Please Help With Ideas For FSU Visit

<p>My son and I will be flying to Tallahasse from MA next sat (1/22/11). We promised if he was accepted to FSU then we'd visit!</p>

<p>We'll arrive Sat around 3 PM, check into hotel. Looking at getting tickets to basketball game Sat night - good idea? (They're playing Boston College).</p>

<p>Sunday - do self-guided walking tour of campus. I just read we can visit dorms after noon, so we'll try to do that. If you had to choose 2 or 3 dorms, which would you look at? Also, explore area surrounding campus, bookstores, etc.</p>

<p>Monday - 11:30 AM appt with someone in his major (Athletic Training). Afternoon 3-5 PM official walking tour. We'll skip the info session since he's already admitted. We'll fly out Tues AM.</p>

<p>I'd love suggestions for restaurants to try (both on and off campus) and any other sights/activities we should see/do especially on Sun. We'll have a rental car.</p>

<p>His top 2 choices are Ohio State (which we've visited many times since his brother is there) and FSU, so this trip is very important. Thanks for your help!</p>

<p>Basketball game a great idea. They have a good team this year, with some moments of greatness (they knocked off #1 Duke at home this past week.) For dorms, if he is/might be honors visit Landis and Gilchrist. If not, visit Gilchrist or one of the older remodeled dorms on the east side, visit Dorman or Deviney for one of the old dorms, and visit Wildwood or Degraaf for one of the new dorms. This gives you a pretty good idea of what is available. You go up to the main entrance, ring the bell, and explain you are touring the campus. Often, there will be a student around who might show you their room. </p>

<p>For food, if you are looking for student hangouts, visit places near the U on Tennessee or Pensacola. Student will come on and give names. My favorite for breakfast is Bagel Bagel on Pensacola. </p>

<p>Eat on campus at Suwanee or Fresh Foods for sure while you are there. Visit the Starbucks at the library. OK, visit the library but you have to see the Starbucks. </p>

<p>The University Center is the name of the buildings that surround the stadium. Their size is misleading. The stadium is so big it somewhat dwarfs the buildings surrounding it. But it is worth a walk around, entering at each main entrance (A,B,C,D). The stadium is ALWAYS open during the day, enter by the Visitors Center. You can’t walk on the field but you can go up into the stands. And on the opposite end from the visitors center, walk around and enter and walk through the Coyle E Moore Athletic Center. Lots of memorabilia on display. If you tell them you are accepting and interested in AT, you might get in to the AT facilities at the Moore center. THEY ARE AMAZING.</p>

<p>Check out the Leach Student Recreation Center if your son is into athletics, it opens at 11:00 a.m. on weekends. Too, make sure you have a good campus map handy. If someone tells you “it’s the brick building over there” you’ll need it, all of FSU’s buildings are brick.</p>

<p>If you have an iphone or a smartphone, check out the free FSU app. It has a GREAT MAP with a search function ,and for the iphone a “you are here” function.</p>

<p>a fun place to eat is the Genghis Grill–Mongolian Stir Fry…for casual dinner. It’s a lively place where you get a bowl and pick out your ingredients and they stir fry it for you.</p>

<p>Thanks for your help everyone! We did get tickets to the basketball game and are very excited about that.</p>

<p>The appointment we have with the Athletic Training Dept. says to meet at UCD - I’m guessing this must mean University Center entrance D? Any ideas? I think we’ll get to see the AT facilities.</p>

<p>On Sunday I think we’ll just explore the campus and surrounding area and visit the dorms (thanks for those suggestions BTW) and check out the rec center (which is very important to my son).</p>

<p>It will be nice to get away from the 18" of snow, 1" of ice and temps in the teens that we’ve been enjoying lately.</p>

<p>I’ll try to report back after our visit. Thanks again.</p>

<p>UCD would be University Center D, which is the stadium essentially.</p>

<p>That basketball game is going to be huge on Saturday. Hope you enjoy your visit!</p>

<p>UCD is the entrance to the Moore Athletic Center. It is on what is often referred to as the back of the stadium. It is right where the statue of Bobby Bowden sits, and the opposite side from the Visitor Center and the statue of Chief Osceola and Renagade. You will be getting the behind the scenes tour of the AT facilities. </p>

<p>My D was thinking about an AT major while in HS, and spent 2 weeks at a summer program the AT dept has for high school “student trainers” or those interested in AT. While she did not decide on AT, she fell in love with FSU that summer, and never looked back.</p>

<p>you DEFINITELY need to go eat at mr.robotos! it’s cheap hibachi that most students here are in love with. there’s one on tennessee street and one on pensacola. make sure you get the yumyum sauce with it.</p>

<p>Some suggestions:</p>

<p>[Bradley’s</a> Country Store](<a href=“http://www.bradleyscountrystore.com/]Bradley’s”>http://www.bradleyscountrystore.com/) - A really neat drive down historic canopy lanes to a 1930s country store.</p>

<p>[Bradfordville</a> Blues Club](<a href=“http://www.bradfordvilleblues.com/]Bradfordville”>http://www.bradfordvilleblues.com/) - Superb Blues in an authentic Southern “Juke Joint”. May be more adult oriented, but really a gem of a local music club. Lots of grad students attend. Some OUTSTANDING Blues musicians play at this out-in-the-woods Juke Joint.</p>

<p>[Florida</a> Capitol Building](<a href=“http://www.flhistoriccapitol.gov/planvisit.cfm]Florida”>http://www.flhistoriccapitol.gov/planvisit.cfm) How can anyone visit Tallahassee and not see the Old Capitol?</p>

<p>[Jim</a> and Milt’s BBQ](<a href=“Demo Slot Online - Slot Demo - Demo Pragmatic Play - Link Slot Gacor Gratis”>http://jimandmilts.com/) A long time rustic favorite of FSU students and alumni.</p>

<p>[Wakulla</a> Springs State park](<a href=“http://www.floridasprings.org/expedition/wakullaflash/]Wakulla”>http://www.floridasprings.org/expedition/wakullaflash/) Incredible natural beauty and a HUGE freshwater spring near to Tallahassee.</p>

<p>[Pebble</a> Hill Plantation](<a href=“http://www.pebblehill.com/]Pebble”>http://www.pebblehill.com/) Little known fact - Tallahassee is home to some incredibly wealthy families and has been for a very long time.</p>

<p>[Mom</a> and Dad’s Italian Restaurant](<a href=“http://momanddadsitalian.com/]Mom”>http://momanddadsitalian.com/) Another long time favorite of FSU students, faculty and alumni. Avoid the chain restaurants…sample the local fare.</p>

<p>[Spring</a> Creek Restaurant](<a href=“springcreekfl.com”>http://springcreekfl.com/) Take a drive down to the coast for some local seafood.</p>

<p>[Decent</a> Pizza](<a href=“HugeDomains.com”>http://www.decent-pizza.com/) One of our favorite pizza spots.</p>

<p>Hope this helps. There are MANY more things to do and see…</p>

<p>By the way, the Mom and Dad’s Italian Restaurant we visit is in Tallahassee on US 27, not the restaurant in Thomasville, GA. </p>

<p>See: <a href=“http://www.10best.com/destinations/florida/tallahassee/tallahassee/restaurants/mom-and-dads-italian-restaurant/[/url]”>http://www.10best.com/destinations/florida/tallahassee/tallahassee/restaurants/mom-and-dads-italian-restaurant/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Don’t forget the cheese grits at Spring Creek.</p>

<p>Well we’re back and had a wonderful visit - thanks again for all of your suggestions!
Our plane was delayed on Sat. so we didn’t check in to our hotel until 5:00 and left for the basketball game at 6:00. We had a lot of fun at the game and are so happy that it was our introduction to FSU - I highly recommend it.</p>

<p>We explored the campus on our own on Sunday and asked to have someone show us Wildwood. Well, we ended up with someone in training who spent 2 1/2 hours with us! It was like we had our own personal tour guide. He showed us his dorm room, the movie theater, the rec center, student union, etc. He also offered to answer any questions my son may have after we get back home. This was a huge bonus. Oh and the weather was beautiful (it was -20 back home!).</p>

<p>On Monday we met with the Director of the Athletic Training program and were very impressed. My son got to go in the football locker room, see where the recruits are taken to watch the games and lots of other cool behind-the-scenes places. We had lunch in the FIG Dining room with the athletes. We did the Garnet walking tour from 3-5 PM and was the first time we got as far as Landis Green. The tour was good, but our guide wasn’t as “into” it as we would have liked. This tour was added on, so maybe he hadn’t planned to do it?</p>

<p>Our overall impressions-
Good: Beautiful campus, very friendly people (both on campus and off), easy to get around, free student tickets (football, basketball, concerts, etc) and free student parking (and freshmen can bring cars). Loved the AT program and facilities and the dorms seemed good. Football traditions sound awesome! The stadium was beautiful and very unique how it incorporates other buildings. The weather!</p>

<p>Not so good: Everything was shut down on Sunday - and we really never found out what students do on the weekend. There wasn’t as much in the area surrounding campus as my son would have liked. </p>

<p>So my son wants to visit Ohio State one more time while FSU is fresh in his mind and then he’ll make his decision. We both feel he’d be very happy at either school and he has a tough decision ahead of him. I’m so glad we visited - what an amazing university!</p>

<p>'We explored the campus on our own on Sunday and asked to have someone show us Wildwood. Well, we ended up with someone in training who spent 2 1/2 hours with us! It was like we had our own personal tour guide. He showed us his dorm room, the movie theater, the rec center, student union, etc. He also offered to answer any questions my son may have after we get back home. This was a huge bonus. Oh and the weather was beautiful (it was -20 back home!)."</p>

<p>Aww, I’m kinda upset now! I’m a floor ambassador at Wildwood and my RA called me twice, but I was in Strozier due to accounting class stress and was unable to give the tour :\ I really wish I would’ve done it now! GO NOLES!</p>

<p>My major is Athletic Training as well,could you give me some more information about the meeting with the Athletic Director and the progrma itself. My family will be visiting FSU on April 1-3 for the Preview and to explore the campus and the city.</p>

<p>Back to the top…</p>

<p>If your looking for a good sit down place, go to the red elephant. It’s also next to one of those self serve frozen yogurt topping places:)</p>

<p>Back to the top…</p>

<p>I’m going to be going for a tour soon, but the website says all of them are completely full… I was able to get into an admissions session, but do you think they would mine if I showed up to the tour anyway…</p>

<p>First- I would contact the admissions department. I have to believe that if you have a strong desire to visit the school they will fit you in.</p>

<p>Otherwise, go for the admin session and then just join a group for a guided tour. It’s not like they take roll.</p>