What visiting athletes can see and do in Baltimore, Md., Mobile, Ala., Puerto Rico and Snohomish County, Wash.
To get visiting amateur athletes and their families to stay before or after their competition, destinations naturally and wisely promote whatever attractions and features they have available to them. Here’s what the four areas we covered in our feature on sports tourism in the June 2025 issue of SportEvents magazine have to offer visitors when it comes to things to see and do.
BALTIMORE, MD.
Baltimore offers a wide choice of attractions, including the Maryland Zoo, Port Discovery Children’s Museum, Baltimore Museum of Industry, National Aquarium, Maryland Science Center, Fort McHenry, Star Spangled Flag House, and the B&O Railroad Museum.
Outdoor activities and attractions include the Waterfront Promenade, Baltimore Heritage Boat Tour, kayaking the Baltimore Blueway, the Rawlings Conservatory, Cylburn Arboretum, Federal Hill Park, Patterson Park, and the Jones Falls Trail.
Meanwhile, Visit Baltimore offers a free, gamified pass (the BoP Pass) highlighting Baltimore’s black-owned businesses and cultural landmarks.
MOBILE, ALA.
Mobile has plenty of attractions and activities to entertain teams and spectators.
Two of the most popular attractions are USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park on Mobile Bay and Bellingrath Gardens & Home on Fowl River.
For athletes visiting during the Mardi Gras season (February or March), parades are the highlight as Mobile is the original home of the celebration in the United States. Visitors can also take a 45-minute drive to enjoy the gorgeous beaches on the Alabama Gulf Coast.
PUERTO RICO
With over 270 miles of coastline, Puerto Rico boasts nearly 300 unique beaches, each offering its own breathtaking scenery and charm. However, it also offers other attractions and activities, including:
- El Yunque National Forest, a tropical rainforest
- Three Bioluminescent Bays
- Old San Juan, a UNESCO heritage site
- Casa Bacardí rum distillery
- Toro Verde Adventure Park
Snohomish County, Wash.
Snohomish County is home to several aviation museums, including the Boeing Future of Flight museum and the Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum. At the former, visitors can experience aviation history and innovations of the future, tour the Boeing Everett Factory, or watch planes take off and land on the Sky Deck.
Aviation and history fans will also enjoy the Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum, which showcases World War II aircraft and other military vehicles.
With national forests, mountains, and bordering Puget Sound, Snohomish County also offers plenty of outdoor activities.
