Tuscaloosa County is a sports fan’s paradise.
But the county is also the perfect playground for art connoisseurs, foodies, music lovers, outdoor enthusiasts, history nerds, archeologist wannabes and kids and grownups who just want to have fun.
For college football fans, Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium at the University of Alabama is the place to be. The stadium is home to the 18-time national champion team, the Alabama Crimson Tide, and has a seating capacity of more than 100,000.
But UA also is the home of Coleman Coliseum, a venue with more than 14,000 seats where fans can watch men’s and women’s basketball teams play and gymnasts compete.
For golfers, there’s the Ol’ Colony Golf Course, an 18-hole, 7,500-yard course designed by former golf champion Jerry Pate. This summer marked the debut of the Iron & Ember Golf, a new indoor golf and training facility at Ol’ Colony, with simulator bays, meeting space and other amenities.
Tennis lovers can perfect their swing at the Tuscaloosa Tennis Center, with indoor and outdoor courts, lessons and clinics for adults and juniors.
For those who prefer exploring Alabama’s past, there is the Alabama Museum of Natural History, home to thousands of artifacts that tell the story of Alabama in ancient times. Also, at the University of Alabama’s Moundville Archaeological Park, visitors can learn about Native American history and culture and tour the earthen mounds that indigenous people built near the Black Warrior River more than 800 years ago.
The Murphy-Collins House is a 1920s craftsman bungalow that Tuscaloosa’s first licensed Black mortician, Will Murphy, once owned. Today the home houses the Murphy African American Museum, which explores the lives of affluent African Americans in the early 1900s.
To learn more about African American history, visitors can explore the Tuscaloosa Civil Rights History Trail through a self-guided tour of 18 stops to hear about the struggle for Black civil rights in Tuscaloosa. Details about this and other tours is available at passes.visittuscaloosa.com.
But sports fans do not despair. There is a museum for you, too. The Paul W. Bryant Museum provides an in-depth look at the history of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide.
For those who love the visual arts, Tuscaloosa County offers several options.
The Sarah Moody Gallery of Art at the University of Alabama features exhibitions all year by contemporary artists, while Harrison Galleries LLC displays 19th and 20th century paintings, prints and sculptures and contemporary photographs.
Another venue is the Kentuck Art Center. The center offers painting, pottery, stained-glass art classes and kids camps and presents the annual Kentuck Festival of the Arts featuring folk and contemporary art, crafts, live music and spoken word performances.
The Paul R. Jones Collection holds more than 1,700 pieces of African American art in the Paul R. Jones Museum at the University of Alabama, while The Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center features art galleries, and houses space for performances and events.
Want to catch a show in Tuscaloosa County? Check out the historic Bama Theatre for concerts, films, dance performances, plays, comedy and more, or go to the Moody Music Building Concert Hall at the University of Alabama for an evening of classical music. The Hall is home to the Tuscaloosa Symphony.
Visitors also can enjoy a concert and other outdoor events at the Mercedes-Benz Amphitheater. Once called the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater until its renaming in 2023, the venue is located just blocks from downtown Tuscaloosa and is next to the Tuscaloosa River Walk.
The Tuscaloosa River Walk is a 4.5-mile trail along the southern bank of the Black Warrior River where people can walk, jog or bike, enjoy a picnic or visit Parker-Haun Park.
Another site to visit is the 60-acre University of Alabama Arboretum, which displays plant collections, gardens and walking trails that showcase Alabama’s native plants and wildflowers.
Vacationers at Lake Tuscaloosa can swim, fish and water ski. But those who join The Captain’s Club can enjoy a more enhanced experience on Lake Tuscaloosa. Membership comes with boat, paddle board and kayak rentals; a boat club; access to boat slips; a lakefront market; and other amenities.
Visitors to the county also may want to spend a day at Lake Lurleen State Park to lounge by the lake, fish or canoe, or try their hand at kayaking on nearby Hurricane Creek.
The new River Run Park in Northport, slated to open in August, features softball and little league baseball fields, full-size baseball fields and much more.
Tuscaloosa County offers other venues for young children, too. The Children’s Hands-On Museum houses interactive exhibits that teach concepts of science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics through play.
Another fun spot for children is Mason’s Place, a playground within the Munny Sokol Park that has inclusive play structures for youngsters, no matter their abilities.
And Upsurge Trampoline Park in Tuscaloosa is a place for family fun, that includes a ninja warrior course, dodgeball courts and a spacious foam pit.
The Tuscaloosa River Market, located on the banks of the Black Warrior River, features a farmer’s market where shoppers can purchase locally grown fruits and vegetables, meats and artisan crafts. The River Market also is an event venue for weddings, parties and other celebrations.
In Northport, the West Alabama Food & Wine Festival is held every spring in the downtown area. This fundraising event brings local chefs and food and wine enthusiasts together and includes live musical performances.
This article appears in the September 2025 issue of Business Alabama.
