CORRECTION: In a previous version of this article, one of the suggested destinations was referred to by the incorrect name. The destination was Centennial Olympic Park. The Daily Orange regrets this error. 

Hudson Grille

Nothing helps get you into school spirit away from home like a good-old alumni bar. The resident Syracuse alumni bar in Atlanta is the Hudson Grille and it will be open in a big way for the NCAA Tournament. So for all of your thirsty 21+ tournament attendees, make sure you grab your drinks at this local watering hole during your stay in Atlanta. Chances are the drink specials will be abundant and every person in the place will be wearing his or her favorite shade of orange.

Aquarium

The Georgia Aquarium is, above anything else, a total feat of engineering. The massive attraction holds a whopping 10 million gallons of water within its many tanks. This is not your run-of-the-mill aquarium — not often will you get the opportunity to see actual dolphins and beluga whales in an indoor setting. If you’re a high roller, you can actually book time to swim with the dolphins and dive with the whales. But if you aren’t looking to spend too much cash, a simple tour around the aquarium, still abundant in awesomeness, will only cost you $35.

Centennial Olympic Park

The Atlanta Olympics, in the summer of 1996, are but a shadow of a memory to the athletes, but the tourism opportunities are still very much alive. The Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta remains intact. If you happen to have brought a little extra cash with you to the tournament, this might be a perfect occasion to stop and buy your family members some five-ringed souvenirs for when you return home. There is a lot of history that lies within the park, so if you need a break from the madness carrying over from March, take the time to spend a day here.

Music

While the NCAA Tournament should be your obvious first choice of entertainment for your weekend in Atlanta, the selection of musical artists performing at the venue is a surprisingly close second. Macklemore, Ludacris and Dave Matthews Band, among various other artists, will be performing at Atlanta’s Centennial Olympic Park from April 5-7. So, if you’re trying to pop some tags in between the semifinals and the championship game, take these chances to attend what is bound to shape up to be a pretty incredible show. And if it ends up being really lame, you can always just roll out.

The Varsity

There is no more important time for superstition than when Syracuse is taking part in the Final Four. A mere mile from the stadium where the Orange will take on Michigan in the semifinals lies The Varsity, and while it is not a pizza shop, the name alone should be enough for any SU students to want to wander in and grab a bite (even though it’s actually a burger joint). While you’re eating, let your mind wander back to the iconic little shop on Marshall Street and sink into your Syracuse Orange roots.

—Compiled by Chelsea DeBaise, feature editor, cedebais@syr.edu

Published on April 3, 2013 at 11:29 pm

Contact Chelsea: cedebais@syr.edu | @CDeBaise124