Five Best Pro
 Buffalo: Ralph Wilson Stadium was made for tailgating. Set up the RV two days before kickoff, and revel in the madness that includes hot tubs in December and a guy called Pinto Ron who cooks from the hood of his car. Get cleaned up for the game in a comfort station designed specifically for overnight tailgaters.
 Green Bay: Don’t let the subzero temperatures of the frozen tundra fool you. Lambeau Field is the hot spot among NFL stadiums for bratwurst, beer, and Cheeseheads. Oh yeah, green and yellow body paint is apparently a logical alternative for a parka and a scarf on a cold December Sunday in Wisconsin.
 Kansas City: The intoxicating aroma of classic Kansas City barbecue permeating through an endless fleet of RVs hours before kickoff makes Arrowhead Stadium the holy land of tailgating.
 Oakland: Tailgating at McAfee Coliseum is the equivalent of a Lollapalooza sideshow. Raiders fans, with their spiked shoulder pads and skull-and-crossbones tattoos, are the most eccentric tailgaters in the NFL and make for great people-watching. Think of game day here as Mardi Gras for the West Coast.
 Pittsburgh: Of course Heinz Field made the list — it’s named after a bottle of ketchup. Great hot dogs with all the toppings and fans with some of the highest football IQs in the NFL make tailgating in Pittsburgh a must for every football junkie.
Five Best Collegiate
 Louisiana State University: Cajun food, jazz music, and great football from a traditional powerhouse are the perfect ingredients for some of the best tailgate parties in the Southeastern Conference.
 Penn State: Before you watch living legend Joe Paterno pace the sidelines on Saturday, kick off your tailgate party on Thursday night in the aptly named Happy Valley. And don’t worry about running out of space — Penn State provides one of the largest tailgate areas in the nation.
 University of Michigan: Tailgate on a golf course next to the largest and most storied stadium in the nation. Plus, the family-friendly atmosphere makes “the Big House” a great place to bring the kids.
 University of Mississippi: The Grove at Ole Miss is the best place to tailgate in the nation, says the “Commissioner of Tailgating,” Joe Cahn. The world’s only professional tailgater (visit his website, www.tailgating.com), he explains it as “Scarlett O’Hara meets the parking lot” because of the Southern hospitality.
 University of Washington: Here, you’ll find the most unconventional tailgating in college football. Instead of just packing the parking lots with RVs, U-Dub fans also anchor hundreds of boats in Lake Washington. And instead of downing brews and brats, fans sip on fine wine while grilling salmon.
Throw It On the Grill
Want three simple ways to make your tailgate cooking a surefire success? Beef, birds, and brats — cooked to perfection. These recipes from Tailgating.com and HeinzRed Zone.com will guarantee a grilling victory.
Beef: Game-Day Barbecue Sauce
1 1/2 cups ketchup
1 cup Coca-Cola Classic
1/4 pound butter (1 stick)
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
Salt, pepper, seasoning salt, cayenne pepper, and garlic to taste
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan; simmer over low heat for 20 to 30 minutes. Enjoy immediately, or store in a jar and refrigerate for next time.
Brats: The Commissioner’s Brats
Boil brats in water the night before the big game. While hot, take the brats from the pot and soak in cold beer. As the brats cool down, they will absorb the beer, which adds flavor. Cook the brats overnight and just reheat on the grill at the stadium the next day.
Birds: Chicken Kickoff Kabobs
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 green pepper, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 red pepper, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 can (8 ounces) pineapple chunks, drained
1/2 cup Jack Daniel’s Original No. 7 Barbecue Recipe grilling sauce
1/4 cup orange marmalade
Cut chicken breasts into 1-inch squares. Thread skewers alternately with chicken, green and red pepper chunks, and pineapple chunks. Combine Jack Daniel’s Original No. 7 Barbecue Recipe grilling sauce and orange marmalade. Brush mixture over skewered kabobs. Grill over medium heat for 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked, turning and brushing with additional Jack Daniel’s grilling sauce.
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St. Martin/St. Maarten
This dual-nation island is half French and half Dutch, so a visit here makes for quite an interesting vacation. On the French side, St. Martin, you’ll find gourmet restaurants and chic boutiques, while the Dutch side, St. Maarten, is known for its abundance of casinos, nightlife, and duty-free shopping. But they both lay claim to pampering spas, luxe hotels, and, of course, gorgeous beaches. (Plus, going back and forth between the two is a cinch.) — Jill Fergus
 Sleep
At La Samanna (from $950; 800-237-1236, www.orient-express.com), one of the island’s poshest resorts, there are several new additions, including an infinity-edge pool that overlooks beautiful Baie Longue beach and a new beach bar with an outdoor deck. Grabbing a drink here is the perfect solution for anyone wanting to enjoy the setting without springing for the overnight stay. Kids will love Captain Oliver’s (from $150; 011-590-590-87-40-26, www.captainolivers.com), an affordable bungalow-style hotel on Oyster Pond, which borders both the French and Dutch sides of the island (stand on the hotel’s International Bridge and you’ll be in two countries at the same time). In addition to the beach and marina, there’s a glass-walled pool, a mini-zoo, an open-air restaurant serving French/Creole cuisine (don’t miss the weekly lobster buffet), and several watering holes, including the rustic Iguana Bar overlooking St. Bart’s.
 Eat
The island’s gourmet hub is Grand Case on St. Martin, where you’ll find classic spots like Le Pressoir (011-590-877-662). The Dutch side has been getting attention, too, for its innovative restaurants, including Temptation (011-599-545-2254, www.nouveaucarib bean.com), from
island-born Dino Jagtiani, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America. His Caribbean/international cuisine features dishes like grilled-peach salad, tamarind-glazed mahimahi, and tempura mussel shooters with coconut curry.
Shop
There are plenty of unique shops on the island, especially in Marigot, the capital
of St. Martin. At Blooming Baskets by Lisa (011-599-545-2270, www.bloomingbaskets bylisa.com), owned by former Pennsylvanians Lisa and Michele Warden, you’ll be charmed by the whimsical, flower-bedecked straw handbags. Roland Richardson (011-590-590-873-224, www.rolandrichardson.com), one of the Caribbean’s leading artists, exhibits his vibrant watercolors of island scenes in his gallery in a historic Marigot home.
Pamper
In spa news, the Westin St. Maarten, Dawn Beach Resort & Spa has opened the Hibiscus Spa (011-599-543-6700, www.starwoodhotels.com/westin). It’s the island’s largest, and it specializes in a variety of massages and treatments, such as the Hibiscus Rain Shower Ritual.  At the sleek Dior Spa (011-599-546-6620, www.diorspa-stmaartenwww.diorspa-stmaarten.com), guests can indulge in hydrotherapy treatments like seawater and sea-salt baths as well as treat themselves to fango mud masks and reflexology.
Drink
Be sure to sample guavaberry liqueur, the island’s national spirit, made from rum aged in oak barrels, cane sugar, and wild guavaberries. To learn about this local staple, visit the Guavaberry Emporium (011-599-542 2965, www.guavaberry.com), which is housed in a pretty gingerbread cottage in Philipsburg. You can also purchase a bottle of the spicy, fruity liqueur there and find other guavaberry products like barbecue sauces, perfumes, and even love potions.
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