Bryan-College Station, also known as BCS or “Aggieland” among locals, may be a relatively small town, but its residents make it feel larger than life. College Station is home to one of the most spirited, most famous colleges in the country, Texas A&M University. The energy and excitement of the city revolves around the pride of this university and, of course, its football team.
My friend recently offered me a ticket to a Texas A&M football game, but the only issue was that I had to make it to College Station by the next night. Since I knew this was one experience I couldn’t pass up, I immediately booked my flights and pulled up HotelTonight’s app, where I found a great last-minute hotel in College Station. Booking all of my travel essentials only took me about ten minutes, and then I packed a bag and got ready to head to one of the proudest college towns in the country.
Even though they are technically different cities, Bryan and College Station consider themselves to be part of the same town. Locals refer to their area as Bryan-College Station, and it’s easy to be driving in College Station one minute and find yourself on the Bryan side of the border the next minute. So as soon as I arrived in B-CS, I made my way to downtown Bryan to find some food. This downtown square is quintessential small town America, with red brick buildings, charming specialty stores and a welcoming atmosphere. This downtown is small, so you can walk the Main Street stretch in less than ten minutes, but its distinctive charm and character definitely make it worth the visit.
After indulging in some delicious Texas barbecue, I knew I needed to get outside and go for a nice walk, so some locals recommended I go to Research Park. Located right next to the university’s Bush Library, Research Park is a pretty, grassy area that provides great walking trails and great scenery. As I strolled through Research Park, I passed many students studying in the sunshine and even enjoying picnics on that beautiful fall day.
Since I’m a bit of a wine enthusiast, I decided to check out the city’s most popular winery, Messina Hof. This Texas winery has been around since the ’70s, and it offers wine tours as well as tastings. I decided to enjoy both a tour and a tasting, and I was particularly interested in learning about the finer details of wine making in Texas, since I had never (to my knowledge, at least) tried a Texas wine before. The whole experience at Messina Hof was pleasant – the scenery was beautiful, the wine was surprisingly delicious, and the people were possibly the friendliest people I’ve ever met while traveling. That is one thing I noticed almost immediately about B-CS – the locals will always go above and beyond to make you feel welcome in their town.
That night, I decided to check out the local nightlife scene. Since College Station is a college town, I knew there would be plenty of life and excitement to experience once the sun went down, and I found this activity in Northgate. This neighborhood is full of bars, restaurants, and other nightlife hotspots that locals and students love. There are great dining options in Northgate, and you can find all types of cuisine here, from great Texas barbecue to authentic Mexican cuisine. Most importantly, this district is the students’ go-to area for a fun night out, so if you’re looking for a wild night out in Texas, you definitely won’t want to miss Northgate.
Finally, the reason I traveled all the way to College Station was here – the big game. I met up with my friend beforehand, and we entered the legendary Kyle Field together. Even if you visit College Station in the off-season, you can’t visit this college town without stepping into Kyle Field, the home of the famed Texas A&M football team. Everything about this stadium represents America’s football culture, and it’s considered the pride of B-CS. I’ll be honest – watching a football game in this college stadium, which is one of the largest in the U.S., was actually an emotional experience for me, and it is certainly a memory that I will never forget.
Fans of college football already know exactly what to expect from College Station – a community that revolves around school pride. I didn’t truly understand the depth of this pride until I visited the town, though, and now I feel like I really get the culture of College Station. I’m so grateful that I was able to take that impromptu trip to College Station to watch a football game in such a legendary stadium, and it certainly wouldn’t have been possible without HotelTonight. Next time I need to plan a spontaneous getaway, I’ll definitely use HotelTonight to book my last-minute hotel.
