Wife and I will be out in South Bend for the Florida State/Notre Dame game. We still haven't purchased tickets to the game yet and a brief look at Stubhub shows plenty of tickets available right now. Should we look to buy tickets off of Stubhub now or wait and try to get a better deal/seats on game day? Any sections that are better than others? Are there a lot of options to purchase tickets around the stadium?
Looking forward to taking the game day experience in. Any suggestions on what to do around the stadium and places to eat/drink in South Bend before heading over to the stadium?
Thanks in advance!
The tailgate scene around the stadium will be a blast. Get there early and get a spot. Some people will be starting around 7-8am. Share a beer with some strangers. Almost everyone will be friendly.
For bars in South Bend, Corby's is a classic and a fun place. It's the bar Rudy goes to. The Linebacker is a dump where a lot of students, townies and visitors will go to late night. It's a complete clusterfuck and I hated that place but it might be more your style. Fiddler's Hearth is a bit more casual/relaxing and will often have live irish music and good bar food.
For food, Rocco's pizza is pretty popular friday before game day. It opens at 5 I think, so get there at 4:45-5 at the latest to avoid a long wait. After the game, if you don't have dinner plans, you might want to get a meal at south dining hall. They'll usually have a prime rib and lots of older alumni will be taking a meal there. The dining hall might remind you of the Harry Potter dining hall a bit.
On campus, check out the library and reflecting pool (that's there "touchdown jesus" is), the basilica, the admin building (the dome), and the be sure to see the grotto.
I am going to the Pitt game on October 13.