The Perfect Game Weekend in Auburn-Opelika

Raptor Center

One of Auburn’s most popular fall programs — the Southeastern Raptor Center’s Football, Fans, and Feathers — offers fans the opportunity to see a raptor show and flight demonstration up close and personal. During the show, hawks, falcons, eagles, and other birds of prey are free-flown from towers and around the amphitheater, enabling visitors to see these raptors flying close. This educational presentation is appropriate for all ages. Shows are held every Friday before home football games.

Come Home To The Corner

The Friday night before every Auburn University home football game, downtown Auburn hosts “Come Home to the Corner.” Each Come Home to the Corner Friday night is a designated Entertainment District event from 5-10 p.m. featuring live music from 6-9 p.m. Downtown streets will remain open for all Come Home to the Corner events. In case of inclement weather, check the City of Auburn or Auburn Downtown Merchants on Facebook for status updates on live entertainment.

Tailgating

SEC fans are just as proud of their tailgate as they are the school they’re pulling for. Family and friends begin planning their tailgates months before the first kick-off. Some tailgates are small and others are massive. Many families have been tailgating together for years and years. A tailgate is the best time for laughs, drinks, barbeque, corn hole, and whatever else your gameday tradition includes.

Toomer’s Lemonade

Toomer’s lemonade is a famous sweet treat available at the iconic Toomer’s Drugstore at the corner of College Street and Magnolia Avenue, affectionately referred to as Toomer’s Corner. It’s the heart of downtown Auburn and a must-have for alumni, first-time visitors, and children. Nothing beats the heat like a cold Toomer’s lemonade on gameday!

Tiger Walk

This popular tradition originated on Auburn’s campus years ago. Before every game, the football team, cheerleaders, Aubie, and band lead a march into the stadium. Fans line the streets to cheer and give high-fives as the team passes. This pumps up the team and pumps up the crowd before the game!

Watching the Eagle Fly

We like to think it’s the greatest tradition in college football. Whether it’s your first game at Jordan-Hare stadium or your fiftieth, watching an eagle circle the field while the crowd roars will never lose its luster.

Rolling Toomer’s Corner

Rolling Toomer’s Corner is one of Auburn’s oldest and most renowned traditions, where thousands of AU families gather downtown Auburn to celebrate tiger victories by hurling tissue into the surrounding trees, lamp posts, and anything that will stand still long enough. A quirky scuffle that can last for hours, a blizzard of paper is left blanketing the entire intersection. There’s no way you haven’t heard of it, but seeing is believing! And here’s a fun side note: Auburn is the only city in the country with a line item in its budget for removing toilet tissue.

Avoid the mayhem of post-game traffic

Let’s face it, Auburn is a small college town with a lot of charm and very little road space to accommodate 85,000+ visitors. The last thing your family wants to do is sit in the car for hours while you make minimal progress getting to the interstate. Talk about a buzz kill? Who wants to sit still in the confined space of a car after the Auburn Tigers just dominated in Jordan-Hare Stadium? Not me, not you. Save yourself the misery, and book a hotel room.

Check out downtown Opelika

Downtown Opelika is just 9 miles from downtown Auburn. Enjoy a stroll through the historic district. Grab dinner at Zazu Gastropub or Cafe 123. Enjoy a local craft beer at Red Clay Brewing Company or have a cocktail at John Emerald Distilling Company. This small batch distillery produces gin, vodka, single malt whiskey, rum, and spiced rum. Shop for gameday dresses at Studio 3:19 and gifts at Southern Crossing and The Gallery. Downtown Opelika is a great place to hang out the night before the game or Sunday afternoon before you hit the road.

Enjoy a savory brunch before you hit the road

Did you work up an appetite? Coffee, mimosas, Bloody Marys, chicken and waffles, shrimp and grits… need I say more? Everyone loves brunch. Check out one of these culinary masterpieces before you head home. If you are driving home with a food baby and grin, then we did our job.

Be sure to take a picture at your favorite place using the hashtag #AuburnOpelika for a chance to be featured on our website. War Eagle!

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