MEG & ANDREW

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As a UK-based NFL fan who loves building trips around those big-time bucket list experiences, I’ve learnt to appreciate teams slightly differently – not by playoff chances and Super Bowl appearances, but by how good their city would be for a long weekend. As I’ve learnt the hard way:

Playoff chances are fleeting.
Travel memories are forever.

With that in mind, I’ve put together a tier ranking of the best NFL travel experiences. Using my “unquestionable ranking algorithm” I’ve considered the following “highly scientific” criteria.

• Ease from the UK
• City vibes
• Food situation (critical)
• Stadium experience
• Nearby adventure factor
• Overall bucket list energy

Now remember, this is a travel ranking, not a sports ranking.
Raiders fan, relax.
Chiefs fans…you might not enjoy this.

Above all. Beyond comparison.

This was never going to be unbiased.

The Black Hole Tier isn’t about sensible city breaks. It’s about fully committing to the Silver and Black – and nobody commits to the spectacle quite like the Las Vegas Raiders.

Let’s address the elephant in the room: on-field success has been…character building. But this is a travel ranking, not a trophy cabinet audit. And as a football weekend? Vegas is undefeated.

Direct flights from the UK clock in at around 10 hours, hotels are surprisingly reasonable (resort fees will try their luck, naturally), and everything is designed for maximum entertainment. But that’s just the practical bit.

Vegas is bonkers. In the best possible way.

A gameday here is not a soggy steak and ale pie and a 0-0 draw on a cold January evening. It’s neon lights, world-class food, cocktails before noon, sunshine bouncing off the Strip – and a stadium that looks like it was designed by a Bond villan with excellent taste.

Allegiant Stadium sits just off the Strip, looming like a glossy black spaceship. The walk there feels like a pilgrimage. The pre-game energy? Unhinged. Inside you’ll find absurdly good food, a field-side nightclub (because of course there is) and the Black Hole itself – less a fan section, more a live action performance piece.

And if you somehow need more than that, you’re within striking distance of the Grand Canyon, Death Valley, Valley of Fire State Park and Red Rock Canyon – or you can lean fully into the chaos and spend your hard-earned cash in the casinos and restaurants that make the city what it is.

Find me a better place to build an NFL weekend.

I’ll wait.

Once a Raider, always a Raider! 🏴‍☠️

Tier 1: Elite Travel Experience 🏆

Book the flights immediately.

Seattle Seahawks

If your ideal NFL weekend involves coffee strong enough to wake the dead and mountains dramatic enough to make you question your life choices, welcome to Seattle.

Lumen Field sits right against the skyline, and on a clear day, you can see Mount Rainier looming in the distance like it’s been strategically placed for aesthetic purposes. It’s almost unfair.

This is hot flask and hiking boots energy. Three National Parks within driving distance. Ferries slicing across the water. Pine trees. Seafood. Layers. Proper outdoors theatre.

Yes, it’s a long flight from the UK. Yes, the time difference will bully you for 48 hours. But if you lean into it, this becomes more than a gameday – it’s a full Pacific Northwest experience.

Seahawks fans don’t mess about either. This is the crowd that allegedly caused a small earthquake just by shouting. Tailgating might not be the main event here, but inside the stadium? Pure noise.

And then there’s the city itself. Coffee capital. Seafood heaven. The kind of place where you can eat fresh salmon for lunch, hike in the afternoon, and pretend you’re a surgeon in Grey’s Anatomy by sunset.

Seattle has big travel energy. Big “main character on a ferry at golden hour” energy. Oh, and by the way, the Seahawks just won the Super Bowl.

New York Giants

Right. Deep breath.

Many of you know I had a complicated, on-again-off-again relationship with Big Blue. Hard Knocks happened. Decisions were made. Allegiances shifted. Growth occurred.

But this is a travel ranking and from a UK perspective? The Giants are dangerously convenient.

Shorter flight. Kinder time difference. Direct routes everywhere. You land, you’re in New York City, and suddenly everything feels cinematic.

MetLife Stadium isn’t a glossy spaceship like Allegiant or SoFi. It’s not architectural drama. What it is however, is absolutely enormous. Proper American scale. Proper tailgate scene. Proper noise.

And there’s New York itself.

Pizza that ruins all future pizza. Cheesecake that demands respect. Steakhouses that feel like you need a minor business empire to dine there. Broadway shows. Skyline views. That first glimpse of Manhattan that makes you feel like you’re in a film montage.

This is the easiest NFL trip for a UK traveller. No mental gymnastics required. It’s the gateway drug of American football weekends.

One important note: MetLife is not in Manhattan. It’s not even in New York. It’s in New Jersey. And the journey there on gameday is…an adventure. Plan transport like a grown up.

If you want maximum American spectacle with minimum logistical pain, the Giants are a very sensible – and very fun – choice.

Tier 2: Adventure Add-On Territory 🏔️

You’re here for the football…but the scenery is doing heavy lifting.

Denver Broncos

It pains me to say this.

As a Raiders fan, I am contractually obligated to dislike the Denver Broncos. Sean Payton’s smirk. The altitude propaganda. The increasingly competent football. It’s a lot.

And yet.

Denver is almost offensively good as a travel base.

This city has access to more outdoor pursuits than feels fair. Hiking. Skiing. Climbing. Red Rocks Amphitheatre casually existing like it isn’t one of the coolest venues on earth and Rocky Mountain National Park sitting just 90 minutes away, as if that’s normal behaviour.

It’s high and mighty. Literally.

Denver itself brings more than just mountain views. There’s a proper cultural scene – the Denver Art Museum, Meow Wolf (which feels like walking into someone else’s dream), the historic Union Station – and a food scene that will absolutely reward your post-hike hunger.

Sport-wise? It’s greedy. NFL. NBA. MLB, NHL. MLS. Lacrosse. The Nuggets recently lifted an NBA Championship. The Avalanche have a Stanley Cup, and the city just breathes sport. You could build an entire week around fixtures alone.

The there’s Empower Field at Mile High.

The clue’s in the name.
5,280 feet above sea level.

A Broncos game isn’t just football – it’s a cardiovascular event. The altitude, the views, the crisp air – it feels like you’ve earned the experience.

It genuinely pains me to admit this…but for UK travellers who like their sport served with a side of mountain drama, Denver is an outstanding choice.

I will now go and stare at a Raiders flag to recalibrate.

San Francisco 49ers

Another rivalry situation. Another inconvenient truth.

The 49ers are annoyingly cool.

They’re talented. Well-run. Their merch is elite. And they exist in one of the most visually ridiculous parts of the United States.

Yes, technically they play in Santa Clara. No, that does not ruin the trip.

San Francisco is still the perfect base. Golden Gate Bridge. Alcatraz. Pier 39. Chinatown. Cable cars. Fog rolling dramatically over hills like it’s been hired for the aesthetic. It’s cinematic without even trying.

And the food? Elite tier. Fresh seafood. Mexican influence. Sourdough that makes you question all other bread. And if you don’t go to Bob’s Donuts and order a maple bar or an apple fritter, I can’t help you.

But the real magic of the 49ers as a travel team happens when you leave the city.

Sausalito across the bridge. Napa and Sonoma for wine-fuelled detours. And Yosemite National Park sitting there like a mic-drop moment for nature lovers.

This is NFL plus bucket list scenery.

And the team themselves? Perennial contenders. A genuine chance at a Super Bowl most seasons. Which means you’re not booking a holiday – you’re booking meaningful football.

National Parks. World-class food. Proper American drama. Competitive team.

Adventure Add-On Territory might sound like second place.

It isn’t.

It’s just slightly less chaotic than Vegas.

Tier 3: The Pilgrimage Tier 🧀

This is about the story.

Green Bay Packers

Put your hand up if you’ve casually browsed flights to Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Exactly.

This is not a city-break team. This is not neon lights and rooftop cocktails. This is layers. Tradition. Frost forming on your eyelashes.

The Green Bay Packers are football royalty. Title Town. Generations of success. Playoff runs like clockwork. A franchise that feels less like a team and more like a family heirloom passed down through winters.

From a UK perspective? Getting here is not straighforward. It requires a commitment. Possibly a connecting flight. Definitely a coat you trust with your life.

Green Bay isn’t trying to compete with Vegas or New York – and that’s the point. There’s charm here. Bay Beach. The National Railroad Museum. Proper midwestern hospitality. Food that sticks to your ribs and forgives the temperature.

But let’s be honest.

You’re not coming for the amusement park.

You’re coming for Lambeau Field.

This is not just a stadium. It’s a shrine.

Opened in 1957. The NFL’s oldest continuously operating stadium. Never failed to sell out since 1960. An 81,000+ capacity cathedral to cold-weather football. And a season ticket waiting list that averages around 30 years – which is less a queue and more a generational plan.

The air here feels different. Heavier. Historic.

The Titletown District next door gives you shops, bars, and somewhere to defrost, but the magic is in the bowl itself – breath visible in the air, fans wrapped in green and gold, and the sense that you’re standing in the middle of something that’s been happening long before you arrived.

It’s colder than a Bill Belichick press conference.

It’s harder to get to.

It requires effort.

But that’s why it’s the Pilgrimage Tier.

If you want spectacle, go to Las Vegas.
If you want skyline drama, go to New York.
If you want to feel the weight of NFL history in your bones – Green Bay is waiting.

Bring gloves.

Tier 4: Honorable Mention 🐬

Sun. Aqua. Zero interest in wearing a coat.

Miami Dolphins

Full transparency: neither of us wake up desperately craving a Florida trip.

And yet…the Miami Dolphins refuse to be ignored.

Golden sunshine. Art Deco hotels. Cuban coffee strong enough to restart your nervous system. Beaches stretching into the horizon like a screensaver come to life.

There’s a reason Dolphins jerseys are everywhere at NFL UK games. Aqua pops. It screams “I booked this trip in January and I’m emotionally already there.” It’s holiday-core football.

On the field? A rollercoaster. Off the field? Pure vibes.

Hard Rock Stadium is no joke. Early-season Miami heat is borderline tactical warfare. The sun sits directly over the visiting sideline like it’s holding a grudge. Hydration is not optional. SPF is mandatory. This is football with a side of climate.

And from a UK perspective? It’s easy. Direct flights. Manageable prices. Familiar holiday infastructure. You can pair gameday with the Everglades, the Keys, or simply several days of rotating between beach, pool and Cuban sandwich.

No mountains.
No blizzards.
No pilgrimage-level effort required.

Just sunshine, spectacle and the faint possibility that this might finally be the year.

Bonus Tier: Not in a Gazillion Years 🚷

Respectfully. But also absolutely not.

Kansas City Chiefs

There are good travel cities.
There are elite football experiences.
And then there are teams you simply cannot, under any circumstances, emotionally align yourself with.

For me, that team is the Kansas City Chiefs.

Now before anyone starts typing aggressively – this is not about Kansas City as a destination. I’m sure the barbecue is life-changing. I’m sure Arrowhead Stadium is loud enough to register on seismographs. I’m sure the tailgating scene is elite.

That is not the point.

The point is principle.

As a Raiders fan, supporting the Chiefs would feel like showing up to Christmas dinner in a Broncos jersey. It’s not logistically impossible. It’s spiritually unacceptable.

Yes, they’re successful.
Yes, they’ve been dominant.
Yes, they win things. Frequently.

That’s almost the problem.

This tier isn’t about travel convenience, skyline drama, or National Park proximity. It’s about rivalry DNA. Some lines are not crossed. Some allegiances are not flirted with “just for the trip”.

Could you build a brilliant NFL weekend around Kansas City?
Absolutely.

Will I?
Not in a gazillion years.

If you’re a Chiefs fan reading this – I respect the commitment. I respect the success. I even respect the noise at Arrowhead.

But we are not the same.

And that, is what makes the NFL fun.

Final Whistle 🏁

At the end of the day, this isn’t a power ranking.

It’s a reminder that supporting an NFL team – especially from the UK – is about more than box scores and playoff brackets. It’s about atmosphere. It’s about the trip. It’s about the story you’ll tell when someone asks why you chose them.

Do you want neon chaos and villain-lair stadiums?
Mountain air and mild altitude dizziness?
Historic cathedrals of football carved into frozen tundra?
Sunburn and Cuban sandwiches?
Or pure, unfiltered rivalry spite?

There are no wrong answers. (Except one. You know which one.)

The beauty of being an overseas fan is that we get to choose our adventure. We get to build holidays around helmets. We get to romanticise cities we’ve never lived in and turn gameday into a long weekend.

And that’s half the fun.

Now it’s your turn.

👇 Vote in the pole below:
Which NFL team would you build a trip around – or which one do you already proudly support?

Let the debates begin.