Over the last seven years, an average of 104 million people have tuned into the Super Bowl—and it’s safe to say, lots of people will be doing the same when the Rams take on the Bengals this weekend. But what’s a non-football fan to do while the rest of the country guzzles weak beer and tries to keep buffalo wing shrapnel off their jersey? You could curl up with a good remote and binge your favorite Netflix new release, sure. But with nearly a third of the American population otherwise engaged, it’s prime time to visit normally crowded places, especially if you’ve been avoiding them for that reason during the pandemic.
Here are the best ways to take advantage of a hundred million Americans being glued to their TVs.
Hit the slopes
Not only will you see shorter lift lines and smaller crowds on Super Bowl Sunday, many ski areas will offer steep discounts to get you onto their slopes. According to Liftopia, a site that lets you buy lift tickets in advance, game day is one of the best days of the year to carve some fresh powder. As Evan Reece, co-founder and CEO of Liftopia, told Business Insider, “on Super Bowl Sunday, resorts historically see half the crowds compared to other peak-season Sundays, particularly in markets where teams are playing.” In a quick search on my area, game day tickets have been discounted from 13% to 46%.
Make an epic grocery store run
We’ve all been Instacarting and DoorDashing our way through the pandemic, but why not use the Sunday evening lull get reacquainted with the four walls of your old friend, the actual grocery store? I like having food delivered to my door as much as the next person, but there’s something calming and fulfilling about strolling the aisles myself, being reminded of items I forgot exist (hey, corn nuts!), getting inspired to make something different for dinner, or treating myself to a bar of bougie exfoliating soap or a container of unplanned sushi. And Costco or Target without the usual weekend crowds? Glorious.
Eat at that restaurant you can never get into
Have you considered booking a reservation at that new Asian fusion restaurant you’ve been dying to try but which never has an open table? This study of 36,000 restaurants nationally found that the average revenue drop on game day was 19% versus a typical Sunday. Especially in urban areas where buzzed-about, in-demand new eateries pop up regularly, this could be the ideal time to finally find a seat. (Make sure they don’t serve takeout pizza, though; according to the same study, Super Bowl is the #1 Sunday of the year for pizzerias.)
Make a trip to the movie theater
If you’ve been hesitant to see something on the big screen for fear of sitting in a crowded room with a bunch of strangers, now’s your moment. You may run into a few diehards, but for the most part, you can expect movie attendance to be lower than usual. (Also, it’s Sunday night—not prime time for moviegoing, generally.) Is anything good playing? Well, there’s Blacklight for Liam Neeson fans, Death on the Nile for murder-mystery lovers, and Marry Me for anyone wondering where Owen Wilson’s been. (Sing 2, Encanto, and Spider-Man: No Way Home are still playing in many areas, for kids and Marvel acolytes.) Most large theater chains offer reserved seating online, so you’ll know how crowded the theater will be before purchasing. With any luck, it’ll be like rolling up to the pictures for a mid-week matinee.
Go to an amusement park
Most kids are obsessed with indoor water parks (not football) and would flip at a chance to visit Kahalari Resorts or Great Wolf Lodge instead of being shooed away while the grownups yell at the TV. (Give your local resort a call to inquire about their usual attendance on Super Bowl Sunday.)
Depending where you live, it may still be too cold for parks to be open. But if you live in warmer climes, your local Six Flags may have lighter crowds, as many will be home pre-gaming or preparing to host. (Six Flags Magic Mountain has a helpful “Is it packed?” tracker.) It’s reasonable to think Disney World would see a dip in attendance, but it’s actually prime time for local annual passholders, so skip the Happiest Place on Earth.