Rob Gronkowski (better known as Gronk) has played in five Super Bowls and won four of them, and he’s attended as a spectator many times. This year, the football legend is going again, heading to Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on Feb. 8 with On Location, the official hospitality partner of the NFL. Gronkowski knows a thing or two about navigating Super Bowl weekend, so Travel + Leisure got his best tips (and non-negotiables) for travelers headed to the big game this week.
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Gronkowski says the No. 1 mistake you can make when going to the Super Bowl is not giving yourself enough time, saying, “One of the biggest things, if you’re brand-new, is give yourself enough time, enough cushion, to get to where you need to get to on time.” He recommends leaving extra-early or walking to the venue, if possible. “You’ve got to literally take an extra 30 to 45 minutes to wherever you’re going, or walk to wherever you’re going. That’s the best way to get around, walking. Walking is always moving. Sometimes, walking, you get there faster than an Uber or a taxi.”
And to make the most of your Super Bowl trip, Gronkowski recommends splurging on a special experience, like the ones offered by On Location. “They get you closer than ever to the action on and off the field all over the place. It’s the whole entire package, from A to Z. It’s who you want to work with if you’re going to the Super Bowl. I mean, they’re hosting concerts headlined by Sting and The Killers, and I’ll actually be meeting their fans before the Sting concert on Friday night. That’s an experience right there. That’s so cool!”
He added that On Location guests can experience exclusive pre-game parties as well as the post-game celebration, which even includes celebrating under the falling confetti. “Who does not want to be a part of the confetti that falls? That’s like every kid’s dream to be part of the team that’s playing, and if you’re just a fan, to have that confetti come down, that’s just amazing as well”.
With Rob Gronkowski
Go-to jet lag hack?
Just try to hit the sauna.
Go-to snack or drink on the plane?
I try not to eat on a plane. That’s also another trick to not get jet lag. I travel so much, so if I don’t eat, I feel like I can land, and I’m ready to go. If I eat a lot of food on the plane, I get bloated a little bit, and then I feel slow. Not eating at all while traveling, and eating a healthy, big meal the night before to get me through, works.
First thing you do when you get to the hotel room?
I love getting unpacked. I love organizing, putting my bathroom bag in the bathroom, hanging my clothes up. That’s one of my favorite things to do. In the first 15 minutes, I just get right to it and organize my room.
Favorite hotel in the world?
If there’s a Four Seasons in that city, I’m staying at a Four Seasons. It’s typically always top of the line, and I can never go wrong with one of those.
Best travel buddy?
I like traveling alone. When I’m traveling, that’s me time. I don’t like to talk to anyone. I’m watching movies. I’m watching shows, and I’m just chilling. So I like my me time on the plane.
During his 11-year career in the NFL, playing tight end for nine seasons for the Patriots and then two for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he had to take quite a few trips, so he shared some of his top travel tips with T+L. His first? Don’t check a bag. “It just makes travel so much easier. After you land, 15 minutes feels like five hours,” he said of waiting at the carousel for your luggage to arrive.
Gronkowski said he tries to pack as light as possible in order to not check a bag, which requires a thoughtful strategy. “I bring an outfit for every night, but no extras, and then if I need to, I’ll wear the same shirt once or twice. Sometimes, if I don’t pack enough underwear, I just wash it in the shower,” he said. Gronkowski is also not opposed to taking a little shopping trip while traveling if he needs more clothes. “Shopping’s fun sometimes, when you’re on vacation and go get something new, or go get some style that goes with whatever city or whatever culture you’re in.”
Rob Gronkowski
He is also emphatic about sleeping on planes, especially on cross-country flights. “My favorite thing to do is get up super early when I’m going coast to coast and finish off my night’s sleep and get three to four more hours, going from New York to LA or something. When you do that, it’s like time-traveling. It’s a cheat code if you can sleep, because then you wake up and you’re like, oh my gosh, I have one or two hours left, and I’m across the country. That’s the greatest thing that you can do while traveling,” he told T+L. He also always brings electrolytes with him when traveling to prevent dehydration and headaches. If he isn’t sleeping on a plane, he suggests relaxing with an action movie. “Liam Neeson has saved my life a million times. He makes like 50 action movies a year, and I watch every single one on planes.”
These days, Gronkowski usually flies first class, but about 12 years ago, he had a coach ticket for a flight from Chicago to Boston, and he just didn’t want to sit in the back of the plane (he is 6-foot-6, after all). He decided to try his luck by just asking someone to switch with him, offering to pay them for the ticket and then some. “I just walked up to someone in first class. I felt like they would switch with me, and they actually realized who I was. And I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, can I get your first-class seat? I’ll pay you the difference, or even more. And the lady was like, ‘Oh, I’ll just take your underwear that you have in your bag.’ And I gave her my underwear, and we switched seats. We took a picture, and she sat in coach in my seat, and I sat first class. This is a true story.”
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