Important Notes

• All times on this page are local to the host venue.
• See the Schedule page for links to opponents' sites and maps to help find opponents' venues.
• For security reasons we do not publicize the team's hotel choice. If you are an FBC member and would like to book into the team hotel, call the Women's Basketball Office and ask, or buttonhole Eileen Roche at a game.
• Be sure to check the Travel Blog for the latest promotions and trip reports!

Road Trips!

Cancun Challenge, 24-26 November

This year's Thanksgiving tournament is the Cancun Challenge. That link lists the schedule, in which Stanford plays one game on each of Thursday (yes, Thanksgiving day), Friday and Saturday. Thursday and Friday Stanford games are at 11am. (FYI, Cancun is on the same time zone as the Eastern US, GMT-5.) There are four other games you could watch on each of these days. Saturday, Stanford plays at 1:30pm against Purdue.

Accomodations are in the Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya, an all-inclusive resort. The teams will no doubt be housed there, and if there's a Thanksgiving banquet, that's where it will be. The games are played in the same facility.

Tour packages are available from the event. This resort is some miles from the town of Cancun. There are a couple of other hotels nearby, but many, many more in the nearby town of Playa Del Carmen (booking.com link).

When booking your flights for this event, investigate the price difference for different return dates. It turns out that returning on Monday or Tuesday can be significantly cheaper than returning on the Sunday.

Cal State Bakersfield, 1 December

The Cardinal goes to Cal State Bakersfield for a game at 7pm on a Thursday evening. The CSB basketball coach is Greg McCall, father of Cardinal senior Erica McCall. Icardo Center is a small arena (similar in size to the ones at St. Mary's or USF). All seats are general admission, but the first few rows on each side have chair backs while the rest are bleacher style. If you want a chair seat, be sure to be in line when the doors open.

Per Google maps, CSB is four hours by car from Palo Alto, but that is unpredictable because it requires traversing San Jose to Gilroy before reaching the somewhat open highways of 152 and I-5. One should probably leave around noon to be sure of having time for a bite in Bakersfield before the game. Plan on spending the night to return on the Friday morning.

United does offer a Bakersfield flight from SFO, but at $768, it costs a bit more than a tank of gas and a motel night.

Tennessee and George Washington, 18 & 21 December

Stanford plays in Thompson-Bowling Arena in Knoxville at 3pm on the Sunday before Christmas. After two days off, the Cardinal plays at the Charles E. Smith Center on the campus of George Washington University at a time TBA.

It is nominally about 9 hours driving time between the two locations, so the schedule does allow for driving oneself from Knoxville to D.C. However, it seems more sensible to fly, and have a day and a half free to enjoy the many tourist attractions of the D.C. area.

There are no easy flights SFO-TYS; whether you leave from SFO or SJC, that trip will take most of the day Saturday, with a stopover in Dalles or Denver or Charlotte. But here's a discovery: United has a daily nonstop at 7:30pm from TYS to IAD (Dulles International). One could possibly make that flight after the Sunday game. If not, then American has a nonstop TYS to DCA (Ronald Reagan airport) at 7:30am Monday.

After enjoying the nation's capitol Monday afternoon and all day Tuesday, one needs to get back to SFO. United has an 8:30am nonstop DCA->SFO, and Virgin America has a 9:30am nonstop from the other airport, Dulles.

ASU and UA, 30 December & 1 January

The Cardinal plays in Tempe at 4pm on Friday. After what one supposes will be a fun New Year's Eve party at the team hotel, it plays UA in Tucson on Sunday January 1st.

In fact it is quite feasible to make a one-day excursion to see the Tempe game. Sky Harbor airport in Phoenix (PHX) is well-connected to both SFO and SJC. Here's how.

• Take an American nonstop from SJC at 9:53am, or from SFO at 9:36am, arriving at PHX before 1pm.
• From Terminal 3 or 4, take the Sky Train to its terminus at the 44th street Metro station.
• Take the Phoenix Metro train east to the Veterans Way/College Avenue station.
• Walk to the Wells Fargo Arena, visible a few blocks away, for the game
• Reverse the above steps to catch the American nonstop to SFO (9:20pm) or the one to SJC (9:10pm)

The true die-hard will pick up a rental car at PHX, spend the weekend in Arizona, and see the game in Tucson on Sunday at 2pm. It should not be a problem to catch the 9:10 (SJC) or 9:20 (SFO) nonstops on Sunday.

As usual, you can figure on buying UA tickets at the door. You should always order ASU tickets in advance. The ASU ticket number is (888) 786-3857. Ask for section G to sit behind the visitor bench.

If you are spending that weekend, here are some things to do on the Saturday around Tucson:

• Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum has more than 300 live animal species and two miles of paths. Located 14 miles west of Tucson in Tucson Mountain Park.
• Catalina State Park—bird-watching and hiking.
• Arizona State Museum (on University of Arizona campus) interprets the history of Southwestern cultures.
• Mission San Xavier Del Bac, an impressive example of Spanish mission architecture, built in 1783-97.
• Sabino Canyon in Santa Catalina Mountains offers hiking as well as narrated excursions aboard shuttle buses.

And some things to do around Phoenix:

• The Desert Botanical Garden is always worth a visit.
• The winter home and studio of Frank Lloyd Wright at Taliesin West gives a good tour.
• Shopping in Scottsdale.
• The Heard Museum has ten galleries of native cultures and art, including ethnological, historical and contemporary objects of Southwestern Native Americans, daily artist demonstrations, more.
• The Pueblo Grande Museum contains a prehistoric Hohokam village ruin that includes a platform mound, ball court and irrigation canals.

Colorado and Utah, 13 & 15 January

This trip begins with an 6pm Friday game versus the Utes at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City. The second game is at the Coors Event Center in Boulder on Sunday, at 2pm. Neither team pulls large crowds, so plan on buying tickets at the door.

There are several convenient nonstops to Salt Lake (SLC) from both SJC and SFO, so you can plan on flying on the Friday and going directly to the game from the airport. (Think about using Uber/Lyft for this, and not renting a car.)

There are also numerous nonstop flights SLC->DEN on both Saturday and Sunday, so you can spend a full Saturday in Salt Lake, or an afternoon and morning in Denver, whichever suits your touristing taste. However, allow for a 90-minute drive from the Denver airport to the arena in Boulder.

Because of that drive, about 7pm is the earliest departure you'd want to plan following the Sunday game. United has a 7:25pm nonstop departure for SFO, and a 6:50pm nonstop for SJC.

Here is Tripadvisor's Top Things to Do in Denver; and here is its Top Things to Do in Salt Lake City.

WSU and UW, 27 & 29 January

The Cardinal play in Pullman at 8pm on Friday the 27th, then in Seattle on Sunday at 5pm. The late start Sunday means you've probably got to spend Sunday night in Seattle. (The last Alaska flight for SFO departs at 8:45pm and the last for SJC, at 8:55pm. Those would be makeable given a 2pm or 3pm start, but oh no, PAC-12 Networks.)

For things to do in Seattle, see the PAC-12 tournament section, below.

Spokane is not the home of the Washington State Cougars, but it is where the team and visiting fans usually stay. Downtown Spokane has become more interesting in recent years, with much renovation and the completion of the River Park Square mall. There are several quite decent restaurants. The historic Fox Theater is a renovated performance venue (click for schedule), which now houses the Spokane Symphony.

The Riverfront Park (which features "one of the best outdoor skating rinks in the nation"), the Riverside State Park and the Spokane River Centennial Trail are all either in or very close to Spokane and offer plenty of possibilities for hiking or biking—weather permitting.

It is about a 2 hour drive from Spokane to Pullman, where the Cougars lurk. Check the official WSU Campus Map.

Cal, 16 February

Stanford plays Cal at Haas Pavilion on a Thursday night at 8pm.

You can buy tickets starting from this link. At Haas, all lower-level seats are sold out to season ticket holders.

UO and OSU, 24 and 26 February

The Cardinal play the Beavers in Corvallis on Friday at 8pm. The OSU game in Eugene is at 1pm on Sunday.

United has two nonstop flights SFO-EUG that arrive in time for the Friday game. There is a return flight at 6:30pm on Sunday, so it will be possible to return after the game.

On the other hand—the PAC-12 Tournament kicks off in Seattle the Thursday following this game. Think about making a single trip, continuing to Seattle after the Oregon weekend.

It is feasible for a person unencumbered by a job to make this trip by road, and pleasant if the weather is decent. However, both northern California and central Oregon sometimes see snow. If one did intend on driving, the itinerary would be:

• Thursday drive 6 hours to Ashland, OR (many good motels and restaurants);
• Friday morning drive another 6 hours to Corvallis; check into hotel (the Hilton Garden Inn is a very short walk from Gill Coliseum); see game.
• Saturday at liberty in central Oregon;
• Sunday afternoon see game in Eugene, spend the night there.
• Monday get a crack-of-dawn start and drive back to the Bay Area nonstop (this requires two drivers; do not attempt solo).
• or... Monday get a leisurely start on a drive toward Seattle and the tournament.

For OSU tickets, all the nice lower-bowl sections, including section D behind the visitor bench, are sold-out to season ticket holders. All other seats are general admission. When single-game tickets are on sale, go to the ticket page to get general-admission tickets to print at home. Bring them along and be at the doors when they open.

For UO tickets, pre-order from the Oregon ticket purchase page. Sections 102P, 102L and 202 are behind the visitor's bench in Knight Arena, although 103P has better sight-lines. If you prefer to call, the number is 800-WEB-FOOT.

Here are a few things to do between games:

• University of Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History.
• Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art at the University of Oregon.
• Scenic day trip driving to Coos Bay/North Bend.

PAC-12 Tournament, 3-6 March

Once again the tournament is at Key Arena in Seattle. Seattle is easy to get to, with many flights by many carriers and a wide range of hotels. Key Arena is in the Seattle Center with plenty of parking and the monorail for access from downtown. Several comfortable hotels are in walking distance of the games.

Places to eat

The "Thrillist" lists the best restaurants, and Seattle has many good ones.

For a quick meal between tournament sessions, the food court in the Seattle Center is convenient to the Key Arena but frankly, not that interesting. For a proper meal, walk just a few blocks south of the Space Needle to the Tilikum Place Cafe, a delightful small restaurant with an inventive, French-inspired menu. Another place we've tried and enjoyed, less than a mile from the Center, is Osteria Rigolletto, located in the basement of the Stackhouse apartment complex. Or, grab a taxi downtown and lunch at Il Corvo, a highly-touted pasta place that is open only for lunch.

Things to do

There is so much to do and see in Seattle, you really should arrive a day or two early just for sightseeing before you settle in for basketball. Two high points for views over the city (besides the familiar Space Needle) are the SkyView Observatory on the 73rd floor of the Columbia Center, and the Seattle Great Wheel. On a day when, as local people say, "the mountain is out" (i.e. not hiding in clouds) you will get a stunning view of Mt. Rainier from any of them.

If you have the time, it might also be worth visiting the famous Pike Place Market, which is consistently rated as one of the best places to shop for food in the US. In the middle of the market look for the elevator that takes you down to the waterfront esplanade. From there, a brisk mile walk along the waterfront brings you to the Olympic Sculpture Park, an outdoor wing of the Seattle Art Museum.

Been there, did that last year? And you've been to the Chihuli Glass in Seattle Center?

Well, how about the Living Computer Museum, where you can get real hands-on time with a variety of old micro-, mini- and mainframe computers.

Want to get outdoors? In 1903, the city of Seattle hired the Olmsted brothers (sons of Frederick Law Olmsted who designed the UC Berkeley campus) to plan a system of parks. The jewel of that system is Volunteer Park, where you will find the Conservatory, a beautiful Victorian-style glasshouse that has just been restored in 2014, and also the Asian Art Museum specializing in the arts of the entire Pacific basin.

Like airplanes? Take your rental car to the south end of town and spend hours among vintage planes in the three hangar-sized galleries of Boeing's Museum of Flight. Then step outside and walk through President Johnson's Air Force One, and the last Concorde SST to fly. If you are interested in aviation, budget at least four hours for this stop.

Continue 30 miles south to Tacoma and visit the Museum of Glass, where you watch major works being blown in the working "hot shop" every day. Barely half-mile away in the confusing streets of waterfront Tacoma is the LeMay Car Museum, a huge collection of vintage cars presented in a vast but beautiful gallery. If you are a car buff, expect to spend at least three hours.

For a nice day-trip by car, take the Ferry to Bainbridge Island, or go to the north end of Seattle and take the Mukilteo ferry to Whidbey Island. Either jaunt lets you poke around miles of quiet roads through rustic scenery, cute small towns, and water vistas. On Bainbridge, get fish and chips at the historic Harbor Public House. (We did this last year; it was excellent!) Or if you explore Whidbey, find the little town of Coupeville and have a seafood lunch at The Oystercatcher.

Marijuana is now legal in Washington State. Adults may possess up to 1oz for private consumption. There are now a number of licensed marijuana vendors in Seattle. Go to HighAboveSeattle for a convenient store locator.

NCAA Sub-Regional, 18—21 March

For the Cardinal, the first and second rounds are ... TBS!

NCAA Regional, 24—27 March

Locations are Bridgeport CN (gee, wonder who'll play there?), Lexington KY, Oklahoma City, and Stockton, CA (we can but hope!).

Final Four! 31 March and 2 April

The 2017 Final Four is to be held in Dallas, TX.. The semifinal games are on Friday and the final on Sunday.

Here is how to schedule a Final Four trip.

First, arrive early. There's a ton of hoopla the day before: the WBCA high-school All-American game (often featuring an upcoming Stanford recruit), the battle of the bands (often won by LSJUMB), possibly a team reception (your team, all poshed up). For this year, arrive on Wednesday so you can attend these things on Thursday.

Second, book your trip on the expectation that Stanford will be eliminated in the semifinal. Reserve the hotel only through the night of the semifinal game (Friday) and book your return flight for the day after that game (Saturday).

The point is, if Stanford loses, you don't have to make the agonizing decision whether to stay around and watch another coronation for UConn, or go through the fuss of trying to get an earlier return flight. You're all set to go.

But if Stanford does win, there will be no objection from your hotel at extending your stay for two days. After all, a bunch of disappointed people just checked out! And your airline will usually not have a problem rebooking your return flight, although you might want to initially buy a higher-priced ticket that doesn't have a big rescheduling fee.