Everything You Need to Know About March Madness in Lexington, Kentucky

Lexington is a real hidden gem of a city, nestled in the center of Kentucky. Home to the University of Kentucky and their famed basketball team, it often gets overlooked in favor of its big brother Louisville (before Kentucky fans come for me, I don't mean in terms of sports!). While it's not as big as fellow first-round hosts Denver, Cleveland, or Milwaukee, there's plenty to see and do here. It's deep in the heart of horse racing and bourbon country, and you don't have to look hard to find a pastoral scene right out of a storybook, complete with soft rolling hills and thoroughbreds grazing in green pastures.

Lexington has hosted March Madness 13 times over the years, including the 1985 Final Four, the year a plucky underdog in Villanova completed a cinderella run to a title, knocking off mighty Georgetown in what is still considered one of the most shocking title game upsets in NCAA history. It's been a while since the city has hosted the tournament, though; it last came through Rupp Arena in 2013. Here's your handy guide to navigating Lexington, Kentucky during your March Madness trip.

There’s no secret sauce so the best way is to use the NCAA's official ticketing site, Ticketmaster. There are three sessions over the course of two days; two on Thursday, March 20, and one on Saturday, March 22. The sessions on the 20th are in the afternoon and in the evening, and each features two games on the docket. You can get tickets for just one session for as little as $50, or for all three sessions for as little as $455.

If you're traveling to see your team you might be able to buy tickets from someone leaving the arena day of—if someone gets knocked out early, or you find another group of fans who are only there to cheer on their favorite team. But be warned: Kentucky in general and Lexington in particular are basketball crazy; the locals tend to show up and show out for tournament games, just to enjoy the spectacle, so it might be a bit of a challenge. If you're looking to save some money, check sites like Stubhub or SeatGeek as they offer better deals than Ticketmaster’s resale site.

One of the nice things about Rupp Arena is that it is, first and foremost, a college basketball venue, and for many, it's a bucket list place to see a game. There really isn't a bad seat in the house, but straight sight lines are your friend. If you want to get the best views of the whole court, my recommendation is to sit along either sideline. The upper (sections 212-215 and 230-23, and prices are as low as $60 in 231 on Ticketmaster for one session) or lower bowl (13-16 and 29-33) is the best way to see all of the action. Be warned: those sideline seats are a hot commodity, and in the lower bowl, you're going to pay more, even for just one session.

Seats along the baseline are also fun and more affordable than sideline seats in the lower bowl. Sections 21-24 and 38-41 can have some great deals, and get you closer to the action for a cheaper price (I saw seats on Ticketmaster in section 39 for as little as $96 before fees). Oftentimes schools' student sections are located along the baselines, especially in the corners, so you may find yourself in the midst of some truly rowdy fans.

The upper bowls' corners are going to have the worst sight lines of any section, so avoid those if at all possible. Sections 218, 219, 225, 227, 235, 236, 242, and 244 are the highest-risk seats with the worst views.

Lexington does have an airport, but it's miniscule and distinctly regional. The farthest it goes with any consistency is Dallas-Fort Worth, but Blue Grass only has around 20-25 flights coming in on a given day. Fortunately for you, Lexington is located smack dab between a pair of larger, more affordable airports. Both Louisville's Muhammad Ali International Airport, and Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport are around a 90-minute drive from Lexington, and they're going to be your best bets to get there. Cincinnati is a hub for Southwest Airlines and Frontier, and has flights from every major carrier coming in each day. Louisville is a bit smaller, but still gets Delta, American, United, and Southwest flights.

The easiest way to get around Lexington is to rent a car as you'll likely be driving in from Cincinnati or Louisville after your flight. While Lexington does have a bus system, it's not terribly extensive, and it's tough to get around without a car.

On game day, Rupp Arena touts that there are 10,000 parking spaces within a 10-minute walk, but a less stressful option to get to the stadium might be rideshare services like Lyft and Uber. There's a designated dropoff and pickup point for those services along the Main Street side of the building. If you really don't want to drive to the game, Derby Dash Transportation is offering a $20 shuttle to and from Rupp Arena from selected hotels on game days.

Rupp Arena is an iconic venue, a must-visit destination for any college basketball fan. Even if you hate the Kentucky Wildcats, Rupp is one of those venues—like Kansas' Allen Fieldhouse or Duke's Cameron Indoor—where you need to visit at least once. It is one of college basketball's most hallowed halls, and the history is tangible from the time you leave the concourse and enter the arena proper. Kentucky is among the most elite college basketball programs in the country, with a history of success dating even back beyond the history of the NCAA tournament in 1939. Rupp Arena is named for their legendary head coach, Adolph Rupp, who elevated them into a national powerhouse in the 1930s and '40s.The banners that hang from the rafters are a living basketball history, showing the long, long history of success in the Bluegrass state. 34 retired jersey numbers, eight national championship banners, and 17 Final Four banners really drive home just how much success the Wildcats have had over the years.

Rupp has been the Wildcats' home court since 1976, and is beloved by Kentucky fans, who turn out in droves. Wildcat fans are some of the most knowledgeable and passionate in the sport, so expect the venue to get loud for all of the games hosted here.

For when you get hungry, you can mostly expect your traditional stadium fare; this is a college arena first and foremost, and the options are no-frills as a result. That's not to say there aren't a few local options: I recommend Cincinnati Chili (it's more like a sauce that's usually served on top of spaghetti or hot dogs along with mountains of cheese) and can be found in sections 17-18. Other good choices include pulled pork sandwiches from City BBQ (section 27-28) and Taylor Belle's soft serve ice cream (sections 15-16, 20-21, and 24-25).

There are four games on the slate in Lexington on Thursday, and Rupp Arena was blessed with a quartet of intriguing matchups. Here's what you need to know before you go.

Auburn vs. Alabama State or St. Francis: You're not going to see a terribly close game here, in all likelihood. St. Francis is one of the few teams ever to make the tournament with a losing record, and 15-loss Alabama State probably won’t pose a threat to Auburn. But, Bruce Pearl's Auburn team is one of the country's best. Led by Johni Broome, one of the best players in the country, this Tiger team is electric to watch.

Louisville vs. Creighton: Putting Louisville in this city for their first-round matchup feels particularly cruel, given the longstanding rivalry between the Cardinals and Kentucky. The Cardinals will likely face a hostile crowd and a tough test in Creighton. Expect a knockdown, drag-out contest here, as the Bluejays and Cardinals are pretty evenly matched, and both have incredibly fun offenses when they're clicking.

Tennessee vs. Wofford: Much like Auburn and their opener, Tennessee doesn't figure to be heavily tested by the Wofford Terriers. But the Volunteers have one of the best defenses in the country, and a pair of exciting players in Zakai Zeigler and Chaz Lanier. If you want to see a dominant team show why it's so good, don't miss the Vols here.

UCLA vs. Utah State: This promises to be a clash of very different styles of teams. On one side, we have the UCLA Bruins, who rode a stifling defense through a difficult first season in the Big 10 that saw head coach Mick Cronin call them "soft" at one point. On the other, the Utah State Utes, who have one of the best, most efficient offenses in the country. If stylistic clashes are your jam, don't miss this.

One of the perks of Rupp Arena is that it's located downtown, which means there are plenty of places to grab a bite and watch games. If you're looking for somewhere near the arena, Lexlive has a variety of sports bar options that have fantastic fare and a good selection of drinks. It's an entertainment center that includes a movie theater, arcade, and bowling on top of their plethora of food options, and sits right across the street from Rupp. Game Day Sports bar is the best option if you're looking to keep watching hoops, and their wings are excellent. It can fill up quickly on game days, so be ready for a bit of a wait.

A little further away, you have to check out KSBar if you're a sports fan. It's a six-minute drive from Rupp Arena but it's the hub of all things Kentucky sports. With tons of massive TVs all over the place, fantastic food, and a great selection of local beers, it's a must-visit if you're in town for the games. Try the Shotgun Wedding brown ale or Nate's coffee stout from Country Boy Brewing, as both are absolutely stellar. Kentucky Sports Radio does regular shows from here and you might also see some former players making appearances.

If you're willing to drive a little ways from the stadium, the Distillery District has a ton of fantastic food options. If watching the game is on your to-do list, Burl Brew is a great option. The barbacoa street tacos from Lucy's next door are amazing and pair really well with a Burl amber. The Burl Harvest is a really unique beer; you don't see a lot of Belgian table beers floating around, and this one is tasty.

Be warned: a lot of the food options there don't have a ton of TVs, so you'll want to make sure you're willing to take a break from the action (or head there when the day's games are done).

Check out Keeneland, Lexington's horse track. While you'll miss the start of the spring meet, you can schedule a tour to visit the historic grounds as well as a tailgating culture unlike any other on the weekends. Also, Lexington SC is a USL (second-tier) soccer club with both men's and women's teams. And both of them are playing the weekend the tournament is in town; the men host Indianapolis Eleven on Saturday, and the women host Carolina Ascent on Sunday.

The weather in Lexington in March tends to be a little chaotic. While snow is still pretty rare in that part of the world, you can expect temperatures in the 50s during the day that might scoot closer to freezing at night. Rain is very, very possible, so don't forget an umbrella or raincoat of some kind.

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