Schools: Florida Gators and Georgia Bulldogs
Location Jacksonville, FL
Conference: SEC
Stadium: TIAA Bank Field (Capacity: 67,164)
Let’s set aside political correctness for just a minute to discuss the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party. While no longer the official name, the Florida-Georgia rivalry lives on in Jacksonville and has been the only location for this game since 1933. Half a sea of red, half orange & blue, this vibrant outdoor cocktail binge ties together two schools with long storied histories of success. Florida fans with their cutoffs and flip flops mix with Georgia fans in their sundresses and collared tees with the Florida sun beaming down on the banks of the St. John’s River. With all due respect to the rest of the division, this is the rivalry of the SEC East. Note: this matchup typically takes place in late October or early November.
The Weekend
Travel: Jacksonville’s airport is about a 20 minute drive from downtown Jacksonville, which makes this trip rather simple logistically given that most major airports will fly direct into JAX.
Lodging: I would recommend staying in downtown Jacksonville in order to take advantage of the festivities for the weekend. The entire city is focused on the game and plenty comes with that including an outdoor concert on the river, a block party and rooftop bars supporting the local scene all day Friday. The Hyatt Regency Riverfront is the best situated hotel that will keep you close to all the action. Alternatively, if you did want to stay by the beach, JAX Beach and Ponte Vedra are about 30-40 minutes from downtown and the stadium. While traffic can be difficult in Jacksonville, the directions are rather easy as you shoot up A1A and over to route 90 straight into downtown.
Local Food: If you head over to the Avondale area, about fifteen minutes from downtown, this is where your best restaurants in Jacksonville are in my opinion. Restaurant Orsay is a french bistro with southern influence and typically rated one of the top restaurants in the area. The Avondale Brick is a bit more casual, but also a good choice.
Local Drink: Downtown Jacksonville has a lot of rooftop bars that overlook the St. John river, which given you are likely to get good weather is something you’ll want to take advantage of. Near the stadium is Intuition Ale Works which is a brewpub with a nice rooftop. Between downtown and the Avondale area is River and Post, a bit more upscale cocktail lounge also situated along the river.
The Tailgate
RV City is the place to be outside the stadium. Make no mistake, this is one of the largest tailgates you will visit in your college football travels. Due to the large area outside of the stadium, upwards of 150,000 people show up to party – with many obviously not going into the game. If you want to truly experience this event, arrive early to the stadium to secure a spot in the parking lot. Tailgate Guys covers this location as well and can do the setup for you. There will be waves of people throughout the day arriving for what likely will be a 3:30pm kick. Partying will kick off in the wee hours of Saturday morning and continue through the game. Whereas other tailgates can get very involved with food, grills, spacing on a quad and catered food, all I suggest you do for this one is don’t forget your liquor.
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