Unmissable family sports events in Georgia

The NFL is coming to London once again this October, bringing with it an injection of all-American culture that has been fully embraced by the UK. Among the teams playing are the Atlanta Falcons, visiting from their Georgia home ground of the state’s iconic Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and watching them in action is always an exhilarating day out for adults and children alike.

Arguably the most recognisable song in US college football, ‘Glory, Glory’ is a call to arms for a state fiercely proud of its athletic chops across the board.  The home state to three teams in major pro sports – the Falcons of the NFL, the Braves of Major League Baseball, and the Hawks of the NBA – Georgia’s sporting credentials saw it host the Summer Olympics in 1996. Meanwhile, April 2024 will see the prestigious Masters Tournament return to the golf-mad city of Augusta for the 88^th year in a row.

As many visitors discover, sport is a fantastic lens through which to experience the state’s upbeat energy – but of course, there’s a host of other activities, attractions and entertainment that make it a brilliant adventure for the whole family. Get to know two of Georgia’s biggest cities that crowds of all ages go absolutely wild for.

Georgia’s capital city is home to no less than five professional sports teams. Top of your list should be a trip to the Mercedes-Benz Stadium to see some of them in action, as it’s home of both the Falcons and soccer club Atlanta United FC. With its retractable roof and views of the city skyline, this is next-level spectator sport that only the USA can manage: try to book a guided tour, meaning the kids can get a chance to walk through the players’ tunnel and race and practice cartwheels on the field. Around 170 different food and drink kiosks serve everything from cheeseburgers and pulled pork barbecue to dumplings and tacos, meaning there’s something to satisfy even the fussiest of eaters. Meanwhile tennis and golf fans descend on the city for the Atlanta Open and PGA Tour Championship respectively.

It’s not just the big names that impress; Minor League teams also enjoy huge support from locals and visitors. Enjoy a riotous day out as you watch the Atlanta Gladiators ice hockey team – which has an interactive Kid Zone to cater for any wavering attention spans – while the Gwinnett Stripers play at the 10,000-seater Coolray Field, a stone’s throw from the city’s best mall. The college sports scene also delivers breathless, buzzer-beater action, with football at the Bobby Dodd Stadium and basketball at McCamish Pavilion.

Competitve families can brush up on the city’s long sporting heritage at Downtown’s fun and interactive c, while just over the street is the Centennial Olympic Park. It’s the perfect way to impress any locals the grown-ups might get chatting to in sports bars – the Midway Pub is always a lively spot, while Clay’s Sports Café is known for having the best wings in the city.

Georgia might be the Peach State, but it’s bananas that rule in Savannah. With the Savannah Bananas, it’s baseball, but not as you know it: after a squad of elderly cheerleaders known as the ‘Banana Nanas’ have revved up the crowds, the players themselves really put on a show – performing dance routines, tricks on stilts and switching up rules with no rhyme or reason. The fast-paced, highly entertaining games regularly draw huge crowds of families having an absolute ball (pun intended), so make sure to book ahead. Even better, the ticket price includes all-you-can-eat food, so hopefully there’ll be no complaints from any members of your own team.

Savannah also has its own ice hockey team, the Ghost Pirates, which plays at the Enmarket Arena – while every January the city’s four leading colleges partake in a two-day throwdown on the ice, attempting to win the Thrasher Cup. The Ghost Pirates also host public skating sessions and fun ice hockey training at the MLK Arena, meaning the whole family can get their skates on.

And of course, even the most ardent sports fans need a break – and the coastal city has buckets of Southern charm that will keep everyone entertained. Stroll the quaint, cobblestone streets, enjoy the light show on a riverboat cruise or have a day of sea, sun and watersports at the beach, and you’re sure to be recharged enough for one final game.

For more information and to start planning your next trip to the United States, visit visittheusa.co.uk