Tennessee Smokies baseball
A minor league affiliate of the Chicago Cubs, the Smokies take to the field at Smokies Stadium, located in a rural setting near Knoxville. The 6,000-seater, built in 2000, has an in-house restaurant. Fans file into the Double Play Cafe vying for choice tables overlooking the field. As at most minor league venues, there are regular special events and wacky promotions, and fireworks blast on Friday nights.
Smokies Stadium, 3540 Line Drive, Kodak, Tenn. smokiesbaseball.com.
Rusty Wallace Racing Experience
Nashville Superspeedway continues to be one of the host tracks for this racing fan’s dream. After a classroom session, wannabe drivers step into their own track-ready vehicle. Solo driving experiences range from three to 50 laps. The more advanced packages include the opportunity to slide into a racing suit and receive personal coaching. Ride-along experiences put you in the passenger seat, with a professional instructor behind the wheel. It all takes place on the speedway’s oval track, which measures 1 1/3 miles.
Nashville Superspeedway, 4847 McCreary Road, Lebanon, Tenn. racewithrusty.com/project/nashville-super-speedway.
Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame
Located inside Bridgestone Arena, this interactive museum not only tips its ball cap to state sports legends, but tells the story of Tennessee sports beginning in the 1800s. Helmets, jerseys and other memorabilia linked to everyone from Peyton Manning to Pat Summitt fill glass cases. Those honored in the hall include athletes, coaches and sportswriters. Hands-on activities include a virtual reality basketball game, an Olympic swimmer’s strength-training machine, NASCAR video games and more. Kids can even suit up as a Nashville Predator or Tennessee Titan.
501 Broadway, Nashville. 615-242-4750, tshf.net.
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