TCU fan here...

[OldStyle1902]

Purdue is a special place my friends from the east coast all love our campus, vibe and gameday atmosphere...If you want to experience a classic big ten campus football weekend you should make the trip. Highlyrecommend McGraw’s steakhouse on Friday night and triple X + Harry’s on gameday.

 

[mathboy]

South of Indy is the Mallow Run Winery. They usually have good wine, food and entertainment. Colts games are fun. Lots of cool bistros around town. I always find nap town fun when I get down there.

 

[ashley0623]

My wife and I are in our late twenties and are considering making a trip out to West Lafayette for the game against y'all in mid-September.

We have a RT trip flight to Indianapolis on hold, as well as a rent car and hotel about 5 miles from campus in Lafayette. Now we're just trying to decide if we should commit and pull the trigger on purchasing our flight or if we should pass on this trip and use the money towards something else.

I love traveling to new places to see TCU play and I know a handful of people from Fort Worth that have siblings that attended Purdue and they all speak highly of the school and its campus, but we're starting to get cold feet at the thought of spending what will ultimately be a decent chunk of change for a match between two teams that may or may not be very good next year in a college town that we know pretty much nothing about.

If you were in my shoes, would you say it's worth making the trip out to West Lafayette from Texas for the weekend? If so, what are cool things to do while we are in town?

Thanks.

I am a Northwestern fan and went to the Purdue game last year. 100% recommend!

Never miss a chance to go somewhere your team might not play again if you can afford it. You’ll remember it forever. You won’t remember sitting at home.

Wherever your tickets are, sit in the visitors section (101). Not only is it more fun to sit with your fans, the birds eye view of the field up in 101 was really good. Look left for a picturesque view of campus with Mackey feet away.

Plus it should be a high scoring, entertaining game. Rondale Moore is the most electrifying player I’ve seen live in years.

Parking — I wouldn’t fall in the trap of trying to park close to the stadium. We parked by the Schwartz Tennis center and boarded a nearby shuttle.

Purdue was friendly to visitors. Enjoyed Ross Ade more than Kinnick, Camp Randall, Big House, & Columbus. Awesome sold out atmosphere last year without the a-holes of other schools.

 

[SLoopBoiler]

Take your extra days and fly to Chicago instead. It's about 2 hours to Purdue and much more to do and see.

 

[MilwaukeeBoilerFan]

Take your extra days and fly to Chicago instead. It's about 2 hours to Purdue and much more to do and see.

If they have the cash, I'd recommend that option as well. Magnificient Mile, Musuems, LakeShore Drive (LSD), a ton of night life to do. Oh, to be young again.

 

[BoilerJonny]

TCU Maniac: Invest in experiences, not objects. I wish I would have learned this when I was in my 20's. I don't have anything else to add beyond what others already mentioned so I'll just say that boilermaker fans are very welcoming and you will be treated warmly as long as you are respectful and humble. I live in Houston and I'm going to this game as well. If you haven't been to Chicago take an extra day and go. Take the architecture boat tour on the river downtown. It's an amazing city. West Lafayette is a great college town. You can spend a full day just touring campus.

 

[BoilerAndy]

Ok I don't drink, swear smoke or dance and I'm on a low sugar and low sodium diet.

I doubt he would go to a Pacers or colts game that weekend. I also doubt he would go to the speedway, zoo or children's museum. I also doubt he wants to go to a high school football game.

I doubt he wants to spend much of his weekend chilling at the airport.

We're talking about him facing some time constraints of a weekend and wanting to go to a Purdue game. So he basically has a single Friday night in September. Even the leaves in Brown county haven't turned yet.

Criticize me all you want. But when you do offer an actual specific alternative he can actually do rather than just heaping praise on Indianapolis. I guess he could go to Ruth Chris Steak House and there may be a play or concert Friday night. Or he could go to a Skyline Chili or White Castle!

Specifically, what city offers things you like to do that isn't offered in Indianapolis?

To say that Indy and W. Lafayette are equivalent when it comes to available activities is, well, extremely uninformed.

 

[indy35]

If you have an extra day before or after the game, I'd give this two thumbs up. Turkey Run/Sugar Creek and Clements canoe company. I've canoed a lot of places in the U.S. Nothing and I mean nothing beats Sugar Creek canoeing between Shades State Park and Turkey Run. The cliff views, shell rock, covered bridges make this my #1 canoeing anywhere.

@MilwaukeeBoilerFan
Do you have a favorite stretch along there? I’ve been checking out the trips with Sugar Valley Canoes and Clements Canoes.

 

[BoilerFYF]

My wife and I are in our late twenties and are considering making a trip out to West Lafayette for the game against y'all in mid-September.

We have a RT trip flight to Indianapolis on hold, as well as a rent car and hotel about 5 miles from campus in Lafayette. Now we're just trying to decide if we should commit and pull the trigger on purchasing our flight or if we should pass on this trip and use the money towards something else.

I love traveling to new places to see TCU play and I know a handful of people from Fort Worth that have siblings that attended Purdue and they all speak highly of the school and its campus, but we're starting to get cold feet at the thought of spending what will ultimately be a decent chunk of change for a match between two teams that may or may not be very good next year in a college town that we know pretty much nothing about.

If you were in my shoes, would you say it's worth making the trip out to West Lafayette from Texas for the weekend? If so, what are cool things to do while we are in town?

Thanks.

Two things ...

1) Can you find the Boston college fans... we miss them. You’re way too polite and less fun.

2) do yourself a favor .. stay in Chicago, come down for the game. Go back to Chicago and fly out ...

World class city that regularly wins best restaurant city in American. Stay off 59th and halsted and you should be fine.

 

[boilerrick240]

South of Indy is the Mallow Run Winery. They usually have good wine, food and entertainment. Colts games are fun. Lots of cool bistros around town. I always find nap town fun when I get down there.

I've heard that is A nice place. Lafayette has Wildcat Creek Winery, at the Hoosier Heartland exit on 65.

 

[SIBoiler2]

@MilwaukeeBoilerFan
Do you have a favorite stretch along there? I’ve been checking out the trips with Sugar Valley Canoes and Clements Canoes.

Many years ago shortly after David Ross and George Are consented to the use of their names on a stadium my wife and I joined two other couples running from Crawfordsville to below Turkey Run on a two day trip using Clements canoes. Spent the night in the canoe campground at Shades. High point of the trip was when the alcoholic couple that invited themselves along dumped their canoe and gear mid afternoon on day 1 when the wife tossed another beer to the husband in the stern and he missed catching it and over they went. Beautiful stretch of water but timing is everything. Too high and it's treacherous. Too low and it becomes more work than fun.

 

[Casey and his Brother]

The home of Jimmy Dean isn't too far away. Granted, I've driven by it a million times and never stopped, but it really is something you can't pass up.

 

[MilwaukeeBoilerFan]

@MilwaukeeBoilerFan
Do you have a favorite stretch along there? I’ve been checking out the trips with Sugar Valley Canoes and Clements Canoes.

Trip # 2 15-Mile Scenic Trip. I've done this many times from my youth thru late 40's. It is truly best in the Midwest. You go thru what is known as covered bridge country and the views are fantastic. I've done a 5 mile trip in July and it was too short, before we knew it, the trip was done in way less than 2 hrs and that was with low water levels. I've seen high water levels in the 15 mile trip take <4 hrs and I've been on it with low water levels taking ~ 7-8 hrs with lunch stoppage. Bank on all day of 8 hrs and you'll be pleasantly surprised how scenic and quick time flies even while slow paddling.
I've never attempted their cabins or overnight tours. I'm now in mid 50's and still would do the 15 mile trip again. I'd estimate I've done this trip about 10 times and it never is the same twice due to weather, water levels high and low, a hot sunny 103 degree day (water was cool though), cold rainy, temps anywhere from 60-90 degrees, overcast. etc. It still beats the hell out of most other canoe trips I've been on...bar none! Go with mindset you'll get wet, take old tennis shoes or water gear like Merell shoes and you'll love it. Find a place were you can get out and walk in the river on the shale rock which is one continuous sheet of rock that is smooth for 50 or more feet and be enamored with the scenery of covered bridges and cliffs. Just writing this makes me want to do it again sometime sooner than later.

 

[Purdue85]

The home of Jimmy Dean isn't too far away. Granted, I've driven by it a million times and never stopped, but it really is something you can't pass up.

Assume you mean James Dean. Jimmy Dean's home is in VA.

 

[Casey and his Brother]

His friends call him Jimmy.

 

[hunkgolden]

https://www.star-telegram.com/sports/college/big-12/texas-christian-university/article230460444.html

 

[Gladeskat]

It’s really hard to answer your question. If you’re a tcu maniac, then of course it’s worth it to see your team play. A fan doesn’t need any additional reasons other than the fact that his team is playing.

Football weekends go extremely fast for me....I’m never concerned about finding stuff to do. Especially if you’re flying in on Friday and out on Sunday.

If you’re really into cultural stuff and have extra time, I’d suggest flying into ORD and seeing Chicago, which is a world class city. It doesn’t sound like you want to drop more money on this weekend, but maybe The entire trip would be easier to sell to yourself if you could get excited about seeing Chicago.

You can also catch Chicago's Big Ten Team, the B1G West champs by three whole games while you're there as well.

 

[Inkjet200]

TCU Maniac: If you come and stay in WL 9 Irish Brothers and Chumley's are restauraunts you should try. The Neil Armstrong Hall of Engineering is a cool place to visit.

 

[SDBoiler1]

You can also catch Chicago's Big Ten Team, the B1G West champs by three whole games while you're there as well.

You sure are cocky considering NW is STILL one of the worst programs all-time in NCAA FB history. And BTW, you guys still play in a glorified HS stadium. Purdue is not a historical powerhouse, but we have one hell of a lot better history in FB than NW does.

NW All-time Record - 534–659–44 (.449)
NW Bowl Record - 5–10 (.333)
NW All-Time Record vs. Purdue - 32-50-1 (.390)

Purdue All-Time Record - 614–566–48 (.520)
Purdue Bowl Record - 10–9 (.526)
Purdue All-Time Record vs. NW - 50-32-1 (.610)

 

[izakman]

Don't know if it's been mentioned, but the Speedway Museum and the bus tour are really decent.
https://indyracingmuseum.org/plan-your-visit/

 

[Purdue85]

You sure are cocky considering NW is STILL one of the worst programs all-time in NCAA FB history. And BTW, you guys still play in a glorified HS stadium. Purdue is not a historical powerhouse, but we have one hell of a lot better history in FB than NW does.

NW All-time Record - 534–659–44 (.449)
NW Bowl Record - 5–10 (.333)
NW All-Time Record vs. Purdue - 32-50-1 (.390)

Purdue All-Time Record - 614–566–48 (.520)
Purdue Bowl Record - 10–9 (.526)
Purdue All-Time Record vs. NW - 50-32-1 (.610)

Easy there, SDB1. Don't be too hard.

We have a fragile ego (much like the "5 bannerz" gang) that has to hitch their worth to someone else's achievements.