Boone tips from a local

While we want you to lose this Saturday, we want you to have a good time in your visit.

This year at Kidd Brewer, there’s a bit of a mess due to the quarter-billion-plus construction projects going on, so options are even more limited.

Parking

Parking in Boone will improve after Charlotte interstate construction projects wrap up.

This should help some. I’d try to minimize the number of vehicles. http://www.exploreboone.com/things-to-do/guide-game-day-parking/

Arrival

Tailgating “officially” starts at 9 a.m., but some people get their early and as long as there’s no open visible beer cans in the lots or general mayhem, you should be good.

I’d get there no later than Noon to get parking and to walk around.

App student tailgating is in most of Lot O, Peacock Lot. It get rowdy, but I’ve never seen fights or anything awful going on. Students jumping off trucks through tables? Yep. https://appstatesports.com/news/2019/7/25/athletics-new-lots-highlight-2019-football-parking-options.aspx?path=general

Going in

If you’re walking in, follow Rivers Street (main campus artery) and go up Stadium Drive. Your legs will feel it unless you’re in good shape. The right-side sidewalk (facing the stadium) ends but the left-side goes all the way up. That’ll take you straight up to the East Gate. I feared a backup last Saturday due to the West Gate being the normal entrance in past years, but I had no problems.

General Tips

  • For in-stadium concessions, I’d take cash as you’ll have more options. The main concessions on each side take cards and have long lines, but there’s smaller concessions for cash only customers, including on the hill.

  • Almost all if y’all will be on the East Side directly in the sun. If it’s above 70 degrees and mostly sunny, put on sunscreen and bring a hat and maybe sunglasses.

  • Stadium has a clear bag policy. No umbrellas or folding chairs.

  • Your team will be entering on the scoreboard side of the East Side. This is a temp thing due to the new endzone facility that will hopefully be done by next season.

  • Like y’all, we sell beer now. $7 for domestics, $9 for craft. AMB and Booneshine have POS locations in the stadium. Both also have brewpups (Booneshine’s is brand new) that serve food.

  • The Cardinal food truck behind the scoreboard is worth it. Their restaurant is on N.C. 105 in Boone and the food is quality. Their owners and a chef bought the space that is Lily’s across from the Holmes Center on Blowing Rock Road (next to TApp Room). They have some good, cheap drinking options and the food is good at a lower price point.

  • If you’re coming up 321 through Hickory and Lenoir, don’t speed in or around Blowing Rock (35 mph limit). They write over 1,000 speeding tickets a year just on U.S. 321.

  • If you’re coming up 421 through Wilkesboro, don’t speed in Wilkes County period. They have a very nice courthouse built off decades of speeding tickets given to App students.

  • Blowing Rock has some elite restaurants if you don’t mind spending a little more. Foggy Rock, Twigs, Bistro Roca, etc.

I’ll respond if you got a question.

EDIT: Forecast. Check http://booneweather.com/Forecast/Boone. You’ll have a pretty good idea by Wednesday.

8 Likes

Thanks for posting. How were the beer lines for game 1? They were extremely backed up here.

The main concession lines were long, but they’re always long. The smaller setups were more manageable. I saw a lot of people with beer cans so they did well.

Our concessions are done in-house, which has been a tough slog at times.

Are we allowed to bring in the portable stadium seats?

Seat cushions yes, but not anything with arms or pockets.

clt asks about the smoking policy in stadium

Great info, thanks! Really looking forward to this weekend

T-Dog, thanks for the tips. Can we park in the Social Services lot on Poplar Grove road and take the Applcart suttle to stadium? Is there a cost for suttle? Does this lot fill up?
Lastly, are there handicap parking spaces close to the stadium?

These fine? https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/academy-sports-outdoors-crew-stadium-chair#repChildCatid=7092531

Yes, the Social Services lot on Poplar Grove is fine as a pay lot ($25). Yes it has AppalCART that goes to the stadium. AppalCART (not a university or town entity) is completely free.

There’s not much in terms of handicap parking spaces for guests close to the stadium. There’s a handicap specific lot on Hill Street with a shuttle going straight to the East Gate.

I’d give App Parking a call at (828) 262-2878 with further questions, just to make sure. Obviously they’re closed today.

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RE; Smoking No smoking is technically allowed since it’s on a “Tobacco Free campus,” but I see people smoking on the hill. If you run into a police officer, they might tell you to put it out.

Another thing about open containers. If you’re on campus, you should be fine. It use to be that if you stepped on a sidewalk with one, a cop would start writing a ticket immediately. I’ve seen it happen. In the last 3-4 years, it’s gotten more relaxed, unofficially. I often take a roadie with me from tailgate to the stadium and throw it away while in line to get it and haven’t had a problem. If you’re not on campus, town of Boone police might see it differently. Just to be safe, put it in a cup or have a coozie making it less obvious.

RE: the seats with backs. I honestly don’t know. They’re not explicitly banned by the rules. App had the ones screwed into certain season ticket holder seats, but I’ve never seen someone try to bring one it, mainly because in the season ticket holder seats, the rows are so cramped anyway with seat backs.

I’ll try to find a definitive answer.

clt says thanks bro. One more, can you smoke on the track?

I think I read where anyone that only speaks in 3rd period can indeed smoke on the remains of the track. I don’t think it officially qualifies as a track now since it is not a complete circuit. It think now it is just an area made of rubber and asphalt with markings on it about ever few feet to give the appearance of “lanes.”

Where is the place you get ice in cups?

Jerry Richardson Stadium

Wherever witches wear bras.

The air pressure is so low at this elevation that ice sublimes and will not last long in a cup.

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LOL, this is the best answer ever to the dig of App not having ice. Sadly, few Appys would understand it, but count me as a fan of your chemistry humor! :laughing:

I try, especially on another school’s forum to not be in anyone’s face., and play along with some deprecating humor. Anyone that can enjoy good science humor is ok in my book.

I have not been around as much for this game. I know I was bugging the hell out of some of you last year.

Hopefully we have both have an injury free game.

Anyone know how quickly the handicap lot on Hill St. fills up?