For the seventh straight year, I’ve decided to be your personal travel agent. While these rankings are based on my experiences of traveling around the NHL ’s cities for the past 15 years, I’m attempting to put myself in the shoes of fans who haven’t been to any of these cities. I consider in-game experience, getting there, finances, extracurricular fun and much more.
Advertisement This season might not be the most exciting for the Penguins . So, perhaps you need to spice it up and hit the road. Make sure to read the first two parts of this guide: Away we go.
The ‘Underrated’ Division Why you should go Why you shouldn’t go Bottom line Some trips are good for excitement. Others are good for hockey history or environment. Then, there is Raleigh.
If you’re the kind of person who wants that staycation vibe without staying in town, Raleigh is your trip. Everyone is friendly. Everything is cheap.
The food is great. But you’ll still be getting away for a few days. There’s just no hassle at all.
A personal favorite of mine. Why you should go Why you shouldn’t go Bottom line It’s a great place to visit. Calgary has the best elements of Pittsburgh and Denver all in one.
It’s hard to explain, but you’ll feel it when you’re there. Always include a trip to Banff when you’re there. You won’t be disappointed.
The ‘America Knows A Good Time’ Division Why you should go Why you shouldn’t go Bottom line Anaheim is great. I like Orange County quite a bit. In my opinion, it’s the best part of the California swing.
I highly recommend the Southern California trip, and this is the best part of it. Why you should go Why you shouldn’t go Bottom line This trip is great fun. It’s not my favorite trip in the Sunshine State, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t very much enjoy it.
I’m a beach guy, so I’m always happy when I’m near the water. This trip does the trick. Good building, too.
Tons of Penguins fans will be on hand. You’ll absolutely enjoy this trip. Why you should go Why you shouldn’t go Bottom line It’s always a fun trip.
I may be getting a little tired of it, relatively speaking. It’s a little like Vegas in that you can spend too much time here. That said, if you’ve never gone, you should.
And if you’ve gone and you loved it, you’ll go back. It’s just a big party. Why you should go Why you shouldn’t go Bottom line The outrageously priced hotels around the city are the only drawback I can muster.
You can always stay 45 minutes outside of the city, where the hotels are totally reasonable. Tampa is a tremendous place to spend a few days, and it gets better every year. This is Tampa’s highest appearance ever on this list.
You’ll have fun. Advertisement The ‘Beautiful Geography’ Division Why you should go Why you shouldn’t go Bottom line Easily one of the best cities on the NHL circuit. Just a beautiful place.
May I suggest renting a car and losing yourself somewhere in the mountains for a day while there? It’s good for the soul. Also, the people here are friendly — it’s irrelevant whether that’s because of recreational habits or their natural disposition. You’ve got to see Denver if you never have.
Why you should go Why you shouldn’t go Bottom line Easily the most beautiful city that we travel to every season. Seeing the geography in person is alone enough of a reason to make this trip. Then throw in the incredible restaurants, the good hockey atmosphere, the unique architecture and everything else, and it’s totally reasonable to rank this as the best trip in the NHL.
You owe it to yourself to see Vancouver at least once in your life. The ‘Bucket List’ Division Why you should go Why you shouldn’t go Bottom line It’s Vegas. I don’t know what else to say.
You love it or you don’t. Most people, in my experience, quite enjoy it there. Vegas did nothing wrong to lose the top spot.
It remains my home away from home, where I feel most relaxed and at ease with life. I don’t know what this says about me. Probably nothing good.
Why you should go Why you shouldn’t go Bottom line The king returns to the top spot. I felt awful for moving Montreal to No. 2 last season.
When I was there most recently, I felt guilty, like I had betrayed an old friend. This is the best stop in hockey. The game itself is a spectacular experience.
And this city is simply like no other. I can’t recommend this trip enough. The Penguins play here in October and December this season, and if you’ve never been to a game in Quebec, you owe it to yourself to do so.
(Photo of Colorado’s Ball Arena: Dustin Bradford / Getty Images).
