ESPN.com - Goin' bowlin' 2010-11: Ultimate road trip

ESPN.com: SportsTravel

Friday, December 10, 2010
Updated: December 20, 1:12 PM ET
Goin' bowlin' 2010-11: Ultimate road trip

By Tony Guadagnoli
Special to ESPN.com SportsTravel

Check the Also See box at right for links to each bowl page.

Photo gallery: Bowl trippin' around the country

With 35 bowls -- the New Era Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium and TicketCity Bowl in Dallas are new -- you would think bowl trippin' would be easier. Sure, if airplanes and time machines were part of the plan. But this roundup is based on road trips you actually can make with a car, truck or other highway vehicle, hopefully without going all bleary-eyed, testing the limits of power energy drinks and suffering from sleep deprivation or white-line fever.

Stamp your Passport

If you've been to bowl games you know the significance and the passion. Now you can chronicle the experience with ESPN Passport, a free resource to keep your personal sports history. Log all the venues and games you've been to, then see how your attendance record stacks up versus others. Click here to learn more … then declare you were there!

To be sure, some of these itineraries are challenging even for the most-traveled sports tourists. There are lots of miles to go and not huge amounts of time to get there. They are not for the faint of heart.

But that's what bowl trippin' is all about. These are ultimate road trips for ultimate college football fans.

The Atlantic Coast trip, or Bowls East, gives fans a taste of our nation's history, starting in Washington, D.C., then a sampling of the South and NASCAR country, with stops in Charlotte, N.C., and Jacksonville, Fla. It concludes with ample opportunities for fun and sun in South Florida.

Out West road rebels will enjoy a wide array of environs and this year we've added Las Vegas for the first time, offering ample opportunities to take in Sin City's shows and nightlife. You can then take your time through scenic northern Arizona before heading to Phoenix and the Valley of the Sun. Then it's off to the mountains and beaches of Southern California in San Diego and the Los Angeles area.

Sometimes time and space and the chance for a new city are major factors in deciding which bowls to include. Such is the case with the Bowls South this year. The Independence Bowl is a newcomer to our itinerary and you can get some Cajun food and try your luck at the casinos in Shreveport, La., and Bossier City, La. The Texas Bowl in Houston on Dec. 29 is scheduled with just enough time to get to Dallas for the afternoon Armed Forces Bowl on Dec. 30. Then you can journey to the jazz scene in Memphis, Tenn., for the Liberty Bowl and celebrate New Year's Eve on Beale Street.

Now that you know some of the reasoning behind the trips, it's time to gas up and get your motor runnin' for our 2010-11 edition of bowl trippin'.

Bowls West: Cards, cactus and roses, oh, my!

Dec. 22: MAACO Bowl in Las Vegas, Utah vs. Boise State, 8 p.m. (All times Eastern)
Click here for bowl page | Passport: Are you going?

Of the three bowl trips, this likely will be the favorite, with everything from Vegas shows to desert to mountains to beaches.

The trip starts in Las Vegas and there will be plenty of time to enjoy all the area offers as it is six days until our next game -- the Insight Bowl in Tempe, Ariz. This big of a gap is outside of our normal realm, but since we have never done Las Vegas on Bowl Trippin' we are giving you extra time.

Of course there is the Las Vegas Strip and all the innumerable ways to enjoy it. The extra days give you a chance to take in the desert, play golf or even take one day and head to Hoover Dam and continue 4½ hours to the Grand Canyon. There are several tour groups offering trips from Vegas to the Grand Canyon.

The newest way to enjoy the Strip is at The Cosmopolitan (3708 Las Vegas Boulevard S., website), which opens this week. The Cosmopolitan is next to the Bellagio and CityCenter and across from Planet Hollywood. The $3.9 billion resort, owned by Germany's Deutsche Bank, is a gamble especially in a city like Las Vegas, which has seen a glut of construction halted in 2010. The Cosmopolitan breaks from traditional recent Vegas behemoths by offering vast nongaming areas and balconies for most of its 3,000 rooms plus huge video display boards that provide ever-changing environments.

For those longing for a more traditional Christmas despite being in Sin City, Andy Williams will perform at 8 p.m. Dec. 23-24 at the Las Vegas Hilton. (Buy tickets.)

Comedian Jerry Seinfeld will be performing two shows Dec. 26-27 at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace. (Buy tickets.)

Dec. 28: Insight Bowl in Tempe, Ariz., Missouri vs. Iowa, 10 p.m.
Click here for bowl page | Passport: Are you going?

With the six-day interval between the MAACO Bowl and Insight Bowl, you can take your time getting to the Valley of the Sun by taking a side trip to the red sandstone cliffs of Sedona, a natural picturesque spot that has inspired many. You can even spend a day at another bowl -- the Arizona Snowbowl just outside of Flagstaff. (Website.)

Spend the day on the slopes before heading to warmer weather in the Phoenix area.

If you want to arrive a few days early from Vegas and don't mind spending Christmas Day with thousands of other football fans, the Arizona Cardinals will host the Dallas Cowboys at 5:30 local time at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale (Buy Cardinals tickets.)

After the Insight Bowl and before heading to San Diego, you have a choice on Dec. 29 of either an NBA game, when the Philadelphia 76ers visit the Phoenix Suns (buy Suns tickets), or an NHL game, when the Los Angeles Kings play at the Phoenix Coyotes (buy Coyotes tickets). Both games begin at 7 p.m.

Dec. 30: Holiday Bowl in San Diego, Nebraska vs. Washington, 10 p.m.
Click here for bowl page | Passport: Are you going?

Heading to L.A. the day after the Holiday Bowl gives Washington fans an opportunity to see the Huskies' hoops team play UCLA at 1 p.m. on Dec. 31 (buy Bruins tickets) at Pauley Pavilion and still have plenty of time to ring in the new year.

If you would rather spend New Year's Eve in San Diego and head to the Rose Bowl the next morning, the city has several bashes. Click here to check out your options.

Jan. 1: Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., Wisconsin vs. Texas Christian, 5 p.m.
Click here for bowl page | Passport: Are you going?

If you haven't gotten your fill of sports, New Year's Eve offers two chances to catch some action before saying goodbye to 2010.

The Anaheim Ducks will host the Philadelphia Flyers at 5 p.m. at the Honda Center. (Buy Ducks tickets.) For the kid in you, Disneyland is open until 2 a.m. on New Year's Eve and the theme park is just dazzling at this time of year.

You also have a chance to see the 76ers take on the Lakers at 7:30 p.m. at Staples Center on New Year's Eve. (Buy Lakers tickets.)

After the game you won't have far to go to get to many of the New Year's Eve parties in Hollywood. Click here for details.

Bowls South: From Cajun to Elvis

Dec. 27: Independence Bowl in Shreveport, La., Air Force vs. Georgia Tech, 5 p.m.
Click here for bowl page | Passport: Are you going?

Shreveport's got its own brand of Cajun and Creole. The folks here like to call it a lagniappe, or something thrown in for good measure. A bonus, if you will. And you never know what bonus you might get, even in a city this far south. The most memorable of the Independence Bowls might have been the 2000 edition that was marked by a rare snowstorm.

If you long for your school days, check out Sci-Port: Louisiana's Science Center (located on the Shreveport Riverfront, website), which allows visitors to engage in science, math and technology.

Dec. 29: Texas Bowl in Houston, Illinois vs. Baylor, 6 p.m.
Click here for bowl page | Passport: Are you going?

Arriving in Houston, you can check out the latest in aeronautics at the Johnson Space Center or learn about the area's history through exhibits and activities at the George Ranch Historical Park, 30 miles southwest of downtown.

You won't have any time to spare in the morning as you make the four-hour trip to Dallas for the Armed Forces Bowl.

Dec. 30: Armed Forces Bowl in Dallas, Army vs. Southern Methodist, Noon
Click here for bowl page | Passport: Are you going?

As luck would have it, the SMU Mustangs got selected to the Armed Forces Bowl just when the bowl's usual site -- TCU's Amon G. Carter Field in Fort Worth -- is undergoing a massive renovation and the game was moved to their own Gerald J. Ford Stadium.

You could stay in downtown Dallas that evening, then head to see the San Antonio Spurs play the Dallas Mavericks at 8:30 p.m. at the American Airlines Center. (Buy Mavericks tickets.) However, you would have to get an early start on New Year's Eve for the seven-hour drive to Memphis in time for kickoff at the Liberty Bowl

Perhaps it would be better to hit the highway right after the Armed Forces Bowl and plan on arriving in the Home of the Blues just as the nightly party on Beale Street gets rocking.

Dec. 31: Liberty Bowl in Memphis, Georgia vs. Central Florida, 3:30 p.m.
Click here for bowl page | Passport: Are you going?

Following the game take part in the New Year's Eve celebration in downtown Memphis. There will be a guitar drop on Beale Street and several other parties. (Click here to find all the haps. Use New Year's Day to enjoy the rest of the River City and perhaps a trip to Graceland.

Bowls East: The nation's capital to South Beach

Dec. 29: Military Bowl in Washington, East Carolina vs. Maryland, 2:30 p.m.
Click here for bowl page | Passport: Are you going?

Start the trip at what used to be the home of the Washington Redskins -- RFK Stadium. After the game, you will have just enough time to catch the 7 p.m. tipoff of the Indiana Pacers and Washington Wizards at Verizon Center. (Buy Wizards tickets.)

Use Dec. 30 to check out the sites around the city and take in the history and culture of one of America's most diverse cities.

If seeing high-flying action off the ropes is more your thing, you are in luck. WWE Raw will host a show Dec. 30 at 7 p.m. at Verizon Center. (Buy tickets.)

Dec. 31: Meineke Car Care Bowl in Charlotte, South Florida vs. Clemson, Noon
Click here for bowl page | Passport: Are you going?

Immediately after the game (or maybe even with a few minutes left if the game already is decided) move your sports operation less than a mile to Time Warner Cable Arena to witness the Golden State Warriors take on Charlotte Bobcats at 3 p.m. (Buy Bobcats tickets.)

If you are not heading to Jacksonville until New Year's Day, Charlotte offers many events for New Year's Eve as well. Click here to see what's going on.

Jan. 1: Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Mississippi State vs. Michigan, 1:30 p.m.
Click here for bowl page | Passport: Are you going?

Chances are you will leave Charlotte right after the Meineke Car Care Bowl for the 6½-hour trip to Jacksonville for a New Year's Eve celebration. A fireworks display will be held on the downtown riverfront over the St. Johns River. Find a list of events right here.

Jan. 3: Orange Bowl in Miami, Stanford vs. Virginia Tech, 8:30 p.m.
Click here for bowl page | Passport: Are you going?

Your reward for the 350-mile trip down from Jacksonville is some of the planet's best beaches and all that always-pumping South Beach has to offer.

If you want to cool off a bit, catch the New York Rangers-Florida Panthers game Jan. 2 at 5 p.m. at BankAtlantic Center in nearby Sunrise. (Buy Panthers tickets.)

Stay an extra night in Miami and you can catch LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and the rest of the Heat host the Milwaukee Bucks at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 4 at American Airlines Arena. (Buy Heat tickets.)

Tony Guadagnoli is a freelance writer in western Washington.