It is time for Super Bowl XLI! The Indianapolis Colts and the Chicago Bears are invading Gator country for two weeks of unabashed football fever in South Florida.Football and Florida are synonymous with each other. After all, the Florida Gators are NUMBER ONE!
But for the next two weeks the fans of the Bears and the Colts as well as several thousand, just plain football fans, will invade South Florida for the big game, parties, and well, more parties!
Although the Miami area has hosted the Super Bowl on eight other occasions, this is only the fourth time that Dolphin Stadium will be the site of the game. Five previous Super Bowl games were held at the Orange Bowl.
Dolphin Stadium has hosted about half of the Super Bowls played in the Miami area, and this facility has a storied history in South Florida sports that spans beyond the sport of football.
When it first opened in 1987, the structure was called Joe Robbie Stadium. Its original occupants were the Miami Dolphins. But, when the Miami area was awarded a Major League Baseball franchise, that team the Florida Marlins also played in this stadium.
In 1996, the stadium changed its name to Pro Player Stadium as a result of a sponsorship agreement with the sports division of the Fruit of the Loom company.
A decade later, in 2005, the stadium once again was the subject of a new naming process. In January of that year, the name Dolphin Stadium emerged.
Football fans visiting or living in the Gulf Coast area of the State of Florida, will discover that Dolphin Stadium, the home of Super Bowl XLI, is an easy drive. Just connect with I-75 southbound through the Fort Myers and Naples region of southwest Florida to I-595 to the Florida Turnpike South to the Honey Hill Road Stadium Exit.
After the kings of professional football have been crowned, and football fans are looking for a place to spend some time in the sun before heading back to the snow and ice of Chicago, Indianapolis and other northward points, I have some advice; head west and north to Englewood Florida. (Just follow the simple route listed above, only in reverse, and you will soon be in Florida's best retirement and vacation destination.)
- Florida Beaches: Once you arrive in Englewood you will be treated to the best Florida beaches that can be found in the Sunshine State. There's not just one, but four great beaches located within a few minutes from downtown Englewood.
- Golf: If you are looking for great golf courses to challenge your game, once again Englewood and the surrounding area boasts several great golf courses.
- When you have finished your round of golf or just hanging around at the beach, you can enjoy a fabulous feast at one of the many great eateries located on or near the water.
- Or, perhaps you want to catch your own dinner. The fishing is fantastic in the Englewood area. There are many great places to fish from shore. But, if more adventure is what you are looking for, there several fishing charter companies offering deep sea fishing expeditions.