Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and one person’s fun is another’s drudgery, but there are a few stops on the Pittsburgh Penguins schedule that should give fans looking for a getaway an opportunity to spend a reasonable amount and enjoy exploring a new city for a couple or few days.
On the road, there’s nothing better than getting a text that practice is canceled. That means an afternoon of wandering. Some of us choose the touristy things, and others go underground trying to find the hidden local restaurants with a dish not available anywhere else or that’s simply beyond compare.
Personally, I’m a greasy spoon type who is looking for that burrito with special green sauce (Denver), a tiny bistro with unbelievable goulash (Edmonton), or the softest steak I’ve ever had for under $30 (Calgary). You won’t find me in a four-star restaurant or a spot with valet parking except on special occasions.
In new cities, I want to eat where the locals eat (no chain restaurants) and hang out in a place where I can hear myself think but that isn’t sad and empty. Like a personal life, it’s not always easy.
As part of the road trip guidelines, staying within walking distance or easy public transportation to the hockey arena is essential. Renting a car and parking are hassles that you don’t need, except in a few spots.
We also assume most Penguins fans have been to Columbus, Washington, and New York at some point in their lives, so we don’t need to extoll the virtues of those spots, though I’ll be happy to talk for days about my favorite New York City spots.
Other spots like Toronto and Boston are often difficult to afford. If the hotels don’t swallow your wallet, the ticket prices will. We’re leaving those cities to the side, too.
And there are some places that don’t have an arena district or an arena close to anything else. Ottawa and Florida spring to mind. If you want to stay in Ft. Lauderdale and drive 45 minutes each way through construction to go to a Panthers-Penguins game, have at it. Otherwise, there are only two hotels within a short distance of the arena and very little else to do.
If you want warm weather in the winter, sure, but we’re talking hockey vacations.
So, here’s our list.
2024-25 Best Penguins Road Trips (That You Can Afford)
5. Detroit
Believe it or not, one of the worst stops on the Penguins’ calendar is becoming one of the easiest, most affordable, and most enjoyable spots on the schedule.
The roads from Toledo to Detroit are craterous. The billboards are mostly alcohol, cannabis, and lawyers, but once you get to Detroit, it quickly sheds its sketchy reputation.
Detroit: Photo Courtesy of Visit Detroit
Detroit has cleaned up. The aggressively dirty streets and unsafe areas have become rebuilt streets, welcoming restaurants and lush parks. The French restaurant near Grand Circus Park was fun and vibrant.
While this guy isn’t a big fan of Detroit pizza, they are a charming throwback to the intestinal slobberknocker of a 1980s Pizza Hut meat-lovers deep dish. There’s also a hundred-year-old hotdog shop in the center of downtown–Lafayette Coney Island. Go there, and lunch will cost about $6.
Within walking distance of the arena are a myriad of hotel options, from the cheap to the ritzy. There are a few clustered spots of nightlife, including the Shinola Factory Outlet and a massive record store that hosts live bands on a full-stage setup.
The riverfront is coming along, but up-and-coming Detroit is well worth a four-hour drive. If you’re a racing fan, Roger Penske has been one of the benefactors of the city turnaround, and he usually does things pretty, pretty well.
4. Tampa Bay
Count me a sucker for this sleepy little downtown area. Pending the time of season, the weather can be great for a mile or two walk to the arena, but be warned, Tampa is not a public transit city.
The restaurant scene is scattered throughout the downtown landscape, but there are plenty of options and little coffee shops (or comfortable bars) to spend an afternoon. There’s even a food truck roundup in the center of town. A growing number of riverfront hotels are along the Hillsborough River, and there’s a galley of restaurants and shops slightly north of the city in Tampa Heights, too.
Tampa, FL: Photo Courtesy of Visit Tampa
You can walk the riverwalk from Tampa Heights to downtown (pictured above) or take the river taxi to the arena. You can also stay downtown along the river (but that’s getting pricey).
The hotel pool scene is beyond this guy, but if that’s your thing, the riverfront is pretty spectacular. Taking a sensitive spouse might require a pre-pool conversation or a make-up margarita afterward. You’ve been warned. Tampa is chill with a side of Miami chic, but it also has Eddie & Sam’s Pizza, which imports water from New York City to make the dough. It’s a great place to grab a slice and a co*ke. Yes, NYC water does make a difference.
3. Denver
Denver has become a hub airport, and several discount airlines fly there, too, so a flight can often cost less than $150.
Maybe you’ve heard the city has legalized things that a few of you may enjoy, but there is much more to the placid downtown. There are several streets of nightlife, but none of it is over the top. Rooftop bars highlight the Rocky Mountains backdrop, and the Denver Mall Ride is a long street of shops and restaurants with a trolley running down the middle.
Through it all, there are two spots that are my favorite.
The first is Sam’s No. 3, a little diner in the center of town with a famous green sauce perfect for covering a burrito or home fries. A block or so away is Tarantula’s, a brick-walled pool hall with dim lighting, good drinks, and affordable bar bills. There isn’t a better way to waste an off night.
Denver has a wide variety of spots, and the city has champagne vending machines. It lacks the energy of New York or Chicago, but that’s its charm. “Denver casual” is both a fashion and lifestyle.
Public transit is nice–there’s a train from the airport directly to downtown with ample hotel options within walking distance of the final stop and Ball Arena.
2. Vancouver
If you know where to look and do your due diligence, both the flight and hotel can be affordable. Vancouver has endless food options that are both unique and accessible; my favorite is a little Italian speakeasy that is a second floor restaurant with a dingy and solid steel door.
But once inside, it’s Italian restaurant heaven. Zafferelli’s Spaghetti Joint:
You can walk to the harbor and take a whale-watching cruise or do some shopping. If you like Asian food, there isn’t a better spot on the Penguins’ schedule for the vast array of dishes from the continent, including “#1 Korea Hangover Cure,” a red soup so spicy it might peel the pink off your insides (I can handle the spiciest of spicy, and this stuff nearly killed me).
Vancouver is an endless, low-pressure urban exploration with eclectic people. Last season, a fellow in line at the coffee shop struck up a conversation. That’s not usually my thing, but I went along. It was former Penguins forward Dave McLlwain?!
Fortunately, the city is also addressing many of the problems that have beset West Coast cities.
The harbor is picturesque beyond words with its rolling fog, a snowcapped mountain backdrop, and the slow roll of ships. Food. Whales. Nice weather. Scenery. It’s a must-visit.
1. Edmonton/Calgary
Alberta is a throwback to the rugged America of years ago. Oil, farms, and cowboys. You’ll see a few Trump signs on the lonesome highway between Edmonton and Calgary, and you’ll see a few secession signs, too. Alberta is an energy-producing hub that likes a rodeo, and they don’t like being told what they can or can’t do by politicians in Ottawa.
The native peoples maintain a big presence, more so near Edmonton. And there’s a surprisingly large Asian population in northern Alberta. The cities don’t like each other, and that’s half the fun of the hockey road trip you need to take.
It’s easiest to fly into Calgary and rent a car. The drive to Edmonton is only a few hours and it’s almost unflinchingly straight.
The restaurant scene is interesting, with a large number of Asian restaurants and homey sports bars. The best of the best is a little Czech bistro near the arena called Bistro Praha. It’s a little unassuming family-run spot and serves a goulash that’s worth the price of the flight. Dinner costs about $20 CDN.
The heritage hangout is Sherlock’s, a divey bar with wood-paneled walls that instantly reminds you of Cheers. However, the best part of the Edmonton trip isn’t the variety of restaurants, the fact that it gets dark at 4 p.m., or the frosty temperatures that could blast freeze various appendages, it’s the hockey.
Edmonton LOVES hockey. The Rogers Place is absolutely massive. As you walk to the rink, the gargantuan barn with a shimmering silver exterior and 10-story height looks more like a scene from Independence Day. A Wayne Gretzky statue and bits in honor of the Great One highlight the walk inside, where you’ll be greeted by enthusiastic fans.
Calgary is like visiting Texas … with feet of snow. It’s a little tough to get around, so you generally stay in your quadrant, but food options are ample, especially if you like beef. And oh boy, the beef is amazing. For about $25 CDN at the Oil Rig, I had an Alberta Beef sirloin that was so tender and juicy that it made me want to drop the silverware and dive in. I washed it down with a bold and balanced local lager.
I limited my intake to two … as far as you know.
The Saddledome will close in a few years, but for now, it’s an old-school arena without a bad seat. The fans are passionate and engaged, and they’ll also take good care of you.
The Calgary-Edmonton trip isn’t one you’ll take often, but if you like the Northern Lights dancing above as you travel, salt-of-the-earth people, high-end food for us commoners, and deeply passionate fans, you’ll need to make this once in your lifetime.
