Iowa football is heading to the Citrus Bowl. Here's how to get there and what to do in Orlando

Hawkeye fans will have the chance to spend their holidays in Orlando as the Iowa football team moves on to the Citrus Bowl for a New Year's Day showdown with Kentucky.

Despite Iowa's regular season ending on a sour note Saturday night, losing 42-3 to Michigan in the Big Ten championship game, they still got in the Big Ten's second-highest bowl affiliation outside of the College Football Playoff (which included Michigan). At one point, the Hawkeyes were ranked No. 2 in the country. Iowa recorded 10 regular season wins for only the fourth time in Kirk Ferentz's tenure.

For many Iowa Fans, travel plans start as soon as the bowl game is announced. Here is some travel information to help you get there:

Bowl Packages

Camping World Stadium features several premium options, including luxury suites, midfield loge boxes, indoor club seating and on-field bunker suites. If you're planning to travel with friends or family, group tickets are available at a discounted price, according to the Citrus Bowl website.

ADA tickets are also available to purchase on the Citrus Bowl Website.

The Vrbo Citrus Bowl Pep Rally will be on New Year's Eve from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at Pointe Orlando. The band and cheerleaders from the participating team will perform and the head coach will make a special appearance to fire up the crowd before game day.

Vrbo Citrus Bowl FanFest will be on New Year's Day from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Tinker Field next to Camping World Stadium. That will feature interactive games, inflatables and face painting. Admission is free and local vendors will sell a wide selection of food and beverages.

More: How to watch Iowa football vs. Kentucky in the 2022 Citrus Bowl game

Travel

Iowa fans who drive to Orlando will be faced with an 18-hour drive from Iowa City. For those who opt to fly, a round trip flight between Dec. 27, 2021 to Jan. 3, 2022 from Des Moines to Orlando starts at $650.

Flights from Minneapolis or Chicago are less expensive. A round trip flight from Minneapolis to Orlando between Dec. 27, 2021 to Jan. 3, 2022 starts at $500. The cost from Chicago starts at $430.

Lodging

Camping World Stadium is an 11-minute drive from Orlando Executive Airport and a 22-minute drive from Orlando International Airport.

Prices for hotels shoot up for dates around game time. Lodging near Camping World Stadium ranges from $50 to $300 per night. Hotels near the Orlando Executive Airport range from $195 to $350 a night. Near Orlando International Airport, prices range from $50 to $300 per night.

Here's where to eat and drink in

For meat-lovers, Priceless Bar-B-Que By Ray, a food truck located at 1831 West Central Blvd, is a five minute walk from Camping World Stadium. It offers chicken sandwiches, wings and ribs — meals starting at $7.

For those who are craving some seafood, Notcho Momma's Seafood is a 10-minute walk from the stadium and located on 18 North Dollins Ave. It offers fish baskets, shrimp or you can build your own platter — meals starting at $7.

What else is there to do?

Orlando is home to Walt Disney World and its four theme parks, the Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney's Hollywood Studios and Disney's Animal Kingdom. Iowans seeking a respite from the cold winter could cool off at Disney's Blizzard Beach Water Park or Disney's Typhoon Lagoon Water Park.

Movie fans can head to Universal Studios' Parks and Resorts where they can go to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, fly with E.T. to his home planet on E.T. Adventure or crash through Krustyland on the Simpsons Ride.

Fans seeking an underwater adventure can head to SeaWorld and watch playful groups of bottlenose dolphins, explore an Empire Penguin habitat or pet stingrays in a stingray lagoon. Thrill seekers can "soar like a ray" at 55 mph on the Manta coaster or ride the Mako "hyper coaster" with nine zero-g sections and speeds up to 73 mph.

Football fans who want turn want to take in some NBA action could catch the defending NBA Finals Champion Milwaukee Bucks take on the Orlando Magic at 7 p.m. Dec. 28 and Dec. 30. Their home, the Amway Center, is just a mile east of Camping World Stadium.

Fans who want to stay away from theme parks or other sports can find plenty of things to do in Orlando's downtown. The Thornton Park District offers an array of shops and shops on a cobblestone street. Lake Eola Park in Orlando's downtown could be a perfect place for a peaceful stroll before the game. CityArts Factory and the Orange County Regional History Center could be two more artsy stops on a sports-heavy trip.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa football in the Citrus Bowl. How to get to Orlando, what to do.