As winter sets in, football season heats up. Instead of just watching television, get out there and experience the game. Travel sports correspondent Phil Wallace highlights the top five football stadiums to visit this winter.

We’re in the heart of football season right now, and both the pro and college games are enjoying truly exciting seasons. Football has thrived on being a great television sport, but there are terrific places to enjoy a game in person. Here’s my pick for the five football stadiums that you should aim to visit this year:

Image Credit: Bigstock

Lambeau Field—Green Bay, Wisconsin

Not so much a football stadium as it is a football cathedral, Lambeau Field is the NFL’s most iconic venue. Home to the league’s best team, the Green Bay Packers, Lambeau Field has seen some of the greatest games in NFL history, including the famed Ice Bowl played on the stadium’s “frozen tundra.”

It may be cold in Green Bay, but the people will make you feel warm. The Packers are the only publicly-owned team in the NFL, so more than any other franchise, the town truly has a stake in the team’s success. Make sure you arrive early and tailgate with fans who grill bratwurst and drink Wisconsin-brewed beer. Bring a cheesehead and put one on your head if you’re so inclined.

Memorial Stadium–Lincoln, Nebraska

Image Credit: Bobak Ha'Eri via Wikimedia

You haven’t experienced college football until you’ve experienced a Nebraska Cornhuskers game. Nebraska has sold out 316 consecutive games dating back to 1962, the longest streak in the country. Over the years, Memorial Stadium has undergone several renovations to make it one of the most technologically advanced stadiums in college football, but it still maintains its traditional charm.

Make sure you wear red when you go to a Nebraska game, or else you’ll stick out like a sore thumb. Inside the stadium there is a virtual “sea of red”, making it one of the most intimidating places to play. Outside the stadium, fans have the pleasure of tailgating right on campus, and they grill Nebraska corn-fed beef.

Image Credit Neon Tommy via Flickr

Rose Bowl—Pasadena, California

Situated in the heart of Pasadena’s Arroyo Seco, the Rose Bowl boasts the most gorgeous setting of any football stadium. With simultaneously spectacular views of the San Gabriel Mountains and college football’s most pristine field, the Rose Bowl is football heaven on earth.

The stadium’s main tenant, UCLA football, hasn’t been an exciting team to watch in recent years. But the Rose Bowl game on New Year’s Day is a treat for any college football fan. It’s the last bowl game that boasts a real history and tradition, and it’s always the perfect way to start off the new year. Parking at the Rose Bowl is a little tricky, but if you park at the Parsons building in Pasadena and then take the shuttle, you’ll be alright.

Cowboys Stadium–Arlington, Texas

Image Credit: Wikimedia

They say everything is bigger in Texas, and nowhere is that more obvious than Cowboys Stadium. Known to some as “Jerry World”, the house that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones built is a spectacle to behold. The $1.3 billion retractable roof stadium is an astounding three million square feet. It also boasts the largest television screen in the world – a 53-yard HD videoboard that will make your jaw drop.

Built in 2009, the stadium can seat over 100,000 people. It also has enough fancy dining facilities and elite clubs that you have a great time and not even watch the football game. You can even go on an art tour of Cowboys Stadium (non-game days too) and enjoy its collection of museum quality contemporary art.

Image credit: Wikimedia

Ben Hill Griffin Stadium—Gainesville, Florida

More commonly known at “The Swamp”, Ben Hill Griffin Stadium is one of the best places to watch a football game. The seating incline at the stadium is very steep, letting the Florida Gators fans feel right on top of the action. It makes for one of the loudest and most intimidating stadiums in all of college football.

Visit “The Swamp” and you’ll see tons of gorgeous Florida girls wearing the cutest blue and orange outfits they can put together. Outside the stadium, it’s a carnival-like atmosphere. Inside the stadium, it’s SEC football at its finest, and wow, is it fun.

Note: Tickets at all of these venues are difficult to come by, as many of these teams sellout before the general public has a shot to buy seats. But fans can always get tickets through the secondary market. Or if there’s below retail price tickets, then you can go to ScoreBig.com. PeterGreenberg.com readers get $20 off their first purchase.

Did Phil overlook your favorite team? Tell Phil your top five football stadiums in the comments below.

For more, check out:

• Phil Wallace’s article on the Five Top Baseball Stadiums
• Football’s Dhani Jones on Travel, Sports, Bowties & Switzerland
• our Adventure Travel & Sports category

By Phil Wallace for PeterGreenberg.com. Phil Wallace is the founder and president of Picktainment.com and a lifelong football fan.