Ute Sports Travel

-Check out the Ann Arbor Guide created by Michigan fans:

http://www.johnwcooper.com/annarbor-michigan.htm

-Here is the link to the offical Alumni Association tailgate party:

https://www.alumni.utah.edu/chapters/?display=forms/0808_Utah-vs-Michigan.php

When are fans traveling and what deals did they find:

-The Alumni Association travel pckages are now sold out.

-JDart group is flying US Airways on the way out.  They depart SLC at 10:00 pm Thursday, August 28th and arrive in Detroit at 6:50 am with a layover in Las Vegas. 

Return flight is on Frontier Airlines on Monday, September 1st, leaving Detroit at 12:31pm and arriving in SLC at 4:07 pm with a layover in Denver.

Both plane tickets were booked as one way tickets on the websites of the airlines we are using.  Paid 261.00 round trip.  Deal not as good on the flight to Detroit anymore, but may return.  Still a decent option for a good deal

-Mack 44 submitted: 

I booked our flights with Frontier (~$328) since they were about $100

lower than all others including Southwest. I realize they just filed

for Chapter 11 but so did Delta a while back. I feel confident that

they'll be okay.

-UTR UTE is going through Chicago.  Here is his schedule:

We are actually flying in and out of Chicago O'Hare, and renting a car and driving to Ann Arbor then back to Chicago.  Here is what we have booked:

Where are people staying:

Check out the Webmonkey created google map of Ann Arbor hotels and a few other places of interest:

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=109871659726536151427.000448072393c14303b42&z=10 

-Jdart;s group and Warrior Ute's group are staying at

Ypsilanti, Michigan 48197

Phone:  1-734-487-2000

*Team hotel is booked full on game weekend.  If rooms become avalible we will try to post that information.

-LODGING AND TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS IN ANN ARBOR

Thanks to Ute_4 for putting together all this information!!!

When calling to make reservations people need to refer to the UTE FANS rate.

Four Points Sheraton: 734-996-0600
www.sheratonannarbor.com
$145 per night
Book your room by July 24 (or earlier!)
Reservations are non-refundable 14 days prior to your arrival date
Hotel offers shuttle to downtown Ann Arbor and a couple area golf courses


Hampton Inn South: 734-665-5000
www.annarborsouth.hamptoninn. com
$109 per night
Book your room by July 24 (or earlier!)
Reservations are non-refundable at 6:00pm on arrival date

These hotels are across the street from each other and only 2.5 miles from the stadium.  A mall is within walking distance as are restaurants.  These hotels are about 35 minutes from the Detroit airport.  If people do not want to rent a car Michigan Flyer - www.michiganflyer.com - runs daily shuttles from the airport to the Sheraton for $15 each way.

Game Day Transportation:
The local transit company runs a shuttle from each hotel to the stadium, similar to Pasadena.  Differences are, the Ann Arbor shuttle costs about $5 round trip and picks you up from your hotel!  This can be arranged through the front desk at your hotel the day before the game.

-Mack44 submitted:

I found a decent deal on a Hampton Hotel in Michigan that I wanted to

share. It's in Belleville which is pretty close to the airport and a

short drive to Ann Arbor. I was able to get a room for ~$80/nt. I

think

I saw someone else get a group rate for a Hampton in Ann Arbor for

$109/nt but who doesn't want to save a few bucks.

You get 10% off the rate by using the link below:

http://www.hilton.com/en/hi/promotions/hi_USASwimming/index.jhtml?cid=OM,HH,USASwimming,Featured;&adId=affiliate,00020243,0&affiliateID=00020243

You may need to have a Hilton Honors account but it's free to sign up:

http://hhonors1.hilton.com/en_US/hh/join.do?it=Not,TnavJoin

-

What are people doing while in town:

    -Tailgate:

-Here is the link to the offical Alumni Association tailgate party:

https://www.alumni.utah.edu/chapters/?display=forms/0808_Utah-vs-Michigan.php

    -Food:

MichiUte's Ann Arbor Guide:

To orient you, the twin “spines” of Ann Arbor are Main St (town) and State St (gown). These streets run parallel to each other north and south. Main is west of State. (So far this should not be hard for Salt Lakers). Michigan Stadium sits at the south end of downtown at the intersection of Stadium Blvd and Main St.

Most of the action in Ann Arbor is downtown (Main St. area) or in 2 commercial areas immediately adjacent to Central Campus: State Street (the “front door” to Central Campus), and South University St. (which runs perpendicular to State between the Diag and the law school). Blocks are small and the city is very walkable and pedestrian friendly.

Downtown restaurants and bars are centered on S. Main St. and two major cross streets, Liberty and Washington. This area is within easy walking distance of the Central Campus area, (just follow William, Liberty or Washington east to campus). U of M has 3 distinct campus areas (Central, Athletic and North). Central Campus is where the main academic center of the University is located. The heart of Central Campus is the “Diag,” basically a grassy plaza with intersecting sidewalks forming a diagonal which intersects at the steps of the Graduate Library, where all manner of speakers, protesters, preachers and doomsayers congregate and speak. There is a big brass M in the walkway at the middle of the Diag. It is forbidden for Michigan students to tread upon said M. It is often adorned by loving rivals with green or red paint. If you go, it’s worth a visit to the Law Quad, just south of the Diag across South University St., especially the main law library reading room. (The seal of the University of Utah adorns a stained glass window in said reading room in the southeast corner). The law school is a big, stone, ivy-covered, gothic building often featured during televised games at Michigan, with good reason.

Central Campus is within walking distance to Michigan Stadium which is part of the Athletic or South Campus. Head south on State St to Hoover St and walk west to get to the stadium. In addition to Michigan Stadium, the Athletic campus is home to Yost Ice Arena (hockey at Michigan is a very big deal) as well as many other athletic fields, the basketball arena (Crisler) the Natatoium, the first college intramural sports facility and the University golf course. The third campus area, North Campus, is a wooded “research park” area, and home to Schools of Engineering, Architecture and Music. It’s a very long walk to get from Central Campus to North Campus, but there are free University busses if you are interested.

Parking is available downtown and near campus primarily in public parking structures. These are cheap and plentiful and easier than street parking which can be dicey.

Some recommendations for dining and entertainment are:

Restaurants:

Arbor Brewing Co.- brew pub ala Squatters -downtown at 114 E. Washington

West End Grill- downtown at 120 W. Liberty- good steaks-pricey. You’ll need a reservation.

Real Seafood Co.- 341 S.Main St downtown

Palio (Italian) 347 S. Main Street- next to Real Seafood- downtown
Grazi (upscale Italian)-N. Italian- downtown at 326 S. Main

The Earle- Italian- downtown at 121 W. Washington- pricey

Blue Nile- Ethiopian- downtown at 221 E. Washington

Kerrytown Bistro- French- downtown at 415 N. Fifth Ave.

Paesano- Italian- suburban at 3411 Washtenaw

Frazer’s Pub- bar food- off-campus college bar at 2045 Packard

Cottage Inn- Pizza and Italian college hangout-Central Campus at 512 E. William

Prickly Pear Café- what passes for Southwestern food at 328 S. Main

Clubs and Bars:
Ashley’s Pub- 338 S. State great beer selection with a lot on tap (Bell’s beers are a local treat and on draft here) Decent bar food.

Old Town- college bar-old, simple and great atmosphere- downtown at 122 W. Liberty. Original stamped metal ceiling, floor and bar. OK bar food. As you might guess,I will be at this place Saturday night. I spent a lot of time here as a student.

Blind Pig- live music- authentic old speak-easy. Check out the basement - usually a cover charge- downtown at 208 S. First St.

Scorekeepers- college sports bar/meat market- well attended by students-cover charge- Central Campus at 310 Maynard and South University

Grizzly Peak Brewing-120 W. Washington downtown - brew pub

Arbor Brewing Co. 114 E. Washington downtown. Squatters-type brew pub

Conor O’Niells 318 S. Main Irish Pub frequented by alumni types

State Street Bar and Grill- 3200 Boardwalk by the Four Points Sheraton Hotel (close to the hotel district way south of campus where most Utes may be staying)

There are many other restaurants and taverns around, including a lot of national chains. These I listed are just some of the ones I have experienced.

    -Events:  

        -The Detroit Tigers versus the Kansas City Royals.  Friday at 7 pm

        -The Detroit Tigers versus the Kansas City Royals.  Sunday at 1 pm

        -The Detroit International Jazz Fesitival is going on the same weekend in the D.  See it's website here for more information:

http://www.detroitjazzfest.com/index.html