Tips for your bowl road trip
Look for vacation packages to selected bowl destinations
Check for tickets to selected bowls -- including BCS -- via StubHub
• Send in your travel questions for Jim Caple
• Bowls destination guide: tips for all the host cities
So your school is going to a bowl and you've got tickets. Congratulations. But the best and most memorable part of going to a bowl game isn't the game, it's the trip itself.
You could buy a plane ticket and be there conveniently in a couple hours. Or you could squeeze into a car with your flatulent buddies, drive all-night through miserable snow and over mountains with no sleep while gorging on awful fast food until you arrive at the game so exhausted that you sleep through the first half and THEN immediately turn around after the final quarter and drive all the way back home, finally arriving so sleep-deprived and so angry with your friends that you refuse to speak to them until it's time to slap down season-ticket renewals.
Which route do you choose? The answer is obvious. You drive. Flying may be easier and quicker but the car-trip memories will last long past you've finally paid off your last student loan.
The first thing you need to do is round up a crew. This requires a mix of good friends and new acquaintances. Remember, the more of you there are, the cheaper the gas. And while peace and harmony are nice, a memorable road trip requires at least one person who creates so much tension and animosity along the way that you want to duct-tape him and leave him stranded on the side of the highway. And don't worry. There will always be one such person on every trip, no matter what precautions you take.
Next, you need the right vehicle. The classic bowl trip vehicle is a van like the one Kevin Costner uses to pick up James Earl Jones in Field of Dreams. And preferably, this van should have mechanical problems, such as the missing clutch in Little Miss Sunshine. I went on a road trip in a van with a bad alternator that broke down three times on the way to a Washington Husky-Stanford game -- once on the way down during rush-hour traffic outside Oakland and twice on the way back. That trip included getting chased by a pack of wild dogs down a dark road at two in the morning while carrying a car battery. And it ended with a final breakdown in Vacaville, Calif., where my friend Bruce and I hitchhiked a ride on a vegetable truck to the Sacramento airport where, as we fought for a seat on an oversold flight, Bruce pointed out that my jeans were disintegrating due to the battery acid that had dripped on them the night before.
I don't remember much about the actual game that weekend but I'll take memories of that @#&% van to my grave.
Next, Mapquest the route, pack chains and emergency supplies, put together a great mix of road music and head out. Regardless of what music you put on the mix, though, you can play only the school fight song for the first 100 miles.
Hotels are always at a premium at bowl time but that's no problem because you can all squeeze into one room -- and splitting the price six or eight or 14 ways really brings down the cost to a manageable level. Or you can just sleep in the van.
Though preferably not while you're driving.
BOWL TIPS
If you're going to the BCS Championship Game or the Fiesta Bowl in Arizona....
Glendale is a northwestern suburb of Phoenix (near Peoria, where the Mariners and Padres train), so keep that in mind when finding a hotel. Scottsdale and Tempe are a good half-hour to 45 minutes away, depending on traffic, though there is much more to do in those cities (Arizona State is located in Tempe). You'll find every chain restaurant in the area, but In-N-Out (several locations, including Bell Road in Peoria) is an absolute must for your burger experience. Richardson's on Bethany Road and Havana Café on Camelback in Phoenix are two of my favorite restaurants for a finer dining experience. Definitely take a hike up Squaw Peak or Camelback while you're in town. Have a drink and take in the Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired Biltmore hotel. Stroll Mill Avenue in Tempe and tour the ASU campus. Or drive up to the Grand Canyon -- just be aware that you could run into in serious snowstorms along the way, which are particularly problematic if you're driving a van with a bad clutch.
[Editor's note: Check out our Power Weekend: Phoenix story for more ideas for food, drink and sports.]
If you're going to the Granddaddy of Them All....
You might have heard they have a parade in Pasadena and one of the best ways to take it in is by buying a ticket ($5-$8) to see the floats up-close after the parade in a special viewing area. You can also watch the floats being assembled before the parade as well, just in case that 8 a.m. start time on Jan. 1 doesn't exactly work for you....
[Editor's note: Also check out our Bowls travel guide for more ideas for Pasadena and all the host cities.]
MAILBAG
"How do I get three tickets for the 2007 NFL draft (to attend the actual draft) in NY, NY at the end of April?''
Kate, Colorado
The good news, Kate, is those tickets won't cost you a cent -- the NFL does not charge for admission to the draft. The bad news is admission is on a first-come, first-served basis, so you'll have to stand in line with a lot of other passionate fans just as desperate to get inside as you are. When you would be allowed to start lining up depends on the regulations of the venue, and the NFL hasn't chosen a site for the 2007 draft yet. Last year's draft was at Radio City and fans were allowed to begin lining up the night before, but another venue might not allow lines until the morning of the draft. The best bet is to call up when the NFL picks a site to find out when you can start queuing. And if you have to spend the night on the streets, look at it this way. At least you'll save a night on hotels, which definitely are NOT cheap in N ew York.
"Me and the wife are going to Amsterdam in March. What tips do you have for us?''
Jason, Anchorage
Amsterdam is a great city. Depending on your travel dates, check out an Ajax soccer match (they play March 4, 11, 18 and April 1). Speed skating is also a passion in the Netherlands -- the Dutch really get into it -- and there is an international junior competition in Heerenveen on March 9-10. Spring weather is always tricky but definitely try to rent a bike. EVERYONE bikes in Amsterdam and this is the best, most enjoyable way to get around town. In fact, there's a very nice bike path that leads directly from Schiphol airport to the city center along a canal and through the Amsterdam Bos park and the Vondelpark. It's about 10 miles, or you can ride the opposite direction to the lovely little town of Haarlem. The Van Gogh Museum is an absolute must, one of the finest museums in the world. The Anne Frank House is at the top of every Amsterdam tour (deservedly so) but the Corrie Ten Boom House (of "The Hiding Place'' fame) in Haarlem is also worth a visit. Take a canal ride on one of the many boat tours. And, of course, wander through the red light district for some other, err, interesting sights.
"I'm going to New Zealand for two weeks in a little while. We'll be spending time in Auckland and Nelson, as well as the surrounding areas. Can you think of anything fun to do in that area? (bungee jumping isn't exactly what I mean).''
Harry, Andover, Mass.
You'll have no shortage of things to do in either city. There are great beaches surrounding Auckland but also be sure to tour the Maori exhibits at the National Museum there. Nelson is a great jumping off point to Abel Tasman Park, where there is sublime kayaking and hiking. It's also convenient to the Marlborough wine region, where you can sip and drink to your heart's content. I'm jealous already.
Jim Caple is a senior writer for ESPN.com who has covered sports on five continents and written about them all across America. His work can also be found on Page 2, and his book, "The Devil Wears Pinstripes," can be ordered through jimcaple.net.
