Auto Racing: The Music City Raceway, 3302 Ivy Point Rd., Goodlettsville (tel. 615/876-0981), is the place to catch National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) drag-racing action. And, for the next few years, you can catch the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix at Nashville Superspeedway in Wilson County while the new Titans Stadium is being constructed (musiccitygp.com).

Baseball: The Nashville Sounds (tel. 615/242-4371), a AAA team affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers, play at First Tennessee Park stadium (19 Jr Gilliam Way), which opened in 2015 on the edge of Germantown and downtown. Tickets range from $10 to $38, but many locals opt to purchase a cheap ticket and hang out in The Band Box, a 4,000-square-foot outdoor bar and restaurant located in right field that also offers Ping-Pong, cornhole, pool, board games, table hockey, and shuffleboard. The bar/restaurant has a full bar including signature frozen cocktails including a Jack Daniel’s & Coke flavor and a Creamsicle flavor that’s basically a drinkable orange sherbert push pop for adults. The Band Box also frequently invites local chefs in to create gourmet hot dogs, Italian beef sandwiches, and more, so it’s a great place to eat, drink, hang out, and socialize even if you don’t care much about baseball. 

Football: Having made several play-off appearances, the Tennessee Titans draw loyal crowds to the 68,000-seat Nissan Stadium on the banks of the Cumberland River. The stadium is at 1 Titans Way (tel. 615/565-4200). Whether you’re going to attend a game or not, be aware that traffic downtown will back up before and after games, so be sure you’re somewhere you can stay put on gamedays (typically Sun afternoons) during those times.

Hockey: Nashville’s NHL hockey team, the Nashville Predators (tel. 615/770-PUCK [7825]), play in front of raucous crowds from October to April. Arguably the best sports show in the city, the Preds have been a fan favorite for years but especially since their 2017 Stanley Cup run, during which they eventually lost to the Pittsburg Penguins in game six. In recent years, the arena has undergone $8.5-million worth of improvements including a new audio system specifically designed for Bridgestone, which is consistently ranked the loudest arena in professional hockey. It also features new glass that is safer for players and has more give, which means it will bounce and rock more, which fans love.   

Horse Shows: As much a social event as a horserace, the Iroquois Steeplechase (tel. 615/591-2991) is held annually on the second Saturday in May. This is one of the oldest steeplechase races in the country and is held in Percy Warner Park in the Belle Meade area. 

Soccer: It took several years for the Nashville Soccer Club (nashvillesc.com)—Nashville SC—to take hold in Music City,  but take hold it has. The Major League Soccer (MLS) team now plays to crowds of 30,000 at the   $275-million stadium project now known as Geodis Park. If you ever saw Nashville SC play at Bridgestone or the Sounds stadium while the park was under construction, go back—seeing the team play on their own turf, literally, is an electric, inspiring experience. Bonus: Geodis is also starting to host headliners like Green Day when the team’s not on the field, so look for that it to grow as a concert destination.

 

 

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.