I know baseball is supposed to be the all-American sport, and I do love ballpark hot dogs, big soft pretzels, and casual, warm evenings spent with friends at the field, but if there’s one upside to summer drawing to a close, it’s that football season begins! Football fans have a different energy. They cheer louder, they wear silly costumes and foam fingers, and they have tailgating down to culinary art. It’s said that 67% of Americans call themselves football fans (that’s football, not soccer), so if you are part of that majority, here are some ways to combine your love of football with your love of travel!

NFL Regular Season Games

The 2021 regular season kicked off on September 9 for the first game of the expanded 17-game season. With 32 teams playing in some of the most interesting cities in the U.S., there are plenty of opportunities for long weekend getaways from September through December. Ticket prices vary, and packages that include airfare, car rental, and a hotel can be customized to your preferences. The rousing energy of a cheering mega stadium is thrilling and an experience every NFL fan should have at least once.

Super Bowl LVI

The 56th title game between the NFC and AFC Champions will be played on February 13, 2022, at the new SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. Attending the Big Game is a bucket list experience and will be especially exciting in the new state-of-the-art stadium. We can customize packages for individuals or groups that include game tickets, hotel accommodations, and roundtrip transportation to the stadium. To up your bragging rights, add access to an exclusive pregame party featuring football celebrity hosts, food and drink, and entertainment. Ticket prices remain very dynamic throughout the season, depending on which teams are favored, but you can be sure it will sell out.

The Pro Bowl

After the regular season, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game for 88 of the NFL’s brightest stars, as voted by fans, players, and coaches. It is an exciting opportunity to see the best current players working together as a team. The 2022 Pro Bowl will be played at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas a week before the Super Bowl on Sunday, February 6, 2022.

Pro Football Hall of Fame

Canton, Ohio is where the Pro Football Hall of Fame honors the best of the best pro football players, giving guests an immersive and experiential visit to “The Most Inspiring Place on Earth!” The new member induction, usually in early August each year (2022 dates TBA) is especially exciting with speeches by the football greats as they are enshrined. Beyond the emotional induction ceremony, Enshrinement Week events include parades, concerts, and unscripted roundtables where members share stories of their careers. The Hall of Fame is open year-round, except on Thanksgiving and Christmas Days.

College Football Bowl Games

College football games take many of us back to those halcyon days of carefree student life and the spirited rivalries between schools. Regular season games are great weekend fun, but college football excitement doesn’t end with the semester. College Bowl Championships feature collegiate gridiron battles for several titles. Attending one of the popular ‘New Year’s 6’ Bowl games is a thrilling way to start the new year and cheer on your alma mater.

• Peach Bowl (December 30, 2021) in Atlanta, Georgia
• Orange Bowl (December 31, 2021) in Indianapolis, Indiana
• Cotton Bowl (December 31, 2021) in Arlington, Texas
• Sugar Bowl (January 1, 2022) in New Orleans, Louisianna
• Fiesta Bowl (January 1, 2022) in Glendale, Arizona
• Rose Bowl (January 1, 2022) in Pasadena, California

Don’t watch the whole football season from your easy chair. Go to where the action is live and catch the football fever! Contact your Covington vacation advisor before all the good seats are snapped up!

*This post, originally published in September 2106, was updated with current dates in October 2021.