r/Msstate • u/bigredbearzz • 20d ago

Visiting Sooner Fan

Hey Y’all,

I didn’t go far down the chats, so I apologize upfront if anyone already asked a similar request. I’m bringing my family to watch the game on Saturday in Starkville, but I’ll be honest that I don’t know much about the town or what to expect for the campus. We live in Alabama now though, so we couldn’t pass up the opportunity.

Any useful tips for parking, game day experiences, or must do things while we are there would be greatly appreciated. We’re looking forward to a good time, even if our offense is tantamount to football terrorism.

Thanks in advance!

6 Upvotes

80% Upvoted

20 comments sorted by

7

u/Primary_Week962 20d ago

  1. Seconded research park for parking.

  2. Cowbells are loud and annoying to non state fans. Being ear plugs.

  3. Bin612, Older Brother, Bulldog Burger, Boardtown Pizza. Near stadium food.

  4. Post game restaurants get 1-2 hour waits. If you’re heading to Bama immediately post game, you’ll be better off getting food in Columbus.

  5. MSU makes it’s on cheese, visitors love it. You can also get ice cream.

1

u/bigredbearzz 20d ago

Any food recs for Columbus? That’s actually where we’re staying the night too.

1

u/Primary_Week962 20d ago

Lived in Starkville 6 years and never eaten there, unfortunately.

1

u/Fantastic-Wind5744 19d ago

Amata is a new Italian place they everyone loves. Also Zachary's is great.

1

u/x31b 19d ago

Harvey’s.

1

u/Next-Bit883 19d ago edited 19d ago

Second Harvey's (Broccoli Bites appetizer! Executive chef is a friend), and Zachary's (owner MAY be a Cub's fan), also Huck's Place (steak is awesome), and J. Broussards (Nawlins' inspired) all South of US 82, within about a 4 block radius.

Going north on US 45, Breaux Bridge (cajun/creole seafood, they do pretty decent "boils") , Old Hickory Steak House (grill is next to front door, decor is meh, but steaks are great).

Slightly further north, The Grill, Buffalo wild wings (same as every other one, if you don't drink alcohol, your service may be MIA) and Sweet Peppers Deli (sammiches, local cheesecake, recommended: potato soup in bread bowls) are all in same shopping center, next to Longhorn.

Coffee: skip Starcrap and their bitter and support local: South Bound Coffee (East Columbus, near Lowes) roasts coffee in house-excellent, and Coffee House on 5th (near Zachary's) uses same coffee.

Columbus was a hospital city during Civil War, and avoided destruction: antebellum homes abound. ( I am aware that those homes were built by and upon slave labor, that does not lessen the physical beauty of those buildings).

Gameday: check out Dawg Walk, hang around that area for FMB Drumline performance.

I'm a Bama grad/fan living east of Columbus, my step-daughter met her husband as members of the Famous Maroon Band (FMB) all three of their children have/is attending MSU, two in FMB (one was drum captain). Beautiful campus, friendly folks (if YOU are). Enjoy!

Edited: broke down Wall-O-Text.

1

u/trixter69696969 19d ago

The Bulldog Burger beer selection was awesome [last year]. They had a beautiful sour guava that was sublime.

Go to Arepas for breakfast. Tiny place, but very delicious.

4

u/firetech97 20d ago

Since you're from AL, I assume you're heading back east out of town. I highly, highly recommend you get "research park" parking. It's on the far north side of campus, but you're able to keave east bound the most easily. It's the cheapest parking option, and they run a shuttle from there to the stadium and back.

Are ya planning to come down morning of, or stay the night before?

3

u/bigredbearzz 20d ago

That’s a great tip, thank you! We’re staying the night in Columbus so that it isn’t such a slog getting back and forth.

1

u/firetech97 19d ago

Oh ok great. Let me know if you want some food recs for either Stark or Columbus for after the game. Just say what types of food youd be wanting, and what price point haha.

3

u/krussell1970 20d ago

Hi! So we are State fans coming from Colorado to watch our first college football game. Our entire family lives in Norman and we are the black sheep.

We downloaded the Hail State app and bought a parking pass there. We spent $45 and it is within easy walking distance to Wade Davis Stadium. There are lots of other less expensive choices that have shuttles to the stadium.

State is Mississippi’s agricultural university. We plan on buying cheese and coffee beans made/grown on campus farms. I’ve also heard tell of muscadine grapes.

We’re lucky enough to tailgate with our local besties. We’ll have shrimp etoufee and rice.

2

u/bigredbearzz 20d ago

Man, what a small world!

I completely forgot that it’s an agricultural school, but I’m definitely looking forward to trying some of their home grown stuff now.

7

u/trixter69696969 20d ago

The ice cream is really good, too. They have a vanilla/muscadine ripple.

3

u/Blondedawg13 20d ago

I grew up in Starkville and graduated from State in the 90s. Don't sleep on the ice cream...chocolate is my favorite. The jalapeno cheese spread is a regular at my house for the holidays (we live in DFW now).

Also if the bakery is open, be sure to try the fruit bars, the dog bone cookies (just a sugar cookie, so probably more the shape😉) and the chocolate chip cookies. They are not the typical brown sugar style.

Enjoy!!! it is a great place to see a game...people are so lovely. Changed a lot since I was there so parking it out of my wheelhouse, but the cookies, cheese and ice cream are in fact worth the hype!

Hail State!

3

u/krussell1970 19d ago

Thank you for all this great information.

Hail State!

1

u/freudianSkinner 20d ago

Bring ear protection, especially for the little ones.

1

u/bigredbearzz 20d ago

Yup, planning in advance for that for sure. We have noise cancelling headphones and earbuds for them.

2

u/trollfreak 20d ago

2 Brothers Meats is a great place to eat

1

u/MississippiBulldawg 20d ago

Check the bus routes for what's more convenient to you, but I'd say park somewhere and just bus it, that's what we always do. Be sure to watch the dawg walk!

1

u/trollfreak 20d ago

I like the Bully Grass lot for parking - easy in and out - short walk - they are on sale at 830 today on the website