Friends, food, drinks, and amazing weather! Spring has sprung and so brings the perfect picnic opportunities. Tuscaloosa is home to multiple fantastic, laid-back picnic spots and the same goes for your picnic catering needs! Whether you’re picking up some goodies for a relaxing afternoon on your back porch or finding a flat spot around town to lay out your favorite blanket, we have some great spots to check out for all of your picnic grab-and-go needs! 

 

Picnic Vibes Tuscaloosa
I bet you didn’t know you can book a professional luxury picnic planner here in Tuscaloosa! Picnic Vibes Tuscaloosa is your go-to for all of your pre-planned picnic needs. It’s as easy as choose your picnic vibe, choose your location, and show up! They have multiple packages for you to pick from that include everything from blankets, outdoor decor, place settings, food, and drinks. Wanting to spice up your afternoon? Picnic Vibes has an optional Bluetooth speaker and dessert options according to your package. This is a perfect option for a special afternoon get-together with your closest friends or for a birthday party! You can check out Picnic Vibe’s website here. 

 

Sage Juice Bar 
Sage Juice Bar is no stranger to fruits and veggies! Its juices and smoothies are made from 100% pressed fruits and vegetables to ensure maximum vitamins and minerals to keep your body strong and energized. You can indeed tell that juices are its specialty by the name, but Sage’s food items are just as prize-winning! Stop by during lunch to grab your goods for a nice picnic out in Tuscaloosa’s beautiful weather! There are many healthy options to choose from like a hearty wrap or a healthy grain bowl. The Riverwalk is not far from Sage’s downtown location, so you can head on over to enjoy the beautiful water and nature surrounding! Fun fact: Sage’s juice bottles and smoothie cups are 100% recyclable so not only are you enjoying a delicious drink, but you’re also one step closer to helping our environment!   

 

Cravings 
Maybe you’re going for a Happy Hour picnic vibe! Cravings is the perfect place to stop by before hitting your picnic destination. With over 150 craft beer labels and over 100 different brands of wine, Cravings will have something that will be sure to have you and your friends excited! Cravings is your one-stop-shop for deli and specialty grocery items. Breakfast is a meal enjoyed all hours of the day and thanks to Cravings, you can order New York imported bagels all day! There are also many sandwiches and salads available if breakfast for lunch/dinner is not your thing. We guarantee you won’t leave empty-handed. Fill your bag, build your own 6-pack, and head to your scenic spot to enjoy!

 

Reggae Flava 
Picnic’s don’t always have to be finger foods and sandwiches! Pick up your grab-and-go food from Reggae Flava for an extra kick to spice up your picnic experience! Reggae Flavas serves up gourmet Caribbean cuisine here in T-Town. There are plenty of options seafood and vegetarian options to pick from as well as multiple chicken wing options to ensure that there is something for everyone! Reggae Flavas is an immigrant-owned business here in town that serves up big flavors that has a winning track record amongst this community. Check out its downtown location to grab your picnic cuisine and soak up the electric atmosphere before heading to your relaxing spot! 

 

Check out these spots for your picnic day out!

Tuscaloosa has no shortage of shopping venues. Everywhere you look there’s a store trying to stand out and show you how unique it is. While that is not always the case, Tuscaloosa is home to some incredibly unique stores! We’ve compiled a list of some unique stores that you can only find in the One and Only Tuscaloosa! Here are the top five One and Only stores downtown.

1. Cravings

Cravings is Tuscaloosa’s favorite specialty food and drink store. It is owned by a New Orleans native and therefore offers a lot of Cajun inspired cuisine that is made fresh daily. The store offers specialty groceries like candy, bagels, homemade marinades, etc. You can purchase items to take home or you can enjoy the items from the dining area inside. Cravings is the only store in downtown Tuscaloosa where you can go and find an entire wall dedicated to selling craft beer from all across the country. You can go in and create your own six-pack, or choose from over two-hundred wines made to fit any budget. Cravings also sells unique specialty items such as wine ice cream and fresh made-from-scratch quiche, tuna salad, crawfish tail rolls, pasta and more! Cravings has a reputation of rotating stock and accepting customer requests joyfully. This is the best place to go if you’re looking to pick up drinks and a quick dinner that are little different from the norm!

2. the makers market

Located in a historic building in downtown Tuscaloosa is West Alabama’s largest craft mall, the makers market. The store is locally owned and operated and is the perfect place to go if you’re in search of homemade goods and décor. It offers all sorts of craft goods from jewelry, furniture, home décor, clothing and so much more. The best part about this store is that everything in it is handmade by people in the community. Decorated with its antique hardwood floors and original brick walls the venue alone will have you in the mood to shop from the moment you walk in. This store embodies the phrase, “shop local” and that’s exactly what you’ll be doing when you visit the makers market!

3. T-Town Market

The owners of Black Warrior Brewing realized they needed more space for their storage. Because of the lack of convenience stores in downtown Tuscaloosa, they turned the front of their new establishment into an incredible one stop shop! They realized there was no place in the area where people could go to get their quick necessity items such as snacks, drinks, sunscreen, toiletries, etc. So Black Warrior Brewing decided to help the public out and open T-Town Market. Thanks to this market you can now skip a few Walmart trips and find all of your day-to-day necessities such as toothpaste, deodorant, snacks, coffee and so much more right in downtown Tuscaloosa. The market also offers grilling supplies like charcoal and locally farmed meats and veggies from time to time. In this case, you can avoid the dreadfully long lines of the supermarket and just make a quick trip to T-Town Market and they will set you up with everything you need for your summer party.

4. Lou and Company

Lou and Company is the perfect little gift shop for any occasion. Started by a University of Alabama alumni, the store features gifts, party favors, sorority items and home décor pieces for every occasion. The local One and Only shop is named after the owner’s goldendoodle, Lou, who often greets shoppers at the door upon arrival. The store is home to elegant, high-end gift and décor items that are otherwise hard to find in the area. Most of the items in the store can only be found online. Luckily for us, Lou and Company has hooked us up, and given us a place to find these specialty gifts right in the heart of downtown. Whether you’re looking for baby gifts, wedding gifts, housewarming gifts or just looking to treat yourself, this shop is the best place to go for any celebration.

5. The Shirt Shop

The Shirt Shop is a staple and one of the most familiar shops in Tuscaloosa. The historic building is packed full of name brand apparel such as Vineyard Vines, Fish Hippie, Elan and Peter Millar making it one of Tuscaloosa’s best shopping venues. The one and only shop even started its own clothing line called “Elephant Wear” that features products branded with a distinctive game day elephant. The Elephant Wear line is one of the most popular staples among University of Alabama students on game day. This store is always trending in Tuscaloosa and is the perfect place to go if you’re looking to stock your wardrobe with special occasion attire and UA apparel.

Written By: Bailee Kennamer