Big Ten Trip of a Lifetime - Year 5

What is a Runza?
It's an oven baked stuffed sandwich basically. Runza resturants are basically fast food joints that actually serve good food. It's a must if you're going to be in Nebraska. Their burgers are also really good. I prefer the swiss mushroom runzas.
We'll give them a shot...we had Sheetz in Pennsylvania last year and they weren't too bad.

Misty's at Havelock friday night. it is an old steakhouse. Go with the prime rib. The marching band and cheerleaders have a pep rally there inside the restaurant and march up and down the stairs / between the tables. It's an awesome tradition. If it is a big game normally ABC/ESPN will normally be there getting footage for commercial in/outakes for the game.
It sounds like a good time - hopefully we'll be able to get in and have a good cut of beef.

I don't think any of us has had Runzas or Vanentinos, but one member of our group has been to Omaha for the NCAA World Series so he may have tried both.

Will we be able to find tickets on game day or should we start looking at Stub Hub or Craigslist or another ticket outlet?
I would recommend looking for tickets now. NU has sold out 315 (about to be 316) straight home games and tickets are pretty hard to come by...especially against a good MSU team.

Runza is a great place to eat...definately recommend it. Misty's is great too. Valentino's should be one of your last list items...it's not all that IMO. Parker's BBQ in Ashland (between Gretna and Lincoln) is good.

Tailgating in Lincoln is probably more fun that going into the game. Find 1620 the Zone radio station and you've hit the pinnacle of tailgating in Lincoln....also underneath the interstate via duct is pretty fun. TONS of folks...the city / game day experience is right up there with the best of them.

Love your trip idea. I am going to suggest this to my buddies tomorrow night. We might steal your idea.
Thanks for the tailgating tips...if you do start the trip, make sure you get the committment from everyone for the entire trip. We had 8 the first year and it dropped to 4 the second year and 4 is a really good number.

 
The tailgating is best west of the stadium. As mentioned before, under the interstate duct is pretty good. There are also a few areas west of there that are good. As you will find, the tailgating is pretty spread out in Lincoln, which is kinda cool, it is like party hopping so to speak.

 
Is there an "official beer" of Nebraska that isn't a Budweiser or Miller / Coors product?
If my experience is any indication, we're stuck with Busch Lite for our "official" state beer. (insert puking emoticon here) Just like sex on the beach... it's f***in' near water.

I'm a Shock Top fan, but I don't drink beer to get drunk.

 
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The Val's that we had here in Bluffs closed about 15 years ago (if I remember correctly). I don't even think about Val's when I go to Lincoln. If I need to eat something in the stadium, it's either Runza or a Fairbury Frank!

Outside the stadium, I always hit up Lazlo's for the beer and the lavosh (theirs is much better than mine!)

 
Don't eat a Runza, for the love of god. Why fans keep pushing that, I will never know. It's the most bland, boring, sleepy food ever. You probably won't like Valentino's either, it seems to be something you have to grow up on.

The best restaurant in Lincoln is widely considered to be the Oven, which serves Indian food if you're into that. Lazlo's is a good bar/grill that also has its own brewery. There are some good Mexican restaurants around town - closest to downtown would be La Mexicana, I think. Vincenzo's down in the Haymarket is a pretty good Italian place.

 
Seriously do not buy tickets on the web. Go in front the southwest corner of the stadium and you find people welling tickets for like 40 bucks like 40 minutes before the game. People who buy tickets for more then face value puzzle me greatly, I have never at any stadium in the country (and I have been to many other stadiums) for big or small games ever paid more then face value. That southwest corner, others take this advice as well, Ohio state tickets literally were 25 dollars 40 minutes before the game.

 
Most people from out of state aren't fond of runzas, it is bit of an aquired taste. I recommend the valentinos pizza at the game.
Is it weird that I love Runzas but I find Val's pizza to be disgusting?
I find them both disgusting.

But I digress. The OP said something about a must-stop in Omaha. I will highly recommend a trip to the Henry Doorly zoo - if you like that sort of thing at all, and have time to squeeze it in. It is THE must stop for out of state visitors and a top notch zoo.

 
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