Great sports venues are not solely places to catch a game, they’re landmarks that encapsulate the culture, history and passion of an entire region. From roaring college stadiums to scenic ballparks to arenas steeped in tradition, many of the most exciting facilities in the United States have become defined by atmosphere and architecture. While scenes at legendary fieldhouses in Kansas and burning barns in New York may be amongst the nation’s best, a select few states have such a high concentration of important and memorable venues that the rest can hardly compare. These are the top 5 states that every fan should have on their sports radar.

1. Indiana

Basketball is such a big deal in Indiana that the state has become synonymous with the sport, oozing with excitement that’s come to be known as Hoosier Hysteria. Hinkle Fieldhouse and Assembly Hall – the legendary homes of the Butler Bulldogs and Indiana Hoosiers, respectively – have paved the way, cementing themselves as literal sports meccas. Purdue’s Mackey Arena and even Ball State’s Worthen Arena are also worth a mention, architecturally, but the state’s repertoire doesn’t stop with college hoops. Indiana is home to many of high school basketball’s biggest gyms, including New Castle Field House, the largest in the nation. The 1986 movie Hoosiers really put Indiana’s fascination with the sport on the map; it was partially filmed at Hoosier Gym in Knightstown, which remains an active court that’s open for public visits.

Cinema has highlighted more than just hoops in Indiana, with the hit classic A League of Their Own finding Huntingburg’s League Stadium and Evansville’s Bosse Field suitable parks for their baseball epic. Both venues are still in use by independent and summer collegiate teams. Elsewhere in baseball, Fort Wayne’s Parkview Field and South Bend’s Four Winds Field are usually ranked as being some of the best in the minor leagues.

The state’s professional venues are some of the best in the country as well. Lucas Oil Stadium, home to the NFL’s Colts, is a top-tier NFL venue and has hosted many high-profile events such as the Final Four and the Olympic swimming trials. The NBA’s Pacers play not too far away at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, often ranked as the best arena in the NBA. Lastly – but certainly not least – is the colossal venue of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which hosts the world-famous Indy 500 race annually and is the largest sports facility on the continent.

With no shortage of sports excitement, Hollywood ties and historic, world-class venues, it’s no shock that Indiana stands heads and shoulders above the other 49 states.

2. Pennsylvania

Although it was purportedly invented in New York and its capital resides in the village of Cooperstown, baseball has certainly found its strongest footing in the Empire State’s southern neighbor. Pennsylvania’s landscape is dotted with a half dozen minor league teams, such as the Reading Fightin’ Phils, who hold the title for the best gameday experience in affiliated ball. Ballparks in Allentown, Erie and on Harrisburg’s City Island are also of note, boasting either unique designs or heralded atmospheres. The state is also rich with several independent facilities and quaint small-town fields that put all others to shame.

The Little League World Series is certainly Pennsylvania’s biggest baseball stage, held each year in August in the town of South Williamsport. The centerpiece of the tournament is Howard J. Lamade Stadium, which technically stands as the 22nd-largest ballpark in the country if its expansive berm seating is included. The Major League franchises in Philly and Pittsburgh also mustn’t be forgotten, with many often branding PNC Park as having “the best view in baseball.”

Beyond just baseball, Pennsylvania is famous for its basketball heritage, particularly in Philadelphia. The incredibly historic Palestra, one of the oldest gyms on the continent, is home to not only the Ivy League’s Penn Quakers but also to the Big 5, an unofficial agglomeration of the city’s college hoops squads. Villanova’s Finneran Pavilion also stands out as a visually striking venue for one of the sport’s blue bloods.

The second-largest venue in all of the United States can also be found in the hills of Pennsylvania. Beaver Stadium in State College holds more than 100,000 fans who turn out on fall Saturdays to see their beloved Penn State Nittany Lions. Elsewhere on the PSU campus is charming Rec Hall, an old basketball gym turned volleyball arena that shows how versatile Pennsylvania’s sports scene really is. The Keystone State shines in the minor league hockey world as well, housing a handful of affiliated and independent teams, notably the Hershey Bears of the AHL – the longest continuously operating professional club outside of the NHL’s Original Six – and the Johnstown Tomahawks, who home at 1st Summit Arena was used in the 1977 sports comedy Slap Shot.

3. North Carolina

Chock full of perhaps the most diverse set of stadiums on this list, North Carolina is a state that’s big on just about everything. Baseball, basketball, football and even hockey thrive here, with a smattering of venues all across the Tarheel State. NC is tied for the second-most minor league ballparks – chief amongst them is Truist Field in Charlotte, proud to have one of the best urban views in baseball – and has become a college baseball hotspot thanks to their many successful DI teams and the Division II World Series that’s held at the National Baseball Training Complex in Cary each June. The Triangle region is also home to historic Durham Athletic Park, a former minor league facility that rose to stardom in the 1988 hit Bull Durham.

In basketball, North Carolina is known for the cathedrals of Cameron Indoor Stadium and Dean Smith Center, palaces that belong to the contenders in the bitter Duke-UNC rivalry. Overall, the state is home to a plethora of basketball gyms at the Division I level, the fourth-most in the country.

College football ties also run deep here, and the colossal grandstands at NC State’s Carter-Finley Stadium, UNC’s Kenan Stadium and App State’s Kidd Brewer Stadium – the latter of which is one of the most scenic small-time venues around – are on the frontlines of the scene. Hockey is a burgeoning sport in the Carolinas too, with several minor league and independent venues backing up the Carolina Hurricanes’ Lenovo Center, said to have the loudest crowd in the NHL.

4. Texas

You know what they say: everything is bigger in Texas. This rings true for the state’s sports venues as well, particularly football. From the massive environs of NRG Stadium in Houston and AT&T Stadium in Arlington, to the college venues at Texas A&M and TCU, the opulence of these places really reflect how crazed Texans can be about their football.

The most striking such stadium in the state is undoubtedly the Sun Bowl, the humble abode of the UTEP Miners. This gem is cut right into the sandy mountains of El Paso and features sweeping views of the Mexican city of Ciudad Juárez. The Alamodome in San Antonio is another unique venue, hosting the UTSA football team as well as the annual Alamo Bowl.

The football insanity goes well beyond the pro and college levels, of course. Texas is well known for their immense high school football stadiums, boasting many of the largest such venues in the country. Many movies centered around this Lone Star cornerstone have been filmed across the state, including Friday Night Lights in Odessa and Varsity Blues near Austin.

No discussion about Texas sports venues is complete without a mention of the iconic Astrodome. While it’s no longer in use due to being in a state of disrepair, the former home of the MLB’s Astros and NFL’s Oilers is still widely cherished as the world’s first domed, multi-purpose facility. Today, it stands silent adjacent to the current home of the NFL in Houston, NRG Stadium.

5. Utah

While it’s really only the greater Salt Lake City area that contains most of Utah’s population and most of its sports activities, the region has a wide array of venues to satisfy every kind of fan. Many of the open-air facilities are renowned for their incredible views of the snow-capped peaks in the Wasatch Range, from the soccer pitch at America First Field to the baseball diamond at Larry H. Miller Field in Provo.

Even some of Utah’s high school facilities have vistas worth seeing. In the extreme southeastern part of the state, Monument Valley High School’s small football field affords stunning views of the towering, orange rock formations that dominate the desert landscape.

Although Utah’s outdoor venues are the ones that typically top “best of” lists, the indoor arenas pack something special of their own. College basketball is especially popular along the Wasatch Front, with unmatched atmospheres inside the Dee Events Center at Weber State, the Jon M. Huntsman Center at Utah and the Marriott Center at BYU. In Logan, located north of the SLC area, the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum at Utah State also consistently draws in raucous crowds.