[Editor’s note: We ran this in 2022, but with Super Bowl 2023 in Glendale, we’re running it again.]
The Super Bowl is back in Glendale, Ariz. for the first time since 2015, when the New England Patriots beat the Seattle Seahawks thanks to Malcolm Butler’s interception and an awful play-call at the goal line for Pete Carroll’s team
The Super Bowl has been played in a lot of different cities with lots of different weather, lots of traffic woes, and lots of cool places to hang out and enjoy a Super Bowl weekend if you can make it to the game.
So with that said, let’s have some fun – and also anger some people – and rank the host cities from worst to first.
16
Indianapolis
The Super Bowl should never be held in cold cities, so cold cities are going to find themselves on top of this list.
Speaking of cold, Indianapolis in February sounds – and always looks – pretty miserable. Plus, the city is basically known for one restaurant, which isn’t exactly a ringing endorsement for a rocking weekend.
15
Minneapolis
The last time the Super Bowl was in Minneapolis the temperatures never got over like 6 degrees. That’s bad. We don’t like that. U.S. Bank Stadium does look pretty sweet, though.
14
Detroit
Ford Field is right downtown, which is nice. But also way too cold there.
13
New York City/East Rutherford
Is New York City one of the best cities in the world with tremendous pizza every where you look? Yes, yes it is. But it stinks in February and it’s tough to get a central area for Super Bowl fans to hang out and have fun. Plus, the game is played outdoors, which is awful.
12
Stanford, CA
Doesn’t it now feel like having a Super Bowl in Stanford was the most random thing ever? But hey, it’s a college town and the winter isn’t as harsh as the cities that come before it.
11
Jacksonville
Jacksonville isn’t the most hopping city in Florida but it has grown a lot since it hosted the Eagles and Patriots back in 2005. Weather is a little chilly (for Florida) in February but you can still play a ton of golf while you’re there.
10
Dallas
Dallas is a fun city with good food, good bars, and a great stadium. But it can have some freezing temps in the winter and the stadium isn’t downtown.
9
Santa Clara
Santa Clara is home of the 49ers but it’s far from San Francisco. With that said, San Francisco is a pretty great place to spend a weekend, even if getting to the game is a pain in the butt.
8
Atlanta
Atlanta is a pretty easy city to get around and has a great new-ish stadium that you can walk to from downtown.
7
Houston
Houston has lots of great BBQ and other good food, plus it has a good central area for fans to hang out at and take in all the fun Super Bowl experiences that the NFL sets up for the weekend.
6
Tampa
Again, not the most rocking city in Florida but there is plenty of stuff to get into in Tampa and St. Pete. Plus, weather in February is not bad at all.
5
Phoenix
Phoenix in February is pretty perfect with lots of things to do in Phoenix or over in Scottsdale, which isn’t that far away and is where a lot of fans stay for the game. The bar/restaurant scene in Scottsdale is great for a Super Bowl weekend.
4
Los Angeles
Winter in Los Angeles is fantastic. The city itself might be a little too spread out to get a real Super Bowl feel but you won’t care about that at all while you’re walking on the strand in Manhattan Beach or having drinks at a bar overlooking the ocean.
3
San Diego
San Diego is like Los Angeles, just a little smaller and a lot more laid back. The weather is tremendous, the downtown area has become amazing, and the food is so good. The only problem? A Super Bowl will never happen here again because the city no longer has a NFL team or a stadium. Booooooooo!
2
Miami
Miami is awesome in February. It’s a great vacation spot for cold football fans, South Beach has plenty of spots to have some fun, and the Cuban food in the city is ridiculously good.
1
New Orleans
Super Bowl weekend is one big party weekend and there’s no better party town than New Orleans. From the food, to the nightlife, to the walkability of the city it’s a perfect fit and should host the Super Bowl every year.
