We love coming to Hickory for Crawdads games!…read more The prices are good, the atmosphere is great, there is always so much fun stuff going on and the food options are good. We really enjoy the funnel cake fries and the lemonade is fresh squeezed, refreshing, and fantastic! Don't forget to grab you some peanuts and cracker jacks!! They have so many activities for the kids going on all the time and their fireworks are fantastic on firework nights!

I love Minor League Baseball! What a fun ballpark on the edge of the Blue Ridge Mtns. Been coming…read moreto watch the C'Dads play near on 8 years. In North Carolina, It's those cool crisp April evenings and hot humid August nights that make this a great place to watch a ball game. The low A affiliate of the Texas Rangers, the Crawdads have seen their share of baseball talent move up the minor league ladder. And that means Hickory and the surrounding area has a chance to see THE SHOW'S future. Very affordable tickets, fine enough concessions (maybe the best hot dog I've had at any minor league park!), family fun with games and a carousel, concerts after games and let's not forget Thirsty Thursdays and Fireworks weekends! Sometimes as game time nears, the sun is low in the western sky, the air is clear and off to the north you see the mountain profiles and understand why they'er called the Blue Ridge. Just then the ump yells PLAY BALL and ALL is right with the world.

Shame shame shame on me for spending 3.5 years in Charlotte before going to my first Charlotte…read moreCheckers game! I had so much fun last week! Why do I love on the Checkers? Well, for one, they play at TWC Arena - a super clean, quite fun environment. As I've mentioned before, there really isn't a bad seat in the house. Plus, the crowd really gets into the game! There's great announcing, entertaining games and such between periods. I saw something akin to a hamster ball where two people were rolling around on the ice. Definitely something I want to add to my bucket list. And the team - sweet! Everyone loves a brawl and there are a handful of Checkers who can really land a puck and a punch. Fast skatin', slap shots and an occasional fight? A to the men. I'll definitely be back for some affordable hockey in the very near future!

We went to our first Charlotte Checkers game on 50s night where there was throwback pricing and…read morecheap tickets! Great way to experience the game! Lots of excitement. Parking is pricy if you can Uber. Weds are dollar beers.

On a visit to the Charlotte/Kannapolis/Concord area to visit all of the NASCAR Team…read moreGarages/Headquarters, Hendricks Motorsports was our third stop. We visited the Hendrick campus this past summer, on a Thursday afternoon in July. It was not super busy, but there were a few other groups in the museum and store while we were there. The campus is located in Concord, and there is plenty of private parking just steps away from the front doors of the museum and gift shop. It was easy to figure out we were in the right spot with the ample signage around the property. The museum and gift shop are essentially one and the same - you walk into the lobby of the building, and the museum is mostly around the perimeter of the space, while the gift shop area is in the center. The team garages are located in another building on the property. We had positive interactions with all of the staff, and especially with the woman who works reception at in the building with the team garages (her name escapes me, but she was so wonderful!). The review is further broken down into categories below: Displays/Museums/Historical Items - 4/5 Rating The downright history, and all of the cars to see at Hendrick is unmatched. There is a lot to take in regarding the history and variety. Also, the amount of cars to see is impressive. All or the cars are behind ropes, so you cannot touch them or get very close. As stated above, the museum is located in one large space, so the cars are just what can fit along the perimeter of the room. There are also large displays discussing the history of Hendrick, along with various trophies. Team Store - 5/5 Rating Hendrick has the largest selection of merchandise for any of the racing teams, by far. There is plenty of selection for each current cup series driver, along with a diverse selection for past drivers. There was a clearance rack of items, and they were also running a promotion of a free item if you spent so much in the shop. You got to pick the item from a select area in the shop. The die cast selection left something to be desired. However, there are plenty of knickknack-type items to choose from. Garage Access - 2/5 Rating In terms of garage access, there is not a ton for this team. As stated above, the garage is located in a separate building on the property from the museum and gift shop. But, this access of this area is limited. The viewing area is only one smaller window. They were working on an Xfinity car at the time we were there, and you were asked not to take pictures of the garage area. Overall Access - 5/5 Rating The access here is rather vast when comparing to other teams. You are able to drive around the entire campus, and see a lot while doing so due to the size. Additionally, there is access for fans to the pit practice area. This is a unique aspect of Hendrick that we did not see from other teams. There is also access to the team lobby, specifically the 5 and the 9 who share a building. This is where the garage viewing area is located. It also had multiple trophies on display, historical items and past cars. Extras - 5/5 Rating Being able to see live pit practice for the team is rather insane. This is not happening at all hours the shop and museum are open, but when the crew is conducting practice, fans are invited to view the sessions. We witnessed this on a previous trip to Hendrick, and watched the practice for an extended period. The pit practices are held in the designated area behind the museum and gift shop. There were even bleachers for fans to sit on for the practice. The Hero Cards are also located in the lobby/entrance of the museum, and the selection was good! In the 5 and 9 team buildings is where the public access to the garages are located. There are a few more race cars to see in there, but the highlight of this part of Hendrick is the receptionist for the building. She was so friendly, and let us hold the sword trophy from Jimmie Johnson's last Bristol win. It is right on the desk, so you will not miss it. This was a major highlight for my fiancé! If you can only make one racing team stop while in the area, Hendrick is the place to stop. There is a lot to look at in the museum, as well as one of the most diverse gift shops of all the teams. It is nice to be able to get merchandise from current drivers, as well as retired Hendrick legends. The extras here are top-notch. If you are able to visit during the pit practice, that would make the whole trip worth it. This absolutely is a must-stop for any racing fan while in the area.

Was lucky enough to come here for a speaking engagement with SAE. Hendrick was so hospitable,…read moreoffered private tours of their facility for our group, and some cool interactions with their employees. I've been here before as a NASCAR fan and this just heightened my opinion of the company and their workforce.

On a visit to the Charlotte/Kannapolis/Concord area to visit all of the NASCAR Team…read moreGarages/Headquarters, Penske Racing was our fifth stop of day two, and our eighth team overall. We visited Penske this past summer, on a Friday afternoon in July. It is located in Mooresville on its own campus. The garage is situated fairly close to the other racing teams in Mooresville, so you will be able to visit all of them without much travel. It is quite a large facility, and has a dedicated parking lot with lots of space. The entrance for visitors is clearly marked with "Guest Entrance" above the doors. At the time of our visit, there were several other racing fans both in the team store and on the "Fan Walk," but it was not crowded. Penske has two levels. The entrance takes you right into the team store on the first level. Both within and behind the team store is an area with race win trophies and other historical items. The garage is located behind this area, but the viewing for the garage is above, on the second floor "Fan Walk." The review is further broken down into categories below: Displays/Museums/Historical Items - 5/5 Rating There are a plethora of displays, trophies, banners, and other race memorabilia throughout the Penske facility. The race win trophies are located within the team store, and into a hallway-type area in the rear. They are placed around the perimeter, and are out in the open for fans to get close looks and even touch. Additionally, there are die casts and other historical items behind glass to take a look at. Around the "Fan Walk" on the second level, there are banners from team Cup, Indy, and IMSA race wins hung around the perimeter. They are organized chronologically. I personally enjoyed looking at all of the pictures that are incorporated into these banners. Within the actual garage, they have current and legacy cars to see, as well as the original enclosed transporter that the team used in the 1970s, which was recovered and restored after originally being sold by the team. Out of all of the teams we visited, this collection is by far the most curated. Team Store - 4/5 Rating As stated, you will walk right into the team store when you enter the facility. It is a larger store, and there is an overall good amount of merchandise. All of their drivers were represented in the items for sale, including Indy and IMSA. They had more expensive items, as well as smaller items that only cost a few dollars. Some items for sale included t-shirts, magnets, cups, die casts, hats, and sponsor-specific items. Also, there were some items on sale. For die casts, there were both 1:64 and 1:24 sizes of various cars. Overall, the store is larger than most team shops, and there is a decent selection. Garage Access - 5/5 Rating Penske truly gives the most unique and all-inclusive access to their garage and facilities. From the team store, there are stairs/an elevator up to the "Fan Walk," where guests can walk the entire length of their garage from above. There is an area in the rear that is somewhat blocked from view, but you are still able to see 20+ cars that are either displays, physically being worked on, or are used for hauling/haulers. There are even offices, conference rooms, and other facilities in the middle of the garage to take a look at. Even with our visit falling on the Friday of a race weekend, there were still several cars being worked on for us to see. This is one of, if not the best garage access of all of the teams we visited. Overall Access - 4/5 Rating The overall access at Penske is very good. The garage access is at about 90%. Not only that, but just the variety of vehicles and items that guests have access to viewing is impressive. This is only rated 4/5 due to there being parts that are blocked from public view. However, this is above average access when compared to other teams. Extras - 5/5 Rating Something that sets Penske apart, and therefore is an "extra," is that they include their Indy Car and IMSA in all aspects of the facility - from the banners, to the displays, and even in the team store. Since they are the only NASCAR team that has Indy and IMSA teams, they are the only ones who have the ability to offer this extra. Additionally, they had Hero Cards in an organizer by the team store entrance that were free to take. The selection was diverse, especially since they include all drivers from NASCAR, Indy, and IMSA. Penske is a must-visit if you are planning to stop at the NASCAR team garages. The facilities are some of the best we saw, the garage access is top-notch, and you could spend a significant amount of time looking at all of the banners, trophies, and other items. Plus, you will be able to see all of the drivers under the Penske umbrella in the different racing series. We very much enjoyed the visit here, and recommend stopping if you find yourself near Mooresville.

As a NASCAR fan I have been to many of the race shops. Penske has done an excellent job of making…read moreit easy for fans to get a great view of the preparation of NASCAR race cars. They have a catwalk running the length of the facility that allows you to unobstructed view of the cars - not a behind glass view as happens at many other shops. As others have mentioned the staff is helpful and friendly.

We had such a great time at the Dash! It was such a fun experience, and the food was amazing. I…read moreloved getting to try the deep fried ravioli, the cheesy pig dog, and the apple empanadas -- everything was so good! The atmosphere was fun, the food was delicious, and it made for such a great outing. Definitely a place we'd love to come back to!

We were invited by the in-laws to attend the Fourth of July game, more so for the fireworks than…read moreanything else. Being so hot, we arrived later than normal, caught the last few innings, and stayed for the "big show". Parking was a bit more difficult on this visit, one because we arrived later than normal, but also because people were parked all over the general area, sitting on their hoods, and waiting to was the post fireworks show from outside the park. We eventually found some free on street parking, and just had to walk a couple of blocks. The last few innings went quickly, they had fun events between innings to keep people entertained, and the the Dash and the pepper mascots were roaming around the park to take pictures with guests. All in all, we had a good time. Pricing in the park for food and drink isn't great, but it's not the worst either, but $5 for a small bottle of water seems a bit excessive, especially when it's so hot out, they hold you hostage, I don't agree with that. Fortunately we had eaten before arriving, so we didn't need food, juts overpriced water. The post game fireworks, started up relatively soon after the game. They rolled the "launch" cart onto the field dimmed the lights, and began setting them off. They had a solid 20 minute show with nonstop fireworks. Definitely a good display, but also probably bigger than the normal Friday/Saturday show due to it being the 4th of July. All in all, it was a good time, if you can avoid buying food and drink at the park, you'll save a bunch of money, but I suppose sometimes that's part of the fun.

First time back at the Greensboro grasshoppers Stadium in a long time. It was a thirsty Thursday so…read moreyou can imagine there was plenty of beer! The stadium was full, but not too full to where it was uncomfortable. Our seats were great and in the shade. The prices for the games are very reasonable. I will definitely be back!

This was my first baseball game actually! I had a good time! Nothing was too loud, and the stadium…read morewas clean. The seats themselves were decent for being outdoor seats! There was a good amount of room and each seat had its own cup holder. They had a pretty good variety of beers. We had eaten before we came, so I can't say anything about their food selection. We had a fun time and I would like to come back!

Been going here for years. The Greensboro swarm team is pretty solid. Was happy to hear they won…read morethe championship game! The arena itself is always fully staffed with people always available to help. Check-in is very easy and its never a long line. Food and drinks are available. Not the cheapest, but definitely cheaper than the actual NBA arenas ive been to.

Checked out the field house for the first time the other day to watch the Swarm lose to my hometown…read moreLong Island Nets. The venue is small but pretty clean. Extremely loud sound system, though. Next time, I would consider headphones! For all the parking available, $10 to park seems pretty outrageous, but that's on par with their pricing in general (and the reason why I'm not giving a higher rating). $15.95 for a chicken tender basket is nothing short of criminal. My kid skipped the water because it's $5. So be sure to skip the concessions and bring your own food in. Pretty good game experience otherwise.

We had a work event at Knights stadium where their catering department did really well. Not only…read moredid they have plenty of food, but the staff was great as they came around to check in and clean up. The food was surprisingly good too. I tried each of the meat options. The burgers were the best option as they were seasoned  and the toppings were fresh. The pulled pork was my second favorite. The hot dogs were good, but I'm not a huge hot dog fan. I'm never one to eat at the ballpark because it's usually overpriced for basic food. Yet, depending on the prices, I would consider eating here outside of work events.

They remember us- which goes a long way. The event staff is so sweet. From the moment you get in…read moreline through security, everyone is so kind. I have a tendency to always get lost, and the staff members were able to help me find my seats. Food is ok, but I'm not typically there only for the food. At the dugout sweet level, typically served is tritipped medium-well steak, Mac and cheese, hotdogs, chicken, salad, fruit, cookies. The area is always restocked and cleaned promptly. The shout out to all the staff members, makes me excited to return. Thank you!