Baseball may be America's pastime, but in many ways, football is its passion. After all, there's a reason why people tailgate for hours before games, and why the Super Bowl is the year's most-watched televised event. From September to February, from Seattle to Miami, investment bankers, electricians, housewives, and young kids are united in their undying love for the game. A few stadiums have stood their ground for decades. They've witnessed so much history you can feel the players and coaches' ghosts swirling around you. Others are modern and loaded with amenities. With 31 total NFL stadiums in the United States, it's hard to pick just ten. But we've put together our list of the country's all-around best stadiums, so start planning your next tailgate event in one of these cities—or better yet, get tickets to a game.

10. The Superdome, New Orleans Saints
The Superdome isn't considered the most beautiful or best-equipped football stadium, but it's a must-see simply because of its hallowed place in American history. A relic of the 1970s when dome stadiums were en vogue, the Superdome is one of the largest domes in the world. There, 10,000 people took shelter in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. New Orleans's Cajun food, jazz funerals, and authentic blues music set this destination apart. The French Quarter is the city's cultural center and teems with bars, restaurants, and music. Everything from the architecture to the food blends influences from the Spanish, Creole, American, and French. Packed with things to see and do, if you can't do it all, hit the House of Blues, the Confederate Museum, the Botanical Gardens, and Snug Harbor, a club where jazz greats Ellis Marsalis and Charmaine Neville frequently perform. In October, New Orleans hosts the New Orleans Film Festival and the Crescent City Blues and BBQ Festival. But, festival or not, you'll always find a party in New Orleans.
New Orleans Travel Guide

9. Monster Park, San Francisco 49ers
Monster Park, originally named Candlestick Park, was built in 1960 for San Francisco's baseball team, the Giants. It was enlarged and fully enclosed 11 years later for the football team, the 49ers. Because it was intended for baseball, Monster Stadium has a few quirks, including some obstructed views. Nevertheless, it's a fan favorite thanks in part to the team's storied past. Once lead by Hall of Famer quarterbacks Joe Montana and Steve Young, the team doesn't dominate the way it used to, but you can still feel the presence of those football greats. San Francisco, the capital of the "Left Coast," is known for being avant-garde. But there's a lot of history there, too. Take a cruise to Alcatraz Island, where Al Capone was once incarcerated, and explore America's most famous jail. Enjoy seafood and more at Fisherman's Wharf or get a taste of China in one of the country's biggest and most bustling Chinatowns. It you prefer scenic countrysides to city life, no problem. Take the Napa Valley Wine Train and explore gorgeous California Wine Country.
San Francisco Travel Guide

8. Reliant Stadium, Houston Texans
Dallas might be the most famous football city in Texas, but the Houston Texans' Reliant Stadium is considered by many the better place to watch a game. It's a natural-grass, retractable-roof stadium that even offers air conditioning to offset the Texas heat. There's no bad seat in the house, and it has concession stands aplenty. The architects employed transparent materials in the ends and sides of the building to give it an open-air feel. Deep in the heart of Texas, there's much for a tourist to see and do. Explore the Wild West at the American Cowboy Museum and George Ranch Historical Park. Houston is also home to N.A.S.A.'s Johnson Space Center where you can take the N.A.S.A. tour, see a replica of a space station, and visit the Astronaut and Starship galleries.
Houston Travel Guide
*Editor's Note: We have yet to experience first-hand the new $1 billion-plus Cowboys Stadium in Dallas. Stay tuned as the feedback rolls in and see if it cracks our Top Ten list.

7. Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia Eagles
Woe unto those who dare enter Lincoln Financial Field in an opposing team's jersey. Eagles fans are notoriously brash, and the stadium itself encourages the rabblerousing atmosphere with its many standing areas. Many fans don't even bother going to their seats, even though they offer great views of the field; the giant concourse provides fans with almost any amenity possible. If you make it out of "the Linc" in one piece, there's a lot to do in this historic city. It was in Philadelphia that the Declaration of Independence was drafted by the Founding Fathers. Visit the 255-year-old Liberty Bell, which weighs in at an intimidating 2,080 pounds. For something more modern, check out South Street, where hipsters and businessmen peacefully coexist amidst a plethora of restaurants, shops, and bars. Pick up wooden furniture and fresh farm products from Lancaster County (otherwise known as Amish country) at The Reading Terminal Market. Here you can also learn to cook like the best chefs in the area, who often come to the market to perform cooking demonstrations. Obviously no trip to Philly is complete without an authentic cheesesteak from either Pat's or Geno's—you be the judge as to which is better.
Philadelphia Travel Guide

6. Gillette Stadium, New England Patriots
Okay, okay, the New England Patriots have had a good—make that great—decade, including three Super Bowl Championships since 2002 and several other nearly perfect seasons. Fine. But few remember that for years, Patriots fans endured a mediocre team and an even more mediocre Foxboro Stadium. Gillette Stadium was completed in 2002 after owner Bob Kraft threatened to leave Massachusetts and head to Connecticut. The outdoor facility exposes hapless opponents to the frigid New England winter, and fans delight in its arched bridge to the upper levels and the lighthouse at the stadium's entrance. Two massive HDTV screens above both end zones ensure no one will miss a play. Foxborough is about half an hour southwest of Boston, and, with a car, it's an easy trip into the city where you can shop at Newbury Street, Quincy Market, or Copley Plaza. Boston is replete with traditional Irish Pubs like the Purple Shamrock, but you can also tear it up at posh clubs like Tequila Rain. If city life isn't for you (and the New England winter hasn't set in yet) then head south to Cape Cod for great beaches and adorable town centers. If you really want to explore New England—and fall is a great time to do it, with apple and pumpkin picking, spectacular foliage, and great hiking and biking trails—Rhode Island, Connecticut, Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire are all just a few hours drive away.
Boston Travel Guide