SB Travel questions for those that are/will go

So I am SERIOUSLY considering going...(Well at least get flights..car..hotel ect) and see about getting a ticket the day of and hoping they drop.

Now if the prices don't drop...i most likely wouldn't go..but would watch somewhere down by the stadium.

But i would be doing this alone as no one else would go. I have no problem with it so i guess it's just a question if I want to drop 1,000 on flights/car/hotel on the chance i buy tickets....

I am looking at flights into Dallas and driving as they are about $300 cheaper..but then i would have to see about gas and car rental vs just flying to Houston.

Fly into New Orleans and drive the 5:30 from there. Flights are cheap, a night on bourbon st is always cool.

We are thinking about doing that and renting an RV.

For those of us trying to score a ticket on game day - we have a place to watch if no luck. Some will already have a ticket (rich or lucky bastards).

Personally, unless I have a ticket, I'm not going to spend the $1,000 or so and the hassle to "maybe get a ticket".

Can't imagine you find even the worst seat for less than a couple grand.

I'd do it if I could. But I don't have that kind of cash to drop on a ticket

It's a risk. Super Bowl 49 our tickets were $7,600 each and when we met the broker day before the game he offered us $11,000 a piece for them. Sometimes prices don't make that dip right before the game. If your ok shelling out the $1,000 it's ok to be "around" the Super Bowl, it if it were me, I'd want tickets before making the trip. I wasn't too impressed with the whole Super Bowl Experience areas. Unless you want to stand in line for 4 hours to kick a football through some inflatable goal posts. Game on the other hand is well... the Super Bowl.

I went to Houston last time. Had a free place to stay. I remember them saying there is no there there. City is very spread out.
There were 5 of us trying to get tix up until game time and I only saw one sale. Some guy paid $1200 for one ticket to a guy coming off a bus of either team personnel or family members.
I believe I read here there were others who got tix easily. I remember that they were warning and arresting scalpers if they tried to sell close to the stadium.
After the ticket fiasco two years ago, who knows how the market is? Looks like NFL is really keeping control of the ticket flow. I assume much less speculative sellers.
I think you're better off being alone. Easier to grab a single from someone. There were plenty of empty handed people there who ended up in local bars, so you will definitely have some Pats fans to hang out and watch game with if you strike out.

For SB 38 in Houston we flew into Dallas, rented a car and stayed at a cheap hotel about an hour north of Houston. Got sideline seats on the 1 yard-line a couple rows up for $1,600 each on the secondary market. Great stadium, great trip, great experience I'll never forget.

I took a preliminary look at prices and availability within 50 miles....I'll catch this one on the 65" Ultra HD

As others have suggested, it's fairly difficult to get lodging anywhere near the game, so it may be best to try within 60-75 miles. You'll find more availability, although the rooms are likely to remain somewhat expensive. I doubt you'll find anything under 200-250 per night.

For SB49, my wife booked our rooms back in November. Of course, they make you pay the entire cost up front; otherwise, people would simply book rooms and cancel once their team was eliminated. Those 2 nights were at somewhere middle of the road (at best) and the total cost was almost 600 bucks. Even then, it was still an hour drive to the stadium. I couldn't go so I sold the reservation to another patsfans member the week of the SB, but that's irrelevant.

Airfare was much more expensive than anticipated, as well. You'll likely have to get creative and fly into another city. Good luck.

I got a roundtrip flight from DC for $715 and a hotel 1 milesfrom the stadium for $850 for 2 nights. Seems like a good deal compared to what others may face.

Too rich for my taste, prefer my Bigscreen from the big comfy barcolounger.. .

Reminds me of a Leadbelly song, made famous by Johnny Rivers, Creedence and others..

If you´re ever in Houston, well, you better do the right;
You better not gamble, there, you better not fight
Or the sheriff will grab ya and the boys will bring you down.
The next thing you know, boy, You´re penitentiary bound.

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Bob Dylan had a similar version..

If you ever go to Houston
Better walk right
Keep your hands in your pockets
And your gun-belt tight
You'll be asking for trouble
If you're lookin' for a fight
If you ever go to Houston
Boy, you better walk right

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There's a plethora of things to do here in Houston as for festivities leading up to the Superbowl! Not to mention they have some of the best BBQ on the planet as well!

I was lucky to go to SB 49 in Glendale and having relatives in Phoenix, I didn't need a hotel and used points for airfare. I bought my ticket as the AFCCG game versus Indy was winding down and paid $2800 through NFL ticket exchange....I gave serious thought to flipping the ticket when I was offered 3x times that on game day...but then I would have missed Butler's int...
This time I'll watch at home on TV and the only thing I'll miss is the celebrity watching and picking out player's families...
*5 older people walking in, all wearing Josh Kline jersey's..mom/dad/grandparent and gf family......
*2 older people in Nate Ebner jerseys----grandparents....
EDIT- If the Pats win and you want to buy a "championship jersey", don't wait in the 45-90 minute line at the game. They will have them at the airport the next morning, even if you have a 5 am flight......Had a connection in Atlanta and you could tell who was at the game as many were still wearing their lanyards .....

There's also Shreveport, Austin, and even Beaumont for nearby airports as well, though Beaumont is usually pricier as it's so small.

I am looking at flights to Dallas and I can get round trip for like 330...car rental at a good price and make the 3.5 hour drive..but again...the most i want to spend on a ticket is 1,500...will i be able to find that on game day? I just don't know and don't think so

If I can't get a ticket...does anyone know of a good Pats bar or Pats area in Houston?

I just did the math..hotel for 2 nights..flight to and from dallas and car would be $750 for everything. For a chance....i may be pulling the trigger

Might want to Google. Considering the lowest ticket price right now is around 2700 I dono if it's gonna drop that far down.

Goto the bank man. Get the loan to cover the difference you're already willing to spend and live your life man. You appear to want to do this already. Don't let a grand get in the way

jboston19 said:

There's also Shreveport, Austin, and even Beaumont for nearby airports as well, though Beaumont is usually pricier as it's so small.

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Austin is a pretty fun town from what I hear.

The Brandon Five said:

Austin is a pretty fun town from what I hear.

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I actually haven't been yet. I live in Galveston, about 3.5 hours away, but do hear it's a very fun place. San Antonio is also is the general vicinity but is a smaller airport. I love that town.

Brady_to_Moss said:

If I can't get a ticket...does anyone know of a good Pats bar or Pats area in Houston?

I just did the math..hotel for 2 nights..flight to and from dallas and car would be $750 for everything. For a chance....i may be pulling the trigger

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There's a large Patriots group that watches every game at Diablo Loco in Houston. Patriots fans of Houston. Theyre on Facebook and very responsive. They're having a big meetup on Saturday the 4th, of course. I'd love to go but am actually heading in the opposite direction back to mass for my dad's birthday.

Well I did it...got a flight for 320 round trip to Dallas Sat...rental car for $70 for the two days..now just need to book hotel

You only live once right?