Summer dog days have arrived. Sure, you can theorize that Eric Carlson is coming to Pittsburgh, but other than that, not much has happened.
do you know what that means? It’s a tough time to plan a trip.
Last season, I visited San Jose on Valentine’s Day to meet a hilarious retired couple from Pittsburgh. They were at my hotel and thanked me for helping guide them to see penguins in California with this annual article. You made it a good day. That’s why I write this every year.
Frankly, some readers thought it was a bit too long, so I’ve greatly summarized the format. understood. However, here are all the details you need to know if you want to support penguins while you’re on vacation at the same time.
Category “Recommended to avoid”
31. Winnipeg
why should i go
- Fans are ridiculously friendly
- building stands out
- To say I’ve experienced the Winnipeg cold is sheer flex
- The Canadian Museum for Human Rights is amazing
why not go
- It’s a long flight day to get there
- The weather is actually pretty dreadful and after the thrill of experiencing that kind of cold it just gets colder
- quite expensive
- I get bored quickly
- Hotel situation is not good
- night life is not good
- The Jets are nothing special to see in person
Conclusion
I love Winnipeg people. they are attractive. The same goes for Arena. Of course, unless you’re interested in visiting all the NHL arenas or have a specific desire to visit Winnipeg, I can’t honestly say this would be a great trip. If so, please give it a try. But you have to really love hockey to make this trip.
30. New York Islanders
why should i go
- The new building is much nicer than the previous building.
- It’s pretty close to Manhattan
- Right next to Giulio Cesare, one of the best Italian restaurants on the street.
why not go
- The new arena is nice but the parking lot stinks and going there is a nightmare
- There are not many nice hotels in this area
- Annoyingly far from Manhattan
- Islanders fans aren’t a very friendly bunch
- If you fly, you’re going through New York’s terrible airport.If you drive, well, it’s a miserable 7 hour drive
Conclusion:
If you’re in NYC for any other reason and the penguins happen to be in town, go check them out. For example, the Pirates face the Mets on April 17, which happens to be the night the Penguins finish their regular season with the Islanders. If MLB has a Pirates game in the afternoon (which could be a day game since it’s the final game of the series), they’ll do a doubleheader. Otherwise this trip is pretty miserable.
29. Philadelphia
why should i go
- It’s Penguins and Flyers so it’ll probably fit something
- We will almost certainly see Sidney Crosby score some goals
- Crosby’s treatment of the crowd is funny
- Best of all restaurants, Chef Vola’s is just an hour away from Atlantic City
why not go
- The building is a complete garbage dump
- Fans don’t treat you kindly, and while you might think it’s funny, a lot of the time it really isn’t.
- The Flyers stink and the rivalry is almost on life support as a result
- Driving in winter is miserable and if you’re going to fly you’ll have to deal with one of the worst airports ever.
- Philadelphia has great historical attractions, but it’s not a pretty city
Conclusion
You should probably do this once in your life as an experience. But now is not the time. The fryers are terrible and it’s kind of unpleasant to be there. To be honest, I’m always a little scared.
28. New Jersey
why should i go
- Jack Hughes, like the Devils in general, is fun to watch
- Dear John Marino fans, it’s time to look back
- The Prudential Center is a fine building
- Devils fans aren’t that bad, they’ll be on your side if you beat the Rangers
- A short train ride from Manhattan
why not go
- Newark is not culturally developed
- Traveling to Newark, like any other city in the New York area, is difficult.Either deal with the rotten airport or have to make the 6 hour drive
- Penguins always play badly in New Jersey so lucky to see them win
- Newark may sound like New York, but it’s nothing like it, and not in a good way
Conclusion
If you go, stay at the Courtyard Marriott right next to the arena. It’s safe and there are decent restaurants in the area as well. In my experience Newark is not the nicest city in the world. Not a trip I would recommend.
27. St. Louis
why should i go
- I think the fans here are generally friendly
- The Penguins are coming in October, so catch the Cardinals in a playoff game! Great baseball town!oh i don’t care
- There’s a whole museum under the arch, I didn’t know and that’s really cool
- barbecue is legal
why not go
- St. Louis is having better days because downtown is really struggling
- Finding a direct flight is hard, but possible
- The nightlife here isn’t very good and can get frustrating quickly
- blues is really boring
Conclusion
I don’t hate this place as much as I used to. It has grown a little for me. But it’s not exactly a destination trip. Stay at the Renaissance Hotel near the airport and use Uber to get you anywhere.
“Random if you have a family” category
26. Ottawa
why should i go
- Downtown Ottawa is a marvel
- Pens-Sens games are usually intense
- I always have a car because this is near my children. Let me know if you need to ride somewhere else.
- For the Canadian market, tickets here are unusually affordable
- Senz is fun to watch
why not go
- Canadian Tire Center is a terrible building
- Not located near downtown, not ideal
- The weather here is… dangerous
- It takes 2 flights and 9 hours by car
- Penguins play in Ottawa during Steelers-Bengals game Dec. 23, but Inzer’s schedule isn’t great
Conclusion
In my opinion, it’s a sneaky fun trip. But be prepared for bad weather and long day trips. With a great downtown, it’s worth spending a weekend there.
25. Edmonton
why should i go
- Connor McDavid
- Downtown Edmonton is actually pretty decent and the Sherlock Holmes Pub is a must
- Casino condition is very good
- Oilers fans harmless, arena new
why not go
- It’s a nightmare until you get there
- Most of the time the weather is really bad
- Penguins will probably not see a win as they play in Calgary the night before
- Arena is very nice but overall too big
Conclusion
Cool to see McDavid vs. Crosby on Canadian soil. But otherwise it’s a pretty annoying trip. There are some fun things to do, but there’s nothing you can’t do in the comfort of your own city. It’s just cruel to get there.
24. San Jose
why should i go
- The weather is always nice, much better than in San Francisco
- Speaking of which, it’s only an hour from San Francisco, if that’s what you like
- The Penguins won the Stanley Cup at the SAP Center, which has become something of a sacred place.
why not go
- sharks are really bad
- Getting to San Francisco is not easy, but I recommend flying directly to San Francisco and renting a car.
- Unless you are independently wealthy (or The Athletic is paying) and is prohibitively expensive, so you’re going to have a hard time here
- It’s not just the building and the atmosphere that’s great
Conclusion
fine. it can be anything. There are worse places, but not my favorite. San Jose doesn’t have a lot of nightlife. it just exists.
“Day trip” category
23. Detroit
why should i go
- Little Caesars has subpar pizza, but offers the best arena in hockey
- it’s an easy drive
- Red Wings fans are smart, Michigan people are friendly
- Detroit gets a bad rap, but it’s actually a lot better than it used to be
why not go
- They are not your father’s Red Wings.So it will take forever to rebuild Stevie Y.
- Detroit may have improved, but there are other cities worth visiting first
- Michigan winters are harsh
- Parking around the arena is cheap but not very comfortable
- Penguins often have a hard time here
Conclusion
The Penguins play here in October. Unfortunately, it’s a weekday, but if you don’t have anything else to do, you should go. The arena is really worth seeing and the weather shouldn’t be too bad.
22. Buffalo
why should i go
- 3 hours drive to Buffalo
- Niagara Falls is close by and very cheap in winter (don’t forget your passport as the Canadian side is much better)
- The good people in Buffalo are usually friendly, just trying to get a good buzz while complaining about how the Bills will break in January
- sabers are so much fun
why not go
- Like other cities on this list, Buffalo isn’t the cultural capital of the North.
- The drive between Erie and Buffalo, which I know very well, is really scary in winter.
- The building isn’t bad, but it’s not the Taj Mahal
- Hotels in Buffalo are ridiculously expensive (stay near the airport or in Niagara Falls to save money)
Conclusion
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. I’m a buffalo man I like the people there. It’s a fun little day trip. It’s not for everyone. Please pay attention to the weather forecast before departure. But worth the trip. The bar scene around the arena is pretty good.
21. Columbus
why should i go
- why not?The closest and easiest drive in the league
- Nationwide Arena Remains Elite
- The area around Nationwide Arena is still an elite streetscape
- Hotel status remains elite
- gas in ohio is so cheap
why not go
- Since you probably already have
- The Blue Jackets really aren’t worth watching
- Ohio has nothing more exotic
Conclusion
If you haven’t done this trip yet, I urge you to do so. Well worth the time. Not very exciting, but a fun evening. Go to a hockey game and hit the bars. Good times.
20. Washington
why should i go
- Only a few Sid vs. Ovi chapters left
- Washington is the perfect city for a weekend getaway
- 4 hours by car
- Enjoy dinner at Clyde’s next to the arena before or after the game. Best place ever.
why not go
- Traffic in Washington DC is really bad
- Anything about DC is extremely expensive
- Capital One Arena is very dilapidated
Conclusion
It’s a standard trip, so it’s recommended. It’s not a hard drive, and at least a weekend hotel is a little cheaper (the Penguins play there on Friday, October 13th).
(The Islanders’ UBS Arena photo: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
