With two wins to start the football season, University of Mississippi fans are ready for our next big challenge: The University of Texas at Austin. Many students are gearing up for the 10 hour trip to Austin for this weekend’s game.
Ole Miss students preparing to visit Austin for the first time are ready for the new experience, but in a state without the Grove, what should visitors do while in Texas? Students who have made the trip before have a few suggestions about where to go and what to do for first-timers.
“It’s my first time to go to Texas, and I am very excited,” said Andrea Jordan, junior public policy leadership major. “I am going to the game, of course, but am having to sit by myself because there are no seats together anymore. Oh well, it’s for the game.”
For other Ole Miss students, the drive to Texas is a familiar route. Shelby Perry-Wilson, a junior hospitality management major from Arlington, Texas, is ready to visit her home state.
“I’m pumped to hang out with my friends that go to UT,” Perry-Wilson said. “And to eat the Mexican food, because it’s the real deal in Texas.”
Perry-Wilson is also excited to float the river with friends in San Marcos, a 20-minute drive from Austin and a Texas tradition.
Other Texas natives recommended favorite places to shop and eat in Austin.
“Dirty Martin’s Kumback Burgers is my favorite restaurant in Austin, hands down,” said Katie Terry, senior history and pre-nursing major. “Best burgers you’ll get. Waterloo Icehouse is an Austin original, as Austin used to be called Waterloo and the Icehouse stemmed from Waterloo records.”
For alternative things to do in Austin, Terry mentioned the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum (known as the Bob), the Alamo Draft House, Stand Up paddle boarding on Town Lake and Zilker Metropolitan Park.
Terry also recommends stopping by Kerby Lane, famous Tyler’s T-shirts and the Co-Op on “the Drag.”
“The Drag,” or Guadalupe Street, is located right by the UT campus and is hugely important to Austin culture and student life, filled with shops and restaurants recommended proudly by native Texans. Sixth Street is another important stop to fully experience UT Austin.
“The Drag has the best shopping and is right across from campus, and nightlife is on sixth Street,” said Bess Broadwater, sophomore hospitality management major.
Broadwater suggests stopping by Matt’s El Rancho, Hopdoddy Burger Bar or the Salt Lick for a bite to eat in Austin.
As for tailgating, the UT system is very different from Ole Miss’ beloved Grove.
“Tailgating is all over downtown,” Broadwater said. “In parking lots, parking garages, random fields. Some people just go to Scholz’ Garten to tailgate. It’s very different than the Grove.”
Whether making the trip to one’s home state, or entering a whole new experience, Ole Miss students visiting the University of Texas at Austin will all answer the same when asked, “Are you ready?”
