As Caitlin Clark makes her coveted return to Iowa City, thousands of Iowa fans will, too — and there’s a method to maximizing the experience.
Clark, the former Iowa women’s basketball player who led the Hawkeyes to back-to-back NCAA runner-up titles, has impacted the sport on all levels. And she’ll continue to do so after a stellar rookie season in the WNBA, joining the Indiana Fever to kick off her sophomore campaign in an unconventional exhibition on May 4.
Tipping off at 12:30 p.m. against the Brazil National Team inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena, the exhibition will bring thousands of Hawkeye fans back to Iowa City to get a unique glimpse of the star a year after her departure from the program.
With that, many will come without ever having seen No. 22 in action. But there are hotspots in town to maximize it all.
Before the game
Bluebird Diner is a flawless breakfast option if you can squeeze it, but a table is tough to secure in the morning due to high demand, limited seating, and a rule you can only put your name down in person.
But Bluebird does have the best breakfast and brunch in Iowa City with a staple mark environment, especially at the bar. I’d recommend the Blurbird Egg Sandwich and a cinnamon roll, but whatever you order, find a way to get their hash browns on your plate.
RELATED: Pregame: Caitlin Clark returns to Carver
If you’re taking a more serious approach to the pregame, tailgating is always an option for big events in Iowa City athletics — especially assuming we get that peak early May weather.
Micky’s is also a good spot, and it will be for lunch, dinner, and drinks. The restaurant on Dubuque Street serves breakfast, but you could push it up against tip-off and tap into a flexible lunch menu with a Burger Basket or Conglomeration. It’s a great “Iowa City bar” environment to have a few beers or a mule with the added bonus of not being oversaturated by college kids.
During the game
If you somehow survived the lottery and resale scrambles to secure a ticket, that’s where you’ve got to take the most advantage. Seeing Caitlin Clark in person is a difficult feat with demand so high over her two-year peak, so the generic answer is to get a Carver Cone and just enjoy the game. But to truly maximize the Caitlin Clark experience takes a bit more.
To truly soak in a sold-out Carver-Hawkeye Arena and Caitlin Clark environment, get down around the floor before or after the game. Easy access and open space around the court — that not a lot of college environments allow — make for both good pictures and a realistic look at the magnitude of No. 22’s impact. A walk up the tunnel in the northwest corner between timeouts does the same.
If you didn’t secure a ticket, and not many did, the game will be broadcast on FOX. The best places to catch a sports game in Iowa City are always DC’s Sports Bar and the classic option of Micky’s. But a sunny Sunday around campus might make simply sitting outside and enjoying the weather the best pick above all else.
After the game
There’s something for everyone in Iowa City’s nightlife — even on a Sunday evening.
College students often keep the sports vibe going with dollar slices of pizza and an array of TVs at The Airliner. But a good casual sit-down spot is The Iowa Chop House on Washington Street if you’re willing to spend a bit more money, which would justify the filet mignon.
But if you’re hitting the road right after the game, a quick pick-up from the grill at Bread Garden Market will do. From the burger to the burrito, Bread Garden is a sleeper food spot in town.
Of course, there’s always the opportunity to come back as Iowa women’s basketball starts back up in November. But to see Caitlin Clark again, the Fever open the WNBA season hosting the Chicago Sky on May 17, and she returns to Chicago — just three hours from Iowa City — to play the Sky again on June 7.