NFC EAST

Joe’s favorite training camp: Definitely the Eagles on the campus of Lehigh University. It’s a pretty setting and only an hour’s drive south of Philadelphia. There’s more variety in the area after practice versus the Giants’ and Redskins’ camps.

DALLAS COWBOYS

Road tripping: In addition to divisional road games at New York, Philadelphia and Washington, Dallas heads west to Arizona, north to Minnesota and Green Bay, and back east to Indianapolis. The Boys also venture south, visiting the Texans in Houston.

Recommended road trips: A short flight or a four-hour drive down to Houston for the Sept. 26 “Battle of Texas” is just an appetizer (Dallas also plays a preseason game there on Aug. 28). For options on the main course, follow the Cowboys as they open the season in prime time on Sept. 12 against arch-rival Washington, looking to spoil the Redskins coaching debut of Mike Shanahan. It's a great time to visit the Nation’s Capitol; most of the kids are gone back to school and the tourist population has dwindled. Following the opener, you could take the train on Monday up the I-95 corridor to catch a game at the New Meadowlands Stadium as the Jets host the Ravens.

If the September timeframe doesn’t work for you, consider holding off until Nov. 14 when the Cowboys visit the New Meadowlands Stadium to tackle the Giants. But you may just want to save your November trip on a visit to storied Lambeau Field as Dallas visit Green Bay on Nov. 7.

For preseason trips, the ‘Boys play in the Hall of Fame game in Canton, Ohio, Aug. 8, a day after former Cowboy Emmitt Smith goes into Hall. If you go out to California to see training camp, head down I-5 to San Diego for the Aug. 21 preseason game against the Chargers.

Visiting training camp (open to the public): Dallas will split time between San Antonio (July 24-Aug. 6) and Oxnard, Calif. (Aug. 14-27). They’ll train inside the air conditioned and artificial turf confines of the Alamo Dome in San Antonio, 275 miles south of Dallas, and there are plenty of seats available. In the Golden State, the Cowboys will practice at the Marriott Residence Inn River Ridge Complex in Oxnard, which boasts a natural grass surface. Oxnard is 60 miles north of Los Angeles and boasts cool Pacific breezes, too. Nearby sites include seaside Santa Barbara, which is about 40 miles north, and the beaches of Ventura, 10 miles north.

Cowboys camp starts a bit earlier this year because the team plays in the Hall of Fame game, Aug. 8 against Cincinnati, with former Cowboy Emmitt Smith enshrined the day before. While in San Antonio, head to the Alamo; the Riverwalk; visit the Missions; or catch the Missions, a minor league baseball team, that is. For more information on Cowboys camp, including practice access, visit www.dallascowboys.com or call (972) 556-9900.

NEW YORK GIANTS

Road tripping: Outside of traditional road games at Philadelphia, Washington and Dallas, the G-Men head west to Seattle, Minnesota, Green Bay, Houston and Indianapolis.

Recommended road trips: One of the last new NFL stadiums to open before the New Meadowlands was Lucas Oil Stadium in 2008. Eli Manning and the Giants make their first visit their on Sept. 19 for a prime-time tilt against Peyton Manning and the defending AFC Champion Colts in the “Battle of the Mannings.” If you’re game, consider flying into Cincinnati and catching the Ravens-Bengals 1 p.m. game at riverfront Paul Brown Stadium that same day. With a rental car, you can make the two-hour drive to Indianapolis with time to tailgate before the 8:20 p.m. kickoff.

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Or consider a getaway to the Lone Star State as the Giants visit Houston, Oct. 10, and then the Cowboys, Oct. 25. While in Texas, rent a car to explore the state’s attractions, including excellent college football at Texas and Texas A&M, or NBA hoops in Dallas, Houston or San Antonio.

The G-Men also play at Green Bay, although the timing — Dec. 26 — is less than ideal for holiday travel and this wouldn’t exactly be an ideal time to go for a skinny dip in Green Bay.

Visiting training camp (open to the public): The G-Men will train again at the University of Albany, 150 miles north of New York City. University Field, home to the school’s I-AA team, offers fans plenty of seating to watch practice. In Albany, be sure to visit the architectural marvel that is the state capitol. Historic Saratoga Race Course is 35 miles north in Saratoga Springs, offering horse racing and more. If that wasn’t enough, the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame is also in Saratoga Springs. Cooperstown, home of the National Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum, is about 70 miles west of Albany. For more information on practice access, visit www.giants.com or call 518-442-7369.

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

Road tripping: The Eagles’ wings have them setting aloft west to the Music City, the Motor City, the Windy City and they’ll venture all the way to San Francisco while also heading south to Jacksonville. Those trips, in addition to visits to the Giants, Washington and Dallas, will keep the Eagles busy.

Recommended road trips: Feeling nostalgic? Remember the New Year’s Eve Day Fog Bowl game? Sure you do — because it happened in Chicago — and because the Eagles lost (sorry). Well, chances are you won’t have fog this time around when the Eagles visit Soldier Field on  Nov. 28 — but it’ll probably be pretty windy so bundle up. But visiting Chicago on Thanksgiving weekend will be fun, with the city bustling with holiday cheer. And if that isn’t inspiring enough, consider renting a car and heading south three hours to catch the Colts host the Chargers in prime time at 8:20 p.m. that night.

For an alternative, consider making the pilgrimage to Jerry Jones’ personal Taj Majal, Cowboys Stadium, on Dec. 12, to see if the Eagles make Tony Romo cry in his beer. The next day, Dec. 13, hit the road south to Houston to catch the Ravens battle the Texans at Reliant Stadium on Monday Night Football. On your way back to “Big D,” take a detour to the state capitol of Austin and then head up I-35W, stopping in Waco to visit the Texas Sports Museum.

Visiting training camp (open to the public): The Eagles train 60 miles south of Philadelphia at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Penn. Lehigh is a Division I-AA program with one of college football’s biggest rivalries against Lafayette in Easton, 17 miles away (it’s the longest uninterrupted battle in college football, dating back to 1897). Lehigh has excellent practice facilities and fans have solid sightlines to enjoy the festivities on a lovely campus.

Rookies and selected veterans are scheduled to report July 26 with the remainder of the team is scheduled to report July 29. The Eagles break camp on Aug. 18. While in the area, check out a minor league baseball game at Coca-Cola Park. The Lehigh Iron Pigs are the Phillies’ Triple-A affiliate. There are also a ton of parks in the area to enjoy. Tip: If you’re going to visit Aug. 6-15, plan ahead for extra company and to book your hotel in advance. Musikfest is a popular annual event. For more information on Eagles training camp, visit www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/TrainingCamp.html or call (610) 758-6868.

WASHINGTON REDSKINS

Road tripping: The ’Skins’ out-of-division away schedule has them visiting Nashville, Jacksonville, St. Louis, Chicago and Detroit, in addition to their yearly jaunts to the Giants, Philadelphia and Dallas.

Recommended road trips: Consider flying to Chicago or Detroit to catch the ’Skins play in those cities on Oct. 24 and 31. In between games, explore the rich sports fabric of both cities. Chicago has the National Italian-American Sports Hall of Fame and Museum, plus both the Blackhawks and Bulls will be playing then. In the Motor City, catch a Red Wings or Pistons tilt. You could also make the pilgrimage to South Bend, Ind. for some college football. The Irish host Tulsa on Oct. 30. An additional idea includes catching the ’Skins at Tennessee on Nov. 21. Nashville will be all lit up in its holiday glory by then, and hopefully even Opryland will have reopened after the recent floods.

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Finally, Redskins fans born to drive the I-95 should catch the team’s first game at the New Meadowlands Stadium on Dec. 5. Time and adventure-meter permitting, on the way back down I-95, see if you can make it to Baltimore to catch the Ravens in prime-time at 8:20 p.m. host the Steelers that night.

Visiting training camp (open to the public): The Redskins hold their camp out in the country at Redskins Park, their practice facility in Ashburn in Loudoun County, Va., about 35 miles northeast of Washington, DC. This isn’t one of my favorite locations for camp, given its remote location and the poor sight lines. But if you like the outdoors and natural beauty, there are a ton of great parks in the area. The team also hosts an annual Fan Appreciation Day which gets crowded, so arrive early. For more information, including practice access, visit www.redskins.com or call 703-726-7411.

Joe Connor is a contributor to NBCSports.com and author of the annually-updated online training camp and stadium guide, “A Fan’s Guide To The Ultimate NFL Travel Experience” which is available for purchase exclusively at his Web site: www.mrsportstravel.com.