The University of Georgia premiered an incredible Performing Arts Center in 1996, and the impeccable acoustics have attracted such world-class talent as opera diva Jessye Norman, The Canadian Brass, violinist Midori, the Vienna Choir Boys, and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. The Performing and Visual Arts Center also features an expanded Georgia Museum of Art, and plans call for a theater to be added in the near future. Bulldog fans tailgate and hunker down 'between the hedges' on fall football Saturdays, and they also take in fast-paced basketball, baseball, track and volleyball action. The University of Georgia is a member of the Southeastern Conference and fields teams in more than 20 competitive sports. Student tickets are available for all of them.
Many law students enjoy participating in the law school's intramural basketball and software teams.
Avid runners and cyclists will find a veritable paradise, and those who just need to get away from it all can enjoy leisurely strolls along the nature trails of the State Botanical Garden near the University campus. It has just been designated the nation's best University recreation center by Sport Illustrated. For the outdoor enthusiast, hiking, boating, whitewater rafting, and skiing excursions to the North Georgia mountains are only a few hours away, and the sunny beaches of Georgia' coast are merely a half-day's drive. Athens' climate is pleasant, with an average annual high of 75 degrees and an average low of 43 degrees. On the eclectic streets downtown, you'll find a variety of excellent restaurants - from quaint coffee houses and Southern homestyle establishments to international cuisine, all at prices student pocketbooks can afford.