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OK, tourists. Call your travel agent, zinc up those noses and grab your suitcases. We’re taking a holidays trip in the name of football and fun.
Here are the top-5 bowl game destinations this holiday season for fans of the SEC.
RELATED: Complete 2015-16 bowl schedule and betting lines
1. Sugar Bowl (New Orleans) – The best part of New Orleans hosting the Sugar Bowl is that the game doesn’t kick off until 8:30 p.m. (ET) on Jan. 1, giving you plenty of time to sleep late after ringing in the New Year the night before on Bourbon Street — as well as Decatur, Chartres or whatever other French Quarter streets your evening leads you down. But there’s plenty more to do in New Orleans other than giving your liver a good soaking. Crescent City is a cultural mecca of blues and jazz music, storied history and, of course, creole and Cajun-inspired cuisine. On top of that, you get to watch two of the nation’s top teams in Ole Miss and Oklahoma State duke it out.
2. Liberty Bowl (Memphis) – The good news for fans of whoever loses in the Liberty Bowl, be it Arkansas or Kansas State, is that they won’t have to travel far in Memphis to find someone to sing the blues with them. They can also find solace just about anywhere on Beale Street with an enormous plate of the some of the best ribs you’ll ever have. But do your homework, because some of the best barbeque is located away from the oft-touristy Beale Street. When you’ve had your fill of pig and pigskin, head over for a tour of Sun Records or explore Elvis’ palatial home.
3. Citrus Bowl (Orlando) – Orlando promises to be a magical time for the kingdoms of both Florida and Michigan fans, regardless of which team wins this year’s Citrus Bowl matchup between the Gators and Wolverines. Orlando literally has something for everyone of all ages, making it a premier destination for football, fun and always plenty of sun.
4. Outback Bowl (Tampa) – Historic Ybor City is the place to be on New Year’s Eve in Tampa. With pristine weather this time of year, Tennessee and Northwestern fans can pre- or-post game for the Outback Bowl at places ranging from Busch Gardens to Seminole Hard Rock Casino, to name just two of the many options for those in search of a good time.
5. Music City Bowl (Nashville) – Texas A&M and Louisville take center stage of Dec. 30 in a city known for some of the most-fabled stages in the nation. There’s a reason why folks call Nashville the Music City as tours of the Country Music Hall of Fame, historic Ryman Auditorium and Grand Ole Opry are musts when in town.
Chris Wuensch is a contributing writer for Saturday Down South. He covers South Carolina and Tennessee.
