3 Things for Travelers to Do in Every NFL City

Football is back! While earlier we brought you the top tailgating destinations in the country, now it's time to take a look at what football fans can do in cities home to The National Football League. After all, the NFL has what is arguably the most passionate fan bases in all of professional sports.

With the limited number of games (16 in the regular season) and the shortest season among the major sports (four months, five if a team makes a run in the playoffs), fans of the 32 franchises are dedicated to making road trips to support their team.

But while you're there, it's a great opportunity to take in the sites and attractions of the city you're in. So, here's a very shortened list of three things to do in every NFL city you visit leading up to the big game.

Orchard Park is a suburb just to the south of Buffalo.

* Frank Lloyd Wright's Darwin D. Martin House Complex is considered to be one of Wright's most significant architectural projects, built between 1903 and 1905. And one of his first.

* Niagara Falls is just a 26-minute drive from Buffalo. It's a great chance to see one of the great natural wonders of the world.

* Many stake their claim as the inventors of buffalo wings, but the Anchor Bar in downtown Buffalo is generally accepted as the original.

Miami Gardens is a suburb of Miami.

* You simply can't pass up the beach if there's a game in September when it's still warm and the ocean temperatures are still agreeable.

* Might as well go take a dip in South Beach (Miami Beach) and kill two birds with one stone, taking a walk along Ocean Drive to see the funky Art Deco hotels, buildings, restaurants and to just generally sight-see.

* Bayside Marketplace is right on the water, a collection of more than 150 shops, cafes and restaurants.

Foxborough is a suburb just 21 miles outside of Boston.

* If you're a sports fan who has already made the trip to see your team play the Patriots, might as well tour historic Fenway Park and also see where the Red Sox play.

* Walk the incredible Freedom Trail and glean history that dates back to the American Revolution. Along the way, stop at Faneuil Hall Marketplace to say you stepped inside a 277-year old building.

* If you like Central Park in New York, you'll also like Boston Common, a one-time cow pasture dating back to the 1600s.

East Rutherford is a suburb of New York City just across the Hudson River. The stadium serves both NFL teams.

* Times Square is a must-do, if only because midtown New York is so busy and so packed with theaters and restaurants and shopping that your three things could turn into 300.

* Take a ride on the iconic Staten Island Ferry - it's free and it takes you about as close as you can get to the Statue of Liberty.

* We don't have to tell you it will be a somber visit, but do see 9/11 Memorial in lower Manhattan.

* The National Aquarium is one of the best in the country, with an incredible display of species ranging from seahorses to, well, several bigger species.

* During the War of 1812, Fort McHenry was used to defend the city of Baltimore from the British. This is where Francis Scott Key wrote the "Star-Spangled Banner", which became the national anthem.

* Check out Fells Point, the historic waterfront community that still features 18th- and 19th-century homes and storefronts.

* The Cincinnati Art Museum has more than 67,000 pieces of art and is one of the best in the country.

* Also one of the best in the country? The Cincinnati Zoo, home to the famous Fiona the hippo.

* Stop and eat at any of the multiple locations for Skyline Chili, a legend and a must-eat for any chili aficionado.

* You could literally spend an entire day at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. It's musical history.

* Feel like getting out and about? You can hike, bike, fish, boat, horseback ride and more at one of the 18 Cleveland Metroparks that comprise 23,000 acres.

* Take a night to go to The Flats, one of the great neighborhoods in the city with bars, clubs and restaurants on the waterfront.

* Take a ride on the Duquesne Incline, which dates back to the 1870s and takes visitors up to the top of Mount Washington.

* Carnegie Science Center is great for anyone, but even more so if you have the kids in tow. Lots of interactive exhibits here.

* You can actually take care of two visits in one by touring the Andy Warhol Museum in all its eclectic glory, and then walk one block to PNC Park, home to baseball's Pirates.

* Get a great closeup look at the United States space program by visiting the Johnson Space Center.

* A Danish boat that rescued more than 7,000 Danish Jews during World War II is one of the highlights of the Houston Holocaust Museum.

* If shopping is a must-do part of your itinerary, the Galleria has a whopping 400 stores.

* Go on and take your pilgrimage to Indianapolis Motor Speedway, home of the iconic Indianapolis 500 and its famed brickyard.

* The Indiana War Memorial is one of the great landmarks in the state. It comprises two museums, three parks and 24 acres of monuments, statues and more.

* The Indianapolis Zoo, with more than 1,600 species of animals, is one of the best in the U.S.

* Golf. Where? Anywhere. You have your choice in this city, which is nearby the PGA of America and its famed TPC at Sawgrass course.

* Beach. Where? Anywhere. They don't call this Florida's First Coast for nothing.

* If you get a chance, see a show at The Florida Theater. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it is one of just four remaining high-style Movie Palaces built in the state in the 1920s. It now hosts concerts.

* Nashville is music, and not only does The Bluebird Café have live music every night, you never know which legend or current star feels like popping in.

* Visit RCA Studio B. Now a museum, this is where everybody from Elvis to Johnny Cash to Carrie Underwood have recorded tracks.

* Are you really going to leave Nashville without a visit to the Grand Ole Opry? It's a must!

Carson is a suburb 10 miles from Los Angeles.

* Hit the parks. Universal. Disneyland. Knotts Berry Farm. Especially if the children are with you.

* This will be costly, but shopping on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills is an experience unto itself.

* The Griffith Observatory is an art deco planetarium with public telescopes and the best views of the city.

* The National World War I Museum features replicas of trenches, theaters, propaganda posters and guns. The glass bridge is a powerful reminder of the 9 million lives lost during the war.

* Westport is the city's main entertainment, shopping district, with more than enough to do to take up at least a half a day.

* Head straight to the Penguin Plaza at the famed Kansas City Zoo, now 110 years old and one of the most respected zoos in the country.

* If there's a concert in town at the Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre, get there. The outdoor setting is spectacular. And, you can hike there during the day.

* The place to be for food, entertainment and nightlife is the 16th Street Mall, a great place to go with friends. Or to make new ones.

* Just 15 miles west of Denver is the suburb of Golden, Colo., and that's where you can get a tour of the Coors Brewery. It's pretty neat to see how it's made and you get a free sample at the end.

* This is the last season that the Raiders are playing in Oakland before moving the franchise to Las Vegas. Start by visiting The Gardens at Lake Merritt, a seven-acre park that includes an incredible Japanese Garden.

* Step back in time at the U.S.S. Hornet Sea, Air, and Space Museum. Check out the old fighter planes among the 10,000+ military artifacts.

* Of course, as a travel site, we would be remiss if we didn't tell you to visit the Oakland Aviation Museum. The place is loaded with decommissioned planes, including military and private passenger planes.

Arlington is a suburb of Dallas.

* The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza, the place where Lee Harvey Oswald shot President John F. Kennedy from (allegedly) is a slice of American history.

* Kimbell Art Museum is smaller than the Dallas Art Museum but is considered one of the great small museums in the world.

* George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum. Again, politics aside, this is part of American history.

* You can't leave Philadelphia without seeing the Liberty Bell, can you?

* You can't leave Philadelphia without running the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum like Rocky, can you?

* And you can't leave Philadelphia without having a cheesesteak sandwich at Pat's or Geno's (or both), can you?

Landover is a suburb nine miles from Washington D.C.

* We're counting the monuments - The White House, the Lincoln Memorial, the Vietnam Wall, etc. - as one. Washington can be a bear to walk but it's so worth it.

* The Holocaust Memorial is a somber reality but absolutely needs to be visited.

* The Smithsonian Museum is the place to be to see the ultimate collection of Americana.

Glendale is a suburb 10 miles from Phoenix

* Few hiking experiences rival Camelback Mountain, where the summit is a half-mile above sea level and overlooks both Phoenix and Scottsdale.

* Phoenix has also emerged as one of the premier golf destinations in the country. So play 36. Heck, make it a long weekend and play 72.

* Phoenix is also known as one of the best areas in the country for spas, which are often set against a backdrop of the stunning desert.

Santa Clara is 45 miles from San Francisco, the longest distance for a stadium from the home city.

* So, sure, if you're staying for a long weekend you could easily drive north to San Fran and shop and visit Alcatraz and ride the cable cars. If you're in Santa Clara, get your geek on by visiting both the Computer History Museum and the Intel Museum.

* Santa Clara is located in South San Francisco Bay, so take a fun boat ride to learn more about the ecosystem of this great area.

* Get two great visits for the price of one (actually, they're free) by visiting Santa Clara University. The campus is picturesque, to say the least. And while you're there, stop at Mission Santa Clara de Asis, the eighth of 21 mission built in California and dating back to 1777.

* Pike Place Market is one of the best open-air markets in the country, featuring everything from food to crafts to comics to antiques and anything you can think of. How popular is it? It's the world's 33rd most popular tourist attraction with 10 million annual visitors.

* Go to the top of the west coast's second-tallest structure, the Space Needle, and take in one of the most gorgeous views in the country.

* Before you hit Pike Place Market, go to 1st St. and Pike and get a half-cap, half-decaf mocha frappuccino with a squirt of caramel where it all started - the very first Starbucks, which opened in 1971.

* Go shopping on The Magnificent Mile, the Windy City's version of New York's 5th Avenue or Los Angeles' Rodeo Drive.

* Navy Pier is a joy, with its long pier jutting out into Lake Michigan. Plenty to do, especially for the kids.

* You'll smirk or laugh or raise an eyebrow, but the Chicago Architecture River Cruise is simply awesome. Learn all about Chicago's great buildings with a close-up view courtesy of a relaxing boat ride.

* Many cities have a Little Italy or Chinatown. Detroit has Greektown and Koreatown, two of the best neighborhoods in the country with some of the greatest food.

* Don't even come back to Detroit if you don't head to Hitsville USA, the home of Motown Records - literally. If there wasn't signage outside, this looks like just another house in the neighborhood. Now a museum, this is where one of the greatest genres of music was born. Founder Berry Gordy even slept on the second floor of the home.

* The Fox Theater is one of the coolest, most ornate palaces in the country. If there's a show here, see it.

* Got kids? Put them on Thomas The Train at the National Railroad Museum. There are more than 70 engines and carriages here.

* Again, if you have children with you, head to Bay Beach Amusement Park. This is a great throw-back to amusement parks of the past, with fun rides, concessions and arcade games.

* If it's September and early October when the weather is still friendly, check out the Green Bay Botanical Garden.

* Go pay homage to the mecca of capitalism - the Mall of America. How big is it? People come for the weekend just to shop and still don't get through it all.

* If you enjoy modern and contemporary art, the Minneapolis Institute of Art has one of the finest collections in the country - in addition to its traditional pieces.

* A relative newcomer to the tourist scene is Paisley Park, where one of the greatest musicians of our time lived. After Prince's death in 2016, his family opened the 65,000 square foot home to tours.

* There are an amazing 128,000 species living in the Georgia Aquarium, making it one of the best in the world. Don't try to count 'em - you could be here for a month.

* World of Coca-Cola is, at its name suggests, everything and anything you could possibly think of associated with the famed beverage.

* Centennial Olympic Park is a must if you are a sports fan. This is where the 1996 Olympics were held when Atlanta was surprisingly chosen ahead of Athens for the 100th Olympiad.

* What's the point of coming of New Orleans if you don't spend a day and night in the Quarter, darlin'. That's the French Quarter, of course, home to the liveliest indoor/outdoor party in the world. And, yes, you can legally drink outside here.

* You'll get jazz music in any number of cities, but it might not be any better than on Bourbon Street. Be sure to duck into several clubs to hear some authentic jazz and blues.

* Go and confess your sins from the weekend, or just gawk in awe at one of the world's great halls of religion - St. Louis Cathedral, the majestic 18th-century church.

* Love the outdoors? Terrific, then get to the U.S. National Whitewater Center, where you can raft and kayak for a great outdoor adventure.

* Talk about being in a revered setting. Check out the NASCAR Hall of Fame right downtown in the city and see some of racing's legends and legendary cars.

* Traveling with kids? One word: Carowinds. The huge amusement park on the border of North and South Carolina is packed with kid-friendly characters and rides.

* Ybor City is Tampa's version of Miami's Calle Ocho/Little Havana. It's one of the most exciting, vibrant neighborhoods in the entire state, with a heavy emphasis on Cuban culture.

* Nothing beats a nice walk along the water. Make sure you visit the Tampa Riverwalk which, coincidentally, passes by such tourist attraction as the Straz Center for Performing Arts, Tampa Museum of Art and the Convention Center. It's a great two-and-a-half-mile walk.

* Sure, you could bring the kids to Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, home to some of the great coasters in the country. Or, you know … not.