Get your road game on – The 225 travel guide for the 2012 season

Following the Tigers on the road doesn’t have to mean drive-thrus, economy lodges and watching TV in the hotel just waiting for game time. Whether you travel with family, a significant other or a group of fun-loving friends, each destination on LSU’s schedule offers something worth experiencing. Here’s your 225 guide to making vacations out of LSU road games.

Where to stay for convenience:
The Hotel At Auburn University (auhcc.com) on College Street is closest to campus, area art galleries, shops and Toomers Drugstore, with its renowned floats and lemonade. The Hotel also has a stellar rustic Italian restaurant and bar onsite called Ariccia.

Where to stay for fun:
The Best Western Windsor Hotel (windsor-americus.com) in nearby Americus, Ga., known to locals as “the castle,” is a restored 1892 Victorian hotel re-opened in 2010 with modern amenities—but a vintage feel. Floyd’s Pub and Rosemary & Thyme Restaurant, both onsite, bring visitors straight to turn-of-the-century Southern grandeur.

What to do:
This slice of Alabama is a golf-lover’s paradise, nestled along the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. Grand National (rtjgolf.com/grandnational) in nearby Opelika offers 54 holes of lush fairways and greens, including the gorgeous 230-yard island green on hole 15. In Columbus, adventurers can get in touch with their animal instincts at the Wild Animal Safari (animalsafari.com), whitewater raft down the Columbus River (columbusriver.com) or explore the stars at the Coca-Cola Space Science Center (ccssc.org) at Columbus State University.
Shoppers hunting for unique finds need look no further than the antique stores lining Columbus’ popular historic district or relive elementary school cafeteria jealousies while perusing the world’s largest collection of lunchboxes at The Lunchbox Museum (lunchboxmuseum.com).
Of course, the trails, grounds, water sports, fishing and resort at Callaway Gardens (callawaygardens.com) in nearby Pine Mountain offer a relaxing respite from the adrenalin thrills of game day.

Where to eat:
A popular game-day restaurant near campus since 1991, Amsterdam Café (amsterdamcafeaudurn.com) offers a seasonal, Southern-inspired farm-to-table menu and impressive cocktail and wine lists.
Zazu Gastropub (zazuauburn.com) blends a traditional English-style eatery with a fresh seafood-focused menu that includes Cornbread Waffles and Shrimp, Cedar Planked Salmon and a range of grilled burgers.
Crepe Myrtle Cafe at Blooming Colors (crepemyrtlecafe.com) offers savory crepes, egg scrambles and fresh-baked muffins and scones for a quaint breakfast near campus.
In Columbus, Meritage Café (meritagecafe.net), owned by former Louisianan Faye Simmons, serves up pressed paninis and wraps at lunchtime and courts crowds at a popular martini bar in the evenings.
One of Columbus’ premier locally owned restaurants is The Market (thefreshfishmarket.com), and with its Parmesan Crusted Trout and popular Low Country Boil, it’s easy to see why.
But if you’re lusting for a fried poboy or hot bowl of seafood gumbo, Café Le Rue (cafelerue.com) is a great option for Louisiana comfort food.
Between meals, don’t forget to nosh on this area’s go-to sweet snack, peanut brittle, made with Georgia’s finest.

Where to stay for convenience:
Across the street from the University of Florida’s main campus, Holiday Inn University Center (theuniversityhotel.com) includes free parking, a restaurant and lounge and an onsite Enterprise Rent-A-Car.

Where to stay for fun:
Bordering Bivens Arm Lake in the middle of a sweeping nature preserve, Paramount Plaza Hotel & Suites (paramountplaza.com) offers gorgeous views and a complimentary shuttle to campus.

What to do:
Want to catch a show? The historic Hippodrome State Theatre (thehipp.org) is the centerpiece of downtown Gainesville, with independent movies, touring plays and musicals.
Experience Halloween thrills early at The Bat House (wec.ufl.edu) on Lake Alice, where thousands of winged rodents fly en masse over the waters (and the heads of picnickers) at sunset.
More than 270 bird species, bison and—of course—gators are on view in their natural habitat at Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park (floridastateparks.org).
The Sunday after the game, travelers can rev their engines at the Gainesville Raceway (importfaceoff.net), which hosts the Import Face-off drag race on Oct. 7.
Shoppers can visit The Oaks Mall (theoaksmall.com) for dozens of popular retail stores, restaurants and a large children’s play area, or explore the unique boutiques and furniture stores of downtown Gainesville (shophistoricgainesville.com). Also downtown is the Wine & Cheese Gallery (wineandcheesegallery.com), offering an astounding 3,000 selections of sips as well as tastings and popular wine dinners.

Where to eat:
A little vintage, a little hipster, a lot of delicious, The Top (352-337-1188) offers a fun martini bar and photo booth with classic comfort foods and plenty of vegetarian and vegan dishes, too.
For traditional Latin fare with a Gulf Coast twist, try Flaco’s Cuban Bakery (flacosgainesville.com), a locally owned hotspot that prides itself on its Cuban coffee and media noche.
Set in a converted Gainesville home and the adjoining courtyard, The Fat Tuscan (fattuscan.com) offers dining al fresco or in more intimate environs with classically Italian and Mediterranean pasta and seafood dishes.
Seasonal, organic and largely vegetarian, The Jones East Side (thejoneseastside.com) makes healthy eating delicious with fresh omelets, paninis and stir fries. An out-of-the-ordinary café in more ways than one, The Jones also offers craft beer and imported wine.
In the heart of downtown Gainesville sits the chic Paramount Grill (paramountgrill.com), offering brunch, lunch and dinner—including a Crabcake Benedict, Braised Buffalo Short Ribs and Grilled Duck.

Where to stay for convenience:
Hampton Inn College Station (hamptoninn.hilton.com) is so close to campus you’ll be able to walk to the game in no time flat—even if you’re not allowed to step on the university’s hallowed grass.

Where to stay for fun:
Go big in one of the large and creatively over-the-top “Magnificent Seven” suites at Hotel Zaza (hotelzaza.com). Yes, it’s in Houston, but any Tiger fan making this road trip ought to consider spending more time in H-Town than in Bryan or College Station.

What to do:
Friday night before the game, make your way down Houston’s Washington Avenue nightlife corridor. Casual joints like The Corkscrew (houstoncorkscrew.com) and Max’s Wine Dive (maxswinedive.com) serve great eats, too, and the Boneyard (boneyardhouston.com)—which doubles as a dog park—is another popular destination for locals.
Or with more time on Friday, tour Space Center Houston (spacecenter.org) so the kids can see the real Houston rockets. Skip the astronaut ice cream and go for the real thing at Fat Cat Creamery (fatcatcreamery.com), serving locally sourced artisan ice creams like Strawberry Buttermilk and seasonal Pumpkin Pie Push-Pops at eight outlets across Houston.
Box 13 (box13artspace.com) offers art lovers a great look at cutting-edge creations from resident artists in a variety of disciplines.
Closer to A&M, brush up on your history at the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum (bushlibrary.tamu.edu) or enjoy the fall weather while touring the Messina Hof Winery and Resort (messinahof.com), established by an Italian immigrants in 1977.

Where to eat:
Part steakhouse, part craft brewery, The Republic (therepublic1836.com) in Aggieland is a popular date-night hot spot for serious foodies and a lively bar open ’til midnight.
Looking like it was airlifted, tables and all, out of Austin’s South Congress district, Veritas Wine & Bistro (veritaswineandbistro.com) offers its visually inventive, upscale steak and seafood cuisine as a “full sensory experience.”
In Houston, skip the traditional BBQ joints and instead grab a bacon cheeseburger at a wine bar. The swanky Plonk (plonkbistro.com) serves up Houston Press’ best burger of 2011, toasted in a pizza oven and topped with Swiss cheese and caramelized onions.
With four locations around Houston, it’s hard not to be near a Mia Bella (miabellarestaurants.com). The classy bistro serves up Italian favorites as well as a mighty savory brunch, perfect for the Sunday after the Tigers trounce the Aggies.

Where to stay for convenience:
Staybridge Suites Fayetteville (ichotelsgroup.com/staybridge) is adjacent to the university and a short walk to Razorback Stadium. The affordable hotel includes complimentary breakfast, free wi-fi and an indoor pool.

Where to stay for fun:
A true getaway, an historic mill converted into a 46-room hotel known as The Inn at the Mill (innatthemill.com) offers rooms appointed with details reflecting popular periods of art and architecture from Claude Monet to Frank Lloyd Wright. And for dinner, from the creative mind of Chef James Miles comes James at the Mill, a high-end steak and seafood destination restaurant onsite.

What to do:
Since 2002, Fayetteville has been building a citywide network of bike trails and greenways. Rent a two-wheeler at Bike City Cyclery (bikecityrecyclery.org) and explore the historic downtown district of the city.
Or get motorized in honor of fired Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino and follow the popular motorcycle trail from Fayetteville to Eureka Springs (eurekasprings.com).
Staying closer to Fayetteville, Tiger fans can take a relaxing, picturesque stroll through the Botanical Gardens of the Ozarks (bgozarks.org), or give flight to the dreams of young pilots with a visit to see the Hueys, Skyhawks and Lear jets on display at the Arkansas Air and Military Museum (arkansasairandmilitary.com).
History buffs and dyed-in-the-wool Democrats will enjoy a visit to the Clinton House Museum (clintonhousemuseum.org), where Bill and Hillary first lived. The former president and current secretary of state were actually wed in the modest home that features artifacts and historical notes from their rise to political prominence.

Where to eat:
Focusing on gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches and homemade soups, Fayetteville’s latest favorite is Hammontree’s (hammontreesgourmet.com), in versions both brick-and-mortar and food truck—dubbed “The Falcon.”
Much like Baton Rouge’s love of Mediterranean fare, against the odds, Thai food has taken off in Northwestern Arkansas. With its spicy Pad Thai, Pan-Seared Prawns and Flank Steak with Pomegranate Berry Sauce, Twin Kitchen Café (479-527-6780) is a great choice.
The speakeasy of Fayetteville restaurants, Hugo’s (hugosfayetteville.com) is located in an idyllic basement bar off of an historic town square. Celebrating its 35th anniversary this year, Hugo’s features award-winning burgers, hand-cut fries and the locally renowned beer cheese soup and Grasshopper dessert crepes.
For coffee, dessert or a nightcap, Common Grounds (commongroundsar.com) offers everything from seasonal cheesecakes and caramel pecan brownies to Butterscotch Coffee, espresso, milk shakes, cocktails and sweet martinis.