The Gamecocks kick off the SEC’s bowl season on Dec. 27 when they take on the Miami Hurricanes in the Independence Bowl in Shreveport, La.

Shreveport is the third-largest city in Louisiana, sitting right on the Red River.

Where to stay

  • Feel like having a nice room and a place to party at the same time? Consider staying at one of the casinos in Shreveport. You can also look across the river in Bossier at somewhere like the Horseshoe Casino.
  • There are a few major chain hotels along the Louisiana Boardwalk, running along the river. These will help put you close to the action of Shreveport-Bossier.
  • If you’re looking for some down-home comfort, check out one of several bed and breakfasts around Shreveport, offering true southern comfort. Options include Fairfield Place and A Bed and Breakfast.

Where to eat

  • If you’re looking for a good steak, 2John’s Steak and Seafood ($$$) and Superior Steak House ($$) come highly recommended from our readers. Both are on the dressier side, so these would be good choices for a nice night out.
  • Twisted Root Burger Co. ($$) is a good choice for a more casual meal. They’ve got a sizable list of gourmet burgers, adult milkshakes and craft beer.
  • For a taste of the local fare, check out Crawdaddy’s Kitchen ($$) or Herby-K’s ($$) for top-notch Cajun and Creole food.

Things to do

  • Feel like putting a few dollars on the line? The Shreveport area has tons of casinos, mostly grouped around the river and across the water in Bossier.
  • The Louisiana Boardwalk has everything from a huge outlet mall to restaurants and bars.

Bars

  • If you want to belt out some tunes, head to the Blind Tiger, where you can sing karaoke and munch on some Creole grub.
  • Straycat is a local favorite, a dive bar type of establishment that is known for playing good music, serving well-crafted cocktails and a wide selection of beers. It’s located right next to the Remington Hotel.
  • Bars in Shreveport are open all night, many until 6 a.m. You’ll be able to wander into any place at any time of night.

Getting to the stadium

Independence Stadium is located in between the Shreveport Regional Airport and the Louisiana Boardwalk — about 10 minutes from either side of town. It’s located right off of I-20, the main highway through Shreveport.

The stadium offers plenty of parking, with 10 total lots around the stadium. There is also a $5 game day shuttle, which will be in operation from 10 a.m. until one hour after the game is over. It runs from Pierre Bossier Mall in Bossier City to Mall St. Vincent in Shreveport.