Athens, GA: The Perfect Fall Football Weekend Getaway

Fall weekends at the University of Georgia bring thousands of sports enthusiasts to the campus, eager to enjoy a fun-filled Georgia Bulldogs football weekend in Athens, Georgia beyond the hedges of Sanford Stadium. There's nothing like SEC football, and we like to think Athens is one of the finest SEC towns on the schedule! With fantastic live music and entertainment, several unique tour options and award-winning dining choices, traveling fans of all ages are sure to be pleased. 

The game day energy circulating through fans crowded into Sanford Stadium continues long after the final whistle is blown. Downtown Athens, the heart of this historic college town's live music scene, boasts world-famous musical venues that big-name bands and artists, including Widespread Panic, the B-52's and R.E.M, can call home to. Weekend evenings are particularly exciting, as clubs like The 40 Watt, the Melting Point and the Georgia Theatre play host to various concerts and performances. 

Athens, Georgia Music History Tours offer an in-depth look at how the city became the musical mecca that it is today, by guiding fans through the Classic City's most influential music sites. The Athens Welcome Center has an extensive list of even more self-guided tour options exploring the town's local heritage. Of these include the Downtown Athens tour, the Milledge Avenue tour and the Civil War Tours of Athens. 

For a unique culinary experience, Athens Food Tours offer a wide variety of guided walking food tours for eaters of all fitness levels. Options include regularly-scheduled neighborhood tours of Athens, Georgia's Five Points, Prince Avenue, Downtown, or Normaltown areas, or partaking in specialty themed tours. Participants will enjoy an array of local and regional cuisine, prepared by many of Athens' most celebrated restaurants. 

To continue the tailgate even after the game is over, fans can take a trip to the award-winning Terrapin Beer Co. for a tour of the brewery, complete with tastings of the facility's house-crafted brews. Live music is performed each night, to be enjoyed by adults, children, and even pets. Terrapin offers tours Wednesday through Saturday evenings, beginning at 5:30 p.m., lasting until 7:30 p.m. The tour is free, with the option of purchasing a pint glass for $10, or a specialty glass for $12 for the tastings. 

Win or lose, hungry football fans cannot complete a visit to Athens without stopping in at any one of the city's acclaimed eateries. The Five Points area boasts the James Beard award-winning chef Hugh Acheson's upscale restaurant 5 &10. Downtown Athens is home to Farm 255, a unique dining experience that promises farm-to-table freshness, using only seasonal and sustainable food grown by local farmers. A terrific Sunday brunch can be enjoyed at Athens' favorite music-club-turned-restaurant, the Last Resort Grill. For a complete a list of the city's excellent dining options, visit  http://www.visitathensga.com/.

Whatever it is that you and your family want to do this fall during UGA football weekends, Athens, Georgia has a variety of activities, events, and locales that will make for the perfect weekend getaway!  Check out our 2012 UGA Football Weekend page at www.VisitAthensGA.com/football for more ideas and tips on where to park, where to eat, and what to do.

--Elizabeth Bertrand