Recreation in Rutherford County: Fun in the Sun
Rutherford County offers plenty of opportunities to stay active (and have fun!).
Rutherford County enjoys a history of being a destination for fun. Here is a sampling of the abundant options for sports and recreation in Rutherford County:
In This Article
Plan to Play Pickleball
Cedar Stone Park opened in Smyrna in 2020, and the scenic outdoor refuge has plans to become even better. The city received a $500,000 matching state grant in 2022 to build six pickleball courts, six tennis courts and more restrooms. Those new amenities are scheduled to open in 2023. Cedar Stone Park already has four all-turf baseball fields, a playground and concession stand.
Take a Hike
The Murfreesboro Greenway system features 17 miles of trails, bridges and boardwalks, while the Smyrna Greenway winds through various parts of the town and connects to attractions such as Lee Victory Recreation Park and Bicentennial Trail.
La Vergne is home to Couchville Lake Loop Trail, Jones Mill Mountain Bike Trail, Veterans Memorial Park and La Vergne Greenway. In Murfreesboro, the Stones River National Battlefield offers visitors nearly 7 miles of paths in a historic setting.
Hit ’Em Far and Straight
Going clubbing? That’s easy to do for Rutherford County golfers, who can play a number of top-notch courses. Indian Hills Golf Course in Murfreesboro is an 18-hole facility and welcomes patrons year-round. Also in Murfreesboro are Old Fort Golf Club and Cedar Crest Golf Club. Check out Champions Run Golf Course in Rockvale, which measures 6,900 yards with many bunkers and water hazards. Another popular venue is Smyrna Golf Course, which has 9- and 18-hole layouts.
Go Boating, Water Skiing and Fishing
The most popular place in Rutherford County for waterway fun is J. Percy Priest Lake, which measures 14,200 acres and spans 42 miles. Boaters can access several marinas and boat ramps. The lake welcomes canoes, kayaks, paddleboats, sailboats, powerboats and houseboats. Other activities that are allowed include waterskiing, swimming and wakeboarding. Percy Priest is a popular fishing spot and the catch includes bass, sunfish, catfish, bluegill and trout.
Ice Skate at the Fountains
The Fountains at Gateway is home to stores, restaurants, offices and a coworking complex, and there are plenty of open green spaces where people can spend time outdoors. For those who like to exercise along a scenic route, there is also the Plaza, which features an ice skating rink from Thanksgiving to mid-February and a splash pad during the warm-weather months.
Root for the Blue Raiders
If you prefer to be a spectator, MTSU offers a plethora of sporting events where you can root for the Blue Raiders. All teams compete at the NCAA Division I level and are members of Conference USA. Men’s sports at MTSU are baseball, basketball, football, golf, tennis and track & field/cross country, and women’s sports are basketball, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, volleyball and track & field/cross country.
Aim High
Check out Climb Murfreesboro, the largest indoor rock-climbing gym in Tennessee. Attractions include boulders, ropes and rock walls at 20 different stations. No experience is necessary. The gym offers kids’ instruction classes intended to develop children’s fitness, climbing ability and character. A popular outing every Friday is a Student Climbing session that takes place from 5 to 10 p.m.
Fling Some Discs
Playing disc golf is fun and good exercise, and Rutherford County boasts three courses. Sharp Springs Park Disc Golf Course is in Smyrna, while Barfield Crescent Disc Golf is in Murfreesboro. The newest venue is Central Valley Disc Golf in Murfreesboro, which opened in 2022. Central Valley features 18 holes along a mixture of open space and woods, spanning 2,100 yards.
Ride Tough Trails
Barfield Crescent Park offers many attractions and one that is growing in popularity is the Murfreesboro Mountain Bike Trails. More than 7 miles of trails are available for anyone ranging from beginners to accomplished mountain bikers. Several novice, intermediate and advanced loops can be ridden throughout the overall 100 acres.
Get Bowled Over
Billed as the largest and most modern bowling facility in Tennessee, Smyrna Bowling Center has 52 lanes and measures an impressive 50,000 square feet. The Spare Time Café is on-site, as well as pool tables and a video game arcade. Another unique feature is the facility is open 24/7, 365 days a year.
Score a Fun Time at Siegel Soccer Complex
The 130-acre Richard Siegel Soccer Complex is known for its many soccer facilities and tournaments, but the spacious destination has other attractions.
Some of the fun areas are two playgrounds, sand volleyball courts, basketball courts and horseshoe pits. Scenic walking trails are used every day by residents from Rutherford County.
Also, a new indoor soccer facility opened in 2023 at the complex, adding another attractive tourism draw to the 130-acre athletic venue. The complex already hosts many regional, state and national soccer tournaments that contribute to Rutherford County’s overall economy.
Perfect Place for Play
Outdoor amenities include a lighted championship stadium field, seven lighted regulation fields with synthetic turf, 10 lighted regulation fields with natural grass turf, two unlit natural grass fields, six sets of restrooms, two concession stands and two playgrounds.
“This top-notch facility will assist us in our efforts to attract year-round events and fill shoulder dates to showcase everything that Rutherford County has to offer to many participants, families and fans from across the U.S. and other countries,” says Barbara Wolke, senior vice president of the Rutherford County Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Even before the addition of the indoor facility, the complex was already an impressive destination for soccer enthusiasts.
The championship stadium field at Siegel features a natural grass playing surface, grandstands, press box, scoreboard and sound system. This field has allowed the complex to host major tournaments, including the 2022 Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA) state soccer championships.
According to Rutherford County CVB’s most recent snapshot report, the county’s overall tourism economic impact is $634.8 million, which ranks seventh out of 95 counties in Tennessee in travel-related expenditures.
“Soccer tournaments and sports definitely contribute to these numbers,” Wolke says.
Get to Know Rutherford County
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