Visiting West Lafayette game day plans/tips?

Submitted by Helloheisman on
For those of you making the trip to West Lafayette... what are your game day plans? This is my first trip there and wondering if my group is better off finding a bar to pre-game or better off tailgating? If tailgating is the best option, where should we park? If the bar idea is the best option, what are the best bars? All of this based on everyone's past experiences.

DMill2782

September 18th, 2017 at 12:44 PM ^

Park in the D or T lot. The bars are going to be nuts because of homecoming and Breakfast Club. 

If you do prefer to do a bar, stay east of the levee. Go to Lafayette Brewing Company https://lafbrew.com/ or People's Brewing http://www.peoplesbrew.com/. Getting to the stadium from those locations will be a bit more difficult, but with a 4 PM kickoff you have plenty of time.

http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/pur/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/2017-1…;

learmanj

September 18th, 2017 at 3:06 PM ^

There is another thread about the Purdue game here:

 

http://mgoblog.com/mgoboard/purdue-game-ticket-information

 

I posted this in that thread:

"Parking is free everywhere except a few areas for tailgating. The golf course and north side of the stadium lots charge along with the intramural fields and surrounding areas sourhwest of Ross-ade stadium.

If you want to bar hop, I recommend parking in Lafayette (across the river) somewhere on Main Street and slowly making your way to the game. Stop by Lafayette Brewing company for craft beers and great food, DT Kirbys for the Chicago bar feel, Chumleys for over 100 beers on tap. You can hit Scotties, then Jakes, and you should hit Harry's for the Purdue nostalgia bar. The last three are considered more of the Purdue bars. It is probably a 1.5 mile walk in all, but lots of stops on the way and it lets you sober up on the way back (remember that they serve beer in the stadium). It lets you get out easy as well."

Perkis-Size Me

September 18th, 2017 at 1:57 PM ^

I'm curious as to how much of that is really Purdue playing well vs. Michigan fans traveling extremely well and getting tickets to a Purdue game isn't exactly a "hot ticket."

I give credit where credit is due, as Brohm has Purdue playing far better after only three games than Hazell had in three years. But I'm not expecting Purdue fans to flood the whole stadium with just their fans. I'd say at least 30-40% of the people at the game will be Michigan fans. Purdue has never exactly been a hostile road environment. 

Avon Barksdale

September 18th, 2017 at 1:12 PM ^

We pre-gamed at BWW which wasn't a bad deal and then went and found parking in one of the front lawns not too far from the University. Was reasonably priced and not a bad walk to stadium. Should be a lot of Maize & Blue there.

Bando Calrissian

September 18th, 2017 at 1:12 PM ^

I assume it would be really packed on gamedays, but I drove through West Lafayette last winter and stopped for breakfast at a place called the Triple XXX. While not a strip club with a a Ron Swanson-friendly breakfast buffet, it was still pretty awesome. A campus greasy spoon-type place straight out of the 1960s, with a pretty good pork sandwich and all sorts of things smothered in sausage gravy and such.

https://www.triplexxxfamilyrestaurant.com/

 

Kevin14

September 18th, 2017 at 2:14 PM ^

Purdue has a tradition called breakfast club where ppl go to the bars early dressed in full costume.  I've never done it, but I'm going for the first time this weekend.  It's supposed to be one of the cooler "tailgating" traditions in the Big Ten.

LKLIII

September 18th, 2017 at 3:58 PM ^

Same question here.  Rolling into town around noon.  Kickoff is at 4pm.  We won't be bar hopping, but kind of feel bad camping out at a restaurant for 3 hours.

What are the best tailgating locations?  Or favorite local eats?  We could basically do the lazy tailgate thing--get a take out order & then eat that at a tailgate spot.

Never been to W. Lafayette & looking for tips.

Maybe somebody should invade a Boilermaker discussion board & ask them?

UofMfanINcolumbus

September 18th, 2017 at 3:09 PM ^

I know this has already been covered, but what sections are the Michigan fans in? Currently on StubHub looking at tickets.

rob f

September 19th, 2017 at 9:06 PM ^

that the visiting team's allotment (according to hammerandrails.com) are usually in sections 117-120.

Here's the link to the Purdue ticket office if you want to avoid the high fees the resellers charge:

http://ev9.evenue.net/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/SEGetEventInfo?ticketCode=GS:I…

I bought 3 on Sunday evening in section 120, but I think you're going to see friendly Maize & Blue faces throughout Ross Ade Stadium. I'd bet at least 25%, if not more, of the crowd will be MICHIGAN fans. If not for it being their homecoming game, it might be closer to 35% with several thousand empty seats.

Be prepared for heat---I just checked the NOAA forecast; they're calling it sunny and 89°.

LKLIII

September 18th, 2017 at 3:54 PM ^

I live in the Chicagoland area, and we try to go to 1 game at the Big House each year, and 1 "away" game in striking distance from Chicago.  Usually we do Northwestern or Illinois, but this year we are trying Purdue for the first time.   Purchased tickets through the Purdue ticket office $85 per ticket but I *think* we've got prime seats.  Section 108 row 70--tiny stadium so I think it should be a good time.

 

We are ditching our toddler with Nana for the day.  Basically driving down & back the same day.  Should be an easy road trip.  It's amazing how efficient you feel once you HAVE toddlers & then leave them home for a trip.  Three adults in their 30's should be pretty low maintanence.

Plan is to arrive in W. Lafayette around noon local time.  We aren't big partiers, so drinking/bar hopping isn't really an option.  What do people suggest?

Pick a good restaurant & hunker down for a few hours?  If, so what do you recommend as options?  I'd feel badly about occupying a booth for so long though.

Or what are the best tailgating spots?  Particularly for non-partiers like us?  I know some schools have the loud/party lots and the more family friendly lots.

 

Then the plan is to bolt right after the game ends at 8pm or so, be back home by about 10:30pm or 11pm.

 

Suggestions for some oldsters who want to kill 3-4 hours from noon to 4pm in W. Lafayette?  Classic must-visit restaurants?  Or good tailgating locations?