A Nick Saban-Inspired Itinerary Filled with Things to do in Tuscaloosa
You know what they say… “All good things must come to an end.” And while we’re excited about this new era of welcoming Coach Kalen DeBoer to Tuscaloosa and to the Crimson Tide family, we can’t help but be a little in our feels about Coach Nick Saban’s retirement. So, what better way to pay a Tuscaloosa tribute to the GOAT than a Saban-themed trip to the town he and Ms. Terry have called home for 17 years?
Whether you’re local or coming in from out of town, this lineup is built for champions!
Since we’re celebrating the Saban’s, it’s only right we remind you of the option to stay at the hotel they have ownership in. Built in 2022, The Alamite is filled with elevated Crimson Tide touches.
Once you check in and settle into one of the 112 boutique guest rooms, you don’t even have to leave the property for dinner. The Alamite boasts two incredible restaurants guaranteed to please any palette.
If you’re feeling more of a casual, laid-back atmosphere we recommend hopping on the elevator to the rooftop bar Roll Call. You’ll find a thoughtfully curated menu of seasonal shareables and entrees. They often have live music you can enjoy while looking out over the Downtown Tuscaloosa skyline or towards the lights of Bryant Denny Stadium.
If you’re leaning toward a formal dining experience, you’ll love the Alamite’s house restaurant Forte Cuts and Cocktails. Forte seamlessly marries the charm of classic old-world European cuisine with the sophistication of a modern setting. Step into a world where timeless flavors meet contemporary elegance.
For music lovers, the newly renamed Mercedes – Benz Amphitheater doesn’t have a bad seat in the house. Shows are still being announced for the 2024 season. The music venue seats 7,470 along the Black Warrior River right next to the future location of The Saban Center, a first of its kind STEAM hub for education training, arts participation and academic support for teachers and families, opening in 2026.
If you’re an early riser like coach and want to start your process in the morning, we’ve got a breakfast spot that has never lost.
Opened in 1951, The Waysider is one of the oldest continuously operating restaurants in all of west Alabama. You’ll need to bring your appetite and your patience to this local favorite. Crowds are known to gather early for the generous portions of hearty breakfast classics. If these walls could talk, they’d have quite some tales of Tuscaloosa. Another legendary Alabama football coach, Paul “Bear” Bryant, was known to dine on his favorite menu item, country ham, regularly at a particular table tucked away by the door.
Once your bellies are full, you might want to walk off some of that delicious breakfast with a stroll along the Walk of Champions outside Bryant-Denny Stadium. There are several social media worthy photo opportunities here. You’ll definitely want your picture made with the 2,000-pound bronze statue of Nick Saban along the Coaches Walk. This is the site where students and fans brought tokens of their appreciation in the days following his retirement announcement.
The University of Alabama hosts student-guided stadium tours most days at 11:00 a.m. For $25.00 per person, you can get a first-hand look at the game day experience from the perspectives of coaches and players.
To truly understand Alabama Football, you’ll need to go back in time to long before Nick Saban stepped on campus. Paul “Bear” Bryant coached at The Capstone from 1958-1982. He is considered by many, including Coach Saban, to be one of the greatest football coaches of all time. To celebrate his legacy, The University of Alabama houses the Paul W. Bryant Museum, complete with six exhibits that highlight the university’s sports successes. Bryant won a record 323 career games and six national championships.
By this point, you’ll probably have worked your appetite back up. Don’t worry, we’re not sending you far. Located in the shadows of Bryant- Denny Stadium, sits one of the most iconic restaurants in Title Town. If a Crimson Tide football museum and a classic diner had a baby, it would be Rama Jama’s. Alabama sports memorabilia hangs, sits and stands on every wall, ceiling and surface in sight. You’ll walk away from this place with not only a fantastic meal, but also more knowledge of one of the most storied sports programs in the country. You might have to play a little defense depending on the crowd, but the food and experience is well worth the wait. We recommend having the National Championship BLT. It has 18 strips of bacon on it, one for each Crimson Tide national title.
While you’re close by, you might as well hit up another UA staple if you’re up for a boozy beverage. Just down a stretch of campus known as “The Strip,” sits a bar famous on its own. Gallettes is home of The Yellowhammer—and we’re not talking about the state bird. This drink is a blend of rum, vodka, amaretto, orange juice and pineapple juice. While it is delicious, we don’t recommend having too many. They’ll sneak up on you… and we’ve got a lot more Saban celebrating to do!
For afternoon activities, we have a few different plays in our playbook.
Coach Saban has been known to spend time with his players off the field and on the water. That’s right…. the GOAT on a boat! Several videos have gone viral of coach captaining his pontoon while relaxing with several of his players on board. Lake Tuscaloosa is the perfect place to tube, waterski, wake board and sight see. No boat? No problem. You can rent vessels from Pier 43 or one of Tuscaloosa’s newest attractions Captain’s Club.
If the water isn’t for you, and perhaps you have little ones with you on your trip, the Sabans thought of that too. During their time in Tuscaloosa, they’ve donated funds through their nonprofit Nick’s Kids Foundation to create two new playgrounds for children of various ages. One is located on the Tuscaloosa Riverwalk, and you can find Mason’s Place, an all-inclusive playground for children of all abilities, at Sokol Park.
If you’re looking to volunteer while you’re in Title Town, here’s a unique way to say you helped the Saban’s build their dynasty, literally. Coach and Ms. Terry have sponsored 20 Habitat for Humanity homes in this community since an EF-4 tornado destroyed much of Tuscaloosa in 2011. Hours after Coach Saban’s retirement announcement, Habitat confirmed the Sabans would sponsor one last home to commemorate the Tide’s latest SEC championship win against the Georgia Bulldogs. This home is known as the LANK House (Let All Naysayers Know). If you’d like to volunteer your time to help with this historic build, you can visit habitattuscaloosa.org/volunteer.
Regardless of how you spend your afternoon in Tuscaloosa, we think you’ll love ending your day on a sweet note. River is a restaurant favorite here locally. Living true to its name, this urban dining experience is located on the beautiful banks of the Black Warrior River. If you really want to tip your hat to Coach Saban, order his all-time favorite treat, the Oatmeal Crème Pie. This delicious dessert is a made from scratch buttercream filling sandwiched between two warm oatmeal cookies. Is your mouth watering yet?
As you can tell, the Saban’s have done a whole lot more for our city than just win a lot of football games. They’ve helped weave the fabric of this community by giving, serving and building a legendary legacy here. Although Coach Saban is stepping off the field, he and his family are continuing to leave their mark on Tuscaloosa.
Thank you to our partners at Townsend Nissan and Townsend Honda for sponsoring this content!
Football has returned to Tuscaloosa, and with it a ton of great events to give you a fun-filled weekend in the city of champions. We have live music, art events, musicals, and more! Get ready to enjoy a special weekend in Tuscaloosa!
Art Night at Kentuck
Just over the river from downtown Tuscaloosa rests Kentuck Art Center, the centerpiece of the local art community. One the first Thursday of each month they host a quaint little shindig to help you relax and explore their unique scene. They have live music, light hors-d’oeuvres and a chance to interact with a local artist and even purchase some of their beautiful art. Art night lasts from 5-8 on Thursday, but it will be the best three hours of your month, guaranteed. Check out their Facebook event to share this information with your friends! https://www.facebook.com/events/366189450947666/
First Friday Art Walk
The first Friday of the month is a special evening in downtown Tuscaloosa. Local art galleries open their doors late and invite the public in for a night of fun and exploration. With downtown being an entertainment district on Friday evenings, you can now grab your favorite drink from a local bar or restaurant and dig the local art scene. Galleries on your tour include Harrison Galleries, the Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center, and local artist Caleb O’Connor’s studio. For more information and hours visit http://firstfridaytuscaloosa.com/
Alabama Football vs. New Mexico State
The Crimson Tide how the New Mexico State Aggies in the Tide’s first home game of the 2019 season. Alabama dominated Duke last week to the tune of 42-3, and look to build on that success before heading on the road for its first conference game of the season against South Carolina next week. Kickoff is at 3:00 p.m., and it will be a great day for some early tailgating before watching the Tide roll. Tickets are still available at rolltide.com. For more game day information, visit https://uagameday.com/gameday-information-2018/.
Fly By Radio at Rhythm & Brews
Fly By Radio has spent years traveling the southeast playing fraternities, sororities, special events, festivals, corporate, and weddings. From Motown to current jams, and everything in between, FBR will have you singing along to all the hits at Rhythm and Brews this Friday, September 6 beginning at 10 p.m. If you like Guns n’ Roses, Metallica, and AC/DC, then this will be a great way to kick off your gameday weekend in Tuscaloosa. For more info visit https://www.rhythmnbrews.com/.
The Actor’s Charitable Theatre presents “Cats.”
“Jellicle Cats come out tonight, Jellicle Cats come one come all.” Join the Actor’s Charitable Theatre for their magical and moving production of Cats the Musical September 6-9 at The Bama Theatre. Based on T.S. Eliot’s whimsical collection of poems, Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s popular musical brings together a tribe of Jellicle Cats on a moonlit evening, who must make the “Jellicle choice” to decide which of them will ascend to the mysterious Heaviside Layer to be reborn. Featuring such celebrated standards as the haunting “Memory,” “Cats” was an international phenomenon and its original production is still the fourth-longest-running show on Broadway with a new revival that opened in summer 2016. You have plenty of opportunities to experience this musical over the weekend. This includes shows on Friday and Saturday, as well as two showings on Sunday. Visit http://theactonline.com/cats/ for showtimes and to purchase tickets.
The road to Alabama’s eighteenth football national championship begins this beautiful spring weekend in Tuscaloosa at Bryant-Denny Stadium! The Tuscaloosa Amphitheater will be hosting Chris Young on Thursday night and Casting Crowns on Friday night. There are plenty of family events happening this weekend such as the Tuscaloosa Children’s Theatre’s presentation of “Peter Pan, Jr” and the Alabama Football Spring A-Day game. Get out and enjoy a fun-filled weekend in the One and Only.
Chris Young at the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater
If you’re a country music fan you don’t want to miss Thursday night at the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater. Chris Young’s “Losing Sleep 2018 World Tour” is making a stop in Tuscaloosa, and he is bringing special guests Kane Brown, Morgan Evans and Dee Jay Silver with him. The show begins at 7:30 pm, and it’s going to be one of the best shows of the spring! You can get in the door right now for $37, so purchase your ticket from www.tuscaloosaamphitheater.com before they are all gone!
Tuscaloosa Children’s Theatre presents “Peter Pan, Jr.”
Based on the Disney film and J.M. Barrie’s enchanting play, Disney’s Peter Pan JR. is a modern version of the timeless tale about a boy who wouldn’t grow up… with no flying required! The score includes new arrangements of classic Disney songs and a story featuring one rousing adventure after another. Wendy Darling loves to tell stories to her brothers, Michael and John. But when her father announces she must move out of the nursery, Peter Pan comes to visit the children and whisks them away to Neverland. Their journey introduces them to the Lost Boys, Mermaids, Indians and even the infamous pirate, Captain Hook! It’s Peter to the rescue when Wendy is taken captive by the dreaded captain, who has his own sinister plans in mind for our hero. There are multiple times that you can catch this presentation at the Bama Theatre. The times are Friday 7:00 pm- 9:00 pm, Saturday 2:00 pm- 4:00 pm, and 7:00 pm- 9:00 pm. Come out and show your support for the Tuscaloosa Children’s Theatre.
Casting Crowns at the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater
Chris Young isn’t the only artist playing the Amp this weekend. Casting Crowns will be back in town at the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater on Friday night for their “Very Next Thing” tour performing soulful praise and worship music. They will be joined by special guest “I Am They.” The concert begins at 7:00 pm. Visit www.tuscaloosaamphitheater.com to purchase tickets.
Alabama Football’s A-Day Spring Game
The 2018 Golden Flake A-Day Spring Football Game will be played on Saturday, April 21, at 1 p.m. The annual A-Day Game is the 15th and final practice of the spring and takes place at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Admission will once again be free to the public. After the scrimmage, you will have the chance to go onto the football and walk around or take pictures. Some of the other highlights of A-Day include the Walk of Fame ceremony, where the 2017 captains will set their hands and cleats in cement at Denny Chimes and an alumni flag football game with former star players. A-Day is the perfect family event, so come out and support the Crimson Tide as they begin their road to number eighteen.
Beans and Brews Crawfish Boil to benefit Habitat for Humanity
UPerk and Loosa Brews are partnering for a family-friendly crawfish boil featuring local bands, artists, and artisans to benefit the Tuscaloosa Habitat for Humanity. The crawfish boil is on Saturday at 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm, so make plans to swing by after the A-Day game for some crawfish and to support this wonderful organization that does so much for the Tuscaloosa community.
Follow us on social media (@visittuscaloosa) to stay up-to-date on important events. Tag us in your photos for a chance to be featured on our social media accounts. We love seeing Tuscaloosa through your eyes!
Another big weekend in the city of champions is around the corner, and we’ve got the low-down on all the fun events taking place. Friday is December 1, so that means First Friday Art Night will be taking over downtown T-town. Grab a drink from your favorite bar or restaurant and take a tour of the local art scene before seeing some live music at Green Bar.
First Friday Art Night in downtown Tuscaloosa has become a special monthly event to residents and visitors alike. Local artists and gallery owners showcase incredible works each month and this week will be no different. An entertainment district will be in effect until 10 p.m. so grab a drink from Catch-22 or your favorite bar or restaurant and head out to explore Tuscaloosa’s vibrant art scene. Galleries involved include:
– Grace Aberdean Habitat Alchemy 6-9 p.m.
– O’Connor Art Studios 5:30-8:30 p.m.
– The Paul R. Jones Gallery 5:30-7:30 p.m.
– Uperk 5:30-8
– Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center 5-8 p.m.
– Harrison Galleries 6-9 p.m.
These galleries would love the opportunity to host you, and some even provide hors-d’oeuvres. Best of all, the event is free, so you have no reason not to go, and you are guaranteed to stumble upon something that surprises and delights you.
When you’re finished taking in the local art scene on Friday evening, head over to Green Bar where Admiral Snackbar will be rocking all night. This Tuscaloosa band plays some of the best rock around and has been influenced by Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, and Rage Against the Machine. As Tuscaloosa’s music scene continues to develop its unique blend of sounds, keep an eye on Admiral Snackbar and their contributions. Bands like the Alabama Shakes and St. Paul & the Broken Bones used to play Green Bar, so you never know when you could see the next great Alabama band. The music starts around 11 and tickets are FREE!
Great local bands won’t just be playing downtown this weekend. Angela and the Able Brothers Band mix acoustic guitars, smooth bass, and incredible vocals for your listening pleasure. The band has seemingly played everywhere this year and this Saturday will take their show to Band of Brothers Brewing. It’s such a blast to watch a band perform next to the huge brewing equipment, and it makes Band of Brothers a special place to see Tuscaloosa’s best bands. Head over around 7 and get lost in the music.
It wouldn’t be a weekend in Tuscaloosa without Alabama sports. Coach Avery Johnson has the Crimson Tide Men’s basketball team off to a scorching 5-1 start, with the only loss being mostly a 3 on 5 game where young bull Collin Sexton scored 40 points, an Alabama freshman. You have got to see this team play in person, and Sunday at 1 p.m. against UCF is your chance. Tickets can be purchased at RollTide.com and are only $15, which is a steal to watch this squad.
There are always fun events going on around town, so visit our event calendar at visittuscaloosa.xyz/events for a complete list.