The best US destinations for sports fans

Cheering on your favorite sports team while watching games from the couch is fun. But everyone knows it’s even better to cheer the team on in person. In these sports-centric destinations, the thrills exist inside — and outside — the stadiums and arenas.

Arlington, Texas

You’ll want to play ball in Arlington. A 2026 World Cup host city, it’s also the home of the Dallas Cowboys and AT&T Stadium, one of the “most impressive dome stadiums in the NFL” with the “largest retractable roof” and “largest high-definition screen” in the league, said Fox Sports.

Visitors can go behind the scenes on a guided stadium tour, stepping into exclusive areas and learning more about the facility’s contemporary art museum. Round out your Arlington experience by hitting a Texas Rangers or Dallas Wings game, experiencing the immersive International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame, and enjoying an evening at the Texas Live! dining and entertainment complex.

Boston

With its “championship teams, iconic stadiums and passionate fan base,” Boston is tops for sports fans, said Travel and Leisure. Fenway Park, home of the Red Sox, is Major League Baseball’s oldest ballpark, dating back to 1912.

You can take an hour-long tour or the 75-minute version that brings you to the field level. For those on a time crunch, the park offers Fenway in Fifteen, a quick quarter-hour journey around the beloved stadium. All of Boston’s teams and their biggest stars are honored at TD Garden’s Sports Museum, featuring exhibitions on the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots and Red Sox, and sculptures of Larry Bird and Ted Williams.

Green Bay, Wisconsin

Football and Green Bay go hand in hand. The city has a “deep-rooted sports culture” that is “highlighted” by the Green Bay Packers, said WalletHub. Tickets to games at the “iconic” Lambeau Field are often a “reasonable” price because the team is a nonprofit franchise, and being surrounded by the Packers’ loyal and “enthusiastic” fans adds to the experience. Consider going all out and tailgate, or watch the game while enjoying cheese curds and wings at Stadium View Bar, bratwurst at Johnsonville Tailgate Village or bloody marys at Anduzzi’s Sports Club.

Kansas City, Missouri

In Kansas City, “new sports find a warm welcome” and “sports history has a place of honor,” said writer David Von Drehle at The Washington Post. The Kansas City Chiefs may have the most name recognition, but there’s also the Kansas City Current women’s soccer team and a “baseball team with a couple of World Series trophies,” aka the Kansas City Royals.

This summer, Kansas City will be a World Cup host city, but its “fingerprints” will be on the entire tournament; games are being played across the U.S. in “stadiums designed by architects from Kansas City, the world capital of sports stadium design.” No trip to the city is complete without a visit to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, which “delightfully” showcases how athletes serve as “engines of culture and social progress.”

Los Angeles

Yes, there are nearly a dozen major sports teams based in Los Angeles, including the storied Dodgers, Lakers and Kings, plus new powerhouses like Angel City FC. But LA and its environs are also known for pickup basketball games in the park, impromptu soccer matches in neighborhood fields and beach volleyball games that last for hours.

When you’re not at a match (or joining a game with locals), tour the historic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, go surfing, hike the famous Runyon Canyon loop or show off your athletic prowess at Highland Park Bowl, a lovingly restored 1927 bowling alley where “old pinsetters serve as chandeliers,” said the Los Angeles Times.

Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota

When it comes to supporting women’s sports, the Twin Cities can’t be beat. Both the championship-winning WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx and PWHL’s Minnesota Frost draw enthusiastic crowds, and the University of Minnesota’s Golden Gophers women’s hockey team has “one of the best fan atmospheres anywhere,” said The Athletic. If you want to watch a game in a more intimate environment, head to A Bar of Their Own in Minneapolis, the first sports bar in the Twin Cities that shows only women’s sports.

Philadelphia

Whatever the game, you can find it in Philly. This is one of the “most impassioned sports cities in the country,” said Axios Philadelphia, and one of four locations in North America that is home to an MLB (Phillies), NFL (Eagles), NBA (76ers) and NHL (Flyers) team.

They all play at the Philadelphia Sports Complex, where nearly 400 events are held every year at the Xfinity Mobile Arena, Citizens Bank Park and Lincoln Financial Field facilities. Expect to get caught up in “contagious enthusiasm,” whether that’s at an Eagles game where fans “unitedly sing ‘Fly, Eagles, Fly’ after every win” or on the street, where you’ll likely run into people who “incessantly shout ‘Go Birds’ at passerby.” For the full experience, time your visit so you can attend an “epic” watch party or tailgate, where “everyone’s invited.”