Top 6 Reasons to Choose Georgia for Your Next Sporting Event

Georgia’s well-connected transportation infrastructure carries athletes and fans to sporting event destinations throughout the state from cities to small towns and from the mountains to the coast. All roads lead to Georgia, with four major interstates, including I-85, I-75, I-20 and I-95, as well as more than 20,000 miles of federal and state highways.

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), a hub for Delta Airlines, is one of the main gateways to Georgia and the busiest airport in the world. With direct flights to 80% of the U.S. in less than two hours, Atlanta hosts more than 75 million passengers annually. Travelers also can fly to the Georgia coast, landing at the Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport (SAV), as well as to more than 100 other publicly owned, public-use airports across the state.

Miles from Atlanta:

• Athens: 73
• Albany: 182
• Columbus: 107
• Conyers: 25
• Gainesville: 55
• Macon: 84
• Rome: 70
• Savannah: 248
• Valdosta: 229

View/order the Official Georgia Highway & Transportation Map

Across many playing fields, youth, amateur, and professional athletes compete year-round in hundreds of games, contests, races and tournaments in Georgia. From regional youth sports and non-traditional sports to international professional matchups, Georgia’s communities are experienced hosts, providing professional event services for sporting events of all sizes.

As experienced hosts, Georgia’s communities sweat the details to ensure sporting events run smoothly from start to finish. Through the Georgia Sports referral network and extensive connections, communities throughout the state help event organizers find the best venues and experiences for their participants and spectators. Hosts are ready to assist with event promotions, athlete registrations and travel itineraries, and to enlist volunteers for event support.

Notable events:

• 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta
• 2018 ICF Dragon Boat World Championship on Lake Lanier
• 2018 College Football National Championship Game in Atlanta
• 2019 Super Bowl in Atlanta
• 2019 USA Softball International Cup in Columbus
• 2021 Major League Baseball World Series in Cobb County
• 2022 ACC Tennis Championships in Rome

Annual events:

• The Masters in Augusta
• SEC Football Championship in Atlanta
• NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in Hampton
• Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon in Savannah
• Black Softball Circuit World Series in Columbus
• Perfect Game WWBA National Championships in Cobb County
• Mitsubishi Electric Classic - PGA TOUR Champions event in Duluth
• Athens Twilight Criterium
• Southern Volleyball Tournaments - Southeast Qualifier & Invitational at the Georgia International Convention Center in College Park
• Freedom Bowl in Alpharetta
• Columbia County Cup
• Greater Gainesville Sports Alliance Sports Fest
• Perfect Game Georgia-Florida Showdown in Valdosta
• Cheersport Nationals in Atlanta
• GHSA Basketball State Championships in Macon
• Georgia Jewel Ultra Trail Race in Dalton

Georgia boasts a moderate climate year-round while providing distinct and rich experiences each season. Our summers are warm, our falls brisk and sunny, our winters mild, and our springs are blooming with dogwoods and azaleas. Georgia has average rainfall each year and varying snowfall — from light in the mountains to virtually none in other regions.

Average temperatures:

• Winter: 50 - 60 degrees F (10 - 15 C)
• Spring: 65 - 80 degrees F (18 - 26 C)
• Summer: 80 - 95 degrees F (26 - 35 C)
• Fall: 55 - 75 degrees F (12 - 24 C)

Find more information about Georgia weather.

Home to venues of all sizes for sports from basketball to swimming, fishing to pickleball, Georgia is ready to host sporting events of all kinds. From the 1,300-acre LakePoint Sports in northwest Georgia, the largest sports park in the Southeast, to south Georgia’s 250-acre Freedom Park in Valdosta, which includes Miracle League baseball fields, options abound for sporting events for athletes of all abilities in Georgia.

Notable venues:

• Canoe & Kayak: Lake Lanier Olympic Park in Gainesville
• Cycling: Dick Lane Velodrome in East Point
• Disc Golf: International Disc Golf Center in Columbia County
• Tennis: Rome Tennis Center at Berry College in Rome

Georgia’s natural resources and varying terrain offer challenging outdoor adventures for athletes. The state’s lakes and rivers are scenic hosts for fishing and boating competitions from West Point to Augusta, while the mountains offer gutsy courses for cycling and running events from Dalton to Dahlonega. Georgia’s rolling hills add thrills to BMX tracks and equine centers from Albany to Conyers, and tall pines add interest to golf and disc golf courses across the state. Whether your event needs raging whitewater rapids or wide-open fields, Georgia has a wide variety of outdoor places to play.

Lakes

• Cabela’s Big Bass Tour on Clarks Hill Lake in Appling

Rivers

• Paddle Georgia

Mountains

• Six Gap Century & Three Gap Fifty in Dahlonega
• The Georgia Jewel ultramarathon in Dalton

Cities

• IRONMAN 70.3 Augusta

Small Towns

• Bicycle Ride Across Georgia

Georgia’s communities offer top-notch experiences and Southern hospitality that ensures athletes and spectators take home winning memories no matter the outcome of the competitions. Diverse people, activities, dining options and cultural experiences enrich every trip to Georgia and keep athletes and spectators entertained before and after games.

Animal Encounters

• Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta
• Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island

Adrenaline Boosts

• Whitewater Express in Columbus
• Wild Adventures in Valdosta

Gardens & Parks

• State Botanical Garden of Georgia in Athens
• Callaway Resort & Gardens in Pine Mountain

Sports Attractions

• Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta
• Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in Macon

Match any interest with trips full of things to do in Georgia.