Tailgating is a favorite pastime for fans attending games at Williams-Brice, and many tailgaters consider pre-games at the stadium as one of the best atmospheres in the nation. The grounds around the stadium, including the State Fairgrounds, provide plenty of real estate for tailgating. Many clubs have also bought private property in the area and erected tailgating shelters.

In 1990, a unique form of tailgating called the Cockaboose Railroad arrived in Columbia. Twenty-two immovable cabooses line an unused railroad track behind the south end of the stadium, and each Cockaboose provides private party space and cable television.

ESPN did a story on it in recent years. You can view it HERE

Four condominium developments recently built around the stadium also cater primarily to Carolina football fans.

New for 2012 will be the addition of the State Farmers Market that the university has purchased. Most athletic donors of the university will begin parking in that lot for the 2012 season. The new Farmers Market lot will have 661 trees, one every 40 feet, and provide 3,009 parking spaces (comprised of VIP, permanent, and temporary parking areas), approximately the same as the current number of available spaces. Most spaces are 10'x18' with a 10'x10' tent area.

The Farmers Market will also have several additional uses beyond just football parking, including possibly being used for hosting other outdoors events, an indoor football facility, commercial development, intramural fields, and more in the future.

• Lowcountry Boils
• Frogmore Stew
• Fresh Shrimp
• Homemade Pimento Cheese
• Shrimp and Grits
• Boiled Peanuts
• BBQ

Are all staples of a good South Carolina Gamecocks tailgate

From Airport

Turn left onto Highway 302. Go approximately two miles and turn on I-26 East towards Charleston. Bear left onto I-77 North after three miles. Go about four miles and take the Bluff Road exit. Turn left onto Bluff Road and the stadium is three miles down on your right.

From I-20 (Heading East)

Take U.S. 1 exit into Columbia. Turn right on Assembly Street. Stadium is three miles down on your right.

From I-20 (Heading West)

Take exit 76 (I-77 South) towards Charleston. Follow road 10 miles and take the Bluff Road exit. Make a right onto Bluff Road and the stadium is three miles down on your right.

From I-26 (heading West)

Take I-77 North exit. Go about four miles and take the Bluff Road exit. Turn left onto Bluff Road and the stadium is three miles down on your right.

From I-26 (heading East)

Follow I-126 into Columbia (becomes Elmwood Avenue). Take a right onto Assembly Street. Stadium is five miles down on your right.

A Gameday parking office is located inside the ticket office beneath the ramp in the northwest corner of the stadium. The office opens at 8 AM or five hours prior to kickoff depending on game time. This is for last minute parking problems only. No new parking passes will be sold at this time. For GPS purposes the address of Williams-Brice Stadium is 1125 George Rogers Boulevard.

Media Parking Lot

Located across George Rogers Boulevard, opposite the North end zone in the State Fairgrounds. Enter on George Rogers Boulevard.

Shuttle Service

Shuttle service will be available on game days for $3.00 per person round trip. For more information, please click on the shuttle service information link at the top of the page. Tentative, the shuttle will run from the Colonial Life Arena parking lots on Devine Street to Rosewood Drive beginning 3 hours prior to game time and running for an hour and a half after the game.

Handicapped Parking

The University of South Carolina only sells season passes for handicapped parking.

Handicapped individuals who are members of the Gamecock Club should send in a copy of a state-distributed handicap parking tag to acquire a paid reserved parking space in the handicapped area of the fairgrounds.

To access the tram service to the stadium, guests should wait north of row 10 near the entrance to the main fairgrounds. A specific location will be finalized at the first home game. We ask that seats on the tram be reserved for those who are handicapped and that those who are able to walk to the stadium assist their handicapped companions. The trams will transport guests to the north corners of Williams-Brice Stadium. Service begins two and a half hours before kickoff and will continue until the game begins. Return transportation will also be available after the game, beginning with five minutes left in the event and until there is no one waiting at the tram stations. Please be advised that both pedestrians and vehicular traffic are extremely heavy following the game, therefore, the wait time for trams may be extensive.

There are a limited number of spaces available to handicapped Gamecock Club members in each lot.

Handicapped Use of Elevator

Individuals with disabilities may use the elevators located throughout Williams-Brice Stadium.

Visitor Parking

Please review the pre-game and post-game traffic flow maps to help you plan your visit to Williams-Brice Stadium. Parking in Carolina Fair Park in the South Carolina State Fairgrounds is reserved parking for football season. Limited visitors parking for 2011 will be available in the Farmers Market (Bluff Road Area), Carolina Fair Park (George Rogers Blvd Gate 6) and in the Capital City Parking Lot (Assembly St). The Capital City Lot is located less than a half-mile from the stadium on the west side of Assembly Street and costs $10 per car. Additional information concerning visitor parking will be updated in August.

RV Parking

For individuals interested in RV parking there are a couple of options available. RV parking is available in the Fairgrounds (803.799.3387) on the east side of Assembly Street and at Gate 12 on Rosewood Drive. Also, RV parking is available at Capital City Stadium/Blowfish Park which is located less than a half-mile from the stadium to the west side of Assembly Street. Parking in this lot cost $10 per space needed to fully accommodate the vehicle. RV hook-ups are not available in this lot. On the Friday before the SEC home games, this lot will open at 2:00 PM for overnight RV parking. The same parking fees are in effect. Additional RV parking will be available on Fridays of SEC games and Gameday at the Farmers Market. Parking is limited and based on first come first serve. Entrance is on National Guard Road, which is off of Bluff Rd at the practice field. Gameday RV parking is $60 and also $60 for Friday parking. This lot opens at 2:00 PM on Fridays. The GPS location for the Farmer's Market is 1001 Bluff Rd, Columbia, SC 29201.

Capital City Stadium Parking Lot

This parking lot is provided for overflow Gamecock Club members and visitor parking. This is the least expensive and least crowded lot and is located less than a half-mile from the stadium on the west side of Assembly Street. The cost to park in this lot is $10 per car or $10 per space needed to fully accommodate RVs. The GPS coordinate are Capital City Stadium (Blowfish), 301 South Assembly St, Columbia, SC 29201.

Farmers Market Parking (Season Parking)

Season football parking passes will be sold in this lot via the South Carolina Athletic Department to those individuals who had reserved season parking passes or general admission season parking passes last year through the Farmers Market. Season parking in the Farmers Market will be assigned on a renewal bases via the parking deadline. For an application, please see the updated PDF concerning Farmers Market Parking for 2011.

Farmers Market Parking (Individual Game Day Sales)

Individual Gameday general parking will be available in the Farmers Market for $35. Entrance to Gameday parking will be via National Guard Road off of Bluff Rd. Gates will open at TBD. Tailgating is permissible. Charcoal grilling is prohibited, however, gas grilling is permitted. Each vehicle and each trailer must have a parking pass.

Once in Columbia, if you don't already have a spot, find yourself a lot and park, set up the tent and enjoy a great weekend of tailgate and college football.

Drinking within your tailgating area is approved and condoned! Just be smart about your ingestion of alcohol.
Security is tight going into the game so all drinks must be finished before entering the stadium.

Williams-Brice Stadium is currently the 20th largest college football stadium in the NCAA. Over the last 10 years, nearly $30 million of renovations and improvements have taken place at Williams-Brice Stadium, bringing the official capacity to 80,250. The addition of the upper deck in the south end zone includes "The Zone," which is an 11,000-square-foot (1,000 m2) banquet facility located in a prime seating location. The box seats, executive suites, and athletic training facilities at the stadium have also been upgraded.

Plans to build a state of the art video board are in place and it is to be completed ahead of the 2012 season. Estimated to cost 6.5 million the video board will sit atop the North Endzone stands and will be 36*124.

Top 5 Crowds at Williams-Brice:

85,000 vs. Clemson (11-17-01)
84,900 vs. Florida (11-10-01)
84,277 vs. Georgia (9-14-02)
84,200 vs. Tennessee (10-28-00)
83,987 vs. Clemson (11-22-03)

Want to kick it up a notch in a great atmosphere?

Motorsupply
Saluda's
Blue Marlin
Mr. Friendly's
Dianne's on Devine

Vista (2 miles from the stadium)

www.hiltoncolumbia.com/
924 Senate Street
Columbia, SC 29201
(803) 744-7800

www.hamptoninncolumbia.com/
822 Gervais Street
Columbia, SC 29201
(803) 231-2000

Downtown

www.sheraton.com/Columbia
1400 Main Street
Columbia, SC 29201
(803) 988-1400

Campus

http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/caecd-courtyard-columbia-downtown-at-usc/
630 Assembly Street
Columbia, SC 29201
1 803-799-7800

http://www.innatusc.com/
1619 Pendleton Street
Columbia, SC 29201-3809
(803) 779-7779

Five Points

www.theinnatclaussens.com/

2003 Greene Street
Columbia, SC 29205
(800) 622-3382

Everything you need to know about the local attractions can be found HERE