphere as I expected. Great trip.

[td577]

I didn't get to go down there this past weekend but I have made many trips to Iowa City for other reasons. It is a college town and if I had visited it as a 18 year old, I would have strongly considered going to school there. The way it ended up, my decisions in life led me to NDSU and I wouldn't change anything.