City: Zebulon, NC

Category: Spectator Sports

Telephone: (919) 269-2287

Address: 1501 N.C. 39

Description: To hear the purists tell it, this is the spot for baseball fans most interested in watching the game. In Durham, fans may be toting children off to the climbing wall beyond the right field stands. But in Zebulon, they’re paying attention to the score. Set at the eastern edge of Wake County, Five County Stadium gives fans a rural treeline beyond the outfield wall instead of a city skyline. Here, the mascot is Muddy the Mudcat, who sports foot-long whiskers off his fishy face. The ballpark’s flavor is decidedly less influenced by the Triangle, giving off more of a country vibe. The town of Lizard Lick sits a few miles down the road. You’ll see as many fans munching barbecue sandwiches with slaw and Texas Pete as eating hot dogs. The stadium is also home to Cattails Restaurant, a fancy white-tablecloth skybox space where the menu includes shrimp and grits and Southern style crab cake Napoleon. The most famous Mudcat of recent years is Dontrelle Willis, the 2003 National League Rookie of the Year who helped the Florida Marlins beat the New York Yankees for the World Series title. Despite this, the place still feels like the middle of nowhere, which contributes to its appeal.