{"id":268153,"date":"2026-08-19T13:04:15","date_gmt":"2026-08-19T13:04:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/268153\/"},"modified":"2026-08-19T13:04:15","modified_gmt":"2026-08-19T13:04:15","slug":"pittsburgh-penguins-fan-nhl-travel-guide-best-2026-27-road-trips-nos-23-15","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/268153\/","title":{"rendered":"Pittsburgh Penguins fan NHL travel guide: Best 2026-27 road trips, Nos. 23-15"},"content":{"rendered":"

Welcome to Part 2 of my yearly travel guide for Pittsburgh Penguins fans. Every year, this article receives more feedback from fans than any other. I\u2019m honored to be your tour guide again.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t miss Part 1<\/a>, which was published on Tuesday with Nos. 31-24:<\/p>\n

31. New Jersey Devils
30. New York Islanders
29. St. Louis Blues
28. Philadelphia Flyers
27. Winnipeg Jets
26. Ottawa Senators
25. Edmonton Oilers
24. San Jose Sharks<\/p>\n

Here are Nos. 23-15. Part 3, with Nos. 14-1, will publish on Thursday.<\/p>\n

The \u2018Warmth in the Cold\u2019 Division\"\"<\/p>\n

\n The Delta Center in Salt Lake City isn\u2019t the best building for NHL games, but it sits in a gorgeous part of the U.S. (Tyler Tate \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n

23. Utah Mammoth<\/p>\n

Positives\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2022 What a beautiful area of the country. The city itself is whatever, but the surrounding area is spectacular.<\/p>\n

\u2022 If you\u2019re there during the winter, the skiing isn\u2019t so bad, from what I hear.<\/p>\n

\u2022 If you\u2019re a proud Pittsburgher, seeing Logan Cooley and Vince Trocheck play on a very good Utah team is a nice experience.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Just a spectacularly friendly city.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Excellent airport and direct flights on Delta to and from Pittsburgh.<\/p>\n

Negatives\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2022 The arena isn\u2019t terrible but is below average by NHL standards.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Salt Lake City isn\u2019t known for its vibrant nightlife.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Nice place but can get boring in a hurry.<\/p>\n

Insider tip\u00a0<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re interested in going here, go to the Penguins\u2019 game in Las Vegas this season. Spend a couple of days there, then hit Salt Lake City on your way home as the Pens finish their road trip. You\u2019ll get to check out Utah and get the direct flight home. The game isn\u2019t in winter, so it\u2019s not the best time to be there, but it\u2019s worth a stop.<\/p>\n

Penguins trip this season<\/p>\n

Final word\u00a0<\/p>\n

I like it here. I can\u2019t say I love it, but I\u2019ve been here only a couple of times, so perhaps it will grow on me over time. If winter sports are your thing, you can\u2019t go wrong. But because the Penguins play here so early in this season, maybe this isn\u2019t the best season to make this trip.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul, Minn., is one of the best places to catch an NHL game. (Matt Krohn \/ Imagn Images)<\/p>\n

22. Minnesota Wild<\/p>\n

Positives<\/p>\n

\u2022 Grand Casino Arena is still one of the NHL\u2019s best barns. What a cathedral of hockey this place is.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Direct flights on Delta from Pittsburgh to Minneapolis and back.<\/p>\n

\u2022 St. Paul is quaint and charming.<\/p>\n

\u2022 The Mall of America is a big hit.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Penguins games in Minnesota are always entertaining.<\/p>\n

Negatives<\/p>\n

\u2022 The weather gets \u2026 a little crisp.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Those direct flights are very expensive.<\/p>\n

\u2022 St. Paul is indeed quaint and lovely, but there isn\u2019t a ton to do there.<\/p>\n

Insider tip\u00a0<\/p>\n

If you go, do yourself a favor and walk a few laps around the arena before the game. Greatest concourses in the sport. Massive and designed to perfection. Always a treat.<\/p>\n

Penguins trip this season\u00a0<\/p>\n

Final word\u00a0<\/p>\n

There is nothing wrong with this trip. It\u2019s grown on me a lot over the years. Bring your significant other and have a Mall of America day beforehand. Then treat yourself to some ice hockey with the friendliest fans in the sport. They\u2019re the best. (Warning: This is the last game of a six-game road trip, so you might be looking at the ol\u2019 built-in loss. Also, pack a jacket.)<\/p>\n

The \u2018Quickie\u2019 Division\"\"<\/p>\n

\n KeyBank Center in Buffalo, N.Y., might not be the flashiest place, but it\u2019s a whole lot of fun. (Joe Hrycych \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n

21. Buffalo Sabres<\/p>\n

Positives<\/p>\n

\u2022 It\u2019s an exceptionally easy drive, weather permitting.<\/p>\n

\u2022 The people of Buffalo, N.Y., are loyal and hardcore sports fans. I like them very much.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Suddenly, the Sabres don\u2019t stink, which adds some sizzle.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Niagara Falls is a mere 30-minute drive.<\/p>\n

\u2022 A great city for things such as wings and beer.<\/p>\n

Negatives<\/p>\n

\u2022 KeyBank Center is a below-average arena.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Hotels in Buffalo are strangely expensive, especially in the city. We need to investigate this. It\u2019s getting weird.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Nothing is thrilling about Buffalo; nothing distinctly makes you want to visit.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Not quite as easy to get tickets here as before.<\/p>\n

Insider tip\u00a0<\/p>\n

Stay in Niagara Falls. Hotels there are cheap during hockey season. They\u2019re really nice, and you get the Falls\u2019 view and amenities while still right down the road from Buffalo. Just don\u2019t forget your passport.<\/p>\n

Penguins trips this season\u00a0<\/p>\n

Friday, Nov. 27
\nTuesday, March 2<\/p>\n

Final word\u00a0<\/p>\n

That Nov. 27 game is on Black Friday, so you\u2019ll probably be off of work. If you need to get away from the family after Thanksgiving, go. It\u2019s fun. The Steelers play at 3 p.m. that day, so leave early, watch the Steelers at Anchor Bar or in Niagara Falls, then go to the Penguins game at 8 p.m. Works nicely. It\u2019s a fun, affordable, convenient trip if you can avoid those downtown Buffalo hotels.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n At Little Caesars Arena, it\u2019s easy to see why Detroit is called Hockeytown USA. (Gregory Shamus \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n

20. Detroit Red Wings<\/p>\n

Positives<\/p>\n

\u2022 With all due respect to Seattle, Montreal and Minnesota, Little Caesars Arena is the best in hockey. What an experience.<\/p>\n

\u2022 They call it Hockeytown USA for a reason; great fans and just an enjoyable hockey culture.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Weather permitting, it\u2019s a very easy drive.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Making bad decisions across the border in Windsor, Ont., is always a good time.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Affordable hotels are plentiful.<\/p>\n

Negatives<\/p>\n

\u2022 The Red Wings aren\u2019t much of an attraction these days.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Michigan in January is not ideal.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Detroit is so much nicer than it used to be, but it\u2019s still not necessarily all that exciting to visit.<\/p>\n

Insider tip\u00a0<\/p>\n

Detroit is a great sports town. If you\u2019re going to the April 9 game, stick around for a day and go to a Detroit Tigers game against the New York Mets at Comerica Park. You might be able to pair the January trip with a basketball or hockey game at Michigan or Michigan State \u2014 perhaps Michigan versus Ohio State in men\u2019s hockey that weekend in Ann Arbor, Mich.<\/p>\n

Penguins trips this season\u00a0<\/p>\n

Monday, Jan. 25
\nFriday, April 9<\/p>\n

Final word\u00a0<\/p>\n

Detroit has really grown on me in recent years. Quite honestly, I found it to be a terrible place to visit 15 years ago, but it has considerably changed for the better. It\u2019s just a hockey lover\u2019s trip. There are better cities if you want to go party, or hear live music, or whatever else you enjoy. But if you want to see the Penguins play in a spectacular arena, and even make it a day trip, this is a good spot.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, is an easy, affordable, fun trip from Pittsburgh. (Jason Mowry \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n

19. Columbus Blue Jackets<\/p>\n

Positives\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2022 It\u2019s the easiest drive in the league \u2014 a mere two and a half to three hours, depending on your origin in the Pittsburgh area.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Nationwide Arena remains one of the NHL\u2019s best, a great in-arena experience along with its famous arena district.<\/p>\n

\u2022 You\u2019ll probably see the Penguins win because it\u2019s what they do there.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Everything about the trip is affordable.<\/p>\n

Negatives<\/p>\n

\u2022 If you\u2019re a Penguins fan who likes to travel, chances are you\u2019ve already made this trip.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Though the game itself is usually entertaining, there isn\u2019t a lot to get excited about with the Blue Jackets.<\/p>\n

\u2022 I enjoy Columbus, but it\u2019s not Manhattan or anything.<\/p>\n

Insider tip\u00a0<\/p>\n

Spend the extra money and stay downtown. Columbus is extremely walkable, and if you enjoy a beverage or two, the arena district is perfect. You can walk from your hotel to the bars, then the arena, and back to your hotel. No driving necessary.<\/p>\n

Penguins trips this season<\/p>\n

Friday, Oct. 9
\nTuesday, March 16<\/p>\n

Final word<\/p>\n

As I always say, Columbus is a great starter home for your first NHL road trip. Easy drive. Wonderful building. Inexpensive. A good time to be had.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n Capital One Arena in Washington has seen better days, but the trip still has merit. (Bruce Bennett \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n

18. Washington Capitals<\/p>\n

Positives\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2022 Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin have only so many meetings left. Being there is always special.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Washington is a wonderful place to visit in the fall and spring.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Do you like history? You won\u2019t do better than Washington.<\/p>\n

\u2022 It\u2019s an easy four-hour drive, and you even get to Yinzer it up in Breezewood on the way.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Good food city with some underrated nightlife.<\/p>\n

Negatives\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2022 The traffic in the D.C. area can be as bad as advertised. You\u2019ve been warned.<\/p>\n

\u2022 The hotels are nice but might cost you a mortgage payment.<\/p>\n

\u2022 One of the worst arenas in the league. They\u2019re giving it a facelift, but Capital One Arena has seen better days.<\/p>\n

Insider tip\u00a0<\/p>\n

If you want to save some money, stay in Alexandria, Va. Old Town is great. You can always Uber into D.C., see the monuments, watch the hockey game and Uber back.<\/p>\n

Penguins trips this season<\/p>\n

Wednesday, Oct. 7
\nMonday, April 4<\/p>\n

Final word\u00a0<\/p>\n

I always recommend this trip, especially in April, which is Washington\u2019s best month. This is a must-do for all Penguins fans. Washington comes with its drawbacks \u2014 and I\u2019m not even talking about the politicians \u2014 but it\u2019s a worthy trip.<\/p>\n

The \u2018Freeze\u2019 Division\"\"<\/p>\n

\n TD Garden in Boston makes for an expensive trip, but the city redeems itself in many ways. (Maddie Meyer \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n

17. Boston Bruins<\/p>\n

Positives<\/p>\n

\u2022 It\u2019s Boston, which is to say, it\u2019s a great American city and always fun being there.<\/p>\n

\u2022 The history of this place remains spectacular. Find a tour. Find something to see. It\u2019s easy, and it\u2019s worth it.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Fairly cheap direct flights.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Great food city.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Lots of great hotels within walking distance to the arena.<\/p>\n

\u2022 It always feels special when franchises of this magnitude play.<\/p>\n

Negatives<\/p>\n

\u2022 It\u2019s one of those places that always feels colder than what the thermometer says, if that makes sense.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Perhaps my least favorite arena in the league. TD Garden stinks.<\/p>\n

\u2022 From hotels to food to transportation, Boston is a tremendously expensive city.<\/p>\n

\u2022 New York deservedly has the reputation for people not being overly friendly, but in my experience, Boston is even worse.<\/p>\n

Insider tip\u00a0<\/p>\n

Take the weekend and explore New England. New Hampshire, Maine, Rhode Island and Vermont are absolute gems. There are so many wonderful small towns. I have, on a couple of occasions, lost myself in those small towns on a day off and loved every second of it. Recommended.<\/p>\n

Penguins trip this season\u00a0<\/p>\n

Final word\u00a0<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t like Boston as much as some people do, but I don\u2019t dislike it. It\u2019s worth seeing. This one is all about the weather. March is still winter, but you might catch a break and get a nice weekend. If March comes in like a lamb, it can be a wonderful trip, especially when exploring New England.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n Though the Penguins play there in gloomy February, Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle is a stunner any time of year. (Steph Chambers \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n

16. Seattle Kraken\u00a0<\/p>\n

Positives<\/p>\n

\u2022 Climate Pledge Arena is one of the NHL\u2019s best. Amazing hockey arena.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Dynamite food city; all you old Steelers fans will remember what Chad Brown\u2019s wife<\/a> said about the sushi.<\/p>\n

\u2022 The area is gorgeous, especially on the water.<\/p>\n

\u2022 The once-per-day direct flight on Alaska Airlines is the way to go.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Seattle is really into the Kraken. It\u2019s truly a top-tier sports town.<\/p>\n

Negatives<\/p>\n

\u2022 Have you heard of the Seattle Freeze? As with Boston, Seattle is not always the friendliest city.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Here\u2019s hoping you are independently wealthy if you\u2019re making this trip.<\/p>\n

\u2022 While the surrounding areas are spectacular, downtown itself is a little disappointing.<\/p>\n

\u2022 I can\u2019t think of a duller NHL team to watch than the Kraken.<\/p>\n

Insider tip\u00a0<\/p>\n

If you happen to be making the Seattle-Vancouver swing, take the train from Seattle to British Columbia and thank me later. Astonishingly beautiful.<\/p>\n

Penguins trip this season\u00a0<\/p>\n

Final word\u00a0<\/p>\n

I have a complex relationship with Seattle. On my first visit, I wanted to love it but did not. And still don\u2019t. But I\u2019m still willing to give it more time to marinate in my heart, because its geographic beauty is something else. It\u2019s expensive, but it\u2019s a nice Valentine\u2019s Day weekend idea for this season.<\/p>\n

The \u2018Respect the Champions\u2019 Division\"\"<\/p>\n

\n Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C., home to the Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes, is a chill, fun time. (Bruce Bennett \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n

15. Carolina Hurricanes<\/p>\n

Positives\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2022 Raleigh, N.C., has the best BBQ situation in the league.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Top-five friendliest city in the NHL.<\/p>\n

\u2022 The weather is almost always great.<\/p>\n

\u2022 It\u2019s a reasonable drive, or a quick direct flight is available.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Hotels are cheap.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Great tailgate scene.<\/p>\n

Negatives\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2022 Lenovo Center is not a great building.<\/p>\n

\u2022 The Penguins haven\u2019t won there in a decade, so prepare to be disappointed.<\/p>\n

\u2022 I can\u2019t say there\u2019s a ton of nightlife, unless you\u2019re a college student, in which case you\u2019ll find yourself surrounded by other college students.<\/p>\n

Insider tip\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2022 Have lunch at Sammy\u2019s near the N.C. State campus. It\u2019s probably my favorite Steelers bar. Great food, great people.<\/p>\n

Penguins trips this season\u00a0<\/p>\n

Saturday, Dec. 26
\nThursday, Jan. 7<\/p>\n

Final word\u00a0<\/p>\n

If this were my personal list, Raleigh would be in the top 10. But I try to make this the best list for everyone else. I love Raleigh. It\u2019s the most comfortable, relaxing road trip, in my view. Everyone is friendly. The traffic isn\u2019t bad. It\u2019s easy to get there. The food is good. The weather is good. It\u2019s not particularly exciting, but that\u2019s OK. Not everywhere can be Las Vegas. And as we learned last spring, sometimes Raleigh is better than Vegas. I like this trip a lot. What I don\u2019t like is the schedule this season. The day after Christmas? No thanks. Two weeks later, in the heart of January? Eh, not the best time of year to go to Raleigh, but if you do, you\u2019ll be pleasantly surprised.<\/p>\n

Thanks for reading Part 2 of my rankings. Look for Part 3 on Thursday.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Welcome to Part 2 of my yearly travel guide for Pittsburgh Penguins fans. Every year, this article receives…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":268154,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[73,75,74,1067],"class_list":["post-268153","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-pittsburgh","tag-pittsburgh","tag-pittsburgh-headlines","tag-pittsburgh-news","tag-pittsburgh-penguins"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/268153","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=268153"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/268153\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/268154"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=268153"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=268153"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=268153"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}