November 27, 2019

If you are coming to a Tennessee Volunteers game for the first time our returning.  This guide will give you everything you need to make your trip to Neyland  enjoyable and worry free.

This Tennessee Vols game day guide is intended to be a work in progress with updates and additions being added as needed.   

Shout out to the Vol Nation Forum and Vol Grad 98 who provided the 
foundational information for this Vols game day guide.

The southeastern conference is known for its game day traditions but my 
opinion, nobody comes close to the University of Tennessee.  We hope you
find this Tennessee Vols Game Day Guide informative and helpful.

To all visitors coming to Knoxville for the first time or returning, here is a quick reference for some of the things to do and where to stay. This info has been compiled from members' posts as a service to all Tennessee Vol fans.

Tennessee Vols Face Paint



Don't leave home without it!  

Hotels

(There are more hotels in Knoxville and it's surrounding areas but these are a good place to start.)

Four Points Sheraton/Cumberland House - White Ave
Hilton Downtown - W. Church Ave
Hampton Inn - W. Main St
Holiday Inn @ Conv. Center - Henley St

-->More Hotels

* If you want to stay downtown, most everywhere requires two night minimum booking which is what I hope you can do.  Come to Knoxville and make a weekend out of it!  There are plenty of fun things for Vols fans to do while in our city.

* Turkey Creek area offers shuttle service to and from the game.

Vols Tailgating and Restaurants

 

 

Tailgating

 

Tailgating in the south is a religious experience (a moment of silence for our fallen friends who tailgated so hard they didn’t make it to the game). Whether you’re looking to tailgate on or off campus, always make sure you’re within walking distance to Neyland Stadium.

Here are some of our favorite tailgating spots around town:

1. Downtown Hilton

Tailgating at the Hilton definitely has its perks. First of all, they have bathrooms, not port-o-potties. Need we say more? The cost to park is typically in the $20 range, and there’s plenty of room to pop up an instant shade and grill out. If you’re not one for grilling on the go, the Hilton hosts their own tailgate, so you can eat and party with them before the game (for a small fee of course). Lastly, because you won’t be caught in campus traffic, you’ll have easy access to hit the interstate when the party is over.

2. G-10 Parking Garage

G-10 parking garage is located directly beside the stadium, so it’s essentially prime tailgating real estate! Though you do have to buy a parking pass in advance, this is where the party is. The tailgaters here are seasoned veterans and they go hard, complete with grilling, music, corn hole, TVs, and beverage. If you want to be right in the middle of the action, this is your spot!

3. Tennessee River

Heeeellllllo, Vol Navy! We see you! This one is for our boating enthusiasts. If you choose to tailgate on your boat instead of your truck, then the Tennessee River is the spot for you. The Vol Navy gathers together every home game right outside of Neyland Stadium to party on the river. So, whether your vessel is a kayak or a yacht, the Vol Navy will welcome you with open arms!

 

Restaurants

Fraternity row

The Old City

Calhouns down on the river

 

The Roaming Gnome on The Strip ($1 drinks from 9-10)

Cool beans and Hannahs

The Copper Cellar

The Sunspot (on Cumberland)

Old College Inn

Long Branch Saloon (on campus)

Ye Olde Steak House (on Chapman hwy)

The Tin Roof 

Toddy's Backdoor is a UT landmark... 3 miles west of campus on Kingston Pike(Cumberland)

Half Barrel (Solid drink specials from 4 to 10 everyday. 2.50 wells, dollar off premiums, dollar off all beers, and a special 2 dollar pint of the day plus the best 25 cent wings you can imagine)

--->It's Tailgate Time In Tennessee (Tailgating Service)
--->More Eating and Drinking

Tennessee Football Traditions to check out and general advice:

 

Visit The General Robert Neyland Statue

 

Remembering when Tebowing was a thing? Yeah, so do we, and we’ve been trying to forget. #GatorHater4Life. At the University of Tennessee, we do something called Neylanding. Located right outside the stadium, across from Peyton Manning Pass, is home to the statue of General Robert Neyland. Neyland Stadium, get it? Head over there and strike Neyland’s famous pose. Pics or it didn’t happen.

 

The Vol Navy next to the stadium

 

 

VOL NAVY HISTORY . . . Today’s Vol Navy had its humble beginnings in the early 1960’s, thanks to veteran Tennessee broadcaster George Mooney who provided play-by-play for the Vols from 1952-1967.   Frustrated with the traffic jams that regularly occurred before and after the games, George decided to use his runabout to get to and from the game from his West Knoxville home.  Because there were no docks, George had to tie his vessel to a tree and climb through rocks and weeds to get to the stadium.

Nearly 60 years later, the Vol Navy that regularly assembles on the Tennessee River adjacent to Neyland Stadium has grown from a “fleet” of one to an average of 150-200 vessels for every home game.  Including the countless numbers of other vessels assembled on other the lakes and rivers in Tennessee (and around the world) on football Saturdays, the Vol Navy continues to grow in size and tradition.

 

The VolWalk a couple hours before the game

 

Visit The Rock

The Rock is one of UT’s favorite traditions. It’s a giant rock located at the corner of the Natalie L. Haslam Music Building right off Volunteer Boulevard. The Rock acts as a central message board for campus, but on game day, it’s the home to amazing masterpieces by UT’s own Payton Miller. Every night before the game, Miller comes out and paints a giant Tennessee themed mural on The Rock. This is something you’ll definitely want to see in person. AKA the ultimate selfie spot.

Running through the "T" before kickoff

Make sure you don't tailgate too long and you are in your seats so you can 
witness the players running through the T.



* Get out early Friday night if you want a table anywhere.

* If you plan to tailgate stake your area out early as well.You are much better off and will have more fun if you just find an established tailgate to party with.

* Check out the river area before the game!

---> 2010 Update about Vol Walk and Neyland Stadium(News Article)


Parking/Shuttle:
-->Campus Map(pdf)
-->Downtown/Old City Map
-->City offering free parking downtown on game days(News Article)
-->UT Football Shuttle(pdf)

Seating:
-->Virtual Neyland

Ticket Questions
-->Forum-Tennessee Vols Tickets

More General Information:
-->Welcome to Game Day at Neyland Stadium
This is a link to the official UT Athletics site, lots of info here.

Hopefully this is helpful for those coming to Knoxville, enjoy your visit and remember...

GO VOLS!!!

 

 

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