Bowl season means RVs will be stocked and plane tickets will be booked, leading to cross country trips for many football fans out there. But what do you do before the tailgate or once the final second has ticked off the clock?
Here we have some suggestions for those of you headed to California for bowl season. Now we just finished off the Poinsettia Bowl that took place at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego. But there are three remaining games on the docket: National Funding Holiday Bowl (Dec. 27 at Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego), Foster Farms Bowl (Dec. 28 at Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara) and the Rose Bowl, which kicks off on Jan. 2 in Pasadena.
Here are some things to keep you busy outside of the big game in three various areas: San Diego, San Francisco/Santa Clara and Los Angeles/Pasadena.
As you'll soon see, there are plenty of things to keep you busy.
San Francisco/Santa Clara:
Illuminate SF: From now until New Year's Day you can enjoy the Festival of Light, which is a cavalcade of luminescence in the form of 35 illuminated art installations.
California's Great America: Other than the 49ers, Santa Clara boasts this adrenaline-inducing theme park.
49ers Museum: If you are in the area to watch some modern football you might as well enjoy a brief trip down memory lane. Hopefully you're a 49ers fan though.
A Christmas Carol: Behold all the merriment of this holiday classic at the American Conservatory Theater.
Dueling Pianos at Johnny Foleys: There is plenty to do in the city at night, but there's nothing like singing along with the rest of the bar to some iconic party songs.
Shop Along Union Square: The whole city comes to life with lights and frivolity as you window shop at places like the Westfield San Francisco Centre.
Golden Gate Park: One of the most underrated aspects of the city remains its gorgeous and expansive park that boasts a wealth of opportunity for all ages.
San Diego:
San Diego Zoo: This place is always worth your time, but it bears a closer look at this time of year with its Jungle Bells celebration.
Belmont Park: Not only can you enjoy the Giant Dipper, you get a view of the Pacific and an inkling as to why so many people call this place home to the best weather in the country.
Hotel del Coronado: We simply can't pass up an excuse to amble about one of the more iconic hotels in the state. At the moment, the entire place is festooned in holiday glamour, glitz and cheer.
Gaslamp Quarter: Sometimes it's difficult to find a place to eat or discover something to do. That's never an issue in an area built for pub and grub crawls.
Balboa Park: There is hardly a better place for the family to get out and stretch the legs and explore a diverse and captivating area.
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Los Angeles/Pasadena:
LA Zoo Lights: 'Tis the season to walk through a large area and see a ridiculous amount of lights.
Ice Skate: Yes, you can indeed ice skate in the warmth of Southern California, both at L.A. Live as well as at Pershing Square.
Rose Parade: If you miss out on sitting on the sidelines of this floral extravaganza, you can always look at the masterpieces on Jan. 2. Or, if you are inclined to do so, you can volunteer to actually decorate the floats.
Disneyland: It's the holidays and this is Disneyland. We feel like this is a no-brainer.
The Grove: You can't pass up a place packed with great food, awesome shopping and a renowned Farmers Market.
Get to Know An Area: One underrated aspect of Los Angeles remains its wonderful and diverse areas packed into the city limits. Park yourself in Silverlake, Echo Park, Venice, West Hollywood, Fairfax or myriad other places and just walk around. You will be pleasantly surprised as to what you find.
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