<p>I can vouch for The Yellow Hammer. It’s not the most convenient as far as proximity to campus within Tuscaloosa, but the rooms are spacious and it is clean, relaxing, and in a good area. It’s basically surrounded by the residential area of North River Yacht Club. It’s older and shows its age a bit on the outside, but I think you’d like it. The inside is well maintained. There’s a huge elephant near the clubhouse…a great photo op! Traffic won’t be a problem from there, but it will take you 15-20 minutes to drive to University Boulevard. Like other hotels in the area, they generally raise prices and require a two night minimum on game weekends.</p>
<p>If you stay in Birmingham, add at least an hour to the normal travel time to get to Tuscaloosa.
A couple of years ago I checked out renting an RV. At the time it was $225 a night, plus mileage, plus gasoline. For that, you can get a fancy hotel room and somebody else will clean.</p>
<p>I feel I am going to regret not booking a room now for one game next fall. I had to stay in B’ham for the Miss State game this season. It was a very long drive back after the late game & I left a little early as the Tide had the victory well in hand. Maybe I will pick something & book it just in case.</p>
<p>Two part question HOTEL and TICKETS:
- HOTEL: We’ve made arrangements to attend the Georgia State Game. Since hotels were outrageously expensive in Tuscaloosa we booked a hotel in Hoover. I’ve received conflicting reports regarding after game traffic. An alum indicated we would need to allow 2.5 hours to get back to our hotel. Really? Another parent suggested we leave 15 minutes before the end of the game and should make it in 1 hour or…kick our son out of his room, make him sleep on the sofa and take his bedroom for 2 nights. He lives in an apartment with 3 roommates. Any thoughts?
- TICKETS- We do not have tickets to the Georgia State game. Should we wait till game day? Buy from Stub Hub, or as previous poster suggested look at sites such as Tider Inside Ticket Exchange or Tide Sport Ticket Board. </p>
<p>This will be our first game, what section should we try to find tickets for and what is a reasonable price to pay? We’d like good seats without spending a fortune.</p>
<p>An alum indicated we would need to allow 2.5 hours to get back to our hotel. Really? Another parent suggested we leave 15 minutes before the end of the game and should make it in 1 hour or…kick our son out of his room, make him sleep on the sofa and take his bedroom for 2 nights. He lives in an apartment with 3 roommates</p>
<p>even if you were to leave 15 minutes early, you’re going to face the same awful traffic because many use that tactic. </p>
<p>The issue is that by the time you get out of the stadium, walk to where the Crimson Ride picks up, and then the CR takes you to the parking lots, traffic will be at a standstill…for a long time.</p>
<p>Since it will take you an hour to get to Hoover ONCE you’re on the Interstate, you would have to allow an hour or more from the moment you leave your stadium seat to get to the Interstate. </p>
<p>I don’t know about the “kicking son out of his room idea”…some of the parents of his roomies may also have that idea and then your son and roomies would find too many peeps in their apt. </p>
<p>For THAT game, don’t need to buy from Stubhub…instead in the morning, go to the Quad and walk along University (around Denny Chimes)…many authorized people will be selling tickets…but have cash.</p>
<p>Hi. What a great game you picked! Homecoming is set for Saturday, Oct. 5 when the Crimson Tide hosts Georgia State. Not sure what time kick-off will be - but my advice would be to hang around post game - take in all the homecoming decorations and festivities - let the traffic clear out before trying to head toward Birmingham.</p>
<p>If you park by the SHC and take the CR to the stadium and need to return that way, I’m not sure how long the CR runs after the ending of a game. 2 hours? 3 hours? </p>
<p>Anyone know?</p>
<p>That is the problem with waiting for traffic to clear out. You’ve got to get out of the stadium, then wait in line for the shuttles to take you back to the parking lot. We are usually one of the last to get to the shuttles, as we have had the sky seats and are slow walkers. Usually, we have no problem finding our car, as most have left by the time we get to our car. When we stayed in Hoover, I remember sitting in about an hour’s traffic just to get out of Tuscaloosa. Once we got to the Mercedes plant, it was clear sailing. I would really not want to wait it out and chance missing that shuttle, as you will be very tired and not want to walk all the way back to the SHC to get to your car.</p>
<p>With the continuing construction on University of new frat houses, we may do the reserved parking that I believe doesn’t open up until game week. We do like to park down that way, by the Arby’s, and watch the band practice. </p>
<p>In fact, we were thinking of skipping Parents Weekend because son will be out of town, but after watching Saturday’s game, we’re excited to see our last Bama game and our last chance to see the Million Dollar Band!</p>
<p>I’m still looking for the number of hours after the game, the CR runs.</p>
<p>Q. What is the Crimson Ride Shuttle System and how does it work?</p>
<p>A. The Crimson Ride Shuttle System is the University’s on-campus transit system. Starting approximately three hours prior to kickoff, there will be 17 Crimson Ride buses that will be running gameday routes for fans. These buses will pick up at pre-determined pickup locations and will take fans to the southwest corner of the Quad. This service is free of charge to all fans on Gameday. Regular Crimson Ride weekend routes will run prior to the beginning of the Crimson Ride gameday routes.</p>
<p>After the game, the Crimson Ride will pick up fans on 9th Avenue located along the west side of The Quad. Click here to view a map with the pickup and drop-off locations.</p>
<p>As for that “three hours before kick-off”, I don’t think that’s true for late afternoon/night games. We’ve been able to use the CR to bring us to the Quad early in the day when there’s a night game. </p>
<p>Going to try to get more accurate info.</p>
<p>You guys are making me really happy that I made being within walking distance of the stadium a priority when we looked at condos. :)</p>
<p>Unless you leave at the beginning of the fourth quarter (and many do, no matter how the game is going), forget zipping back to the hotel room in Hoover. Bring a couple of folding chairs with you, a cooler with drinks and goodies to eat. Get back to your car at whatever time, unfold the chairs, open the goodies and relax for a while. Two or three hours after the game (and 2 might be enough for that particular game), get in the car and leave.</p>
<p>You still need to be prepared for some slow-downs in the interstate. You could also look at a map and take a different route there or back.</p>
<p>Kick son out: our daughter actually encouraged us to do then back when she was a student. She was going to be partying elsewhere anyway, and their parties START at midnight and wind down toward dawn. Talk with the son - he may be hosting the party!</p>
<p>Get a parking pass online for the lot by the medical center. That is where we parked last year for the Ole Miss game. Then, they will feed everyone out to the east from that side of the campus. We stayed in Hoover as well. It was not THAT bad, really. We stayed for the whole game. Made our way out of the stadium. Skipped the long line for the shuttle. We were not familiar with the campus at that time and walked to the car. Took a few wrong turns but made it to the car in about 30 minutes, we were not speed walking either but pretty leisurely checking out the sites. Once in the car they send you out a certain route so no being able to go back in certain way till way on down the road. Drove thru Wendy’s and then kept following the “forced route”. It was only on the north side of 20 that it moved a bit slower but not bad. Once we crossed over 20 till we got on the interstate it moved pretty good. Once on the interstate it was moving at normal speeds. We were at our hotel in about 1 1/2 hours max from the time we got to our car.</p>
<p>How can we get that pass for the lot by the medical center? Can you help me with a link?</p>
<p>[UA</a> Gameday](<a href=“http://uagameday.com/football/parking-info.php]UA”>http://uagameday.com/football/parking-info.php)</p>
<p>You can purchase them the week before the game for individual passes.</p>
<p>Question about tickets- we want to go to the Tennessee game, but the stub hub prices are really high. But, DD is in an apartment this year- The Retreat, so we’ll be staying there, which will help with the costs. </p>
<p>Does anyone know if the prices for tickets bought on game day at the quad are better than buying ahead of time from stub hub?</p>
<p>They can be cheaper, but it may be too early to tell. </p>
<p>how much were they on Stubhub?</p>
<p>Over $200 for the U3 home side seats. The ones on the other side are cheaper, but we’re there mainly because our DD is in the MDB, and I wanted to sit across from them, not on the same side. </p>
<p>They are also more because we want 3, not 2 or 4.</p>
<p>Last year, (our first at Bama), we went to the Western KY game, but I really want to go to an SEC home game. We went to the TN game in Knoxville with some friends.</p>
<p>I still say that if you are willing to take a chance, you can buy cheaper tickets outside the stadium, right after kickoff.</p>
<p>Well, we want to see the pre-game, since our D is in the pre-game squad. </p>
<p>Decisions, decisions…</p>