You're Going to America. Don't Just Watch Football.
Think about it: a two-week trip to the USA. You might watch six or seven matches. That's maybe 15 hours of actual football. What about the other 320 hours?
This guide is for the 25-50 year-old bloke who wants to come home with stories worth telling. The adventures below are perfect whether you're travelling solo, with mates, or if the missus has agreed to the trip on the condition that it's "not just about the football."
New York / New Jersey
Your home base: Stay in Manhattan or Brooklyn. Game day is at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ — 40 minutes from Manhattan by NJ Transit train.
Must-Do Activities
The Brooklyn Bridge Walk
Start at the Manhattan side (near City Hall subway), walk across, and end in DUMBO, Brooklyn. Views are incredible. Takes about 30 minutes. Free.
The High Line
An elevated park built on a disused railway line on Manhattan's West Side. Art installations, great city views, food vendors. Perfect morning walk. Free.
Coney Island
Take the Q train all the way to the end of the line. Classic American beach resort — funfair rides, hot dogs, boardwalk, the original Nathan's Famous frankfurters. Brilliant on a sunny afternoon.
Yankees Game (Yankee Stadium)
If the Yankees are in town, buy a ticket. Even if you don't know baseball, the atmosphere at an MLB game is fantastic. Beer, hot dogs, and 50,000 people on a summer evening.
Brooklyn Brewery Tour
In Williamsburg. Saturday tours are popular. See how some of NYC's best craft beer is made, then drink it.
Top of the Rock (Rockefeller Center)
Better views than the Empire State Building, shorter queues. Go at sunset. The skyline view is one you'll never forget.
Staten Island Ferry
FREE. Runs every 30 minutes. Takes you across New York Harbour with the Statue of Liberty in the background. Best free view in America.
Day Trips
- Atlantic City (2 hrs by bus/car) — Casinos, beach, boardwalk. A proper lads' day.
- Philadelphia (1.5 hrs on Amtrak) — If you're based in NY, Philly is an easy day trip.
Los Angeles
Your home base: Stay in Hollywood, Santa Monica, or Downtown. SoFi Stadium is in Inglewood — accessible by metro.
Must-Do Activities
Griffith Observatory and Hike
Take the trail up to Griffith Observatory for panoramic views of LA and the Hollywood sign. Free to enter the observatory. Go early morning (7am) — cool temperatures, no crowds, and you get the whole city laid out below you.
Venice Beach
The iconic boardwalk with street performers, muscle beach, skate parks, and the ocean. Walk from Santa Monica Pier along the beach and you'll have covered both. Free.
Dodger Stadium
A baseball pilgrimage. The stadium is gorgeous, the Dodger Dog is the greatest ballpark hot dog in America, and the setting is spectacular. Get in early for the views.
Universal Studios Hollywood
If you're into it: full day at one of the world's great theme parks. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is genuinely spectacular even for adults.
Malibu Drive
Rent a car (essential in LA), drive up Malibu Canyon to Malibu Beach. Stop at any restaurant on Pacific Coast Highway. Watch the sunset over the Pacific.
The Getty Museum
Free entry (parking costs). World-class art collection and incredible architecture on a hilltop with epic city views. Better than most European galleries you've been to.
Day Trips
- San Diego (2 hrs south) — Beautiful city, Balboa Park, San Diego Zoo, the Gaslamp Quarter, and Coronado Island beach. Very worthwhile.
- Joshua Tree National Park (2.5 hrs) — Dramatic desert landscape. Otherworldly.
- Santa Barbara (1.5 hrs north) — Beautiful beach town with a Spanish mission and a world-class wine region nearby.
Dallas
Your home base: Stay in Downtown Dallas or the Design District. AT&T Stadium is in Arlington — 20 minutes by car or TRE rail.
Must-Do Activities
Fort Worth Stockyards
This is the must-do day out from Dallas. Take the TRE train to Fort Worth (45 minutes). The Stockyards is a preserved 19th-century cattle-trading district. Twice daily, longhorn cattle are driven down the main street (the world's only daily cattle drive). Cowboys, cowboy hats, honky-tonk bars, steakhouses. It's extraordinary.
Deep Ellum Neighbourhood
Dallas's arts and music district. Murals everywhere, live music spilling out of venues, craft beer bars, excellent restaurants. Full of character.
Sixth Floor Museum (Dealey Plaza)
The museum in the building where JFK was shot on November 22, 1963. Thoughtfully presented and genuinely affecting. A piece of world history.
Rangers Baseball at Globe Life Field
Texas Rangers play at a brilliant stadium in Arlington, right beside AT&T Stadium. Air-conditioned — critical in Texas summer.
Perot Museum of Nature & Science
Brilliant museum, great for a sweaty afternoon in the AC. The energy and space halls are genuinely impressive.
Day Trips
- San Antonio (5 hrs south) — The Alamo, The River Walk (beautiful pedestrian canal through the city), great nightlife. Worth an overnight.
- Austin (3 hrs south) — Live music capital of the world. 6th Street party strip. Best music bars in the USA. Do it.
Houston
Your home base: Stay in Midtown, Montrose, or Museum District. NRG Stadium is accessible by MetroRail.
Must-Do Activities
Space Center Houston
The visitor centre for NASA's Johnson Space Center. See a real Saturn V rocket (the one that went to the Moon). Get within touching distance of spacecraft. This is a full day and completely worth it. Book ahead online.
Houston Museum of Natural Science
Brilliant natural history museum with a world-class dinosaur hall. Free on Thursday evenings.
Kemah Boardwalk
40 minutes from downtown on Galveston Bay. Waterfront restaurants, carnival rides, bars, and fresh seafood. Good evening or afternoon out.
Astros Baseball at Minute Maid Park
Excellent ballpark in downtown Houston. Retractable roof (essential in summer heat). Houston Astros are perennial contenders. Big atmosphere.
The Menil Collection
A world-class free art museum in the Montrose neighbourhood. The Rothko Chapel nearby is a genuinely moving experience.
Buffalo Bayou Park
Riverside park running through central Houston. Good for a morning run or walk when temperatures are tolerable.
Day Trips
- Galveston Island (1 hr south) — Classic Texas Gulf Coast beach town. Wide beaches, Victorian architecture, Pleasure Pier funfair.
- Brenham and Blue Bell Creameries (1.5 hrs west) — If you fancied a road trip, Blue Bell is the legendary Texas ice cream maker. Tours available.
Miami
Your home base: South Beach, Brickell (financial district, great bars), or Wynwood (arts and nightlife). Hard Rock Stadium is in Miami Gardens — 30 minutes from South Beach.
Must-Do Activities
South Beach and Art Deco Walking Tour
The pastel-coloured Art Deco architecture along Ocean Drive is one of the most photographed streetscapes in America. Walk it in the morning before the heat hits. Then swim.
Everglades Airboat Tour
This is an adventure. Take a full-day trip to the Everglades (45 mins from Miami) and go on an airboat that skims across the swamp at 50mph. You will see alligators at close range. It is exhilarating. Book through a reputable tour operator — half-day and full-day options available.
Little Havana
Walk along Calle Ocho. Get a cafecito (Cuban espresso) from Versailles Restaurant. Watch older Cuban men play dominoes in Máximo Gómez Park. Eat a Cuban sandwich. It's like visiting Havana without the visa complications.
Coconut Grove
Miami's oldest neighbourhood. Waterfront bars, marina, Peacock Park. More relaxed than South Beach. Great for an afternoon drink.
Key West Day Trip
Either drive the Overseas Highway (3 hours south — genuinely one of the most dramatic drives in the world, a motorway across the ocean) or take a day trip ferry. Key West is a hedonistic, quirky, end-of-the-road town. Ernest Hemingway's house, sunset at Mallory Square, proper rum cocktails.
Water Sports
Miami Beach itself: jet ski hire, paddleboarding, parasailing, banana boats. If you're doing "America Summer 2026," at least one afternoon on the water is mandatory.
Day Trips
- Key West (3 hrs) — See above. Essential.
- Bahamas ferry — Fast ferry services run to Nassau from Miami. Do a day trip or overnight to the Bahamas and tell everyone you "went to the Caribbean."
Atlanta
Your home base: Midtown, Buckhead, or Old Fourth Ward (near the BeltLine). MARTA rail gets you to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in 15 minutes.
Must-Do Activities
World of Coca-Cola
You either think this sounds embarrassing or you think it sounds fun. It's actually fascinating — the history of the world's most recognisable brand, the secret vault (which you won't get into), and the tasting room with 100+ Coke products from around the world. It's brilliant.
Georgia Aquarium
The world's largest aquarium at the time of its opening. Whale sharks, manta rays, and a jaw-dropping 6.3 million gallon ocean tank. Genuinely one of the great aquariums on earth.
The Atlanta BeltLine
A 22-mile trail system looping through Atlanta on a converted railway corridor. Walking, cycling, art installations, and the best street food spots in the city (Krog Street Market and Ponce City Market are directly on it). Excellent for a morning walk.
Ponce City Market
Victorian-era building converted into a food hall, boutiques, and rooftop mini-golf and carnival rides. The food hall downstairs is exceptional.
Civil Rights History Trail
Atlanta is the birthplace of Martin Luther King Jr. The MLK National Historic Site, Ebenezer Baptist Church, and the National Center for Civil Rights and Human Rights are all here and genuinely moving. Even if history isn't your usual thing, this matters.
Stone Mountain Park
30 minutes from Downtown. A massive granite dome sticking out of the earth. Cable car, laser light shows in the evening, the largest high-relief sculpture in the world carved into the rock face (controversial but undeniably impressive).
Day Trips
- Chattanooga, Tennessee (2 hrs north) — Great railway town, Tennessee Aquarium on the river, stunning mountain hiking nearby.
- Savannah, Georgia (4 hrs east) — One of the most beautiful cities in the South. Squares, oak trees draped in Spanish moss, Ghost tours, excellent river bars.
Philadelphia
Your home base: Center City or South Philly (sports complex area). Lincoln Financial Field is walkable from the South Philly metro.
Must-Do Activities
Run the Rocky Steps
Go to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Run up the 72 stone steps to the top. Turn around. The view over the Benjamin Franklin Parkway is spectacular. The Rocky statue is at the bottom. No Instagram trip to Philly is complete without this. It's free.
Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell
The room where the US Declaration of Independence and US Constitution were signed. The Liberty Bell is next door. This is where the United States of America was created. Even if you're not a history person, standing in that room is something.
Reading Terminal Market
One of America's oldest and best public markets. 80+ vendors selling everything from Amish baked goods to fresh crab to the best cheesesteak in Philly. Go for late breakfast or early lunch.
Philadelphia Museum of Art
Don't just run the steps — go inside. Genuinely world-class collection.
Eastern State Penitentiary
America's most historic (and allegedly most haunted) prison. Tours take you through the decaying cellblock ruins. Fascinating history. Al Capone was held here.
South Philly and the Italian Market
Walk through the 9th Street Italian Market — the oldest outdoor market in the USA. Get cannoli. Get a soft pretzel from a street vendor. Feel like you're in a film.
Phillies Baseball at Citizens Bank Park
Great ballpark, passionate crowd, right in the South Philadelphia sports complex. Cheesesteak available in the stadium — correctly.
Day Trips
- Atlantic City (1.5 hrs) — Already mentioned for New York, but Philly is even closer.
- Washington DC (2.5 hrs by Amtrak) — The Smithsonian museums are ALL FREE. The National Mall, Lincoln Memorial, Capitol Building. Do it as a day trip.
Seattle
Your home base: Downtown, Capitol Hill, or Belltown. Lumen Field is a 15-minute walk from Downtown.
Must-Do Activities
Pike Place Market
One of America's oldest farmers' markets (1907). The fish-throwing fishmongers are legendary. Fresh seafood, flower stalls, the original Starbucks (tiny, always queued, but worth it for the ritual). Excellent morning spent here.
Seattle Mariners Baseball at T-Mobile Park
Right across the road from Lumen Field. Beautiful Stadium, passionate Pacific Northwest crowd. One of the best atmospheres in MLB.
Kerry Park
Take the short walk up Queen Anne Hill to Kerry Park: the definitive Seattle skyline view, with Mount Rainier in the background on a clear day. Best at golden hour.
Chihuly Garden and Glass
Right beside the Space Needle. Dale Chihuly's spectacular glass art installations are genuinely breathtaking, especially at night when they're illuminated.
Mount Rainier Day Trip
Two hours south of Seattle. The active volcano that dominates the Pacific Northwest skyline. Drive up to the Paradise visitor centre at 5,400 feet — there will be snow in June/July. Stunning alpine meadows, glaciers, and American black bears wandering about.
Olympic Peninsula Day Trip (or overnight)
Take the ferry from Downtown Seattle to Bainbridge Island, then drive. You're in a temperate rainforest within 2 hours. The Hoh Rainforest is otherworldly. Best natural day trip from any US city.
REI Flagship Store (Belltown)
The world's most famous outdoor gear shop. Even if you're not an outdoor type, this store is an experience. They have a climbing wall inside.
Day Trips
- San Juan Islands (ferry from Anacortes, 1.5 hrs north) — Island archipelago with orca whale watching. One of the great wildlife experiences in North America.
- Vancouver, Canada (3 hrs north by car or train) — If you're visa-ready, Vancouver is beautiful and worth an overnight.
San Francisco
Your home base: SoMa, FiDi, the Mission, or Fisherman's Wharf. Levi's Stadium is in Santa Clara — 45 minutes by Caltrain from downtown.
Must-Do Activities
Alcatraz
Book tickets at least two weeks in advance — they sell out. The ferry ride is dramatic. The audio tour is one of the best in the world. "The Rock" is one of the genuinely great visitor experiences in America.
Golden Gate Bridge Walk
Walk from the San Francisco side to Marin Headlands and back. Views of the city, the bay, and the Marin hills. Bring a layer — the bridge is almost always foggier and colder than the city.
Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39
Touristy but brilliant. Sea lions on the docks, clam chowder bread bowls, Dungeness crab. Take the ferry from here to Alcatraz.
Mission District
The real San Francisco. Amazing burritos (eat at La Taqueria for an authentic Mission burrito), colourful Chicano murals in Balmy Alley, Dolores Park on a sunny afternoon (bring beers, get on the hill with the whole city below you).
Wine Country (Napa Valley) Day Trip
One of the great day trips in American travel. 90 minutes north of SF, you're in rolling vine-covered hills with hundreds of world-class wineries. Many do tours and tastings for $25-50. Hire a car or join a coach tour (recommended — you'll want to drink).
Muir Woods
30 minutes north across the Golden Gate Bridge. Ancient coast redwood trees up to 1,000 years old. Some are 375 feet tall. Standing among them is humbling. Book the shuttle in advance (cars are restricted).
Day Trips
- Monterey and Big Sur (2-3 hrs south) — Drive the Big Sur coastline. Cliffside highway above the Pacific. One of the greatest scenic drives in the world. Monterey Aquarium is also excellent.
- Yosemite National Park (3.5 hrs east) — If you can do a two-day trip, do it. Half Dome, Yosemite Valley, El Capitan. Bucket list.
Kansas City
Your home base: Downtown, the Power & Light District, or the Crossroads Arts District. Arrowhead Stadium (home of the Kansas City Chiefs) is 10 minutes by car/cab.
Must-Do Activities
Joe's Kansas City BBQ
This is not optional. Joe's Kansas City is in a petrol station at 3002 West 47th Avenue. It has been voted the best BBQ restaurant in the USA multiple times. Queue from opening. Get the Z-Man sandwich (smoked brisket, smoked provolone, caramelised onions, on an onion roll). This is one of the best things you will ever eat. Period.
KC BBQ Trail
After Joe's, you'll want more. Arthur Bryant's is the historic KC BBQ institution. Gates & Sons has been a Kansas City institution since 1946. Jack Stack Barbecue is another legend. Do a BBQ crawl across the city.
National WWI Museum & Memorial
Voted the best WWI museum in the world by the Council of World War One Museums. The building is stunning — a memorial tower rising above a glass floor that you walk over, looking down at thousands of red poppies representing the fallen. Extraordinarily powerful.
Country Club Plaza
The world's first outdoor shopping centre (built in 1922 in Spanish Colonial architecture). Fountains, sculptures, high-end shops, great restaurants and bars. Beautiful area for an evening walk and dinner.
Kansas City Jazz District (18th & Vine)
KC is the birthplace of jazz and the spiritual home of the Kansas City style. The American Jazz Museum and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum are both here and both excellent.
Starlight Theatre
Outdoor amphitheatre for concerts in summer evenings. The setting (under the stars in a warm Kansas City summer night) is magical.
Kansas City Royals Baseball at Kauffman Stadium
Right next door to Arrowhead Stadium. The Royals stadium is one of the most beautiful in MLB, set in rolling parkland. Great atmosphere.
Day Trips
- Worlds of Fun (20 mins north) — One of the best amusement parks in the Midwest. If you're doing this with kids or just want a full adrenaline day.
- Lawrence, Kansas (45 mins west) — University town with a lively bar and music scene on Massachusetts Street. Great for an evening out.
Making the Most of Match-Free Days
Rent a car — Many of the best activities require wheels. Car hire in the USA is cheap. Driving there is easy. Do it.
Baseball is brilliant — Don't be put off because you don't understand it. The atmosphere at an MLB evening game (cold beer, hot dogs, 8 innings of summer warmth) is one of the great sports experiences. Most teams play 6-7 days a week in the summer. Just turn up and buy a ticket at the gate.
Eat like an American — The supermarkets alone are worth a visit. Walmart Supercenter at 10pm when you're exhausted and jet-lagged is an experience you will tell people about.
National Parks and State Parks — The USA's national park system is the best in the world. If your host city is near a park (Rainier, Yosemite, Everglades, Big Bend in Texas) — get there.
Local professional sports — NFL training camps start late July; MLB runs all summer. American sports culture is unlike anything in Europe. Attend if you can.
Embrace the road trip — If you have a car and two or more days between matches in different cities, DRIVE between them. The interstate highway system is an adventure in itself. Diners, roadside attractions, small towns, big skies.
Practical Tips for Getting Around
- Uber and Lyft work everywhere in US cities. Often faster and cheaper than taxis.
- NYC and Chicago have excellent subway systems. LA, Dallas, Houston are car-dependent.
- Domestic flights on Southwest, Spirit, and Frontier are very cheap. Book 2-4 weeks ahead.
- Amtrak trains connect East Coast cities well (NYC–Philly–Boston corridor especially). Comfortable and scenic.
- Greyhound/FlixBus — Cheap for budget travellers. Slower but scenic.
The tournament is 39 days. You'll be there for a portion of that. Make every day count.