Forget about the weather and the palm trees. Ignore the killer waves, the velvety sand and the sweet, juicy pineapple. June Jones has more important reasons he's excited about staying home for a bowl game -- a prime television slot and the opportunity to play tour guide, toting his team around the island to sites unseen.

Consider it a week-long, 85-man sleepover, complete with luaus, luncheons and an ocean view room on Waikiki Beach.

"We get the full taste of a bowl with the convenience of being home," Jones said. "It couldn't be any better."

He's not just saying that. The team stayed home in 1999, defeating Oregon State 23-17 in the Jeep Oahu Bowl. And Jones couldn't wait to do it again.

This year, Hawaii will play Tulane in the ConAgra Foods Hawaii Bowl. The team will practice at the university, but stay at the Sheraton Moana Surfrider, the oldest and most prestigious resort on Waikiki Beach. The bowl has already scheduled a luau, a pep rally, lunch at the hotel, dinner at Outback Steakhouse and, best of all, a trip to Pearl Harbor.

NCAA rules prohibit Jones from taking his team to such tourist destinations during the year, making the trip to Pearl Harbor an extra bonus. On a wall inside Jones' office, he still has the team picture from the '99 visit to the memorial.

"We finally get to become tourists in our own state," Jones said. "Even for our local kids, it's amazing how many haven't been to Pearl Harbor. Plus they get to stay in a nice hotel, stare at the stars and realize why so many people enjoy coming here."

The situation is similar in Boise, Idaho, where Boise State will play Iowa State on its trademark blue turf in the Crucial.com Humanitarian Bowl. It's the third time in four years that Boise State will stay home, but the first that they've scheduled a team-wide snowmobile trip to the Idaho mountains.

"I'm not sure how that works (with 85 guys), but I guess we'll find out," head coach Dan Hawkins said. "The guys are excited about it."

For Jones, the Hawaii coach, the other big perk of the Hawaii Bowl is a prime time television slot on Christmas night. As Jones sees it, many families will be finishing their holiday meal just as kickoff begins.

In 1999, Jones said the Oahu Bowl was one of the most-watched bowls because of its attractive slot on television. Hawaii's three appearances on ESPN this season averaged a 1.36 rating. But it's 1999 Oahu appearance was a 2.36, translating roughly to 1.8 million homes. Jones expects even better numbers this year.

"That type of exposure is priceless," Jones said. "In between commercials, they'll show Diamondhead, they'll show the people surfing and everyone back East will want to get on planes and come here. That's a bonus not only for the school, but the state as a whole."

Wayne Drehs is a staff writer at ESPN.com. He can be reached at wayne.drehs@espn3.com.