Suggestions for first trip to AA and first game in the Big House

plan on stopping at the Michigan Union.  In fact after the game if "fast food" is ok, it's an easy place to grab something to eat post game.  Relatively easy walk from the stadium.  Pre-game, you all will need some new Michigan gear - so stop at M Den (State & Liberty).

Finally, we tailgate north of the stadium so I tell my visitors to park at the underground garage next to the AAPL (between 5th and Division) and you can enter off either 5th or Division.  VERY clean underground lot for $1.20 per hour ... which beats the hell out of $50.

Going to be a very tough day weather wise !!!  Have fun 1

Go Blue! 

No joke - bring handwarmers. Bring feet warmers. Bring gloves. Dress warm. Layer up. Bring seat cushions - but the ones without the chairbacks - they won't let you in with those. Your experience will be so much better if you are prepared for it. 

Go to the mgoblue.com website.  They will have a list of pregame activities, and estimated times. 

Depending on the weather, I would encourage you to catch the drumline on Hoover street.  From there, you can grab a bite to eat at one of the vendors across the street and have a beer at the new tailate spot near the railroad tracks.  You can hang out in this area until the band starts it march into the stadium, which I always recommend to anyone who hasn't done it before.  You can walk with the band to the east steps of the stadium and then walk in.  The only drawback to this is that you will miss warmups by the teams, but, at least in my opinion, it is worth it for your first experience. 

Go Blue and have a great time.

Wow. Nice. Great. Fantastic.
Enjoy your guys weekend.
My recommendation:
Brown Jug for breakfast; Bloody Mary!
Dominick's for lunch; pizza and sangria!
Walk through The Diag. Law Quad. Reading Room Library. Walk around campus in general. Someone said walk into M Stadium with the band. Hell yes! Great suggestion. After the game, drinks wherever due to crazy amounts of people on campus. I'm partial to Charley's (used to work there). I'd get dinner reservations now though. Etc. Etc. Too much to do, see in a couple days. Have fun. Go Blue.

my advice for your first game: if your erection lasts longer than 4 hours, consult a physician

Don't drive to the game and pay ridiculous amounts and get stuck there for hours after the game.

If you're staying at a hotel by the mall, Jackson road or Plymouth and Green there will be free shuttles to the game, and parking and shuttle at the mall. I think there are shuttles from other park n ride areas too.

If you're staying out of A2 then drive to one of those spots to park on the perimeter and get a shuttle. If you're staying too far from a shuttle then take a cab or an illegal "ride share" like uber and it will be easier and cheaper than parking (unless you pay a high surge fee on a ride share)

On your way to the stadium to watch the warm ups make sure you walk a path from Hill and East U. down to Hill & State, left on State to Hoover, and take in the crazy several block long Animal House in Maize n Blue party on every lawn, porch and roof. A sea of Maize & Blue.

If the weather is better than forecast you'll be able to view some of that athleticism there that the other poster was referring to regarding the cheerleaders.

I can't imagine this is still possible, maybe somebody will chime in, & maybe you're not interested or in condition for it anyway, but you used to be able to get on the practice field at Ferry Field right after the game and throw footballs, kick field goals or play in tackle football games with no equipment! haha.

When it was the old style rug burn on cement artificial turf it was a blast in the rain or when it was wet like it seems like it will be, football on a slip n slide, but it kind of ruins the football part of it.

Either right after or just before the end of the game you may hear a chant of "BEAT O-HI-O!" Feel free to join in. Any tingling of your skin is normal.

Sneak into the stadium the second you arrive in Ann Arbor watch everything that happens until you sneak back out two hours before your flight. Sincerely, WD

If you have time I'd suggest a walk through the Diag on central campus and then through the law quad as someone has already suggested.  I'd suggest coming from East U and then entering the Diag through the engineering arch to the center of the Diag which is in front of the grad library.  Keep heading North -west until you reach state street, then walk south along state street past Angell Hall, spin the cube across the street, walk by the Union, then head into the Law Quad, which is kitty corner to the Union on the south-east corner of State and South U. It's a good amount of walking, but hopefully it will bring back good memories for your dad and also give you guys a great feeling for the campus feel. 

Sorry it will be a cold day. Hopefully the rain stays away. Bring lots of cash and your first born if you plan on buying a hot chocolate at the concessions. 

the walk along Hoover to the stadium and watching the multifudes congregate and walk that street in the march toward the Big House. I was reminded of that spectacle the other day when on WTKA, terrance Quinn and Marcus Ray talked about the spectacle of that humanity moving toward Michigan championship destiny on a gray November Saturday in 1997 and I was there and noted that spectacle myself. It was a sight to behold, one I will never forget. And hours later we rejoiced like never before.

I went back to AA this year for my first game there in 25 years -- and first time I was more of a tourist than a resident.

PARKING:  For a 3:30 game, the parking lots are pretty wide-open early in the morning (before 10 am).  I parked on the Thompson St. lot right behind West Quad -- $20 for the day, can't beat that, AND it puts you immediately next to the campus and everywhere you want to go.  Other reason to park near campus?  You can go to the car during the day.  Since you can't take anything into the stadium with you, in the morning you can do shopping, bring extra clothing, umbrella etc., and then just put it in your car before you head for the stadium.  Then after the game, put stuff in the car, or change sweatshirts etc.

PRE-GAME FOOD:  I would recommend the Pizza House -- even at around noontime for a 3:30 game, the wait wasn't long at all (15 min. or so).  Good food, nice clean place, has JMFH's seal of approval.  I saw someone recommended Little Brown Jug -- I do NOT recommend that.  Its packed from the moment it opens, and frankly, it's a total dive.

WHERE TO GO ON CAMPUS:  The Union has changed so much - IT HAS A STARBUCK'S???  When did THAT happen?  For Michigan gear:  Mo's and the M-Den on campus are the usuals.  BUT -- do NOT expect to make purchases at the M-Den before the game, the line is INSANE inside.  Go there JUST to see the line.  Better it to gear up?  Go to the M-Den at the Briarwood Mall on Friday night!  Not quite as large, but you can get all the same main gear (including the ponchos).

AFTER THE GAME:  Be forewarned, even 2 hrs after the game, it takes like 2 more hours to get from central campus to I-95 [Edit: I-94; been a while].  So definitely plan to go somewhere and chill for a few hours after the game.  Restaurants are pretty packed, probably too late to get a reservation, but definitely don't expect to drive out after the game.

Eat at mr spots.

Taking my wife and three kids (8,6,4)to the game Saturday. 6 hour drive. Kids are a little sniffly and my wife doesn't want to deal with the weather, but will go through with it if I don't show any signs of weakness. Should I skip it? Kids barely made it through the Colorado game. My wife's first game was the first app State and her other was our first Utah loss.

The museum is worth a look and I popped in recently before the Maryland game about 1.5 hours before kickoff and it wasn't packed. It is neat to see the different style of uniforms and exhibits about major games of the past. They have a cool display where every game played by the Wolverines is inscribed on a game ball.

Here is an example:

 http://www.mgoblue.com/view.gal?id=160681&slide=3

 

get a picture by the Bo statue and punch one of those fool Trump protesters for me!

Hillary for Prison

a must. Highly recommend the cornbeef and their fresh cole slaw!!!!!