Following the Cats to North Carolina Friday? Where to park, stay and visit in Greensboro

There’s plenty to see in Greensboro, N.C., this weekend if you’re among the University of Kentucky basketball fans traveling to see the men’s team play in the NCAA tournament Friday.

Known as Tournament Town, Greensboro is hosting its 23rd year of the ACC Women’s Basketball Tournament and the ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament for the 29th year in a row, according to its official website.

This year, Greensboro is also a key site of the men’s NCAA tournament, as it will host the first two rounds of tournament play.

But Greensboro has more to offer than the thrill of March Madness. It’s the birthplace of the sit-in movement for Civil Rights, home to a science museum where you can meet a penguin and host of a thriving food scene. (You can even attempt to eat a 5.5-pound sandwich in under an hour.)

Here’s what to know if you’re following the UK men’s team to Greensboro and a little about what to see and do if you have some time to kill.

Planning your visit, what to know about parking for tournament

The Greensboro Coliseum is the site of Friday’s game and it’s located at 1921 West Gate City Blvd. Tip off is at 7:10 p.m. Friday and is followed by three other tournament games throughout the weekend.

The complex has more than 6,000 on-site parking spaces, and parking fees range from $5 to $25, depending on the event, according to the coliseum’s website.

All on-site parking opens at least one hour before the start of events and remains staffed until 60 minutes after the event. Visitors are advised to contact the coliseum at 336-373-7400 for updated parking lot times for each event.

What are the rules around tailgating?

According to the coliseum’s website, tailgating is allowed provided it’s done responsibly.

North Carolina law prohibits consumption of liquor in the parking lots or any public parking area. Tailgating is also limited to directly in front of or behind your vehicle, and patrons are allowed only one parking space per vehicle. Glass containers or bottles and kegs are not permitted.

Can I bring my RV and stay overnight?

Yes, although you will need to get permission first.

To do so, you should fill out and submit this form via email to ColiseumParking@greensboro-nc.gov. According to the application form, the rate is $50 per day, per RV. Additional vehicles or trailer parking is $10 for a three-day weekend.

What is there to see and do outside of the tournament play?

If you show up at the coliseum Thursday, you can catch the Cats practice during the open practices running from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free, and doors open at 10 a.m.

Outside of basketball, the International Civil Rights Center and Museum is something you really shouldn’t miss. Once the site of the segregated Woolworth’s lunch counter that sparked the sit-in movement for Civil Rights in 1960, it’s now a museum that tells the story of the four Black college students that made history more than half a century ago.

If you’re looking for a distillery, check out Fainting Goat Spirits for a tasting.

You can also visit the local Bog Garden, sip a latte and pet a cat at the Crooked Tail Cat Cafe or checkout what else the city has to offer.

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