The Best Road Trip Cities To Include On Your Itinerary If You’re An NBA Fan

Are you a big basketball fan? Do you know everything there is to know about the NBA? Then you’re going to love planning a road trip that takes you in and out of the best NBA centers in North America! 

The NBA has stadiums all over the US, and each accompanying home team will have a legion of fans visiting them day by day. However, when you’re limited on time, money, and want to see as much as possible, some of these cities are a better pick than others.

So without further ado, here are the best cities to include on a road trip when you want to indulge in some NBA spirit and achievement. Hop in your vehicle, grab a friend who loves basketball as much as you do, and set off on the open road with these destinations in mind. 

First, Make Sure You’ve Packed Right

When you’re off on a basketball road trip, it’s best to have your playing kit with you. 

Whether you like to play all the time or want to use this trip as an excuse to finally hit the courts, it’s better to have the right clothing and equipment with you than it is to have to buy things along the way or simply not have anything at all! 

After all, you don’t want to be sweating through your normal clothes, or having to sit in a stuffy car for hours on end without the option to change into something more appropriate. 

As such, you’re going to need a good pair of playing sneakers in the back. You don’t want to have to wear these all the time, but be sure to bring along at least one pair of good court shoes just in case an opportunity presents itself. 

You’ll also want to have some basketball shorts on hand and ready to go as well. It’s no good trying to go for a shoot out with your road trip partner when you’ve only got jeans! 

Give yourself something properly flexible and breathable to move around in; have some basketball shorts in your kit that won’t take 5 seconds to change into. 

Now that’s out of the way, let’s get into a few of the best NBA cities for visiting on a road trip. 

Washington D.C.

The capital of the US, D.C. is the best place for an NBA fan to be, period. Home to the Washington Wizards, D.C. is a very well connected and easy to traverse place for any and all road trippers. You can easily get out of the car and make your way around via the metro, if you’d like to. 

Make sure you stop off at the Capital One Arena, and if there’s a game on that you haven’t got tickets for, there are a hundred different sports bars nearby that’ll be showing the game in full. Head in, grab a bite to eat, and celebrate with your fellow fans. 

If you’re a WNBA fan as well, you can also check out the CareFirst Arena, home to the Washington Mystics. It’s only a 15 minute drive from Capital One, so you’ll definitely have time!

Milwaukee, WI

If you’re a Milwaukee Bucks fan, you’ll definitely want your NBA themed road trip to go via Wisconsin. Fiserv Forum sits at the heart of the city, and is easy to access no matter what direction you’re coming in from. 

The UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena is just a couple of minutes down from here as well, and has plenty of college basketball games going on throughout the year. If you love basketball in all its forms, you can catch some great plays on this court as well. 

And if you’re a fan of motorcycles and burning down the road on a bike, you can visit the Harley Davidson museum while you’re in Milwaukee. Seeing as you’re already on a road trip, you probably love vehicles in all their forms! 

And then there’s also Miller Park nearby, if you fancy stretching your baseball legs too, or if you’re on a trip with a buddy who prefers it. 

Denver, CO

There are very few people who haven’t heard of the Denver Nuggets, and Ball Arena is a must visit location for basketball fans all over the globe. There’s a pretty great selection of concession stands inside, so you’ll be spoiled for choice if you’ve got tickets for an event. 

Denver itself is a pretty bustling city, with lots to see and do, and a lot of unique history to soak up as well. If you’d like your road trip to offer a bit more than just basketball back and forth, you’ll be able to find plenty of museums, galleries, and even skiing opportunities when you’re in Denver. 

With the Rocky Mountains on its doorstep, there’s plenty of recreational sport to be done if you want to spend more than just a day in the city. 

San Francisco, CA

Home to the Chase Center, if you’re a Golden State Warriors fan, this is definitely a city to visit! Although, the Chase Center has a lot more to offer than just NBA games throughout the year, so be sure to check their website and see what else is on whenever it is you plan to go. 

Once you’re in the city, be sure to leave the car, drop your stuff off at the nearest luggage storage san francisco service you can find, and then make good use of the cable car system. This will make it a lot easier to stay in the loop around the downtown area, and you won’t have to worry about anything happening to your vehicle either. 

You’ll also find a lot of sports clubs with basketball courts around Union Square, which is San Francisco’s answer to Fifth Avenue in New York. This is a great place to get some practice in! 

Indianapolis, IN

The Indiana Pacers call Indianapolis their home, and their home arena of Gainbridge Fieldhouse is one of the best stadiums for any NBA fan to spend time in. But that’s not all. 

Indiana itself is often referred to as ‘the home of basketball’, and many people head over to Indianapolis in particular to indulge in the city’s long term passion and support for the sport. If you’re an NBA fan, make sure you do the same when you’re on your road trip. 

There’s a long history of basketball to be found in the city, most of which can be discovered when you’re in the downtown area. The Hinkle Fieldhouse, for example, is nearly 100 years old and still standing, ready to be toured and enjoyed by any basketball fan who wants to see how the sport really came to be what it is today. 

Get Your Fill of NBA Hotspots on Your Road Trip

Do you love going on a road trip? Are you also a big Denver Nuggets or Boston Celtics fan? Then combine your love of both and plan out a road trip that’ll weave you through the best NBA cities for tourists. 

No matter how much time you have for your trip or the mileage you’re willing to do, at least two or three of the spots above will make up a great itinerary for you. 

Whether you want to stick to the east coast or west, or you’re happy road tripping back and forth, you’ll find the sporting spirit you’re looking for by including these areas in your plans.