photo by: Nick Krug

The Alamodome in San Antonio, decked out for the Final Four of the 2008 NCAA Tournament, is shown in this Journal-World file photo from April 7, 2008.

If you’re thinking of catching the University of Kansas men’s basketball team at the Final Four in San Antonio this weekend, you’ve got some planning to do — and hundreds of miles to go before you sleep, to paraphrase Robert Frost. Here’s a rundown on how to get there, how much it’ll cost you and more.

It’s been said before, but we’re going to say it again here: The Jayhawks won their last national title, back in 2008, playing in San Antonio. This time, they’ll play in the same venue: the Alamodome, located in the heart of San Antonio.

Getting there

By car: It’s about 780 miles from Allen Fieldhouse to San Antonio’s Alamodome, according to the fastest route recommended by Google Maps. The trip, via I-35 South, should take a little more than 11 hours by car, Google Maps estimates. Jayhawk fans traveling from Lawrence would need to leave town no later than 8:30 a.m. just to arrive at the Alamodome by the game’s 7:49 p.m. tipoff time.

Of course, that doesn’t figure in bathroom breaks and pit stops for food and gas, not to mention heavy traffic and parking in San Antonio. So, plan on departing early in the morning — or making the trip Friday instead of Saturday, for those who’d rather be safe than sorry.

As of Monday morning, gas prices in Lawrence were hovering around $2.40 a gallon. If you fueled up in Lawrence before leaving, round-trip gas expenses would probably tally at least $125. (We got that total by dividing the total trip distance by an average of 30 miles per gallon, then multiplying that number by current Lawrence gas prices.)

By plane: Although convenient, traveling by plane will cost you. As per Google Flights, there don’t appear to be any flights departing Saturday from Kansas City that will get you to the Alamodome in time for the big game. So, plan on leaving Friday instead. Flights departing from Kansas City Friday to San Antonio, returning Tuesday, will set you back about $1,000, possibly more, according to online flight finders.

San Antonio's Alamodome

Where to stay: You’ll have limited options finding a place to stay — about 80 percent of the city’s rooms were booked as of Monday morning, according to Hotels.com. Still, there are options. Prices on Hotels.com range from $85 per night all the way up to $999 per night.

One night at La Quinta Inn & Suites San Antonio Riverwalk, located just more than half a mile from the Alamodome, will set you back $799. Another nearby La Quinta hotel, located about a mile from the Alamodome, costs $559 per night. Prices seem to drop as you head farther away from the city center.

How to get tickets: Multiple websites, among them StubHub and SeatGeek, are offering ticket packages for the Final Four matchups. The cheapest tickets, which include both games, start at around $260.

The NCAA also provides roughly 3,400 tickets to each of the four competing universities for those schools to distribute as they see fit. In KU Athletics’ case, tickets will go “first and foremost” to basketball players and staff, says Jim Marchiony, associate athletics director for public affairs at KU Athletics.

The rest will be available for sale (at $375 per ticket for the entire weekend) outside the Alamodome on game day, Marchiony said, with KU Athletics staffers handling the sales. KU Athletics donors will be prioritized in this process, however, with some having already reserved their tickets in advance.

The NCAA also reserves up to 700 tickets for students at each of the four competing schools, at about $40 each. Those seats are on the lower level of the arena, directly behind the baskets, Marchiony said. The seats are only open to students who have purchased sports combo packages at KU, Marchiony said, with KU Athletics already having sent names of ticket holders to the NCAA.

Those students will soon receive an email from the NCAA with a link to an online ticket application, Marchiony said. That process is first come, first served.

San Antonio's famous Alamo Mission

Things to do

The venue: Those who attended the 2008 Final Four matchup at the Alamodome might notice a few changes this time around. The 25-year-old, 64,000-seat arena recently received a $60 million facelift complete with enhanced video and surround sound, upgraded Wi-Fi coverage, brighter lighting and an expanded concessions concourse. The San Antonio Convention and Visitors Bureau touts the Alamodome’s 37,000-square-foot H-E-B Plaza as a “must-see for exciting pre-game activities.” No word yet on what those activities will entail, however.

About the city: San Antonio is probably best known as the home of the Alamo, the UNESCO World Heritage site that played host in 1836 to the famous 13-day battle between Mexican troops and the mission’s Texian Army defenders. Brush up on your history with a trip to the Alamo Mission, open every day from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Admission is free.

Aside from the Alamo, there’s also San Antonio’s popular River Walk, a 15-mile stretch along the San Antonio River offering plenty of barge tours, hiking, biking and kayaking. Non-outdoorsy types will also appreciate the vast array of shops, restaurants and nightlife located along the river.

Another highlight: San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, home to the four southernmost Spanish colonial missions established along the San Antonio River in the early 1700s. These days, you can explore the missions along the newly created Mission Reach, an 8-mile stretch of recreational trails, picnic and seating areas, pedestrian bridges and pavilions. The four missions still have active Catholic parishes that hold regular services, in addition to being open for visitors during regular park hours.

The park is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. all week long. Admission is free.

San Antonio's River Walk

Final Four fan activities: The NCAA and San Antonio’s local organizing committee are teaming up to host several free and low-cost events for Final Four fans throughout the weekend. The biggest might just be the March Madness Music Festival, slated for Friday through Sunday at the Hemisfair park in downtown San Antonio. This free, all-ages concert series will bring some of music’s biggest names to the Alamo City, including Jason Aldean, Maroon 5, Imagine Dragons, OneRepublic, Panic! At The Disco and Kelsea Ballerini.

The Final Four Fan Fest, slated for Friday through Monday, will offer something for just about everyone at downtown San Antonio’s Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center. The “sports wonderland,” as NCAA describes it, will feature everything from interactive games, cheerleading clinics, rock climbing, autograph signings and “special celebrity and athlete appearances.” (Unfortunately, the NCAA website doesn’t elaborate much on that last bit.)

Entry is free for kids 12 and under, military personnel and students with valid ID. People 60 and older get in for $5 with a valid ID; regular adult tickets are $10.

You can also check out the Final Four teams in their final open practices before Saturday’s big games during Reese’s Final Four Friday at the Alamodome. The Jayhawks are the last team to practice that day, at 1 p.m.

If you’ve got kids in your party and plan on sticking around after Saturday’s matchups, you might want to check out Sunday’s NCAA Final Four Dribble. Those 18 and under are invited to dribble (with a basketball, obviously) through the streets of downtown San Antonio as part of this family-friendly event. The first 3,000 will receive a free basketball to dribble in the parade, plus a T-shirt.

For more information on NCAA Final Four activities, check out the complete schedule at ncaa.com/final-four/schedule.