Football season is about to kickoff, and soon parking lots will be filled with that oh-so-sweet smelling BBQ and cries of "Bear Down!" (No secret which team I'm rooting for.) Check out your team's road schedule and make a long weekend of it to explore another city, and cheer on your team come Sunday.
- Take off Monday. Let's be honest. With a noon game on Sunday, leave yourself a recovery period after that last whistle blows.
- If you're flying in, travel on Saturday. You'll find more cheap flights on Saturday instead of Friday. Keep an eye on last-minute efares from United, Delta, American and US Air, especially if you are traveling to or from one of those airlines' hubs.
- Beware scammers and make sure your source is reputable when buying game tickets.
- Upscale hotels in the business center of town will often be empty on the weekends, so look there for hotel deals.
- And look for hotels within walking distance of the stadium -- no car rental necessary, or designated driver for that matter.
- Dig around and see if you can spot the players' hotel. Plenty of photo ops when they arrive and go to and from practice.
- If you do drive, make friends with the hotel front desk or concierge - they'll have the best tips on where to park, sometimes in areas for much less than overpriced stadium lots.
- Keep an eye out for last-minute deals -- for entertainment, dining, hotels and more while you're in town. (Our free mobile app can help you find deals on the go.)
- Research for local bars in the area that welcome your city's fans. Many times there will be that one joint that has your team on the big screen every Sunday and transplants from your city will be there before and after the game.
- Wear your home jersey and colors proudly, but expect a fair amount of friendly (and unfriendly) banter and remember you're the visiting team this Sunday.
-- Antoinette Fadera is a producer at Travelzoo and based in Chicago. Travelzoo has 450 deal experts from around the world who rigorously research, evaluate and test thousands of deals to find those with true value.
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