If you want to follow the Stars on the road, some destinations are better than others. Here are the best road trips ranked by the total experience.
1. Nashville Predators (Bridgestone Arena) Drive time from DFW: 8 hours. Or a 1.5-hour flight. Why: Nashville is a world-class destination regardless of hockey. Broadway honky-tonks, incredible food, and Bridgestone Arena is one of the best buildings in the NHL. The Predators fans are passionate but friendly to visitors. Section 303 is the rowdiest section in any NHL arena.
Budget: $300-500 per person for a weekend (hotel, tickets, food, entertainment).
2. Denver Avalanche (Ball Arena) Flight: 2.5 hours from DFW. Drive: 12 hours (not recommended). Why: The rivalry alone makes this worth it. Denver in winter is beautiful. Skiing during the day, Stars game at night. Ball Arena has excellent sightlines.
Budget: $400-600 per person for a weekend.
3. Minnesota Wild (Xcel Energy Center) Flight: 2.5 hours. Why: The state of hockey. Minnesota fans are knowledgeable and the atmosphere at Xcel Energy Center is consistently ranked top-5 in the NHL. The arena is connected to downtown Saint Paul entertainment.
Budget: $300-450 per person.
4. Chicago Blackhawks (United Center) Flight: 2 hours. Why: The United Center is an iconic arena. Chicago in the fall or winter has incredible food, architecture, and nightlife. Blackhawks fans have cooled off since the dynasty years, so tickets are affordable.
Budget: $350-500 per person.
5. Vegas Golden Knights (T-Mobile Arena) Flight: 3 hours. Why: It is Vegas. T-Mobile Arena has the most over-the-top pregame production in hockey. The Strip is walking distance. Even if the game is bad, the weekend will not be.
Budget: $500-800 per person (Vegas is expensive).
Sources:
- Google Flights -- flight times and prices from DFW
- NHL arena guides -- venue information
- Personal road trip experiences, 2023-2026