Now that the NFL schedule for 2023 has dropped, we can start with one of our favorite rites around here: planning out NFL travel and road trip ideas for the upcoming season.

Yes, we love breaking down schedules to find road trip ideas in which you can see multiple games while sticking to a budget. And while we do road trip idea posts for the other four “major” sports leagues – MLB, the NBA and NHL – the NFL is a different beast in that most games every week are on Sundays.

So most NFL travel ideas – that is, road trips in which you see multiple NFL games – will have to rely on the Sunday-Monday schedule, or Thursday-Sunday if you have more time on your hands. we’re including these ideas this year, because let’s face it: more games = more fun.

Beyond that, an added criteria for these NFL travel ideas is that the games must be in cities within a reasonable one-day driving distance of one another (maximum 400 miles).

I realize you can go to just about any game you want on Sunday and then fly to the Monday-night home city, for example, but convenience is a major factor in formulating these itineraries. These are “NFL road trip” ideas, after all.

Whether you’re looking to check stadiums off your list or you just want travel to check out some of the best NFL games live, I hope these road trip ideas will inspire you to get out there and see more sports this fall! Check out the possible itineraries below.

Note: You can look for tickets via Ticketmaster by clicking on the links for each game listed.

Week 1

Sunday, Sept. 10: Eagles at Patriots, 4:25 p.m. ET
Monday, Sept. 11: Bills at Jets, 8:15 p.m. ET

Let’s face it, the most intriguing matchup of the 2023 Week 1 schedule is the Monday-nighter: Aaron Rodgers makes his Jets debut at MetLife Stadium against a Bills team trying to get over the hump and become a true Super Bowl contender. That will be the main course for any NFL travel idea in the first week.

There are a few nearby options to form an NFL road trip, but to us the best Sunday option is happening at Gillette Stadium, where the defending NFC champion Eagles go on the road to face the Patriots. (You could also make it an all-New York trip and see Cowboys-Giants on Sunday night, but to us it’s not as much fun to see two games at the same stadium.)

Distance between stadiums: 207 miles

Week 2

Sunday, Sept. 17: Ravens at Bengals, 1 p.m. ET
Monday, Sept. 18: Browns at Steelers, 8:15 p.m. ET

OR

Sunday, Sept. 17: Packers at Falcons, 1 p.m. ET
Monday, Sept. 18: Saints at Panthers, 7:15 p.m. ET

There’s a Monday night doubleheader in Week 2 for the second straight season, and it creates opportunities for two NFL travel ideas.

You could choose an AFC North road trip, beginning at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati and finishing at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh. Or tour the NFC South instead, watching the Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium (against the Rodgers-less Packers, no less) before catching No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young and the Panthers at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.

Distance between stadiums: 289 miles (Cincinnati-Pittsburgh); 242 miles (Baltimore-Philadelphia)

Week 3

Sunday, Sept. 24: Texans at Jaguars, 1 p.m. ET
Monday, Sept. 25: Eagles at Buccaneers, 7:15 p.m. ET

OR

Sunday, Sept. 24: Titans at Browns, 1 p.m. ET
Monday, Sept. 25: Rams at Bengals, 8:15 p.m. ET

Yes, there are two Monday-night doubleheaders in 2023, and just like in Week 2, there are two strong NFL travel options.

The first will take you to Florida, where you can see the Jaguars host the Texans at TIAA Bank Field and then the Tom Brady-less Bucs take on the Eagles at Raymond James Stadium. Or, how about an all-Ohio trip with the Browns and Titans at Cleveland Browns Stadium, followed by a Super Bowl LVI rematch between the Rams and Bengals at Paycor Stadium?

Distance between stadiums: 204 miles (Jacksonville-Tampa); 252 miles (Cleveland-Cincinnati)

Week 4

Sunday, Oct. 1: Commanders at Eagles, 1 p.m. ET
Monday, Oct. 2: Seahawks at Giants, 8:15 p.m. ET

Start off October by traveling to the East Coast for this NFL road trip, which begins with a visit to Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field and concludes at MetLife Stadium for a Monday-night clash between NFC contenders.

Like with many East-based trips, you have more than one option for Sunday, including a prime-time game between the Chiefs and Jets, which promises to be the best game of the week. But as we’ve said before, why see two games at the same venue when you can maximize your travel and check two stadiums off your NFL list?

Distance between stadiums: 96 miles

Week 5

Sunday, Oct. 8: Eagles at Rams, 4:05 p.m. ET
Monday, Oct. 9: Packers at Raiders, 8:15 p.m. ET

Finally, a chance to travel to see NFL games on the West Coast. Start in the Los Angeles area, where the Rams will welcome the Eagles to SoFi Stadium, before making the jaunt to Las Vegas for Packers-Raiders at Allegiant Stadium, as Davante Adams will go up against his old team.

Distance between stadiums: 277 miles

Week 6

Thursday, Oct. 12: Broncos at Chiefs, 8:15 p.m. ET
Sunday, Oct. 15: Vikings at Bears, 1 p.m. ET

OR

Sunday, Oct. 15: Patriots at Raiders, 4:05 p.m. ET
Monday, Oct. 16: Cowboys at Chargers, 8:15 p.m. ET

Two NFL road trips worth considering in Week 6 – including a chance to see the defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on a Thursday night, before taking time to head to Chicago for Vikings-Bears at Soldier Field on Sunday.

Or, do a version of the Week 5 NFL travel idea, but in reverse: Allegiant Stadium on Sunday for Patriots-Raiders, then SoFi Stadium on Monday for Cowboys-Chargers.

Distance between stadiums: 501 miles (Kansas City-Chicago); 277 miles (Las Vegas-Inglewood)

Week 7

Sunday, Oct. 22: Raiders at Bears, 1 p.m. ET
Monday, Oct. 23: 49ers at Vikings, 8:15 p.m. ET

Check off two NFC North stadiums on this NFL road trip through the Midwest. It starts at Chicago’s Soldier Field, where the Bears face the Raiders on Sunday afternoon. Then trek through Wisconsin on your way to Minneapolis for a Monday-night clash between the 49ers and Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Distance between stadiums: 416 miles

Week 8

Thursday, Oct. 26: Buccaneers at Bills, 8:15 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 29: Jaguars at Steelers, 1 p.m. ET
Monday, Oct. 30: Raiders at Lions, 8:15 p.m. ET

Want to travel to three different cities on one NFL weekend? A glorious chance presents itself in Week 8.

Watch the Thursday-night game between the Bills and Buccaneers at Highmark Stadium before working your way to Pittsburgh, where the Steelers will take on the Jaguars at Acrisure Stadium on Sunday. From there, head to Detroit to catch the Lions and Raiders on Monday night at Ford Field.

Distance between stadiums: 210 miles (Buffalo-Pittsburgh); 285 miles (Pittsburgh-Detroit)

Week 9

Sunday, Nov. 5: Cowboys at Eagles, 4:25 p.m. ET
Monday, Nov. 6: Chargers at Jets, 8:15 p.m. ET

Another Philly-New York double in the works here, but the quality of matchups might be too good to pass up. Start at Lincoln Financial Field for an NFC East showdown between the Cowboys and Eagles. Then on Monday night, check out a generational QB battle between Justin Herbert and Aaron Rodgers when the Chargers meet the Jets at MetLife Stadium.

Distance between stadiums: 96 miles

Week 10

Sunday, Nov. 12: Packers at Steelers, 1 p.m. ET
Monday, Nov. 13: Broncos at Bills, 8:15 p.m. ET

You might not realize how close Pittsburgh and Buffalo are to each other – at least until you take this NFL road trip. See the Steelers take on the Packers at Acrisure Stadium, then head north to Buffalo and watch the Bills host the Broncos at Highmark Stadium on Monday night.

Distance between stadiums: 208 miles

Week 11

Thursday, Nov. 16: Bengals at Ravens, 8:15 p.m. ET
Sunday, Nov. 19: Giants at Commanders, 1 p.m. ET

Having two off days between games played such a short distance from one another goes against the ethos of these NFL travel ideas in some ways. But look at it this way: There are far worse places to spend a four-day weekend than the Baltimore-Washington area.

Your Beltway NFL weekend will begin on Thursday night, when the Ravens welcome the Bengals to M&T Bank Stadium for an AFC North showdown. Then on Sunday, the Commanders host the division-rival Giants at FedEx Field. In between, I’m sure you can find plenty to do in the vibrant Baltimore and Washington areas.

Distance between stadiums: 33 miles

Week 12

Friday, Nov. 24: Dolphins at Jets, 3 p.m. ET
Sunday, Nov. 26: Bills at Eagles, 4:25 p.m. ET

Want to be part of NFL history? Then travel to the NYC metro area for the NFL’s first-ever Black Friday game, between the Dolphins at Jets at MetLife Stadium. Then you’ll have a free day before catching the Bills and Eagles in a big interconference tilt at Lincoln Financial Field.

Distance between stadiums: 96 miles

Week 13

Thursday, Nov. 30: Seahawks at Cowboys, 8:15 p.m. ET
Sunday, Dec. 3: Broncos at Texans, 4:05 p.m. ET

Travel to the NFL’s two Texas venues on this four-day road trip. A week after Thanksgiving, the Cowboys get a Thursday game for the second straight week as they host the Seahawks at AT&T Stadium. From there, cruise southward (and find some BBQ along the way!) to Houston, where C.J. Stroud and the Texans will take on the Broncos at NRG Stadium.

Distance between stadiums: 265 miles

Week 14

Thursday, Dec. 7: Patriots at Steelers, 8:15 p.m. ET
Sunday, Dec. 10: Rams at Ravens, 1 p.m. ET
Monday, Dec. 11: Packers at Giants, 8:15 p.m. ET

Here’s another three-stadium NFL road trip idea, with stops at Pittsburgh’s Acrisure Stadium on Thursday, Baltimore’s M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday and, finally, MetLife Stadium on Monday. By the way, it sure seems like there are a ton of prime-time games at MetLife between the Giants and Jets in 2023, huh?

Distance between stadiums: 248 miles (Pittsburgh-Baltimore); 189 miles (Baltimore-East Rutherford)

Week 15

Thursday, Dec. 14: Chargers at Raiders, 8:15 p.m. ET
Sunday, Dec. 17: Commanders at Rams, 4:05 p.m. ET

See both of L.A.’s NFL teams – as well as the club some would consider L.A.’s honorary NFL team – in one trip, traveling between two stadiums. The Thursday night game is in Las Vegas, as the Raiders host the Chargers at Allegiant Stadium. Then, split your off days between Vegas and L.A. before taking in the Rams and Commanders at SoFi Stadium.

Also, note that there are five games in Week 15 that are designated as TBD. Three will eventually be moved to Saturday, which could create opportunities for Saturday-Sunday road trips depending on the locations. Four of the TBD games are hosted by Midwest teams: Cincinnati, Cleveland, Detroit and Indianapolis.

Distance between stadiums: 278 miles

Week 16

Thursday, Dec. 21: Saints at Rams, 8:15 p.m. ET
Saturday, Dec. 23: Bills at Chargers, 8 p.m. ET
Monday, Dec. 25: Ravens at 49ers, 8:15 p.m. ET

Spend your Christmas traveling to watch three NFL games on the West Coast. And yes, two are at the same stadium, but that’s OK because you’ll be hitting the road anyway.

Catch two games at SoFi Stadium two days apart: First, the Rams host the Saints on Thursday night, then the Chargers take on the Bills on Saturday night. Then, get up to the Bay Area in time for a Christmas night showdown between the Ravens and 49ers at Levi’s Stadium – one of three games the NFL is staging on Christmas Day.

Distance between stadiums: 351 miles

Week 17

Thursday, Dec. 28: Jets at Browns, 8:15 p.m. ET
Sunday, Dec. 31: Patriots at Bills, 1 p.m. ET

AFC playoff positioning will potentially be at stake in these two Week 17 matchups, so why not be there? First, the Browns host the Jets at Cleveland Browns Stadium, followed by a New Year’s Eve tilt between the Bills and Patriots at Highmark Stadium.

Distance between stadiums: 183 miles

Got a few different NFL road trip ideas in mind that you’d like to share? Drop me a line and let me know!