Traveling for youth soccer in the U.S. is no small task, especially when it involves long-distance games. Whether you’ve been a seasoned soccer parent or just getting into it.
From hours spent on the road to steering through flight logistics, and even debating whether you should stay in a hotel or attempt a day trip — the choices can feel overwhelming.
Let me share some insights from my experience traveling for my daughter’s U16 MLS NEXT games. Our schedule is intense, and we’ve logged serious miles just to get to single matches.
Let’s talk about how you can make these trips easier, smarter, and hopefully, more enjoyable.
The Reality of Soccer Travel: Hours on the Road
If you’re involved in youth soccer at a competitive level in the U.S., you’ll quickly realize that local games aren’t as “local” as you’d expect. For instance, our home base is in the Northeast, but we routinely travel hours just to play a single match.
To put this into perspective, here’s a list of just a few of our regular away game destinations:
- Bayside FC – 2 hours
- Beachside SC – 3 hours 10 min.
- Boston Bolts – 1 hour 15 min.
- Cedar Stars – Bergen – 4 hours 30 min.
- CF Montreal – 4 hours 30 min.
- Connecticut United FC – 3 hours 10 min.
- FC Westchester – 3 hours 45 min.
- Met Oval – 4 hours 30 min.
- New England Revolution – 1 hour 45 min.
- New York City FC – 4 hours 30 min.
- Oakwood Soccer Club – 3 hours
- Rochester NY FC – 7 hours
- Toronto FC – 10 hours
When you see distances like this, you start to understand why soccer parents joke about becoming professional chauffeurs. Some weekends, I feel like I’m more familiar with the view from my windshield than anything else.
The grind of soccer travel can add stress to an already busy family life. However, it’s also what comes with the territory when your child is competing at an elite level.
Driving vs. Flying: Making the Right Call
One of the most significant decisions you’ll face is whether to drive or fly for away games. Believe me, we’ve tried it all, and over time we’ve settled into a system that works for us.
It’s not a one-size-fits-all situation, but here’s a good rule of thumb that I’ve developed over the years:
- Under 7 hours? Drive. This feels manageable, especially if you break it up with a good playlist or an audiobook, and it gives your child a chance to rest during the drive.
- 7-9 hours? Consider flying, but carpooling might make sense if a few families can split the drive.
- Over 9 hours? Fly. Anything more than 9 hours of driving becomes exhausting, not just for the parents but for the players too. Arriving at the game fresh and focused is key, and a long car ride can zap energy before the game even starts.
The Hotel vs. Day Trip Dilemma
This is where things get interesting. Do you book a hotel and make a mini-trip out of the game? Or do you attempt a day trip and save the cost of a hotel?
In our experience, it depends on several factors.
When to Stay at a Hotel
I’ve seen families who turn away games into a mini vacation, traveling in Caravans, RVs or staying in hotels for a fun family outing.
If that works for you, fantastic!
But for most families juggling work, school, and multiple commitments, it’s a balancing act.
Here’s when we typically stay at a hotel:
- Flying somewhere: If it’s a flight, you almost always want to stay overnight. Trying to juggle flights, game prep, and avoiding exhaustion is a recipe for disaster.
- Morning game with a drive over 2 hours: Waking up at 4 a.m. to drive to a game isn’t ideal for anyone, let alone an athlete who needs to perform at their best.
- Two away games on a weekend: If there’s a back-to-back game weekend, booking a hotel in between games is more relaxing than going back and forth.
- Drive over 4 hours: Anything longer than 4 hours gets tricky for a day trip, especially if the game is early in the morning or later in the evening.
Hotels are expensive, but they can also be a necessary expense. We try to be strategic about it, but sometimes staying overnight is the best option for everyone’s sanity and our son’s performance.
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When to Go for a Day Trip
On the flip side, there are situations where a day trip makes more sense, and you can skip the hotel.
- Anything under 2 hours: This is a no-brainer. A drive that’s 2 hours or less can easily be a day trip, even if the game is in the morning. It’s manageable and doesn’t require an overnight stay.
- Afternoon game with a drive under 4 hours: If the game’s later in the day, you can leave at a reasonable hour, play, and still be home for dinner.
The balance between day trips and hotel stays often comes down to budget, but also to how fresh your child will feel come game day. After all, their performance is the main focus!
Carpooling: A Lifesaver for Parents
One of the perks of youth soccer is the sense of community. Soccer parents often become close-knit, and carpooling is a great way to take some of the load off.
On long drives, you can split the duty with other families, and trust me, it makes a huge difference when you’re not the only one shouldering the burden of travel.
For longer trips (7-9 hours), we’ve had success organizing carpools, and it helps not only with reducing the stress of the drive but also with sharing the cost of gas, tolls, and parking. Plus, it’s a great way to bond with other soccer parents and create friendships that go beyond the sidelines.
Costs Add Up: How to Manage the Budget
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room: money. Traveling for soccer games can get expensive. Between gas, flights, hotels, meals, and wear-and-tear on the car, it’s important to be mindful of how much you’re spending.
While it can be tough to cut costs when your child is playing competitively, there are a few strategies to keep in mind:
- Book early: If you know you have a long-distance game coming up, try to book flights and hotels as early as possible to take advantage of lower rates.
- Use points or rewards programs: If you travel frequently, sign up for airline, hotel, and gas rewards programs. They can add up over time and help reduce the cost of travel.
- Share the load: Whether it’s carpooling or sharing a hotel room with another family, splitting expenses is one of the easiest ways to cut costs.
- Pack snacks and meals: It’s tempting to grab fast food on the road, but bringing your own food can save money and keep everyone healthier for game day.
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The Bigger Picture: It’s About More Than Just Soccer
One thing that often gets lost in the shuffle of all this travel is the fact that, yes, we’re doing this for soccer, but it’s also about the experience.
Some of my fondest memories as a parent aren’t just about the games themselves, but the time spent on the road with my daughter.
The conversations we have on long car rides, the music we listen to, the new places we explore together — it’s all part of the journey.
Of course, the travel can be exhausting and expensive, but it’s also an opportunity to bond with your child, meet new people, and see parts of the country you might not have visited.
Take It Week by Week
As much as you try to plan ahead, soccer travel has a way of throwing curveballs. Games get rescheduled, traffic jams happen, and sometimes life just gets in the way.
The best advice I can offer is to take it week by week. Plan as much as you can, but be flexible enough to roll with the punches when things don’t go as expected.
At the end of the day, traveling for soccer is part of the commitment you make when your child plays at a competitive level. It can be exhausting, but it’s also an experience that in hindsight you’ll look back on with pride and maybe even a little bit of nostalgia.
Buckle up, pack some snacks, and enjoy the ride — literally and figuratively. Soccer travel may be a wild ride, but it’s all worth it when you see your child on the field, doing what they love.
