Tailgating can be an excellent way to party, or it can be a boring way to spend hours standing outside in the cold. The difference between the two lies in how you plan and prepare! To that end, here are six tips to ensure your tailgating experience is an exciting one.

1. If possible, pay for access to the VIP section.

At many stadiums, you can tailgate in the main lot for free, and there is also a VIP section you can pay to access. The charge may be $20 or $50 a vehicle. In the VIP tailgate section, you'll get access to amenities like bathrooms, and perhaps even portable outdoor heaters if its chilly out. It's almost always worth paying for the VIP section if that's an option.

2. Bring a portable grill.

You'll see people trying to grill in trash cans, others trying to plug slow cookers into the lighter in their trucks, while others are struggling to get a big gas grill out of the back of their truck. The simplest solution is to pack a small, tabletop gas grill. You won't have the mess of charcoal, it does not take up much space, and you can be confident it will work.

3. Opt for beers in cans.

There have been far too many accidents when tailgaters break beer bottles and get injured on the glass. Just pack canned beer. It's safer for everyone, and you won't have to lug heavy cases of empty bottles around.

4. Pack raw meat in a separate cooler.

Another common tailgating problem is having your raw meat juice all over everything else in the cooler, contaminating your beverages and other food. Pack your meat in a separate, small cooler with some washable ice packs, and you won't have this issue.

5. Pre-mix your drinks.

A few problems can happen when you leave people to mix their own cocktails on-site. Someone might spill the liquor and ruin things for everyone. Or as the party gets rowdy, people may over-indulge and start mixing their drinks too strong. If you pre-mix some cocktails in plastic bottles, you'll reduce the chances of both problems.

6. Bring extra warm clothing.

If it will be chilly out, toss a few extra hoodies or jackets in the truck, just in case you end up needing them. There's nothing worse than shivering the afternoon away when you should be having fun.