After being away from home for a while, family weekend is a much-anticipated event! The excitement intensifies as the days, hours, and minutes tick down to the moment you will finally reunite with your loved ones and feel the relief of a familiar face. Yet, a common dilemma that students often face is how to make the most of our time while our family is visiting. Despite its small size, Hamilton has a surprising array of activities to enjoy during this special weekend.
Here are a few activities you can do with your family to show them the campus you love so much!
- Food
Having your parents in town is the best excuse to eat food that isn’t Frank Dining Hall food. Hamilton has numerous restaurants for every meal of the day. For breakfast, my go-to place is the Broad Street Diner. The breakfast burger is my favorite thing on the menu! You can also go to Flour and Salt or Fojo Beans if you want something that’s more café style. Make sure to go early because these places fill up fast on family weekend!
Hamilton Whole Foods and the Hamilton Eatery are tasty choices for a quick bite for lunch. For a more formal meal, the Colgate Inn has a delicious lunch menu! On Saturday (10/28), starting at 11:30 a.m., there is a food truck lunch at the football field. Try one of the many delicious local food trucks while walking around Colgate’s athletic center!
There are many amazing restaurants for dinner. The most classic and popular ones are the Colgate Inn, the Hamilton Inn, and the Seven Oaks Restaurant at the Golf Course. These places get incredibly busy, so make sure to make a reservation. Other alternatives include Rusch’s, Friends and Pho, Main Moon, and the Royal Indian Grill (RIG). If you don’t feel like going into town for dinner, you can take your family to the Colgate family weekend dinner on Friday night. Getting dinner with your friends is a great way to get to know their families, and it’s always the highlight of my weekend!
- Athletics
Another great thing to do with your family is take them to a Colgate athletic game. Colgate Football is playing Bucknell at Andy Kerr Stadium at 1:00 p.m on Saturday. Grab some food from the food trucks, then find a seat to watch the game! On Saturday night at 5:00pm, Colgate men’s soccer is playing Navy on the Beyer-Small Field. On Sunday, support the Field Hockey team as they play Wake Forest on Tyler’s Field at 12:00pm. Show your family the true Colgate spirit and support our teams!
- Arts/music
A few excellent musical and artistic events are happening during family weekend as well! One of my favorites is the acapella concert in the Colgate Memorial Chapel on Friday at 7:00 p.m. The groups are outstanding! My mom always tells me that the acapella concert was her favorite part of family weekend last year. After the concert, you can head to the ALANA Multicultural Show at the ALANA Cultural Center.
I hope these suggestions have sparked some inspiration for your family weekend plans! Remember, it’s all about creating cherished moments and making the most of your time together. Whether you’re exploring the campus, enjoying delicious meals, or partaking in other exciting activities, the most important thing is the opportunity to reconnect with your loved ones. So, embrace the moments, and may your family weekend be filled with joy and new experiences!