Top Spots in Murfreesboro for Freshman at MTSU
It’s a Friday night 3 weeks in to your Freshman semester at MTSU, and you and your friends are looking to go out and explore Murfreesboro. You scour the internet looking for the best places to visit in town, but it seems as if there is nothing that peaks your interest. Your choices seem bleak, and the websites offer generic places in town that don’t excite you at all. What do you do in this situation?
The following locations, with distance from MTSU and price in consideration, are the best places to check out in Murfreesboro. I have personally been to all of the locales listed, and can attest to their quality of service and general good time. You’re going to get the best out of Murfreesboro when visiting these five places. Without further ado, these are my must visit spots in Murfreesboro for freshman students at MTSU.
Cup Pop- Korean BBQ in a Cup
As the sign on the front door states, this small hole in the wall establishment, is the place for your Korean BBQ indulgences. Located right off Greenland Drive, it is minutes away from the comfort of your dorm. The prices of the food are cheap too; for nine dollars you get a drink and bowl sized cup of many different entrée choices such as chicken katsu (breaded fried chicken), bulgogi (Korean Steak), and my personal favorite spicy bulgogi. There are many other menu options as well as. These options include sushi, shrimp ramen, as well as many vegetarian friendly choices too. When ordering the food, you cannot go wrong with any pick, so it’s best to experiment and step outside your culinary comfort zone. One thing I have to mention is the service at Cup Pop. When you enter the restaurant, you are greeted by a friendly lady who takes your order and goes above all expectations to make your experience at Cup Pop a pleasant one. Every time I have dined at Cup Pop, I leave with my hunger quenched and my heart happy. Considering its proximity to campus and its prices, this is a must-visit for any freshman at MTSU.
The Avenue
It’s the prime shopping center of Murfreesboro, and it’s only a few minutes from campus. The Avenue provides a hub for many different stores and restaurants. Walking and looking around is free, so this is a good distraction from the chaotic nature of college. You and your friends can enjoy searching for the next sneaker you will cop at Champs Sports. Or perhaps browse Alumni Hall for some new MTSU apparel and gear. You could walk through Bed, Bath & Beyond, inhaling all the fresh candle aromas as soft jazz music plays in the background. The Avenue provides many distractions and attractions. Another convenient inclusion of The Avenue are the many restaurants situated in it. The majority of them provide student discounts, such as Newk’s Eatery. Over all you are guaranteed to find something to do here, as there are a myriad of stores and restaurants at your convenience.
Batey Farms
A few blocks from The Avenue is Batey Farms, a centuries old staple of Murfreesboro with many free events. The farm is about a minute away from the Avenue, so it is not out of your way. They hold many events to attend for free, such as Food Truck Night or recently a total solar eclipse watching event, as shown above. These are always free to attend, but offer food from local restaurants to cater at decent prices. Batey farms also has fruit picking for certain in-season fruits like strawberries and blueberries at affordable prices. Not only will you be saving money on produce, but you will also enjoy freshly grown Murfreesboro strawberries. Other events include their October pumpkin patch. It’s best to bring a group of friends, as it makes their activities a lot more enjoyable and memorable. They do a great job of setting these events up, and they allow for many cute picture opportunities. They regularly hold different events, so be sure to look out for something new and exciting every month.
Flashback Arcade
A throwback to simpler times, Flashback Arcade is one of the most fun places in town for a cheap price. For the admission fee of ten dollars you are able to use any of their machines for as long as you want to stay. When you first enter the building, you notice all the vibrant colors of the neon lights in the dark black lit room. The atmosphere is very unique, and charms you from your first step inside. They have games ranging from Pac-Man, Mortal Kombat, Guitar Hero, and all the other 80’s arcade classics. This is a huge hit for a cheap date night or hangout with friends, as their facility is packed with machines that allow for competitive play. It’s such a rush to destroy your significant other in a round of Mortal Kombat, and then do the same in Dance Dance Revolution. The choices of games are endless it seems, and they are all open for you to use for only ten dollars. Stumbling upon this place for me has alleviated some of that Friday night boredom, without having to break the bank just to go out on the town. The arcade brings out your inner child, and allows for your college stress to be drowned out by the excitement of the games. I highly recommend this place to anyone, as it provides hours of entertainment for a bargain price.
Fresko Sandwiches & Ice Cream Parlor
Last and furthest away from campus, but certainly not least is Fresko Ice Cream Parlor. Even though it is a little further away, you must give this place a try! This small locale on the Blackman side of town, holds a near and dear spot in my heart as it has the best ice cream options in all of Murfreesboro. There will be different flavors for you to try every time you visit this highly rated restaurant. My personal favorite flavors have been Strawberry Cheesecake and Rose pedal ice cream. Their sandwiches and tortas (Mexican sandwiches) are amazing too, and rival traditional home-made tortas. Their entire menu is to die for and I could try and explain all the vast options, but that wouldn’t do it justice. You would certainly need to walk in and see all the menu items for yourself. One would expect a place this good to gauge out your eyes with their prices, but their sandwiches are cheap and their small cup ice creams are around two dollars. This is a true hidden gem of Murfreesboro, due to its excellence in all aspects of service. The owners of the restaurant make sure to provide the best customer service of any place in town. There is so much good to say about this spot, and the only downside is that there isn’t a location closer to campus. Make sure to try Fresko’s sandwiches and ice cream, if you are looking to have some of the best in Murfreesboro.
Certainly, all of these places in town would make for a great time out on the weekend for any college student. You would be taking away from your full Murfreesboro experience if you didn’t visit these spots, and I guarantee your satisfaction if you do. There are many other great places in town, but these specific spots listed stand out for their quality above others. Check out their webpages to learn more. Best of luck to you as you begin college here in Murfreesboro!
