<p>Hi,
I have a son in the honors program at A&M who will be getting his ring next month.
My question is do most out of state parents fly in for this event? It occurs during "Parents
weekend" and unfortunately any hotel within an hour from College Station is completely booked. I'm trying to work something out but coming from Wisconsin is not proving to be easy! I could fly out the following weekend to celebrate with him, but worry that the day won't be as special without a family member present. Any input would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!</p>
<p>I’ve never personally been to a ring dunk without the parents there. As a kid though I’d understand if there were circumstances that prevented it. Then again every ring dunk I’ve been to has their family and parents in Texas.</p>
<p>Ring day is an awesome event that is definitely better if you have someone to share it with - friends will do if parents can’t attend. I have been with kids who did not have their parents there but had a friend or two to celebrate with. </p>
<p>If you are not able to attend, try to make sure your son gets one of the official photos - they have professional photographers that will take each kid’s picture in front of one of the background items (like the giant aggie ring, the cannon for corps members, can’t remember the other choices). </p>
<p>It is a fun day but if you can’t attend you will be here for his graduation soon and that day will be even more important and exciting.</p>
<p>Thanks for the responses. It’s hard not to feel guilty when you are so far away.
I have found a few hotel openings in Rockdale, TX and it looks like it would be about
a one hour drive. Does that sound about right, or would it be a tough drive at night?
I’d really like to make it if at all possible.</p>
<p>I just tried to book a hotel stay for his graduation but they said I have to call exactly one year prior to the date…or that would be full also!</p>
<p>Are hotels near Navasota, Hearne, or Caldwell booked up? Are you flying into Houston or driving?</p>
<p>Yes all booked up. We will be flying into IAH.</p>
<p>Rockdale is about an hour away. Mapquest says 50 minutes. I travelled through the area last summer. It’s mostly Interstate with little traffic. Madisonville is a little closer. Good luck!</p>
<p>It isn’t a bad drive from IAH airport to College Station - about 1.5 hours - you could look for a hotel in Hempstead or on outskirts of Houston and make the drive. Not perfect, but doable.</p>
<p>If you fly into IAH your best bet would be to get a hotel on the north west side of houston on highway 290. It is a hour away from CS but the highway is very safe and easy to drive. </p>
<p>The other town to look at is Conroe which is north of Houston. I don’t like the highway as much (you would take 105 to highway 6).</p>
<p>Let us know if you want us to make any specific suggestions on hotels!</p>
<p>Very smart on the graduation planning - things are really crazy on those days!</p>
<p>Holiday Inn NW is on the corner of Highway 290 and FM 1960 in Houston. It would take about 30 minutes to get there from IAH and then about an hour and 10 minutes max to get to CS. </p>
<p>The city of Tomball is another possibility I just thought of - that is closer than the other options.</p>
<p>Wow, thanks everyone…very helpful information. I’ll check into those areas and see if anything is open. I know there is a Sleep Inn in Franklin for about $120.00 a night (maybe 45 minutes away?). The Hilton in College Station has a room but it is $300.00 a night and I just can’t swing it. Conroe may be a possibility, Silverleafs Piney Shores Resort is an option through the condo rentals and very reasonable. Haven’t booked the flights yet but most likely would get in around noon on Friday and go straight to A&M. Can’t imagine how many people will be at the University that weekend with so many cities sold out!</p>
<p>S2 while home during spring break, ask us if we want to be there for his Ring Day. So, last minute we book the flights plus hotel. Eventhough it is parents weekend, it does not seems to be much to do. After he pick up the ring, take picutures, what else we suppose to do. What is Ring Dunk? Is that something S2 arrange just do it himself or with classmates? The web site of ring day / parents weeded did not say anything. We kind of loss. Sorry we sound so naive, we are not Texan and OOS.
[Home</a> | Parents’ Weekend Committee](<a href=“Family Weekend – New Student & Family Programs”>Family Weekend – New Student & Family Programs)
[Aggie</a> Ring Day](<a href=“http://www.aggienetwork.com/ring/ringDay.aspx]Aggie”>Aggie Ring Day)</p>
<p>Ring Dunk is where you put your ring in the bottom of a pitcher of beer and then chug it and catch the ring in your teeth. Usually friends do it together and the family watches.</p>
<p>Book something a little farther away that can be cancelled. Then, you can get on waiting lists of the hotels in town. Lastly, call the week of Ring Day and some hotel is bound to have an opening. But have something cancellable just in case!</p>
<p>did you try huntsville?</p>
<p>hard to believe that every hotel within an hour away would be booked!!!</p>
<p>there are rooms in brenham, huntsville, conroe, waller, and a few in CS.</p>
<p>how many people traveling? 2</p>
<p>i looked on priceline, hotwire and hotels.com.</p>
<p>i would be surprised if that many out of state parents would fly in for ring day, but i don’t know for sure.</p>
<p>Parents’ weekend events:</p>
<p>This is the 1st time we attend. We know ring day son has to go online and select pick up time ahead. We already registered for the parents’ brunch w/ DWL Engineering. For the “Singing Cadet”, it say ticket sold one week ahead. Can you buy the tickets ahead before that online or call in? What else we need to get ticket ahead?</p>
<p>S2 not sure is drinking age yet and he absolutely do not drink. It is also not a fun event for us to see him struggle to drink a pitcher of beer and probably throw up later. We wonder it will be awkward if he is the only one that don’t drink with his friend. A lot to ponder about this strange tradition. We will discuss with him and let him decides what is the best way to celebrate this seemingly very special occasion.</p>
<p>ring dunk is also done in other liquid… soda, milk, whatever. It’s not a hard fast rule/tradition it has to be beer. There are also various sized ‘pitchers’ -
It’s just fun if most of the beer goes on the grass… which is where I think most of mine went.</p>
<p>we will be visiting College Station for the ring dunk and parents weekend & made a -reservation at the Holiday Inn & Suites, 2500 Earl Rudder Frwy, College Station. They have a two night minimum; but we can only stay Friday night. they would not let us change the reservation but we would be glad to work with someone to figure out a way to make this room available for you on Saturday. We will be checking out in the morning.
please contact me if you are interested and we will try to work this out
our rate is
Fri 15 Apr 2011 $213.75 (USD)
per night (1 room(s))<br>
Tax 32.06) </p>
<p>paul reitz <a href="mailto:paulreitz5@aol.com">paulreitz5@aol.com</a></p>
<p>Thanks everyone for the input. Friday night finally opened up today through Hotwire.
Manor Inn - College Station, TX. Funny thing is that I still can not book directly through
the hotel. Hotwire must have had some rooms reserved that they wanted to release. Just happy to get something close so we can attend Midnight Yell without a long drive after wards!
Hadn’t thought much about “Ring Dunk”…should be interesting!!</p>