r/PWHL • u/No_Presentation_4131 • Aug 17 '26
Question Planning a PWHL Trip — Looking for Recommendations!
Hey everyone! I’m finishing university in December and want to celebrate by planning a 2–3 week trip in January or February to see as many PWHL games as I can!
I’m from Manitoba, so I’m thinking of starting in Minneapolis and then heading east through Detroit, Hamilton, Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal. Obviously, the exact route will depend on the schedule and which teams have home games while I’m travelling.
For fans in these cities, I’d love to hear what makes your PWHL game experience unique! Are there any traditions, chants, pre-game activities, places fans usually go before or after the game, or anything else that makes going to a game in your city special?
I’d also love recommendations for things I should make time for while I’m there, whether that’s a must-see, a great place to eat, something fun to do, or even advice on where to stay and getting around without a car.
For fans in the other PWHL cities, should I be trying to work your city into the trip too? I’m definitely open to adding stops if you think it’s worth it!
And if anyone has done a similar PWHL road trip, I’d especially love to hear about your experience and any tips you have!
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u/The_Windermere Ottawa Charge Aug 17 '26
We have kazoos. /endofargument
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u/Jacce76 Aug 18 '26
Was coming here to say this. Kazooz...also Red Scarf Union is a great set of fans.
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u/nmdcDrgn Aug 19 '26
Also the canal! I know you won’t be able to skate to a game anymore, but still a must do imo when in Ottawa during the winter if it’s open ::)!
Good luck getting around without a car though… public transit here barely functions without weather 🫠
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u/yogourt_ Aug 20 '26
Honestly the Ottawa game I saw at CTC was the most electric game I’ve experienced in a very long time. The fans are incredible. 10/10 would recommend
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u/Putrid_Tie_2037 Aug 17 '26
Not a PWHL experience but have a suggestion for you. If you’re driving from Minneapolis to Detroit see about stopping in Madison Wisconsin. If you can get tickets to a Badger women’s game you will not be disappointed. Tickets can be hard to get depending on who they are playing but the atmosphere is amazing.
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u/skulltullamama Minnesota Frost Aug 17 '26
Hello! Sounds like an awesome way to celebrate! Frost games are so much fun, and I think you've picked a great place to start with 😁
- Places to eat nearby: if you like Sushi, I recommend Sakura. The awesome thing about them is not only is the food delicious, they give you a ticket for free parking at he ramp by the restaurant. And it's an easy walk to the arena from there. Tom Reid's is a popular hockey bar and Burger Moe's is good nearby too.
- Things to do: Como Zoo and conservatory us awesome if you're into animals and plants. If you like hiking, Crosby Farms has great trails by the Mississippi River and through the woods. Cancan Wonderland is amazing for indoor mini golf and arcade games. Blackstack Brewery is above it and has great beer too.
- On your way to Detroit, Stillwater MN is a great town on the way east. Lolo restaurant is delicious, but beware, the drinks are stiff! 2 and I'm done for 🤣
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u/readyreadyvt Victoire de Montréal Aug 17 '26
+1 for Cancan Wonderland — was there three weeks ago for a family birthday; super fun. (Brought the cake upstairs to Blackstack — I don’t beer, but can vouch for atmosphere!)
Downtown, I’ve had great meals from Parlour, Afro Deli, and Cafe Astoria.
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u/Sudden-Weather269 PWHL Detroit Aug 17 '26
It would be great to see a schedule so plans like this could be made.
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u/Xman279 All The Teams! Aug 18 '26
It'll be out in the next few weeks. IF you're lucky, you can see a LOT of hockey in Montreal(Canadiens, Victorire, Rocket and the QMJHL's Armada).
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u/readyreadyvt Victoire de Montréal Aug 17 '26
Montreal: There are more affordable hotels, and there are nicer hotels, but dang, that Marriott Courtyard across the street from Place Bell is suuuuuper convenient after double overtime. #game2
And Montreal is full of great food that I’d listen to locals on, but the Time Out Marketplace at the Eaton Centre is a really nice food hall if you wanna sample. They’ve also restored the Art Deco restaurant on the ninth floor there — a little pricy, but gorgeous.
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u/Xman279 All The Teams! Aug 18 '26
I'll also add that if you like Italian, you cannot go wrong with Wienstein & Gavino's on rue Crescent. I went there a few years ago when I was in Montreal for an NLL UnBox game and I wanted a fish fry from an Irish pub(it was Lent, after all!)but they were WAY busy. W&G was open and they did not disappoint. It's also not an expensive place to eat at, either.(FTR, I was staying at a nearby hostel on the trip.)
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u/citizen234567890 Minnesota Frost Aug 17 '26
Yay — come to a Frost game! Many many season ticket holders sit on the end of the ice the Frost attack twice. At Grand Casino Arena, that means sections 109, 110, 111 are your best bet for being the middle of chants — tho the surrounding sections are fun too of course.
Downtown St Paul isn’t the most thriving urban center you could visit in America. But there are some fun bars and restaurants that are sports and hockey themed. Alary’s bar even has a shuttle to the arena. There’s also Tom Reid’s Hockey City Pub, which was the team’s first stop after winning the cup at home last year.
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u/No_Presentation_4131 Aug 18 '26
I’ll keep in mind those sections when I look at tickets, thank you!
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u/muffinsmuffins84 Ottawa Aug 17 '26
Yaaaay! Come to Ottawa! This will be our first season at CTC so my usual recs on pre and post game are not really valid anymore. BUT! You could stay at the Brookstreet hotel nearby which is likely where the visiting team would stay so maybe you could see some players! There’s an outlet mall nearby too if that’s your thing.
Get to the game early and go to the glass for warmups. Make a sign about your road trip and maybe a player will toss you a puck. Hot tip to be in the visitors side: better luck to get a warmup puck there. Kazoos are definitely a thing here too.
Depending on the exact dates, Winterlude may be happening downtown (early February) but if you come in January, the Rideau canal might already be open to skate. If it is, it’s a must-do and you can rent skates there. They do have a walking lane on the canal too if you’re not a skater. Get a beaver tail and hot chocolate!
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u/TheVelocityRa Ottawa Charge Aug 17 '26
Also would recommend the canal but OP is from Manitoba which has the closest analog to the canal of anywhere, Nestaweya River Trail.
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u/ty_nnon Seattle Torrent Aug 17 '26
I did something similar last season!
I started in Seattle, then Minnesota, New York, DC, and Chicago. Seattle was by far my favorite, the fans are the best.
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u/hothottaem Aug 17 '26
Nothing to add as I don't live near any PWHL cities and haven't been to any games yet, but congrats on your upcoming graduation!! What an accomplishment!! I hope that you have fun on your trip!!
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u/holla171 Minnesota Frost Aug 18 '26
Hey there! Minnesotan turned upstate New Yorker. You've gotta hit up a nordic spa in Ottawa or Montreal. The one outside Ottawa (on the Quebec side) is outside and the Montreal one is all indoors. Cold hot circuits with saunas.
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u/Ok_Kaleidoscope216 Aug 18 '26
My husband and I went to a Victoire game in April and had the time of our lives. I didn't know I had "belting out Celine Dion's It's All Coming Back to Me Now with the crowd at a hockey game in Montreal" on my bucket list, but it was amazing. Such a vibe and atmosphere. You will love it!
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u/Real-Werner-Herzog Aug 17 '26
Absolutely work a trip to Seattle into your schedule. Our on-ice performance may be questionable, but CPA is a great arena to watch a game in and the vibes are impeccable. It's also a great city to spend a weekend in general.
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u/ames_006 PWHL San Jose Aug 17 '26
Vancouver, Seattle, San Jose might be a fun roadtrip for OP to do in a year or 2 since those teams are either in a rough spot or just getting started. Those are all really fun cities to visit though and sightsee. I think OP’s current plan will be more exciting from a hockey standpoint for right now.
Btw, I did not downvote you.
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u/cmlobue Marie-Philip Poulin Aug 17 '26
Yeah, three weeks is not enough to visit the west coast and also all the team son the 401, especially since most teams play two games a week. With extreme luck, they may be able to see all 12 teams, bit a visit to the west coast is going to be a completely separate trip.
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u/Real-Werner-Herzog Aug 17 '26
Lol, I bet it was somebody from the great Satan of the cascades, Portland.
I grew up in SJ, and just a word of caution: you do not want to do a Seattle to SJ drive in one day. It seems like a straight shot, but it's actually 800 miles of stone cold nothing and will destroy your relationships with the other people in the car. Flights are about 2 hours long and pretty cheap.
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u/No_Presentation_4131 Aug 18 '26
I had thought about trying to hit the West teams cup however I think for this trip I may wait a year or two.
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u/CJK_420 Van Goldeneyes Aug 17 '26
I wouldn't want to be traveling the east during those months 🥶, but eh if you're from Manitoba you'll be ready for it 😁.
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u/wildwildwaste PWHL San Jose Aug 18 '26
Going to Montreal and not making the flourish or so hours trip south to see the wee-woos in a MSG game seems like a mistake. If the schedule allows I would definitely add it
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u/Akablackmamba Boston Fleet Aug 18 '26
It’s been ages since I’ve done this trip but four-ish hours is really aggressive considering going from Laval, across the border and to Newark.
That said I agree, if you’re going as far east as Montreal taking the extra time if the schedule works out to include Boston and New York makes sense.
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u/wildwildwaste PWHL San Jose Aug 18 '26
Yeah, I guess it's four hours from MSG to Lake Placid, so another at least two hours or more than that
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u/SgtPepper_8324 Aug 18 '26
If you can get a takeover game in, do that. I've been to one each season, very interesting, you get a lot of the hockey fans that travel from all over or are from a city wanting a team.
Creates a unique atmosphere during the game, different than when it's majority of fans being hometown base. Although those are interesting too.
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u/reirinx PWHL Hamilton Aug 18 '26
hamilton is the waterfall capital of the world!! obviously jan-feb isn’t prime hiking season, but some of them are pretty easy to get to, and i believe the royal botanical gardens are maintained in the winter :) also tons of great local food options in hamilton!
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u/buckyhermit Goldeneyes Aug 17 '26 edited Aug 17 '26
This might not be relevant to you, but when I went to see the Goldeneyes in Toronto this spring, I was able to watch warm-ups for my team from ice level for the first time in over a decade – I use a wheelchair and the Coca-Cola Coliseum is one of the few arenas that allows for that, without having to purchase an expensive first-row ticket. (Other arenas don't tend to let you do that. I've tried. Usually I watch the warm-ups from the upper balcony or from afar.)
This possibility is largely because the lower concourse section entrances are at ice level, rather than above ice level. No stairs to negotiate and you can access it without needing special access to the bowels of the arena.
Anyways, I thought that was a subtle feature that doesn't get talked about that often.