Nashville, TN

With professional football, hockey and baseball teams, beautiful scenery, fishing and hunting opportunities, a variety of parks and a growing greenway, Nashville has plenty to offer in the realm of sports and recreation for both active types and those who simply prefer to cheer along.

Professional Sports
The Nashville Sports Council was founded in 1992 to bring tourism dollars into the city and heighten the awareness of Nashville as a sports destination. The NSC has been instrumental in having Music City host scores of sports events that translate into millions in economic impact. The NSC also helped bring the National Football League’s Tennessee Titans and the National Hockey League’s Nashville Predators to the city. Other sporting attractions in town include the Nashville Sounds Class AAA minor league baseball team, which plays its summertime games just south of downtown in Greer Stadium, and the annual 26.2-mile Country Music Marathon and Half-Marathon in April.

Lakes and Natural Areas
Regardless of what might float your boat‚ Davidson County is home to three lakes that will surely satisfy one’s thirst for being on or near the water. For those seeking a wide range of water-related recreational opportunities‚ the best bet is to head north or east of Nashville. Those looking for a more serene lake experience should motor south of town. J. Percy Priest and Old Hickory lakes‚ both of which are managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers‚ offer a variety of activities such as boating‚ fishing‚ swimming and camping. Radnor Lake‚ which is run by Tennessee State Parks and is located eight miles south of downtown Nashville‚ is ideal for the peace and quiet of passive recreational pursuits. J. Percy Priest Lake has 31 recreation areas‚ nearly 500 camping sites‚ eight swimming areas and 31 boat docks. Old Hickory has 65 recreation areas‚ 590 camping sites‚ 11 swimming areas and 56 boat ramps. Since the main mission of Radnor Lake is wildlife preservation‚ “we list ours as passive recreation‚” says Steve Ward‚ the park’s manager. “People come here for different reasons‚ but the primary reason is quantity and quality of wildlife here.” Radnor Lake has six miles of hiking trails‚ and jogging and bicycling are allowed on the park’s paved road. Visitors can also take ranger-led canoe floats on the lake from late April to early October in addition to other scheduled events.

Growing Greenways
Nashville has more than 40 miles of greenways‚ and the Parks and Greenways Master Plan aims to grow that to 210 miles eventually. Existing paths include the Richland Creek Greenway, a two-and-a-half-mile scenic trail that winds around McCabe Golf Course‚ which was the site of Nashville’s first airport. The trail opened in 2007 and connects the neighborhoods of Sylvan Park and Cherokee Park with the shopping centers and entertainment areas of White Bridge Road‚ is designed sort of like an airplane propeller. It also passes by the site of Nashville’s worst-ever train wreck‚ and users can pause to read a plaque that tells the story. Richland Creek is just one of the greenways Nashville has developed since the commission was created in 1992. The Harpeth River Greenway at Morton Mill Road was the first‚ and the city’s crown jewel is the Shelby Bottoms Greenway and Nature Park. It offers five miles of paved multiuse trails and another five miles of primitive hiking trails. The 810-acre park is a haven for migrating birds and other wildlife.

Golf Galore
The region’s mild climate and large number of public and private golf courses make it possible to get a tee time almost any month of the year. Nashville features three resort courses – the Gaylord Opryland Springhouse Golf Club‚ the Legends Club and the Hermitage Golf Course. Surrounding areas such as Kingston Springs also offer resort play. Metro Board of Parks also operates several outstanding public golf courses.

Metro Parks Programs and Facilities
In addition to running several outstanding public golf courses and scores of parks and playgrounds thr the Metro Board of Parks arranges annual softball and basketball league. The board also oversees the Sportsplex at Centennial Park. The city-owned Sportsplex features indoor and outdoor tennis courts‚ two ice skating rinks‚ an indoor pool and workout areas with instructors.

Youth Sports
Active youth associations provide athletic outlets for the region’s children. As in many American cities‚ soccer has moved to the forefront as a popular team sport for kids. In addition to the huge soccer leagues‚ almost every county in the area offers Little League baseball‚ gymnastics‚ peewee football and recreational basketball.

Hunting
Both small- and big-game hunting are available in several state-operated Wildlife Management Areas. There are several hunting reserves in the Cheatham‚ Hermitage‚ Old Hickory and Percy Priest areas‚ as well as in the Land Between the Lakes near Dover‚ about two hours northwest of Nashville. Hunting seasons are strictly regulated. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (615-781-6500) can provide more information.