Holiday sports travel combines marquee games with holiday time off, covering NBA Christmas Day matchups, College Football Playoff bowl games on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, and the NHL Winter Classic. Planning early is critical because holiday travel demand drives up prices for flights, hotels, and tickets simultaneously — but the payoff is an unforgettable trip built around some of the most electric sporting events of the year.
The stretch from Christmas through New Year’s Day is packed with signature sporting events that pair perfectly with time off work. NBA Christmas Day delivers five nationally televised games featuring the league’s biggest stars. The CFP quarterfinals take over four destination cities on December 31 and January 1. The NHL Winter Classic turns a baseball stadium or outdoor venue into a hockey spectacle. If you have been looking for a reason to turn your holiday break into something memorable, the sports calendar delivers. This guide covers the best events, how to plan around them, and how to get the most out of your trip.
What Are the Best Holiday Sporting Events to Attend?
The holiday sports calendar offers more high-profile events in a 10-day window than any other stretch of the year. The NBA’s Christmas Day slate is the headline — five games, all nationally televised, consistently drawing the highest regular-season television ratings according to the NBA. In-arena attendance hits capacity across all five venues every year, and the matchups are designed to feature the league’s most compelling storylines.
On the college football side, the CFP quarterfinals land on December 31 and January 1 at four of the most prestigious bowl venues in the country: the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Cotton Bowl in Arlington, Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, and Orange Bowl in Miami Gardens. According to the Tournament of Roses, the Rose Bowl game and Rose Parade together attract over 700,000 visitors to the Pasadena area annually. These are not just football games — they are destination weekends wrapped in New Year’s celebrations.
Choosing the Right Event for Your Trip
The best holiday sports trip depends on what kind of experience you want. An NBA Christmas Day game in New York gives you basketball at Madison Square Garden plus holiday decorations at Rockefeller Center, Central Park, and Broadway. Los Angeles pairs Lakers basketball with warm weather and entertainment options for everyone in your group. Denver’s Nuggets game puts you within driving distance of world-class skiing.
- NBA Christmas Day (New York): Iconic arena, full NYC holiday atmosphere — best for couples and families wanting the complete Christmas-in-the-city experience
- NBA Christmas Day (Los Angeles): Star-studded crowd, warm weather, beaches — best for groups wanting sun plus basketball
- Rose Bowl (Pasadena): CFP quarterfinal plus the Tournament of Roses Parade on January 1 — best for college football fans who want a destination trip with historic pageantry
- Sugar Bowl (New Orleans): CFP quarterfinal plus Bourbon Street New Year’s Eve — best for fans who want football and one of America’s biggest New Year’s parties in the same trip
- NHL Winter Classic: Outdoor hockey in a unique venue with pregame concerts and special jerseys — best for hockey fans and anyone who appreciates a one-of-a-kind sports spectacle
The NHL Winter Classic deserves special mention. According to the NHL, outdoor games consistently rank among the most-watched regular-season broadcasts of the year, and attendance averages well above standard arena capacity. Even if you are not a die-hard hockey fan, the Winter Classic is worth attending for the spectacle alone — the outdoor setting, special jerseys, and pregame festivities create something completely different from a regular arena game.
How Do You Plan a Sports Trip During the Busiest Travel Window of the Year?
Holiday travel prices are at their peak across the board, which makes early planning more important than at any other time of year. According to AAA, over 119 million Americans traveled during the 2024 holiday season, making it the busiest travel period on record. Flights and hotels around Christmas and New Year’s reach premium pricing weeks before the actual dates, and adding a high-demand sporting event to the mix amplifies the competition for available inventory.
The good news is that the holiday sports calendar is mostly predictable. NBA Christmas Day games are announced in the fall. Bowl game locations are known years in advance, even if matchups are not set until December. The Winter Classic venue is announced months ahead. That predictability gives you a longer planning runway than you might expect — the key is using it instead of waiting until the last minute.
Strategies That Actually Save Money on Holiday Sports Travel
A few smart booking decisions can significantly reduce the cost of a holiday sports trip without sacrificing the experience.
- Fly on Christmas Day itself: Counterintuitively, Christmas Day is often one of the cheapest flight days of the season because most travelers fly on December 23 or 24. If you are headed to an NBA Christmas game, flying in on the 25th can save 30 to 40 percent on airfare
- Stay slightly outside the downtown core: Hotels within walking distance of arenas and stadiums charge maximum premiums during the holidays. Properties one neighborhood over — accessible by transit or a short rideshare — often run 40 to 50 percent less
- Stack multiple events in one trip: If your schedule allows, combining an NBA Christmas game with a nearby bowl game or Winter Classic spreads your flight cost across multiple experiences. A South Florida itinerary could cover an NBA game, an Orange Bowl, and beach days in a single trip
- Use bundled travel packages: During peak holiday windows, travel packages from Major League Vacations that bundle tickets, hotel, and ground transportation at group-negotiated rates typically offer better value than assembling each component independently
For CFP bowl games specifically, booking needs to happen fast. Hotel availability near bowl venues tightens rapidly after matchups are announced in early December, and the games themselves are less than a month away. Having a package provider who pre-secures inventory across bowl cities gives you access that is not available to individual bookers scrambling on public sites.
Why Is a Holiday Sports Trip Worth the Premium?
Holiday sporting events carry an atmosphere that regular-season games simply cannot match. NBA Christmas Day is treated as a showcase — the league schedules its best matchups, players wear special edition uniforms, and arenas are decorated for the season. A 2024 Qualtrics survey commissioned by the NBA found that fans who attended a Christmas Day game rated their experience 35 percent higher on emotional impact than fans who attended a regular-season game featuring the same teams.
The same elevated energy applies to bowl games and the Winter Classic. New Year’s Six bowls benefit from the built-in celebration of the holiday — fans are already in a festive mood, host cities are decorated and event-ready, and the games carry playoff stakes. The Winter Classic adds the novelty factor of outdoor hockey in venues never designed for it, which creates a visual and atmospheric experience you literally cannot get any other way.
Making the Trip Work for Everyone in Your Group
Holiday sports trips often include travel companions who are not die-hard fans — partners, kids, extended family. The best holiday sports destinations offer enough beyond the game to keep everyone engaged.
- New York (NBA): Broadway, holiday markets, museum mile, and world-class restaurants mean non-basketball fans have a full itinerary of their own
- New Orleans (Sugar Bowl): French Quarter dining, live jazz, Garden District tours, and Bourbon Street — the city sells itself with or without football
- Pasadena (Rose Bowl): The Tournament of Roses Parade is a standalone attraction, and greater LA offers beaches, hiking, and entertainment for every interest
- Any Winter Classic city: The outdoor game is genuinely entertaining for non-hockey fans because the spectacle and venue are the draw, not just the sport
Ready to turn your holiday break into a sports trip? Browse NBA, NHL, and event packages from Major League Vacations, or build a custom itinerary that covers multiple events in a single trip.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are NBA Christmas Day tickets hard to get?
They are in higher demand than regular-season games, but they are available if you plan ahead. Booking through a travel package that secures tickets in advance is the most reliable path. Demand varies by matchup — marquee rivalries and big-market teams like the Knicks and Lakers draw the most interest and sell out fastest.
Is the NHL Winter Classic worth attending if I am not a big hockey fan?
Yes. The Winter Classic is as much a spectacle as it is a hockey game. The outdoor setting in a baseball stadium or unique venue, special jerseys, pregame concerts, and the sheer novelty of watching hockey outside make it entertaining regardless of your hockey knowledge. Fans who attend consistently rate it among their top live sports experiences.
Can I combine multiple holiday sporting events into one trip?
Absolutely, and stacking events is one of the smartest holiday travel strategies. A South Florida trip could cover an NBA game and the Orange Bowl within days. A New York trip could pair an NBA Christmas game with an NHL rivalry matchup later in the week. Major League Vacations can build multi-event itineraries that cover everything in one trip.
When should I start planning holiday sports travel?
Two to three months before the events is ideal. NBA Christmas Day matchups are announced in the fall, giving you time to book. Bowl game locations are known years in advance. The Winter Classic venue is confirmed months early. Start with flights and hotel, then layer in event tickets — or let a package provider handle all three simultaneously.
How much does a holiday sports trip typically cost?
It depends on the event and city. An NBA Christmas Day trip to a mid-market city like Denver or Oklahoma City can be done for $800 to $1,500 per person including flights, hotel, and tickets. New York and Los Angeles push higher — $1,500 to $2,500 per person. New Year’s Six bowl trips range from $1,200 to $3,000 depending on the city and seat location. The Winter Classic falls in the $800 to $1,500 range in most host cities.
Is it better to fly on Christmas Day or the day before?
For NBA Christmas Day games, flying on December 25 itself is often cheaper because most holiday travelers fly on the 23rd or 24th. Morning flights on Christmas Day are particularly affordable and get you to your destination in time for evening tip-off. Just confirm that your hotel allows same-day check-in, or book a package that handles the logistics.
What if CFP bowl matchups have not been announced yet when I want to book?
Book refundable hotels in the most likely host cities before selections are announced. Flight alerts to Pasadena, New Orleans, Miami, and Arlington let you lock in fares quickly once matchups drop. Travel packages from Major League Vacations pre-secure inventory across bowl cities, so they can confirm your trip within hours of the announcement.