Every fall, tens of thousands of rowdy fans pack into Athens to cheer for their favorite teams. Before the game begins, fans put up tents, fill their coolers and take part in one of Athens’ favorite pastimes: Tailgating.

Each tailgate is unique, and depending on personal style, they can be incredibly expensive.

TailGAte Station (yes, that is spelled correctly) offers fans a parking spot in a gated lot, climate controlled bathrooms and a luxury shuttle direct to the stadium. According to Brooke Wade, property manager at TailGAte Station, the base price of a space at this tailgating oasis runs $16,000 plus property tax each month.

The Athens-Clarke County Courthouse parking lot offers parking for $10 on any given day. On game days, the price increases 250% to $25 for all-day parking.

There are other transportation options, as well.

Transportation

Athens offers a limited shuttle service to the Stadium’s Gate 6 from the East Campus Parking Deck and the Intramural Fields. These shuttles run five and a half hours before gametime until 2 hours after the game ends.

If you’re fine with walking a little bit, then you may want to forego the rideshare and appease your fitbit for a day.  Finding a spot within walking distance to the stadium can prove tricky, so if your tailgate needs to be close, it is necessary to find a spot early. But if walking is absolutely out of the question, then location is the key.

For more questions about gameday transportation, check out more reporting on police preparation in Downtown Athens. 

Location

Choosing the optimal location for a tailgate is important to ensure maximum enjoyment. The location needs to be close enough to the stadium to avoid high transportation fares, but far enough away to not be swamped by drunkards or invaded by opposing tailgates.

Questions to consider while choosing a location are:

• Where are the nearest bathrooms?
• Does the spot have shade?
• Is the space hilly? (Uneven ground and alcohol do not mix)
• Are there proper noise levels? (No yelling frats or deafening silence)
• Is the spot legal?

If you are looking for further information about tailgating in Athens, visit VisitAthensGA.com for a list of some of the best tailgating locations around the city.

Aaron Smay is a senior majoring in Journalism in the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia.