Super Bowl LX: Silicon Valley's Championship Moment

The San Francisco Bay Area is preparing to host its most anticipated sporting event in a decade. On February 8, 2026, Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara will welcome the AFC and NFC champions for Super Bowl LX, marking the 60th anniversary of professional football's ultimate championship game. The game kicks off at 6:30 PM ET, with Grammy Award-winning global superstar Bad Bunny headlining the Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show, making history as the first Latin male artist to headline a Super Bowl halftime performance.

The Super Bowl LX logo on a Santa Clara VTA Light Rail Car. Photo Credit: Aaron M. Sprecher / Contributor, Getty Images Sport

Santa Clara stands out as the only American city hosting both the Super Bowl and FIFA World Cup matches in 2026, transforming the region into an unprecedented celebration of international sport. The city has embraced this unique moment with its "Where the Mission Meets the Moment" campaign. Levi's Stadium, the $1.3 billion technological marvel that opened in 2014 and previously hosted Super Bowl 50, will showcase its cutting-edge capabilities to an estimated 75,000 attendees and millions of global viewers.

The week surrounding the game transforms the entire Bay Area into a festival of football culture. Super Bowl Opening Night takes place Monday, February 2, at the San Jose Convention Center. The Pro Bowl Games moves to Super Bowl week for the first time, bringing the league's top players together for an AFC versus NFC flag football showdown at Moscone Center on Tuesday, February 3. The Bay Area's distinctive blend of world-class hospitality, Michelin-starred cuisine, and vineyard-draped landscapes positions this Super Bowl as an experience that transcends the game itself.

Aerial Skyline view of Santa Clara, CA. Photo Credit: Dee Liu, iStock / Getty Images PLus

The Path to Glory

The race to Super Bowl LX remains intensely competitive, with both conferences presenting compelling championship narratives. The playoff field of fourteen teams will battle through Wild Card weekend on January 10–12, followed by Divisional rounds on January 17–18, and culminating in Conference Championships on January 25.

In the NFC, the Los Angeles Rams have emerged as favorites, boasting the league's top-ranked offense and third-ranked defense. The Rams lead the NFL in scoring at 30.5 points per game and total yards at 396.7 yards per game, with quarterback Matthew Stafford cementing his MVP credentials by leading the league with 40 passing touchdowns—eight more than any other player. Los Angeles holds victories over current playoff contenders including Seattle, San Francisco, Detroit, Houston, and Jacksonville, with their four losses by six points or less.

The Seattle Seahawks command the NFC's top defensive unit, allowing just 18.6 points per game while maintaining the league's best rush defense at 3.7 yards per play. Seattle can secure the NFC West division title and potentially claim the conference's top seed. The Philadelphia Eagles, having clinched the NFC East division title, bring playoff experience to their championship pursuit. The San Francisco 49ers could enjoy the unique circumstance of playing a "home" Super Bowl should they reach Santa Clara in February.

The AFC presents an equally compelling narrative. The Denver Broncos clinched the AFC West—the first division championship for a team other than the Kansas City Chiefs in nine years—and can secure the conference's number one seed with a victory in their final game. Quarterback Bo Nix has elevated his play during Denver's playoff push.

The New England Patriots and Jacksonville Jaguars remain in contention for the conference's top seed, creating a three-team race for the first-round bye and home-field advantage. The Buffalo Bills and Houston Texans have secured playoff berths, while the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers battle for the AFC North division title in a Week 18 showdown.

Five-Star Stays in the Heart of Innovation

The Bay Area's premier properties elevate the Super Bowl experience beyond mere lodging. With hotel rooms across the region expected to sell out quickly and many properties enforcing three- to four-night minimum stays, securing accommodations is the first step to an unforgettable championship weekend.

The Clement Hotel in Palo Alto redefines the all-inclusive concept with its urban resort atmosphere. This exclusive property features just 21 one-bedroom suites and two single rooms, ensuring intimate, personalized service. Each suite features meticulous appointments, including striated stone heated floors and expansive bathrooms with both soaking tubs and rainfall showers. The all-inclusive rate eliminates transactional friction, covering all food and beverage, valet parking, internet access, and minibar consumption, with the minibar stocked according to guest preferences. The rooftop pool offers panoramic views of Stanford University's campus, creating an oasis minutes from Silicon Valley's corporate headquarters and a short drive to Levi's Stadium.

Stanford University. PHoto Credit: TC397, iStock / Getty Images Plus.

Four Seasons Hotel Silicon Valley at East Palo Alto delivers the brand's signature excellence with contemporary sophistication suited to the region's innovative spirit. The hotel's strategic location provides proximity to both Levi's Stadium and San Francisco's cultural attractions, making it an ideal base for guests seeking to experience the full spectrum of Bay Area offerings. The property's spa facilities offer respite from game-day excitement, while its dining venues showcase California's agricultural bounty through seasonally focused menus.

For those preferring San Francisco's urban energy, The St. Regis San Francisco stands as a beacon of luxury in the SoMa district. The Forbes Five-Star property combines Beaux-Arts elegance with modern amenities. The signature St. Regis Butler Service anticipates every need from unpacking luggage to securing impossible restaurant reservations. The property's proximity to the city's finest dining and cultural institutions positions guests at the epicenter of Super Bowl week celebrations. The hotel's Vitrine restaurant showcases California cuisine elevated to art, while the bar serves as a gathering place for San Francisco's creative and business elite.

The Skyline of San Francisco at night. Photo Credit: FrankPeters, iStock / Getty Images Plus

Bay Area Michelin-Starred Culinary Excellence

The Bay Area's dining scene rivals any global destination, with a concentration of Michelin-starred restaurants unmatched in the Americas. San Francisco and the greater Bay Area together claim more Michelin stars than any other destination in North and South America.

The Plumed Horse in Saratoga has maintained its Michelin star for fifteen consecutive years under Executive Chef Peter Armellino's leadership. Since 1952, this South Bay institution has been a beacon of fine dining, occupying a unique position as both a destination for traveling gourmands and a landmark for locals. The restaurant offers a chef's tasting menu composed of multiple courses featuring ingredients sourced from local farms and fishermen. À la carte options are available during select seatings. The restaurant's atmosphere encourages guests to dress for the occasion—suits, sport coats, and elegant attire typically earn the finest tables.

In San Francisco, Atelier Crenn represents the pinnacle of culinary artistry. Chef Dominique Crenn earned her third Michelin star in 2019, becoming the first woman in the United States to achieve this distinction. The restaurant eschews traditional French conventions in favor of what Crenn describes as "poetic culinaria"—a modernist approach to sustainability that showcases seafood and vegetables through sophisticated techniques. The menu contains no meat and limited dairy, focusing on California's coastal waters and agricultural valleys. The ten-course tasting menu unfolds like a performance, with pastry chef Juan Contreras creating desserts that are both intellectually stimulating and deeply satisfying.

The Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco. Photo Credit: John Nilsson, iStock / Getty Images Plus

Quince in San Francisco's Jackson Square district celebrates its storied history while embracing contemporary California cuisine. Chefs Lindsay and Michael Tusk maintain the restaurant's three-Michelin-star status through an exclusive relationship with the 25-acre Fresh Run Farm, ensuring complete control over growing practices. In honor of the restaurant's 20th anniversary, the Tusks refreshed the dining room while preserving its early 1900s character. The restaurant offers an eight-to-ten-course gastronomy menu nightly, while the Bolinas Bar provides a more intimate five-course experience. Pasta remains a highlight—the agnolotti filled with white asparagus exemplifies the kitchen's technical precision. Local lamb cooked in the fireplace arrives with fava beans, green garlic, and edible blossoms, accompanied by fresh-baked bread.

Beyond the Game

February 2026 marks the 50th anniversary of the "Judgment of Paris," the historic 1976 blind tasting where Napa Valley wines outperformed their French counterparts and forever altered American winemaking. This anniversary creates a compelling opportunity to explore the wineries that made history. Begin at Chateau Montelena, whose 1973 Chardonnay took first among whites in the Paris competition. Continue to Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, where the 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon earned top honors among reds. Add Grgich Hills Estate—founded by Mike Grgich, the winemaker behind Chateau Montelena's winning Chardonnay—for a complete historical narrative.

The Napa Valley Wine Train's Legacy Experience offers an alternative perspective, pairing rolling vineyard views with tastings and rich historical context. February also brings Napa Valley's wild mustard season, when bright yellow blooms carpet the vineyards in a spectacular display. Top viewing occurs mid-February, with locations like Laird Family Estate offering sweeping panoramic views ideal for photography.

The Napa Valley Wine Train. Photo Credit: Pgiam, iStock / Getty Images Plus.

The Napa Valley Mustard Celebration officially kicks off January 17, 2026, at Silverado Resort, featuring pours from Napa Valley wineries and mustard-inspired cuisine. The concurrent Napa Valley Lighted Art Festival (January 17–February 15, 2026) transforms downtown Napa into an open-air gallery with illuminated sculptures and 3D projections.

Recently opened tasting rooms showcase the region's architectural evolution. Auteur in Healdsburg's Russian River Valley represents the pinnacle of 2025's new openings—its hilltop estate boasts panoramic vineyard views through a 50-foot-long wall of windows, with natural woods and a charred redwood fireplace creating warmth on fog-shrouded winter days. Winemaker Kenneth Juhasz has spent more than twenty years building a cult following for Auteur's elegant coastal Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays.

Vineyards in Napa Valley, CAlifornia. Photo Credit: TraceRouda, iStock / Getty Images Plus

San Francisco itself offers countless diversions during Super Bowl week. The city's iconic cable cars provide passage through neighborhoods ranging from Fisherman's Wharf to Nob Hill. The Golden Gate Bridge demands attention whether viewed from the Presidio, walked across on a February morning, or photographed from Marin County. Santana Row in San Jose presents an upscale outdoor shopping district featuring luxury boutiques and five-star restaurants in a European-inspired setting that has become California's most profitable retail destination. The Computer History Museum in Mountain View offers Silicon Valley's technological narrative through exhibits spanning from ancient abacuses to modern computing breakthroughs.

Seamless Travel

For discerning travelers seeking seamless access to this unprecedented celebration, Air Charter Guide connects clients with charter operators delivering direct service to the Bay Area's primary airports, ensuring arrival on your schedule. The journey to Silicon Valley's championship moment should match the caliber of the destination.