How to escape the Superbowl

October 27, 2017 4:12 AM

Myself and a few friends are trying to avoid the Superbowl this year and escape to somewhere else that's within a day's journey by car. Any suggestions as to where?

We're not really looking forward to going further north in early February, so Duluth is out. Chicago would be a little bit of a logistical issue because it would mean avoiding ll of my family and friends who don't think I visit them enough as is, and they're scattered all over the city and inner suburbs. Otherwise we're open to places that are within a decent drive south of us.

posted by dinty_moore to Travel & Transportation around Midwest, WY (10 answers total)

Madison? It's a nice little city, and an easy drive from Minneapolis. Good brewpubs and restaurants, and there's usually something fun to do or see. Stop in Mauston along the way and get some cheese at the Carr Valley cheese shop.
posted by Janta at 4:44 AM on October 27, 2017 [2 favorites]

I was going to say Madison too - or Spring Green, WI. Visit the House on the Rock or Taliesin (I think they do tours in the winter?).

Or you could go to the Dells. You all could get cheap off-season rooms at one of the big Lodge-style hotels, sit around the fire, chill in the hot tub, get a massage, go snowshoeing or xc skiing, maybe watch the Puppy Bowl. I've been to the Dells in the Winter and it's actually kind of nice. All of the outdoor stuff is closed, of course, but the indoor water parks are open if that your thing and the surrounding area is beautiful in the winter.

Even if the Packers aren't in the Superbowl (Lord willing they will not be...SKOL VIKES) it's still going to be Superbowl Sunday in Wisconsin. It's going to be the #1 thing happening that weekend.

I also live in the Cities and want to get out of town that weekend. We'll probably head north though if the weather's good and do some snowshoeing/hiking.
posted by Elly Vortex at 5:46 AM on October 27, 2017 [4 favorites]

If you're into cross-country skiing, and you have a bit of money to spend, you might consider spending the weekend at Maplelag Resort, near Detroit Lakes. I have many fond memories of spending weekends there with my family when I was younger, and it's a great place to relax and unwind. It is north of you, though.
posted by Johnny Assay at 5:50 AM on October 27, 2017 [2 favorites]

Response by poster: I don't know about the rest of the group, but I am definitely not into cross country skiing. Went once, couldn't sit down for a month. Non-winter sports is probably better with this group.
posted by dinty_moore at 7:17 AM on October 27, 2017

Kansas City is about a day's drive South from the Cities. I've only gone in the summer to tailgate Twins games, but they have the original Arthur Bryant's BBQ restaurant there, along with the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. You could also head east to St. Louis to see the Arch. Plus you are in Waffle House territory down there, so make plans accordingly.
posted by jillithd at 10:13 AM on October 27, 2017 [1 favorite]

Sioux Falls, Des Moines or Omaha. Omaha has a nice zoo with some inside exhibits and Des Moines has a good art gallery.
posted by soelo at 11:00 AM on October 27, 2017 [1 favorite]

Elly Vortex makes a good point in that no matter where you go, if it’s a tourist destination, it will still be Super Bowl Sunday. It will no doubt be a great day to go to the museum, but people will still be cleaning out Costco for their Super Bowl parties, or going to the bar to watch the game or whatever.

I live just south of Forest Lake and personally, I’d say come out to the boonies. Get a hotel room outside the 694/494 loop that’s in the vicinity of a decent coffee shop and a tolerable restaurant, and sit in the hot tub while eating Chinese takeout and watching video on demand. Bring some board games and the reading you keep meaning to do. Tourists are not going to know where, say, Taylor’s Falls or Waconia are in relation to the stadium, but you will, and you’ll have the advantage of being a relatively short distance from home, but not where the tourists are. (Not that I have anything against tourists, by all means come visit our lovely state, but I definitely plan to stock up and stay the fuck home that weekend. I can go to Bachelor Farmer or the megamall some other day.)
posted by Autumnheart at 8:32 PM on October 27, 2017

I think you should reconsider Duluth. It isn't significantly colder than Minneapolis and if you're traveling by car isn't it all pretty much the same anyway?

I think the nearest medium-size city south is probably Rochester. But I think anyplace within an hour's drive may be booked up by other people trying to escape the blight. Maybe you could check the hotel situation for that weekend and let that be your guide?

I intend to stay home. Luckily, I have a large stock of potables.
posted by Gilgamesh's Chauffeur at 7:51 PM on October 28, 2017

Response by poster: The cold isn't necessarily the issue with Duluth (though I would say it is colder than mpls), trying to drive up the giant icy hills in a minivan is the issue with Duluth.
posted by dinty_moore at 10:39 AM on October 29, 2017

If north is OK as long as it's flat, and you've got your passports in order, you could try visiting Winnipeg, my hometown. An advantage would be that the Super Bowl is definitely not as big of a deal in Canada; I hear it's gotten somewhat bigger since I moved away, but it's more of a curiosity, and hockey is still king. And there are some pretty nifty museums in town that could easily take up a weekend; the Canadian Museum of Human Rights is pretty fantastic, and is probably worth the trip on its own.

However, it is a good 7 hours of driving each way, so you might want to make a four-day weekend of it to make it worthwhile.
posted by Johnny Assay at 6:13 AM on October 30, 2017