Somewhere out there, a fan just put on the same jersey they’ve worn to every home game for 20 years. Another is cooking up the exact same pre-game meal they’ve brought to every tailgate since they learned how to drive. And yet another is donning their pair of lucky underwear that’s gone unwashed for far too long.  

These proudly irrational traditions are part and parcel of one of the most interesting communities in America: Tailgaters.  

This post digs into some of their wackiest rituals. From aquatic tailgates to table smashing, these are the 7 tailgating traditions we think you should know about. 

America’s 7 Wildest Tailgating Traditions

1. Sailgating: Tennessee Vols, Knoxville, TN 

Yes, this is exactly what you think. Back in 1962, George Mooney was the voice of the Vols. He got tired of snarling stadium traffic and took matters into his own hands by motoring his boat up the Tennessee River to Neyland Stadium.  

That momentous decision would grow into one of college football’s proudest traditions. Today, hundreds of boats rumble up the river on Vols gameday. They gather on the water, sailgate as a crew and join together in rituals designed to conjure up that pre-game luck.

This collective armada is known as the Vol Navy and they’ve turned sailgating into a staple at Tennessee football games.  

Pro tip: Neyland Stadium isn’t the only place you can sailgate. Check out the UW Husky Stadium in Seattle for a West Coast version featuring a 100+ boat sailgate on Lake Washington. 

2. The Cockaboose Railroad: South Carolina Gamecocks, Columbia, SC 

In 1990, a Columbia businessman bought 22 decommissioned cabooses and planted them on a spur track 50 feet behind the south end zone at Williams-Brice Stadium. Fans quickly transformed these spaces into one of America’s wildest tailgating locations.  

Each caboose is individually owned, and the inside is customized by the owner. One caboose is designed in a traditional Victorian style. Some are more utilitarian. Others are decked floor-to-ceiling in Gamecock gear, built like a sports bar on rails. None are the same, and that’s the whole point.  

The Cockabooses haven’t moved since 1990. On game days, they’re the hottest real estate in town, privately owned, invitation-only and fully loaded. If you’re lucky enough to get invited inside, you don’t ask questions – you just show up. 

3. Campgating: Everywhere, USA

Who said you have to be at the stadium to tailgate? Campgating is exactly what it sounds like – RVs rolled in, outdoor TVs turned on, grills fired up and lawn chairs out. Somewhere between kickoff and halftime, the neighbors from three sites down wander over, and suddenly, it’s a party nobody planned. 

No overpriced parking. No traffic. No $14 beers. Just trees, a fire pit and a kitchen that traveled with you. 

Campgating isn’t just a tailgate. It’s a whole weekend. 

Good Sam Members already know the play here: 10% off at 1,800+ campgrounds means your next campgate is even more affordable. 

4. Daytona 500 Infield: Daytona Speedway, Daytona Beach, FL 

Most fans watch the race. These fans surround themselves with it by setting up camp in the middle of the Daytona 500 track. RVs get parked, kiddie pools come out and grills get grilled upon, all while 200 mph stock cars zip around the track.   

It’s a multi-day camping event that just so happens to have a famous race going on around it. 

Can’t make Daytona work? Talladega Superspeedway has an infield glamping scene that’s equally epic.  

5. Bills Mafia Table Smashing: Highmark Stadium, Orchard Park, NY 

Legend has it that, years ago, a drunk Bills fan was stumbling around a tailgate when he fell over and smashed onto a folding table. Bills Mafia lived up to its reputation as one of the wildest crews in the NFL when they took this drunk fan’s misadventure and turned it into tradition. 

Warning: Table smashing is now banned by Bills’ ownership (seriously, don’t do it, they’ll kick you out).

However, there was a time when fans regularly partook of this dangerous practice. It’s not too complicated really… You down a bit of liquid courage, hop onto a high point and jump off it onto a plastic table that gets crushed under your weight. 

Other tailgaters are usually all around you, cheering you on. Dick’s Sporting Goods once even sold a special selection of plastic folding tables right next to Bills’ gear.  

While most table smashing is behind us, this story lives on in tailgating lore as one of the wackiest traditions this side of the gridiron. 

6. RV City: Florida Georgia Game, Jacksonville, FL 

This tradition is on a short hiatus due to construction at EverBank Stadium, but, when it’s happening, RV City is a week-long tailgating celebration that sees a sea of RVers descend upon Lot E for an iconic collegiate clash.  

Tailgaters at RV City spend their pre-game days living in a temporary neighborhood whose only residents are die-hard Florida and Georgia fans. If you visit, expect to see live music, over-the-top outdoor setups, friendly rivalries, tons of good food and ultra-luxe RVs.  

7. The Grove: Ole Miss, Oxford, MS  

The Grove is a grassy, oak-shaded area in the heart of Ole Miss that’s been hosting tailgaters since the 50s. It’s a 10-acre tailgate where fans set up glamorous tents complete with chandeliers and fine China. 

What makes The Grove stand out isn’t just the setup; it’s the dress code. Grove-gaters show up in sundresses, bow ties and blazers. It’s like they’re heading to a cocktail party that just happens to end in a football game.  

The smell of Southern cooking, the rustle of oak leaves overhead, the sea of red and blue tents stretching as far as you can see – The Grove isn’t just a tailgate, at Ole Miss, it’s the closest thing that happens to church on a Saturday.  

The Ritual Is The Point

Secret recipes. Unwashed underwear. Table smashing. Whatever your tailgating ritual looks like, it’s yours, and you’re not changing it. 

The best tailgates aren’t just parties. They’re ways of life. Passed down, protected and treated with a seriousness that outsiders find baffling. The playlist, the parking spot, the order of operations – all of it matters, because somewhere along the way, it brought luck to the game.

Tailgating traditions represent a level of devotion you can’t fake. So, whether you’re packing a tent into a stadium lot, sailing up a river or backing your RV into a campsite three states away from gameday, the tradition is yours.

Keep it weird. Keep it unwashed. Keep it going.