It’s that time of year again. The summer is ending, training camp has begun and you’re already preparing for your fantasy football draft. Yes, football is in the air and if you’re a die-hard fan, this is your favorite way to spend a Sunday.
But best of all, because you're a traveling healthcare professional, you don't need to simply watch your team play road games on the television. You can set up your schedule to support them in person when you travel. It’s also a great way to explore the history of the league you love. With that in mind, here are five stadium cities every football fan should visit — in no particular order, of course.
* New Orleans. The Mercedes-Benz Superdome has hosted more championship games than any other stadium in the league, and it's a hotbed of activity on game day as 76,000 Saints fans rock its seats. Add in its location in one of the nation’s most colorful cities, and this is a must see for any football fan.
* Green Bay. They don’t make them like Lambeau Field anymore. Built in 1957, Lambeau’s lack of a corporate sponsor in its title and authentic bench seating are hallmarks of a bygone era. Couple that with the stadium’s location in a relatively small community — residential houses are literally right across the street — and you have an aesthetic unlike anything else in the NFL.
* Arlington. The new home of the Dallas Cowboys, AT&T Stadium in Arlington is everything you’d expect America’s Team to have. From the largest high-definition video display in the world, to its retractable roof and 100,000-person capacity, they truly do things bigger in Texas.
* Minneapolis. U.S. Bank Stadium is the new crown jewel of NFL stadiums and played host to last year’s championship game. Located in vibrant downtown Minneapolis, this home of the Minnesota Vikings is the site of deafening crowds who make facing the NFL's top defense even more intimidating for opposing teams.
* Philadelphia. Lincoln Financial Field or the Link, as it is known by fans, is home to the defending NFL champions and makes a great place to watch a game. Because it shares a parking lot with the stadiums for the rest of Philadelphia’s professional teams, you have the perfect spot to watch a game of any type and — of course — enjoy a cheesesteak.
That’s our list. Now it’s your turn. What stadiums are on your bucket list?