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re: Coming to Baton Rouge for the UCLA game, advice please

Posted on 4/11/24 at 12:46 pm to
Posted by Alt26
Member since Mar 2010
30041 posts
Posted on 4/11/24 at 12:46 pm to
quote:

Stay in New Orleans- so much to do and see

Skip Baton Rouge entirely aside from the actual game


Yeah, I would advise staying in New Orleans Thursday and, at least the day on Friday. MUCH more to do and see than in Baton Rouge.

You could drive up to BR on Friday afternoon/early evening and have dinner/hangout, stay in BR that night if you'd like. But you'd probably have more fun in New Orleans and I would imagine most UCLA fans coming to the game will stay there as well. It's an easy drive from New Orleans to BR. I wouldn't take a bus unless it was a shuttle bus provided by the hotel or some other group specifically running the bus for visiting fans traveling to the game. I'm not aware of any public transportation from New Orleans to BR, and if there is, I wouldn't want to ride it. Probably not the most reputable crowd.

Depending on kickoff time (likely between 5:00 - 7:00 CT), I would get to campus at least 4-5 hours before kickoff. There will be tailgate parities everywhere, and most folks are pretty hospitable to visiting fans (particularly non-SEC fans). There will be some who are obnoxious and will ribb you a bit for being an opposing fan, but they will likely be more than happy to offer you all the food and drink you want. Many of those with large tailgate parties take great pride in their cooking skills and hospitableness, so they are proud to share/party with visitors. Just follow the rules of not being an a-hole or grabbing someone's wife's/girlfriend's arse, unsolicited, and you should be fine.

If you don't want to eat at a tailgate party, there are multiple restaurants on/near campus. The Chimes restaurant is THE LSU traditional restaurant. Great place to grab beer and cajun/creole dishes and Po-boys. Prepare to wait because it is popular with locals and visitors alike. There are other restaurants near The Chimes, including the very first Raising Cane's chicken fingers if that interests you at all. Also connected to The Chimes is the Varsity Theatre. There is generally some sort of concert/event the Friday night before the game and (probably) after the game.

On the other side of campus (walking distance from the stadium) is Walk-On's restaurant. Much "newer" than the Chimes, but it has become an LSU staple. The menu selection, in general, is about the same as The Chimes. However, it's a bit bigger and generally they will have a big outdoor tent party both the night before and night of the game. It will stay packed pretty much from open to close on game day.

About 2 hours or so before kickoff the LSU team will arrive on campus and walk down "the hill" (it isn't much of a hill) into the stadium followed by the marching band. Fans will line both sides of the street to cheer them in.

I would try to get to my seat about 20-30 minutes before kickoff. If you have ever watched LSU play you probably know the pre-game entrance of the band is noteworthy. They march out on to the field, blast the first four notes of "Hold that Tiger!", and the crowd goes wild. That's the first, and a necessary step of truly experiencing the Tiger Stadium atmosphere.
Posted by WaterLink
Baton Rouge
Member since Sep 2015
18413 posts
Posted on 4/11/24 at 12:57 pm to
quote:

then just taking a bus up to BR Friday


This would either be CATS (I think they stopped doing NOLA rides but not 100% sure) or a Greyhound. Either way the crowd will be dodgy, and you'll be dropped off in an unseedy part of BR which isn't a pedestrian city and you'll end up having to take ubers everywhere anyway which is going to add up to as much or even more than just renting a car

Just rent a car man. The drive between NOLA and BR is an hour of mostly open interstate, it's an easy drive.
Posted by LSUDonMCO
Orlando
Member since Dec 2003
7214 posts
Posted on 4/11/24 at 1:05 pm to
Most of the advice you got was good but some of it you should take with a grain of salt. Think of someone who lived in L.A. telling someone "Make sure you check out Watts and Compton". Double check the advice you get with google.
Posted by zoom
everywhere
Member since Apr 2013
3674 posts
Posted on 4/11/24 at 1:08 pm to
Compton isn't so bad

Skid row however
Posted by bluewatersailor
Member since Oct 2018
281 posts
Posted on 4/11/24 at 1:26 pm to
Walk around different tailgates, wear your UCLA gear and walk up to pretty much any tailgates and ask what is that you're eating. 99% of the time you'll be given food and a drink. The RV lot is nice for tailgates as well.
Posted by High Life
Member since Dec 2014
2114 posts
Posted on 4/11/24 at 2:44 pm to
Watermark if you have money but you’re downtown which kinda sucks, Labeurge if you like casinos but you will be away from everything, hotel on the interstate or air bnb to be closer to Perkins/Government.

- Chimes on highland. Upstairs balcony for day time boozing. OG walkons (Burbank) might be a good option also. Both are close to campus and good for pre-tailgating.

- Doe’s on government. Unique restaurant with big fat steaks

-Phil’s or Parrains if you want oysters and solid LA food. Phil’s is more modern sports bar vibe. Parrains more rustic cajun.

- Zippys for dirty Mexican food and frozen margs/daqs. Superior for decent Mexican and frozen margs

-Ginos for Italian
-Cocha or Jubans are both really good. I’m not a foodie so this is about as nice as I go.

Bar scene depends on age and what your looking for. West of highland is young college, Perkins is older college. Government is older/edgy. I wouldnt go downtown unless you’re staying there but the bar scene is relatively mixed I would guess. Beauvoir park, Texas club, Chelsea’s live are different options for live music/dancing.

I wouldn’t plan on going out after the football game unless you’re young and/or on PEDs.

Go to Phil’s on Friday get some oysters, ask someone where to go out. Don’t get too drunk. Brunch on chimes balcony before tailgating. Leave game early after the tigahs pull away. Go get a steak at Doe’s if you can get there before it closes. I think Parrains has a decent Sunday brunch.
Posted by BilbeauTBaggins
probably stuck in traffic
Member since May 2021
5990 posts
Posted on 4/11/24 at 2:47 pm to
quote:

Just me and a friend. Was thinking an airbnb

So if you're going to get an Airbnb, look towards the south of campus. North of campus is all student housing and low income housing. Downtown might have a few spots and it's perfectly safe between the levee and I-110. Pulling this up from Airbnb:

All of these should be relatively fine. Downtown BR will have people staying in the hotels there. If you want to pick a good hotel, we stayed at the Watermark and it's awesome. Great bar, restaurant, and nice rooms. There's also a Hilton that's very nice. It's not a big downtown so you will not have a ton of options and can go through it pretty fast. The hotels listed by LaBR4 are all great, specifically the ones off campus.

This would be a 5 minute drive from campus and I believe there is still a bus system that works this route during game days. Other posters will be able to confirm this for. There are a few bars to visit. I believe Boudreaux & Thibodaux's will have reopened by then. Bengal Tap Room has a solid beer selection (with majority local brews) with decent food. River Room is a fun hole in the wall cocktail bar. The Vintage serves drinks day and night, but is mostly a small plate breakfast spot during the day. If you want local cuisine in downtown, closest will be Capital City Grill. There are better options close to campus that are worth a ride to (Parrain's, Mike Anderson's, and Chimes come to mind).

L'Auberge is about 10 minutes from campus and does offer a shuttle service as well. The ride back to the casino is not quick, but it's air conditioned and you can sit instead of having to drive through the mad traffic. Lots of food options there and a pool.

If you've never been to New Orleans, it's definitely worth exploring the French Quarter and Garden District on foot. Don't talk to people on the streets trying to sell you shite. If you get a car, expect to hit at least 5 potholes. Not an exaggeration. The roads in NOLA are absolutely jacked up.

Greyhound bus station is BR is sketchy but right next to downtown. You and your friend will be fine. You can honestly walk to downtown from the station, although I would suggest just catching an Uber or something out of there. I think FlixBus offers a service as well. They're fairly inexpensive.
Posted by wadewilson
Member since Sep 2009
37380 posts
Posted on 4/11/24 at 2:48 pm to
quote:

-Check out the USS Kidd Veterans Museum near the river - though it may be leaving the dock before the game comes around.


Posted by timbo
Red Stick, La.
Member since Dec 2011
7519 posts
Posted on 4/11/24 at 3:30 pm to
quote:

-Check out the USS Kidd Veterans Museum near the river - though it may be leaving the dock before the game comes around.


They're taking it to a shipyard in Houma about a month from now for extensive repairs. It will be gone for about a year.

LINK
Posted by Draino54
Member since Mar 2022
792 posts
Posted on 4/11/24 at 4:27 pm to
Best advice on here is to eat at Mike Anderson’s. Don’t leave BR without eating there.
Posted by Indefatigable
Member since Jan 2019
30417 posts
Posted on 4/11/24 at 4:27 pm to
quote:

taking a bus up to BR Friday, then back out Sunday afternoon (hoping the bus drops me at the airport).

Absolutely do not do this, unless you are in a large group that has chartered a bus.
Posted by Veritas
Raleigh, NC
Member since Feb 2005
7224 posts
Posted on 4/11/24 at 4:48 pm to
Need tickets?
Posted by BZ504
Texas
Member since Oct 2005
10555 posts
Posted on 4/11/24 at 4:49 pm to
Explore New Orleans during the day if you’ve never been there. Put wallet in front pocket if walking in quarter. It gets dark there at night. Uptown NOLA near Tulane is pretty safe for the most part. I love LSU, but Baton Rouge kinda sucks to be honest. Walkons the night before game will be a good atmosphere. Try to eat at local places, not chains. New Orleans has tons of great restaurants.
Posted by vodkacop
Louisiana
Member since Nov 2008
7945 posts
Posted on 4/11/24 at 6:54 pm to
Do not stay at the Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center. Its a piece of shite and the front desk workers are assholes. I just stayed there this past weekend. Stay at the Courtyard Marriot, which is right by the hilton, it's just been remodeled and the people working there were super friendly. Also don't listen to that guy about staying in Nola he's trying to get you robbed or murdered. But if you're going to stay Baton Rouge downtown there's plenty to do and places to eat all witin walking distance of the Courtyard Marriot and there's tons of police around in the area. The wife and I felt very safe walking around last weekend. We went to boudreaux and thibodeauxs and listen to a decent band saturday night.
Posted by vodkacop
Louisiana
Member since Nov 2008
7945 posts
Posted on 4/11/24 at 7:06 pm to
Don't listen to this guy. Anyone who thinks it's an easy drive from nola to baron rouge, any day of the week especially a friday, is clearly delusional ir hasn't been to the area since the 90s. Walk ons service and food also has taken a nose dive lately. Do not get on a Grey hound in Nola that's a terrible area and you will be getting off in a part of baton rouge that is also a terrible part of town. Just don't man. Some might not agree but the wife and I went to the Queen casino on Friday and it was pretty nice since it was brand new and smoke free. Not sure I would stay to late here though it looks like it gets very crazy after midnight. Depending on what kind of food you like there's plenty of good steak houses around downtown BR but if you like fried seafood then you are even luckier because BR has plenty of great seafood joints.
Posted by michael corleone
baton rouge
Member since Jun 2005
5962 posts
Posted on 4/11/24 at 7:16 pm to
Don’t take a bus from the NOLA airport to BR. Take an Uber. It’s worth the 100$. Order it ahead of time and till likely be 65-75$. There is a group of Tesla Uber peeps that focus on the BR to NOLA airport route and are always looking for return fairs.
Posted by SalE
At the beach
Member since Jan 2020
2496 posts
Posted on 4/11/24 at 7:20 pm to
If you wear colors..avoid the student section during the game.....
Posted by NOLATigerinBR504
Member since Jan 2023
42 posts
Posted on 4/11/24 at 7:44 pm to
quote:

Choose Something Downtown or Off College Dr to be closer to campus, In my opinion- but none a nice hotel- Renaissance Hotel


The Renaissance Hotel has what some call the best kept secret in town. Tallulah Restaurant in the Renaissance Hotel. Tullulah is not a hotel restaurant. It is a restaurant, one of which that just happens to be situated in a hotel. It has a nice casual, upscale dining experience that nobody really knows about. It is perfect for that business lunch or that elegant night on the town.

I would say to stay at the Renaissance Hotel and go to Tullulah the night before imo.

Posted by One Arm Steve
Peach State
Member since Sep 2022
455 posts
Posted on 4/11/24 at 7:48 pm to
quote:

Just follow the rules of not being an a-hole or grabbing someone's wife's/girlfriend's arse, unsolicited, and you should be fine.


If solicited, dive on in podnuh!
Posted by ElderTiger
Planet Earth
Member since Dec 2010
7199 posts
Posted on 4/11/24 at 8:04 pm to
If this hasn’t been mentioned yet…LSU fans, especially on game day, are very into partying. But if you are receptive to a good time, you will be welcomed at just about any tailgate on campus. Tailgating starts early in the morning, no matter game time, and you can get a sample of Cajun food at its finest.
Enjoy the experience…you will have plenty of stories when you get home.
Oh…one more thing…AVOID Tigerland at all costs.
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