I'm going into my senior year at Florida State University, which is terrifying and sad. The past few years have been awesome, each one better than the next, and I'm ready to make my final year the best one ever. I've done a lot of fun stuff and eaten a lot of good food, but I still have more to do. I decided to make a food/drink inspired FSU bucket list to check off before we all throw our caps in the air and peace out of Tally. (I'm not crying.)
If you're an FSU student, get working on this list to make the most out of your time as a Seminole.
1. Have a picnic at Cascades Park.
If you haven't been to Cascades park you should change that ASAP. It has a beautiful scenery with a man-made waterfall, an amphitheater, palm trees and more. If you're looking to get off campus (even though ours is beautiful) and away from college kids, Cascades is the place to go. My friends and I love going during the day on weekends and bringing along Taco Bell. They even have a coffee shop and restaurant there. Grab some friends, a blanket, and food from wherever you choose to enjoy a fun and sunny day at the park.
2. Crush this list of must-try Tallahassee foods.
This list of 50 things to eat in Tallahassee is very important. MadSo's BLT dip is of course included, because who doesn't love that stuff? The list also features PB&J burger from Midtown Caboose, which I think everyone has to have once. If you're looking to eat something new, I'm sure you can find something that you have yet to try. I've eaten a lot of great food around school but there are definitely also a bunch of things I've been missing out on.
3. Go out to dinner at Harry's Seafood Bar & Grille.
Harry's is noted in the list above for their Oreo beignets, which are super good. Their chocolate bread pudding is my personal favorite dessert and worth trying as well. Harry's is fun because it is a bit fancier, and located downtown in the Kleman Plaza. The plaza is very cute and makes waiting to be seated better, especially with Florida's sunsets. This was a favorite weekend activity among my friends and I freshman year, and we walked from my dorm. They also have a bowl of beads to take from, since the restaurant has a New Orleans type theme, which gives you even more reason to go.
4. Take a beach trip.
An essential on a FSU bucket list. The beach is another perfect place for a picnic, and it helps that there are a few nice beaches not too far from school. Toward the end of my junior year, my friends and I took a last minute trip to St. George Island, and grabbed Subway while we were there. I would've preferred to grab a Pub-sub, which is an equally easy option in Florida, but that's a personal preference. Whatever your fav food may be, pick some up and take it to the beach. An couple hours in the car is nothing when you're with good friends and good food, takin' in the ocean.
5. Drink around the world.
Another FSU bucket list necessity. This is one of the perfect activities for college students, and especially for those who go to school in Florida. 4 hours from Tallahassee is not a bad drive for a weekend trip to Orlando. My friends and I spent our spring break in Disney, and drank our way through Epcot for our first day. It was a lot of fun and definitely something I would do again.
6. Shot-Gun a beer.
I have friends who haven't done this yet. My first time was at the beach for spring break, which is fitting. If you need instructions on how to do this check out this article. It may not be the most comfortable experience, but it's something every college student should try. I usually don'y enjoy it, but somehow always seem to think it's a good idea. This girl shotgunned a four loko, which is a little too crazy for me. Just remember to be safe and drink responsibly.
7. Do a Keg Stand.
Another crazy-drinking item. Once again, drink responsibly. My friends and I decided to do keg stands at a party one night that was kinda dead. There wasn't much going on so we decided to try and start the fun by starting keg stands, which was our first time doing them as well. It's a little bit of an awkward experience, but again, a college thing that you should all attempt.
8. Go to the North Florida Fair.
I've wanted to go since my freshman year, and finally made it out my junior year. This is definitely an important FSU bucket list item. One great thing about fairs is, of course, the food. There are tons of fun and exciting fried food options, and fried food always grabs my attention. I plan on going back again and trying more foods for my final year at FSU. It also makes for cute insta pics if that's something you're into.
9. Go to happy hour at Potbelly's.
This is something on the list which I haven't actually done myself. While I love Pot's for late nights out, I've never been to their popular Friday happy hour. This is something I know I gotta go to at least once.
10. Enjoy popcorn at the SLC.
The Student Life Cinema was one of my go-to places my freshman year, but I still try to give it some love. They play some great movies, for free, and even have dollar popcorn nights. In addition, the SLC is home to the Grindhouse, which has some fun coffee creations as well as sweet treats. If you have yet to take advantage of the SLC, change that before you graduate. It's one perk you don't want to miss out on.
11. Have a beer at Proof Brewing Company.
I love Proof and I've loved it since before I even went. You may have seen their beer sold at other locations, but if you haven't actually been to Proof it's 100% worth checking out. It is Tallahassee's own brewing company which is super cool. The athmosphere is great and the setup has a beer garden with tables, string lights, and corn hole among other things. This is the perfect relaxed place to grab a beer during its earlier hours, but it gets a bit more crowded later a night. It's still a nice break from many of the college bars and has a different vibe for when you want to switch things up.
12. Go on a bar crawl.
There are often all kinds of crawls in Tallahassee throughout the year, and Madison Social puts on a good chunk of them, along with Centrale and Township. My friends and I went on a brunch crawl that took place at the three places, which was nice because it gave the option of food or a drink. Crawls are great too because of the cool shirts you can get for doing them.
13. Go to trivia.
This is something I'm mad that I haven't gone to yet. Many bars and restaurants offer trivia nights such as The Brass Tap, Madison Social, and Mellow Mushroom. They've done topics such as Will Ferrell, Friends, and Harry Potter.
14. Participate in or go to the vegan mac 'n cheese cook off.
Bread and Roses puts on a vegan Mac N Cheese cook off every year on 4/20. I went with my sister, who is vegan, and some friends. It definitely got hot and crowded while waiting in line, but was certainly an experience. It's crazy how creative the participants were able to get with their mac n cheese, especially since they were all vegan. We paid $5 and then piled our plates high with the various options. They then had votes in different categories for the best mac n cheese.
15. Go to Food Truck Thursdays.
Food trucks are so cool, and even though I don't have much cooking experience it's my secret dream to own one. With that being said, I have no idea WHY I still haven't gone to a Food Truck Thursday at Lake Ella. They happen every Thursday and they even have live music. Hanging out with some friends and food trucks seems like the perfect way to start the weekend early.
16. Go on a Haunted Pub Crawl in St. Augustine.
My friend recently brought this up and I am so for it. I've been to St. Augustine, FL once with my friends and I loved it. It's a cute beach town a little over 3 hours from Tallahassee, and it is actually the nation's oldest city. They have creepy crawl haunted pub tours offered by ghost-hunting guides. If scary stuff isn't your thing, I would still recommend a visit to St. Augustine. Check out the cutest city and grab some food by the beach.
17. Have a Friendsgiving style UF game viewing party.
The FSU vs. UF football game is an important one to experience. If you aren't going to the game yourself, have a friendsgiving dinner while watching it on TV, since it always takes place over Thanksgiving break. It will also make for a great way to use your leftovers. If you do plan on going to the game when it isn't at home, make sure to bring the necessary road trip snacks.
18. Attend the Greek Food Festival.
The Greek Food Festival takes place in October at Holy Mother Of God Greek Orthodox Church. This is a really fun event that has so much good food. Baklava is one of my favorites.
19. Host or attend a pool party.
A fun thing about FSU is that many of the apartments in the area have pools, which make for great hang out areas. Some places even have amenities such as grills, and certain complexes also have pool parties sometimes. If you don't know of any to attend, host your own with a few friends. Grab some beers and some snacks, grill up some burgers and enjoy that Florida sunshine.
20. Pop Champagne at Westcott.
At the end of each school year you aren't able to pass the fountain without seeing students taking their senior pictures and popping champagne. This FSU bucket list wouldn't be complete without it. Champagne is the perfect celebratory drink and Westcott Fountain is, of course, a staple image of FSU. End your year with a bang, or a "pop" in this case. Can that be a new saying?
Whether you're graduating soon like me, or starting your freshman year, be sure to check out this FSU bucket list for food and drink related activities that you don't want to miss during your time in Tally.