Football Weekend Itinerary
Visit Iowa City for a full weekend to get the best game day experience in Hawkeye country. From outdoor recreation to shopping and all kinds of dining, you can make a different itinerary for each visit (because we bet you won’t come just once)!
Friday
Start the day with a round of golf or a ride your bike on the area’s extensive trail network. Tom Harkin trailhead is a great place to start. Fall is also a beautiful time to hike the trail on the cliffs overlooking the Iowa River at Squire Point.
Come afternoon, hop off Interstate 80 to check out Coralville’s Iowa River Landing. There you will find a variety of restaurants and shops. Take some time to go east to get a feel for Downtown Iowa City. Wander into shops, find some new Hawkeye apparel, or visit the Old Capitol Museum. It’s also a fantastic place to sit on a patio for a meal or beverage. Experience the city’s pedestrian mall, take photos of the public art murals, and stroll through the Northside neighborhood. Looking for live music? You’ll find something to suit your tastes at one of several live music venues. How about a little ax-throwing? Hatchet Jack’s also offers entertainment for those 18 and older. Big Grove Brewery is not far from there, or you could head north of the city to check out Cedar Ridge Winery and Distillery.
You will have more dinner options than you know what to do with. See Iowa City from above at Vue Rooftop or have a steak night at Joseph’s Steakhouse. Sea food lovers will savor St. Burch Tavern. Those are just a slim few of the many options to choose from.
Saturday
Today’s the day. Game day at Iowa is a sea of black and gold with over 100,000 people outside the stadium. Walk along Melrose Avenue to take in the tailgating festivities or find a spot of your own to anchor down. Lawn games, great food, and cold drinks are encouraged. Grab a bite from one of the vendors along Melrose, including the World Famous “Big A## Turkey Leg” at the corner of Melrose Avenue and Melrose Place. Watch the Iowa Football team exit the buses and enter Kinnick Stadium on the south side, with each player and coach touching a bronze helmet next to a 20-foot-tall Nike Kinnick statue. At an hour and fifteen minutes before kickoff you can watch the Iowa Hawkeye Marching Band play at the UI Recreation Building northwest of the stadium.
Inside Kinnick is an experience unlike any others in the Big Ten Conference. The Hawkeyes enter the field as a swarm to “Back in Black” by AC/DC, alongside waving gold I – O – W – A flags. Those same flags are flown after every Hawkeye score with different sections yelling each letter to spell Iowa. Cheer alongside 70,000 fans, sing the Iowa Fight Song with the Marching Band, and wave to the kids inside the Stead Family Children’s Hospital, dubbed the Iowa Wave. It’s an unforgettable environment and chills worthy every single time. With a Hawkeye win, sing the Iowa Victory Polka with the whole crowd. It’s pizza for dinner and you are sure to enjoy the locally famous Pagliai’s Pizza and Wig & Pen.
Sunday
Take a leisurely morning by visiting one of many great brunch spots – Iowa River Power, Bluebird Diner, and Tin Roost are a few of the local picks. If you would like to go where presidential candidates have ventured before Hamburg Inn is the place for you. After, visit Wilson’s Orchard which is a treat in the fall for kids and adults alike. The family-owned orchard with an on-site event venue and restaurant offers apples (u-pick or pre-picked), apple cider donuts, slushies, and more. It’s a retreat just north of town that feels much more removed in the best way. Beginning late-September, Colony Pumpkin Patch is also open and a seasonal favorite for pumpkins, activities, and corn maze. Have a safe drive home and do it all over again the next home game!
