The Experience
The Rebels are coming to The Swamp, and this is the kind of SEC Saturday that decides seasons. If you’ve made the trip from Oxford before, you also know that nobody travels harder, or hosts better, than an Ole Miss crowd — and you’re not about to settle for a chain hotel and a long Uber ride. This weekend is the version that meets the standard.
We host a full buyout of the ranch house — sleeps twelve, 246 acres, 1.2 miles of private river frontage — about forty minutes from Jacksonville and seventy-five from Gainesville. Quiet land, big porches, a fire pit that earns its keep. A proper basecamp for the crew that travels well, expects a real welcome, and would rather not deal with stadium parking.
The kitchen is stocked when you arrive. Chef-prepared options from our local culinary partners — Cinotti’s Bakery & Deli, The Farmery (Lowcountry Gullah Geechee farm-to-table), and Chef’s Garden Catering — are waiting in the fridge for you to choose from. You pick the dinner you want for Friday night and the breakfasts you want for Saturday and Sunday, warm them in the oven on your own schedule, and eat when you’re ready. No service window, no kitchen full of staff, no cooking. Gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegetarian selections are part of the spread.
Saturday begins on your clock with a heat-and-serve breakfast, then off to The Swamp. Late September on the St. Marys is just about perfect: warm afternoons, golden evenings, and a porch made for the post-game debrief. A late-night snack is set out around the fire, win or lose. Sunday is one more breakfast and a slow, easy checkout — coffee on the rocking chairs, the river doing its thing.
Transportation to and from the stadium is not included in the base package — most groups bring their own. We offer a round-trip luxury shuttle with driver as an optional add-on (see below) if you’d rather not deal with parking, traffic, or designating a driver. Jacksonville International (JAX) is about a forty-minute drive from the ranch; airport transfers aren’t included but can be arranged on request. Game tickets are not included and can be sourced for you for a service fee.
- Entire ranch house, two nights (Fri & Sat) — sleeps up to 12
- Friday afternoon arrival and welcome
- Stocked kitchen with chef-prepared farm-to-table dinner options (Fri), heat-and-serve
- Stocked kitchen with chef-prepared breakfast options for Saturday and Sunday, heat-and-serve
- Saturday late-night snack at the ranch
- Gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegetarian selections in the spread
- Run of 246 acres: river frontage, fire pit, porches, trails
- Your own transport to and from the stadium (or add our luxury shuttle below)
- Game tickets (we can source for an added fee)
- Red, white, and blue Ole Miss gear
- Tailgate spread and stories from past Grove Saturdays
- A jacket for evenings on the river
- Traveling Ole Miss fans making the SEC road trip
- Out-of-town Gators home for an SEC heavyweight Saturday
- Group of friends or two-to-four couples
- Client entertaining and corporate Saturdays
- Alumni travel groups and booster outings
Chef-prepared meals cooked on site
CustomTrade the stocked, heat-and-serve kitchen for a private chef who builds a custom menu around your group and cooks every meal on site — Friday dinner, Saturday breakfast and game-day fuel, late-night spread after the game, and Sunday brunch. Wine pairings, dietary accommodations, and service style all built to your weekend. Priced to the menu and the headcount.
Round-trip luxury shuttle to Ben Hill Griffin
$2,000Private luxury shuttle and driver from the ranch to the stadium Saturday morning and back to the ranch after the game. No parking, no traffic, no designated driver — just climb aboard, save your legs for the fourth quarter, and let someone else handle the drive home.
This experience can be added to any wedding weekend, retreat, or corporate offsite at River & Roots. Ask about bundle pricing.
You'll be dealing with me, not a front desk.
I'm Ben Wright, proprietor of River & Roots. My wife Jen and I host every game-day weekend ourselves — the kitchen is stocked before you arrive, the fire pit is laid, and if anything comes up, you call me and it gets handled. Three weekends this fall, one crew each. If you want one, don't sit on it.
Call or text me · 720.427.6079What every crew asks.
The entire ranch house for two nights (Friday and Saturday, sleeps up to 12), exclusive run of all 246 acres and 1.2 miles of St. Marys River frontage, and a stocked kitchen with chef-prepared, heat-and-serve meals from our local culinary partners — Friday dinner, Saturday and Sunday breakfasts, and a Saturday late-night snack by the fire. Gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegetarian selections are part of the spread.
No — game tickets are not included in the weekend price. We can source tickets for your group for a service fee; mention it in your booking request and we'll handle it.
The ranch is about 75 minutes from Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Most groups drive themselves; if you'd rather nobody behind the wheel, add the round-trip luxury shuttle with driver for $2,000 — ranch to stadium Saturday morning, stadium to ranch after the game.
The whole ranch runs $3,750–$5,500 for the weekend depending on the game. Split among 12 guests, that's roughly $315–$460 per person for two nights of private-ranch lodging with meals stocked — typically less than four hotel rooms, restaurant tabs, and ride-shares for the same crew.
Send the request form (or call Ben directly at 720.427.6079). We confirm availability within 24 hours — nothing is charged until we do. A 50% deposit holds the weekend; the balance is invoiced before arrival. One crew per game weekend, first confirmed deposit takes it.
Jacksonville International (JAX) is about 40 minutes from the ranch. Airport transfers aren't included but can be arranged on request — the Oklahoma weekend especially is built around a fly-in crew.
The cypress log ranch house sleeps up to 12 across 4 bedrooms — comfortable for a group of friends, two to four couples, or an alumni crew. The whole house is yours; no other guests, ever.
Bring the crew back to The Swamp.
Confirmation within 24 hours. Nothing charged until we confirm. First confirmed deposit takes the weekend.