Greetings from a Boise State fan

[bsubronco]

Hi Falcon fans,

Well first let me start off by saying that I have a huge respect for the BG Falcon program and especially the fan base. You guys have been one of the best fan bases to interact with that I can remember.

My wife and I are considering traveling to Ohio for the BSU vs BGSU game in September. We usually make one road game a season and this year we have decided on the Bowling Green game.

We are planning on flying in to Cincinnati, visiting the Creation Muesem down by Cincinnati and then driving up to Bowling Green for the game.

What kind of advice or information can anyone give as far as places to stay in Bowling Green, places to eat in Bowling Green, the best way to get from the Creation Muesem up to Bowling Green. Are there any places we should avoid while traveling? Where's the best place to park for the game? The best seats for the game and how to get tickets? Things of that nature.

Thanks in advance.

[Bleeding Orange]

Hmm...where to start.

I'm not familiar with the Creation Museum, but Bowling Green is a straight shot north from Cinci on I-75. I've never really been to Cincinnati before, so I wouldn't be of much help in advising you about places to avoid down there. Between there and BG, there isn't much to avoid, except for livestock, I suppose.

There are several hotels in Bowling Green, including a Hilton Garden Inn, Holdiay Inn Express, and Days Inn, among others, and most of them are right in the vicinity of the stadium. You asked the million dollar question regarding where to eat in Bowling Green - expect this thread to turn into a two page slug fest over the virtues of stuffed breadsticks and Myle's Pizza. Here is a brief rundown of some that I am familiar with:

Myle's Pizza - pizza like you've probably never had it before, a burnt cheese lover's paradise
Pollyeyes - a cool little pizza joint that specializes in stuffed breadsticks, which are some of the most magical things that I have ever eaten in my life
Trotter's Tavern - a great little steak house on Main Street (get the Scotch eggs; trust me)
El Zarape - a fantastic Mexican restaurant, right across the street from the Doyt
Easy Street Cafe - a cozy sit down restaurant with some great traditional fare
Mr. Spots - I put this one in bold because, in my opinion, it should be mandatory that anyone crossing the city limits should be required to eat here at least once. Fantastic cheese steaks, and they deliver beer. Amazing.
Corner Grill - a neat little cafe downtown with cheap, really awesome food. Best breakfast in BG. Best drunk food in BG, too.

I'm sure I missed a few places, but I'll quickly be corrected, I'm sure. As you might be able to tell, food is one of BG's best qualities. Parking for the game won't be a problem, as there is ample parking surrounding the stadium. If you happen to be staying out of BG, though, it is advisable to get to the stadium early. I would expect a huge crowd for this game, and it takes quite a while to get into BG on big game days. Plus, you can come and help us drink beer and eat food at the tailgate - it's always great to hang out with fans of the other team before the game, and you'll find most people very welcoming. Tickets you can probably most easily get through BSU, but if you want to go through BG visit http://www.bgsufalcons.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;, the official athletics site. Visiting fans usually sit in the Southeast corner of the stadium, and I'm sure you can specify that you are a Bronco fan.

I hope this helped, and I really hope you enjoy your time in BG.

[Falcon137]

Check about hotels. I have family coming up for the game and they said the only one they could get was in Perrysburg @ Levis Commons.

[h2oville rocket]

Creation Museum is actually in Ky, but as BO states- get on I-75 north and drive about 3 hours and you'll hit BG. If hotels are a problem there, Perrysburg, about 12 miles north is a good alternative-there are several hotel options at Route 20, off of I-75 or, heading west on 23 there are some at or near a shopping center called Levis Commons. Tons of places to eat at both locations but Levis is a little more upscale than the chain-type places on 20. I would recommend the Holiday Inn at Route 20- nice place that's been a Toledo area mainstay for years.

Eat at Biaggi's at Levis Commons or any of the other dozen or so places ranging from several varieties of Asian to Cajun to glorified burger joints.

Only place to avoid really is BG and unfortunately you'll have to go there in order to see the game.

Seriously, BG is an OK place- pretty rural in many respects but there are some nice places to eat there and a few bars. Toledo is aboput twenty miles away with a fair number of entertainment offerings as well (world class art museum, great zoo, BEAUTIFUL university that you all will have the privilige of playing next year I believe!).

Hope you have a great stay- the BG fans are very hospitable in my experience and aside from that one time most visiting fans have gotten out alive. And I think all but nine got out that time- a few survivors needed ICU care for awhile but eventually recovered. Enjoy the game!

[Falconfreak90]

I have a ton of respect for what Boise State has done over the last decade. You guys, along with Utah and TCU, are what other non BCS teams strive to be these days. I mean you're right there in the Top 25 on a yearly basis and Top 10, it seems, half the time.

Be prepared for a cultural shock with the landscape. If you're used to moutains and jaw dropping scenery, BG is the absolute opposite. FLAT like nobody's business due to the glaciers during the Ice Age. The biggest hill in BG is man made on the golf course.

But the people in BG are GENUINE...a great group.

I'm hoping you guys knock off Oregon...good luck.

GO BG!

[MarkL]

This summer was the 40th anniversary of the moon landing. The Neill Armstrong museum is along I-75 in a town called Wapakoneta or something to that effect. Great place to visit. I also suggest the Air Force Museum in Dayton. Also - while you're still in SW Ohio - eat some Skyline. Cincinnati tradition and I greatly miss it when I'm away from my little corner of the state.

I was out in Boise last year for the BG-Boise game. Awesome atmosphere, great people. Out of all the places I've visited, I have the fondest memories of Boise. I sincerely hope you guys are treated as well in BG as we were in Boise. It's a truly class-act crowd there.

[Father Brown]

Two words. Myles Pizza. A dive joint with the best pie on the planet.

[Bleeding Orange]

Be prepared for a cultural shock with the landscape. If you're used to moutains and jaw dropping scenery, BG is the absolute opposite. FLAT like nobody's business due to the glaciers during the Ice Age. The biggest hill in BG is man made on the golf course.

GO BG!

I didn't even think to mention that point. I would imagine that we will see most Boise fans walking around in a state of shock during the first hour or two of tailgating, which is totally understandable.

I also wasn't aware that the hotels in BG would be filled that weekend. Is that family weekend, perhaps? Either way, take h2oville's advice about Perrysburg (everything else he wrote is the product of too much alcohol and un-distilled jealousy ). It is a 15 minute drive into BG (but like I said, plan on getting to the stadium early) down I-75, and it is a nice little town that will put you directly in between Bowling Green and Toledo. There aren't many reasons to go to Toledo, but Tony Packo's is worth a visit if you have an extra day, and provided that your stomach has had a chance to calm down after your culinary tour of the beautiful city of Bowling Green.

[jpfalcon09]

Make sure to check for any construction along I-75, it's Ohio so a lot of last minute projects could be getting done before the cold weather comes. Parking is easy, outside the stadium in the gravel lots, but if there's a big crowd getting out can sometimes be a pain in the butt. Restaurants have already been touched on, although I suggest Pagliai's if you want some good food for a reasonable price. Myles, Mr. Spots, Trotters and Pollyeyes are can't misses.

If BG hotels are full, stay in Perrysburg as mentioned above. It's about 10 miles north of Bowling Green and there's a huge shopping complex called Levis Commons there if you need to kill some time or if the Mrs. wants to shop. BG also has a quaint downtown with various places to shop as well if that's more up your alley.

Tickets can be bought online at bgsufalcons.com or at the box offices outside the stadium. There really isn't a bad seat in the house, but try to sit about 2/3 of the way up on the east stands at midfield for the best view. I assume the game will have a large crowd so I suggest getting tickets as quickly as you can.

Hope that covers most of it, I'm sure others will provide extra information.

[Flipper]

If you have to stay in Perrysburg, try to stay out at Levis commons...they have some great restaurants there and it's on St Rt 25...heading south on 25 is THE back way into the stadium lots as traffic can get really heavy coming off the interstate.. I can give you drections...but I kid you not, the terrain is so flat you can see the lightposts at the stadium once you round the bend at rt 582...Coming from Idaho, the incredible flatness of the area may throw you off a bit. That's our secret weapon for you blue fielders...

[Ydfalcon]

This summer was the 40th anniversary of the moon landing. The Neill Armstrong museum is along I-75 in a town called Wapakoneta or something to that effect. Great place to visit. I also suggest the Air Force Museum in Dayton. Also - while you're still in SW Ohio - eat some Skyline. Cincinnati tradition and I greatly miss it when I'm away from my little corner of the state.

A note on that to the uninitiated. Don't just order a bowl of chili. While they will serve it to you that way, it's really not the kind of chili you just eat a bowl of. When I introduce someone to Skyline, I tell them they have to get at least one Cheese Coney and a small 3-Way. These are basically Skyline's signature items. Cheese coneys, most people know what they are. A hot dog with chili and cheese. (By the way, if you're there during one of the times they're offering to double the amount of cheese for a cheap price, don't think to yourself "Hey, I like cheese, maybe I'll do that" the way my fiancee did the first time I took her. Trust me, unless you're basically so into cheese that you want to copulate with it, there's plenty of cheese on there already.) A 3-Way, despite what you may be thinking, is nothing dirty. If you talk to someone within the main Skyline realm of influence, and ask them if they are up for a 3-Way, they're likely to be thinking spaghetti with chili and cheese on top. Also, lest you go in with false expectations, this is Cincinnati style chili. Which means chili with no beans, very finely crumbled meat, cinnamon and even, to the experienced palate, a hint of chocolate. Do yourself a favor and don't knock until you've tried it though. In my lifetime, I have only come across one person who didn't immediately love it the first time they had it. Still don't know what's wrong with him...

As all the others said, if you're in Cincy, just find your way to I-75 North (shouldn't be too difficult) and drive for a few hours. Bowling Green is Exit 181, and it's pretty hard to miss. The Stadium is visible from the highway, so you won't get lost there either.

As far as traffic concerns between Cincy and BG, the new Cincinnati Outlet Malls just opened about 20 minutes or so North of the city. From what I hear, there can be some heavy traffic through there lately, but it supposedly moves along at a decent clip still. Just be prepared for it to be a little thick, and possibly a little slow. Also, there are a few big projects in Dayton. One is the interchange with Rt. 4 which is basically right as you're coming out of downtown. Just pay attention to the signs and road markings, stick to the left, and you'll be good. The other is the interchange with I-70, which, while it is not near as bad now as it was a few years ago (they have been slowly redoing the interchange for the past seven years or so now), every so often they'll direct traffic in a slightly funky way. Again, just keep your eyes open and it's pretty clear how you should go through that area.

[ffejfalcon]

Avoid Toledo! A dump!

[PGY Tiercel]

Creation Museum is actually in Ky, but as BO states- get on I-75 north and drive about 3 hours and you'll hit BG. If hotels are a problem there, Perrysburg, about 12 miles north is a good alternative-there are several hotel options at Route 20, off of I-75 or, heading west on 23 there are some at or near a shopping center called Levis Commons. Tons of places to eat at both locations but Levis is a little more upscale than the chain-type places on 20. I would recommend the Holiday Inn at Route 20- nice place that's been a Toledo area mainstay for years.

Well truthfully, if you are flying into Cincinnati Airport, that is actually located in KY has well. You leave the Airport go west about 7-8 miles on 275 and you'll be at the creation place. Now if you want to go to a museum I suggest the national history museum in the old train Terminal in Cincy. Also the Cincy zoo and botanical gardens are pretty nice. Another alternative would be hitting up the Newport Aquarium (In Newport KY, right on the river), plus you could always stop at the Hofbrau house for a litter of beer, very nice beer garden across the street from the aquarium. If you are set on going to that creation place Its really easy to get back to 75. You'll leave the airport and go west on 275. Once done you can go back east on 275, 8miles to 1-75 and take that north all the way to BG, but you'll go through downtown Cincy. Your other option is to keep going on 275 (west, then north) around Cincy and get back on I-75 North of Cincy.

[h2oville rocket]

Avoid Toledo! A dump!

Says the guy from..."Queensbury." Seriously, there is a rivalry but Toledo is far from a dump. In fact if you don't mind the slightly longer drive (BG is 20 minutes from Toledo) there are LOTS of great restaurants in Toledo and as I mentioned great Art Museum, zoo, Lake Erie (we DO have a lot of water in this part of the world), some nice shopping areas, etc.

[Falconfreak90]

The Toledo Zoo is one of the best zoos we've visited.