World City Guide

Sport

Nashville is home to all the spectator sports expected in a major American city, including baseball, American football, ice hockey and speedway.

The Nashville Sounds (website: www.nashvillesounds.com ) baseball team is an AAA team for the Pittsburgh Pirates, who play from April to September at the Herschel Greer Stadium, Chestnut Street and Eighth Street (tel: (615) 242 4371). The NFL Tennessee Titans (website: www.titansonline.com ) play from August to January at the new 67,000-seater Adelphia Coliseum, 1 Titans Way (tel: (615) 565 4200), by the Cumberland River. The Nashville Predators (tel: (615) 770 7825; email: predators@nashvillepredators.com; website: www.nashvillepredators.com ) play ice hockey from October to April, at the Nashville Arena, 501 Broadway (tel: (615) 770 2000).
The Nashville Speedway (tel: (615) 726 1818; website: www.fairgroundsspeedway.net ) is at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds (tel: (615) 862 8980; website: www.tennesseestatefair.org ), Nolensville Road exit from I-440 West, and has weekly events from April to September.
For participation in sports, most people head outside the city to the Tennessee countryside, to indulge in hiking, cycling, fishing, hunting and golf. Alternatively, for visitors looking to attend a sporting event, tickets are available from Ticketmaster (tel: (615) 255 9600; website: www.ticketmaster.com ).

Bowling: No American city worth its salt is without a bowling alley or three. In Nashville, there is Donelson Bowling Center, 117 Donelson Pike (tel: (615) 883 3313), Melrose Bowling Lanes, 2600 Franklin Pike (tel: (615) 297 7142) and Tusculum Lanes, 5315 Nolensville Road (tel: (615) 833 2881). Also should you feel the need to strike out of the everyday experience of the Opryland mall, there is a bowling alley there named Jillian’s ( tel: (615) 514 1400).

Fitness Centres: The Downtown Athletic Club, 520 Commerce Street (tel: (615) 271 2616), is open to visitors and has gym, sauna, volleyball, basketball, aerobics, weights and other facilities. Other gyms include Steps, 2207 21st Avenue South (tel: (615) 269 8844) and Arm-O’s, 1907 Division (tel: (615) 321 0714) in the Music Row district.

Golf: There are numerous courses and resorts close to Nashville, including a championship course at the Springhouse Golf Club, part of the Opryland Hotel, 18 Springhouse Lane (tel: (615) 871 7759). Other championship resorts are Hermitage Golf Course, 3939 Old Hickory Boulevard (tel: (615) 847 4001, www.hermitagegolf.com ) and Legends Club of Tennessee, 1500 Legends Club Lane, Franklin (tel: (615) 791 8100). Clubs include the Forrest Crossing Golf Course, 750 Riverview Drive (tel: (615) 794 9400), and The Legacy, 100 Ray Floyd Drive, Springfield (tel: (615) 384 4653). Weekday green fees for non-members start at approximately US$45 per day.

Horseriding: Tennessee is natural horseriding country, with plenty of stables and ranches in the Nashville vicinity. These cater for beginners and more advanced riders alike and include Cedars of Lebanon Riding Stables, 328 Cedar Forest Road, Lebanon (tel: (615) 444 5465), Ju-Ro Stables, 7149 Cairo Bend Road, Mt Juliet (tel: (615) 773 7433; website: www.jurostables.com ) and Ramblin’ Breeze Ranch, 3665 Knight Road, Whites Creek (tel: (615) 876 1029). Rates cost approximately US$20 per hour.

Ice Skating: There is a rink at the Thomas Frist Centennial Sportsplex, 25th Avenue, at Brandau (tel: (615) 862 8480). Cost is US$7 per hour.

Swimming: Plenty of public pools help Nashvillians to cool off in the summer heat. These include Glencliff, 150 Antioch Pike (tel: (615) 862 8470), Pearl-Cohn, 904 26th Avenue North (tel: (615) 862 8471). Admission to both outdoors pools is free. The Thomas Frist Centennial Sportsplex, 25th Avenue, at Brandau (tel: (615) 862 8480) also has a pool, indoors, with an admission cost of US$6.

Tennis: There are several free tennis courts around the city, run by Metro Parks and Recreation. The Thomas Frist Centennial Sportsplex, 25th Avenue, at Brandau (tel: (615) 862 8480), has both indoor and outdoor courts from US$5-15 per hour. Pre-booked municipal indoor and outdoor courts are available at the Metro Sports and Recreation Center, East Park, 700 Woodland St (tel: (615) 862 8448).

Watersports: Several lakes are very close to Nashville, where fishing and boating equipment are available for hire. These include Old Hickory Lake and Percy Priest Lake, less than a half-hour drive from Downtown. To fish, a Tennessee fishing licence is necessary – these are readily available at marinas and sporting goods stores. Rod and Gun Guide Service, 3502 Amanda Avenue (tel: (615) 385 1116) provides fly-fishing guides.