The history of the United States is interwoven with sports, from legendary athletes and iconic moments to cultural shifts that have shaped stories and aspirations for future generations.
At the heart of that Americana, locations across the U.S. have provided a backdrop or set the stage for all the epic home runs, buzzer-beaters, touchdowns, perfect waves and championship glory.
In celebration of these grand cathedrals and milestones, several USA TODAY Network editors and writers reviewed the historic roadmap and highlighted the 50 best sports landmarks every sports fan should visit in the U.S.
The journey begins in Indiana….
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Location: Indianapolis, IN
The ‘Greatest Spectacle in Racing’ takes place on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend. Thirty-three drivers have made it through qualifying and are set up in 11 rows when the green flag is waved. The race winner gets the Borg-Warner Trophy and famously downs a bottle of milk in victory lane, a tradition that began in 1936 when race winner Louis Meyer sought buttermilk to refresh himself.
Hinkle Fieldhouse
Location: Indianapolis, IN
The hoops are still 10 feet high and the free-throw lines 15 feet away in the home of the Butler Bulldogs, immortalized as a basketball palace in the movie ‘Hoosiers.’ Flanked by the charming Butler-Tarkington neighborhood, Hinkle Fieldhouse is a worthy pilgrimage for any hoops junkie.
Assembly Hall
Location: Bloomington, IN
The Indiana Hoosiers call this home. They have played in the 17,222-seat venue since 1971 in the Big Ten Conference. Legends have made their names in the arena, and coach Bob Knight’s legacy still echoes.
Bosse Field
Location: Evansville, IN
Opened in 1915, this baseball stadium has a capacity of only 5,181. It was the first municipally owned sports stadium, and only Fenway Park and Wrigley Field have been around longer. Home to the Evansville Otters of the Frontier League, high school and American Legion games, many Hall of Famers played here before making it to the big leagues.
Hoosier Gym
Location: Knightstown, IN
An all-time underdog story! The Hickory Huskers’ home court, where the movie “Hoosiers” was shot, has become a must-see spot for sports and film fans.
Field of Dreams
Location: Dyersville, IA
‘Is this Heaven? No, it’s Iowa.’ One of the most iconic settings across the map that sports fans should visit, the site of the 1988 Kevin Costner film, ‘Field of Dreams,’ has become as synonymous with baseball as hot dogs and apple pie.
Franklin Field
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Penn’s campus is home to a few historic sports landmarks, including Franklin Field, the oldest ‘two-tiered stadium’ in the nation. Named after Benjamin Franklin, taking in a football game or watching relays from the stands is to be part of a history that dates back to the late 1800s.
The Palestra
Location: Philadelphia, PA
One of the hallowed temples of college basketball is home to the Penn Quakers. It will turn 100 on Jan. 1, 2027. There have been incredible Big Five games and nationally ranked teams upset on the court throughout the years.
Rocky Statue at Philadelphia Museum of Art
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Walk (run, sprint, if you can) up the iconic steps leading to the east entrance, where the famous statue awaits.
Wrigley Field
Location: Chicago, IL
It has been a must-see place to go for a baseball game since 1914. The Friendly Confines is the home to the Chicago Cubs and fans of many generations. The ambiance includes ivy-covered walls, bleachers, and a hand-operated scoreboard. Add a location in a residential neighborhood, and you have the hometown feel.
Rose Bowl Stadium
Location: Pasadena, CA
What was once used for the eponymous bowl game on Jan. 1 is now also the home for UCLA football. Teams from the Big Ten and Pac-8, 10, 12 faced each other in the vaunted venue through the years. Now, between 89,000 and 92,000 fill the stadium for the postseason classic—a great place to watch a football game.
Allen Fieldhouse
Location: Lawrence, KS
The University of Kansas men’s and women’s basketball teams play in the space named for the late Dr. F.C. ‘Phog’ Allen, who coached the Jayhawks for 39 years. Sportswriter Mark Whicker calls it ‘the best place in America to watch college basketball.’
Cameron Indoor Stadium
Location: Durham, NC
Camden Yards
Location: Baltimore, MD
The Baltimore Orioles’ stadium opened in 1992, and it was the place to see a baseball game. Before entering, there is a local feel of vendors selling food and wares familiar to the region. Once inside, it was an intimate and special spot to watch a game. Tickets were hard to come by then. They are more available now, and the chance to enjoy one of the best MLB stadiums is well worth the visit.
Madison Square Garden
Location: New York, NY
Home to the New York Knicks and Rangers, and host to many iconic boxing matches, the Garden is known as the ‘Mecca’ for its storied history of events. It is the fabric of New York indoor sports, a must-visit arena to check off on a sports bucket list.
Fenway Park
Location: Boston, MA
‘Cozy’ would be the perfect description for this remarkable baseball stadium. Whether it is the hand-operated scoreboard, Green Monster in left field, the ‘Pesky Pole,’ or Triangle nestled in the outfield, the oldest active ballpark in Major League Baseball beckons one and all sports fans.
Corn Palace
Location: Mitchell, SD
Located in Mitchell, South Dakota, this boasts itself as the ‘World’s Only Corn Palace.’ More than 500,000 tourists come each year to see the corn murals. This grew in 1892 and celebrates the crop-growing season. The highlight is a festival in late August every year.
Lambeau Field
Location: Green Bay, WI
Nestled in a residential neighborhood where tailgaters park in front yards, this iconic football stadium in Green Bay, Wisconsin, is known as the Frozen Tundra and home to the Green Bay Packers, one of the oldest franchises in professional football.
Yankee Stadium
Location: Bronx, NY
‘The House that Ruth Built’ has been home to world champions and Hall of Famers. Monument Park continues to grow behind the center field fence in tribute to those who played in Pinstripes and excelled. While the new version may not have the history of the original, the aura of watching baseball in the Bronx never dims.
Churchill Downs
Location: Louisville, KY
The first leg of the Triple Crown takes place at this fabled racetrack in Louisville, Kentucky. The 1 1/4-mile Run for the Roses is known as the ‘Most Exciting Two Minutes’ in sports. More than 100,000 attend, and this is considered the most iconic of Thoroughbred tracks in the United States.
Charles Schwab Field
Location: Omaha, NE
The ‘Tink!’ off the bat, followed by the roar of the crowd when you’re watching a college baseball game from the confines of Charles Schwab Field, should be recorded and kept in the Hall of Fame. It’s one of the coolest experiences in sports, and what makes the Men’s College World Series so unique and special.
Notre Dame Stadium
Location: South Bend, IN
Home of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, the ‘House that Rockne Built’ is one of the most renowned spots in all of sports, let alone college football. Constructed in 1930, the venue has been the setting for legendary teams, coaches, players, and moments, and of course, with the famed ‘Touchdown Jesus’ mural in the background.
National Baseball Hall of Fame
Location: Cooperstown, NY
America’s pastime on full display, it’s hard not to add the Baseball Hall of Fame to a list of must-see landmarks. Cooperstown sets the stage for fans to take a trip through baseball history, exploring everything from legends of the game to its historical and cultural impact, to the pioneers who worked to grow the sport, and more.
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Known as “The Greatest Stadium in the World,” this memorial to veterans opened in 1923 and has hosted the biggest sporting events in the world, including two Summer Olympic Games, two Super Bowls and the World Series. It currently is the home of the USC Trojans football team.
Augusta National Golf Club
Location: Augusta, GA
No cell phones, no problem. Walking the grounds of Augusta National, seeing Amen Corner, the Hogan Bridge, the Nelson Bridge, the Sarazen Bridge, is well worth accepting the technological no-no.
Dodger Stadium
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Walter O’ Malley’s move from Brooklyn eventually concluded with a ballpark that has some of the most stunning views in all of baseball, nestled in Chavez Ravine just outside downtown Los Angeles. Since 1962, the Dodgers have called the stadium home, a setting that has seen World Series championships and plenty of Randy Newman’s ‘I Love LA.’
Pauley Pavilion
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Ten national championships in 12 years, including seven in a row … taking in a game at the house that John Wooden built is unlike anything else in college basketball.
Arthur Ashe Stadium
Location: Queens, NY
The largest tennis stadium in the world, with a capacity of more than 23,700, this venue in Queens, New York, hosts the U.S. Open and honors Arthur Ashe, who was the first Black man to win the U.S. Open, the Australian Open, and Wimbledon.
Daytona International Speedway
Location: Daytona, FL
There are several things that a sports fan should see live — watching cars soar over 190 mph around the track at the home of ‘The Great American Race’ is one of them.
Superdome
Location: New Orleans, LA
The host of dozens of major sporting events, including eight Super Bowls (the most of any venue), five college football championships and six college basketball Final Fours, this innovative indoor stadium in New Orleans celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2025 after a rebirth caused by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
Rucker Park
Location: Harlem, NY
Opened in 1956 as a shared neighborhood and school playground, the park’s open-air Greg Marius court has been home to the hoop dreams of basketball royalty including Wilt Chamberlain and Kevin Durant, to streetball legends like Earl ‘The Goat’ Manigault and God Shamgod. Rucker is hallowed ground for streetball culture and fashion, the subject of three films.
Howard J. Lamade Stadium
Location: Williamsport, PA
The host site of the Little League World Series, the setting encompasses all that’s great about the game of baseball.
Soldier Field
Location: Chicago, IL
‘Da Bears’ may be looking farther afield (Indiana?) for a new home, but this behemoth stadium on Lake Michigan’s western shore is the NFL’s oldest stadium and has hosted some of its most memorable games, along with the first-ever Special Olympics.
Caesars Palace
Location: Las Vegas, NV
The mecca of 1980s boxing, this Las Vegas casino hosted the “Last Hurrah” – Muhammad Ali handing the heavyweight mantle to Larry Holmes in 1980 – then welcomed the intense rivalries between Sugar Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran, Marvelous Marvin Hagler and Thomas Hitman Hearns. Before that, Evel Knievel famously tried to jump a motorcycle over the fountains on New Year’s Eve in 1967.
Rickwood Field
Location: Birmingham, AL
Located in Birmingham, Alabama, Rickwood Field is the oldest existing baseball stadium in the U.S., having hosted greats ranging from Ty Cobb to Satchel Page, Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, and countless other legends.
Boston Marathon start (or finish) line
Location: Hopkinton/Boston, MA
A starting line that’s over 100 years old—Hopkinton taking that distinction in 1924—and a finish line that caps off the world’s oldest annual marathon. It’s a spectacle to behold.
Olympic City USA
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Celebrate Team USA at this spot in Colorado Springs, home to the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Museum and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Center.
International Tennis Hall of Fame
Location: Newport, RI
Time your visit right, and you’ll get to see the great Roger Federer enshrined in the summer of 2026. Regardless, with more than 30,000 historical artifacts to view and impeccable grounds—ones first manicured in 1880 as a social club for Newport’s Gilded Age summer elite—Tennis fans should add this stop to their bucket list.
Negro Leagues Baseball Museum
Location: Kansas City, MO
Located near where the Negro National League began, the NLBM pays tribute to unsung heroes of the game and monumental achievements that helped shape America’s pastime.
Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum
Location: Baltimore, MD
Not too far from the confines of Camden Yards sits 216 Emory Street, the brothel of George Herman ‘Babe’ Ruth. One of—if not the—true legends of the game, it’s a must-see destination for any baseball fan, with the home also serving as a museum that includes archives from the Baltimore Orioles, Orioles, and of course, the ‘Sultan of Swat.’
College Football Hall of Fame
Location: Atlanta, GA
In the same area as Atlanta’s famous Centennial Olympic Park, the College Football Hall of Fame turns the spotlight on the amateur legends of the game. The immersive experiences add a special touch to exploring college football history, including pioneering legends and iconic moments that have shaped the game.
Pro Football Hall of Fame
Location: Canton, OH
The pinnacle of the most popular sport in the U.S., the Pro Football Hall of Fame celebrates the game through the years while honoring the legends of the gridiron, from players to coaches and contributors.
Olympic Center
Location: Lake Placid, NY
Where a ‘Miracle on Ice’ turned the Winter Olympics into one of the greatest moments of all time in Team USA history, the grounds of the Lake Placid Village are something to behold.
Pebble Beach Golf Links
Location: Pebble Beach, CA
You’re not going to find a better view in all of golf. True, you might not find your ball, either, but the chance to take on No. 18 and the famed track nestled along Monterey Bay? It’s worth it!
Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory
Location: Louisville, KY
A lot of those famed cracks of the bats, from game-winning knocks to monumental home runs, would not be possible without Louisville Slugger. Visiting the museum and seeing how the legendary lumber is created is truly like walking in baseball history.
Banzai Pipeline
Location: Oahu, HI
The go-to spot on O’ahu’s North Shore, the Pipeline shows off the power of Mother Nature, while surfers who await the perfect set add to the incredible spectacle.
McCovey Cove
Location: San Francisco, CA
This landmark requires a kayak and life jacket, but it’s worth the added gear. Located beyond the right field wall of Oracle Park, home of the San Fransciso Giants, the cove is a popular hangout for baseball enthusiasts looking to grab a home run ball —splash hits! Named after Hall of Famer Willie McCovey, the section of the Bay has grown in popularity, too, with fans also showing off creativity with their means of flotation.
Providence Park
Location: Portland, OR
The arrival of MLS side Portland Timbers in 2011 rejuvenated this downtown Portland landmark. Nestled between the Pearl District and sprawling Washington Park, the 25,000-seat stadium’s unique atmosphere is among the Rose City’s jewels.
Cowtown Coliseum
Location: Fort Worth, TX
If you’re looking for a true slice of Americana, then look no further than the Cowtown Coliseum. The famous venue in Fort Worth, Texas, was built in the early 1900s and is the first indoor rodeo arena.
World Golf Hall of Fame
Location: Pinehurst, NC
New location, same cool experience for any golf fan. The World Golf Hall of Fame, now located in Pinehurst, NC, has everything from major championship trophies to memorabilia that turns a spotlight on the game’s long-standing history.