You don’t have to be a football fan or an Alabama fan to visit and fall in love with Tuscaloosa (although it would help). The city is perfect.  Tuscaloosa has the ability to put a smile on your face immediately and it won’t leave until you do.  Talk about a city that has so much culture, history, and tradition! It’s a real gem and you should definitely make time to explore Tuscaloosa one weekend at least once in your life!

Unsure of what to do in Tuscaloosa besides watch Alabama Football? Check out our city guide below!

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Where To Stay

Hotel Indigo of course! It’s the nicest and newest hotel in the city.  It’s the only hotel with a rooftop bar and its conveniently located on the river and in downtown Tuscaloosa which is close to all the bars and restaurants!

Read More: Our stay at Hotel Indigo!

Where To Eat + Drink

Oh geez. I could go on and on here. You can’t go wrong with any of the restaurants downtown.  They are all great!

Lunch Ideas

Holler & Dash: Our biscuit inspired menu pays tribute to the South in a fresh new way. With chef driven recipes, fresh ingredients, and layers of flavors like you’ve never tasted before.

Local Roots: Local Roots is a traveling food truck serving dishes made from local ingredients, shared by southern souls.

Dreamland Barbeque (Original): 1958 was a big year for Tuscaloosa. Not only was it the first year that Paul “Bear” Bryant started coaching at Alabama, it was also the year that John “Big Daddy” Bishop opened his first Dreamland Café. It’s off McFarland in the country so I recommend going on your way out of Tuscaloosa. Remember to leave your mark! Sign a dollar and put it somewhere on the wall or ceiling! Be on the lookout for mine!

Dinner Ideas

River: Located on the iconic Riverwalk in Tuscaloosa and just minutes from downtown and The University of Alabama campus, offers Southern cuisine that is chef driven with something for every taste.

301 Bistro & Beer Garden: 301 Bistro, Bar, and Beer Garden offers a great selection of German, Southern, and Creole appetizers and entrees, and features German/Southern fusion, or what we like to call “Tuscaloosa Fusion.”

R. Davidson’s Chophouse: “There isn’t enough I can say about this establishment. The food, the presentation, the service, the drinks, the atmosphere, the wait times; they hit the nail on the head for everything. I’ve been for brunch, lunch, and dinner and all of it is spectacular!”-Yelp Review

Drinks

Band of Brothers: The brewery features the largest taproom in Tuscaloosa, and will be filled on a continuous basis with exciting events such as live music, movie nights, games and much more.

Galettes: Gallettes is a Gameday favorite. It is home to the yellowhammer drink!

Loosa: They offer 63-Taps that you can drink on-premise, or fill up your growler and take home. They always keep 30 of the freshest draft beers from Alabama breweries plus rare beers from all over on tap.

Innisfree: Such a great bar with indoor / outdoor seating! A staple in Tuscaloosa!

Houndstooth: In the heart of campus a great place to go watch the game on gameday!

Sweet Treats

Ingram Farms Ice Cream: A local fresh fruits and vegetables market and bluebell ice cream shop.

Insomnia Cookies: Open until 3am you can get warm cookies delivered! Soooo good!

What To Do

Go to a BAMA game! 100% is a must! Explore the campus of The University of Alabama and Bryant-Denny Stadium.  It was so nostalgic for me because I graduated from there and hadn’t been back in a few years!  If you were a greek at any school I highly recommend checking out your sorority or fraternity house on the Alabama campus! They are insanely huge now!

If the weather is nice, rent a boat and head to Lake Tuscaloosa to boat, swim, or fish! Head to the amphitheater or the BAMA Theater for a good show or concert. Go check out the Bear Bryant Museum, the new River Market, or head downtown for a bite at any of the amazing restaurants! Grab a drink at any of the many bars downtown and experience everything Tuscaloosa has to offer!

Cravings: A specialty food, craft beer, and wine store located downtown

Capital Park: This park was the site of the Alabama Capitol when Tuscaloosa was the seat of state government from 1826-1846. In 1847 the capitol was moved to Montgomery, and the building became the home of the Alabama Central Female College. A visible reminder of the old capitol building that burned in 1923 is the stone foundation and two small columns.

Riverwalk: The Riverwalk is an excellent paved trail along the southern bank of the Black Warrior River near downtown Tuscaloosa

Walk of Champions: The brick plaza leading from University Boulevard features 16 granite monuments set into the walkway commemorating the Crimson Tide’s SEC and national championship teams throughout the years. Along the west side of the plaza are bronze statues for each coach who has led the Crimson Tide to a national championship.

Makers Market: The makers market has grown the strong sense of community in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. As West Alabama’s largest craft mall, the Makers Market functions as an outlet for lively crafters and artists in the area, offering a fantastic shopping experience for a variety of wants and needs.

Tuscaloosa Museum of Arts: The Tuscaloosa Museum of Art displays approximately 1,000 works of fine and decorative arts. The collection was amassed by Jack Warner, over several decades, as investments for Gulf States Paper, now the Westervelt Company.

Alabama Museum of Natural History: For more than 150 years, the Alabama Museum of Natural History has celebrated Alabama’s natural history and beauty through exhibitions, collections and quality programs of teaching, research, and service

Our Weekend Video

 

Remember to say Roll Tide when you see someone! It’s like hello! We hope you enjoy Tuscaloosa as much as we did!