Are you stuck in Tuscaloosa for Spring Break? Don’t worry! The Scene has all sorts of suggestions to keep you occupied and entertained while you’re here. Whether you make a few day trips to Tuscaloosa’s nearby cities, or whether you stay in Tuscaloosa and simply explore all those places you’ve always wanted to visit but simply never have the time to, spring break 2011 has the potential to be memorable. The Tuscaloosa area has an abundance of fun, cheap things whether you’re interested in shopping, art museums, hiking trails, cool restaurants or nightlife.
Suds of the South Beerfest (beer tasting)
Most of the students will already be miles away from Tuscaloosa come Saturday, but if you’re still in town and over 21, stop by Wilhagan’s between 4 and 7 p.m. for the second annual Suds of the South beerfest. Sponsored by local blog Well That’s Cool, patrons will receive a 3 oz. beer glass to keep for $20, which they can then use to taste as many beers as they desire that are offered by the 12 featured breweries. Craft beers from out-of-town breweries like Birmingham’s Good People Brewing Company will be featured at the event.
Moundville Park & PieLab (food and culture)
If you’re looking for a relaxing day in the park, Moundville Archeological Park is the place for you. Located along the Black Warrior River just 20 minutes south of Tuscaloosa, visitors can walk about the park’s more than 300 acres and learn about Indian culture while doing so. Historic Indian mounds line the park’s trails, and the Jones Museum, which closes at 5 p.m. daily, offers further insight into Indian culture. And the best part is, admission into the park is only $6 for students. Travelling south to Moundville is an excellent excursion for your Sunday or Monday, as it is open daily starting at 9 a.m. when many other venues around town are closed. While you’re south of Tuscaloosa, you may also want to drive an additional 30 minutes to downtown Greensboro for the unique pies of PieLab, which is also open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Tuscaloosa-area Parks (outdoors)
Lovers of the outdoors, look no further than the UA Arboretum, Munny Sokol Park and Natural Bridge Park. Admission to all of these parks is free, and each is unique in its own way. The UA Arboretum is the closest of the three, located near at the intersection of Veterans Memorial Parkway (15th Street East) and Pelham Loop Road. Visitors can walk along several trails, including the paths of an abandoned golf course, as well as see several gardens. Munny Sokol is a great place for mountain bikers with an 11-mile long trail, and it is located just a few miles north of highway 82 on Watermelon Road. Natural Bridge Park is about an hour drive away going north on highway 43, but it makes for a good little day trip for anyone interested in hiking and climbing. It also has the longest naturally-formed bridge structure east of the Rocky Mountains, and there are waterfalls, trails, a creek, picnic area and gift shop.
Shopping and art in Birmingham (book worms and art lovers)
Taking a small day trip to Birmingham is a good option for your Wednesday because most venues are open then, and many bars downtown offer drink specials on Wednesday nights. During the day, you could visit Reed Books and the Birmingham Museum of Art, both downtown and within easy walking distance (only five blocks) of each other. Throughout March, Reed Books is displaying more than 300 miniature books from all over the world, and they also have a large selection of books for purchase. Its web inventory includes 47,500 books, magazines, newspapers and posters, but there are more than 250,000 additional items in the store. After browsing the bookshelves at Reed Books, walk over to the Birmingham Museum of Art, which is currently featuring photography from South Africa, several works of African-American art and works from the museum’s general collection. Admission is free, and the museum is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Reed Books is open from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. By nightfall, make your way over to the intersection of highways 459 and 280 for shopping and dinner at The Summit. For more information, see jimreedbooks.com, artsbma.org and thesummitonline.com/birmingham.
Tuscaloosa-area Art Galleries
If you’ve never been before, the Westervelt Warner Museum of American Art is a must-see. One of the largest collections of American art in the world, the Warner Museum features more than 400 paintings, sculptures and pieces of furniture and decorative arts dating from the late 1700s to the early 1900s. As a bonus, the small drive to the museum is a pretty one, as you have to cross Lake Tuscaloosa and go through North River Yacht Club to get there. The Warner Museum is open from noon to 5 p.m. on Thursday and Friday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, and admission is $7 for students. For directions, go to warnermuseum.org. One you finish browsing through the many rooms of the Warner Museum, you might want to finish your day in downtown Northport either at the Kentuck Art Gallery, the Renaissance Gallery or one of the many locally-owned shops and restaurants of Northport.
Six Flags in Atlanta
For those who don’t mind travelling a few hours, Six Flags Over Georgia kicks off their season on Saturday, March 19, and they’re offering tickets at the special discounted price of $20.11. The only catch is that you must bring six or more non-perishable food items to donate to MUST ministries, and the items must be on the list of acceptable food items located on the Six Flags Over Georgia website. But the deal is still good, as general admission is usually around $50. The park is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., so even with the drive you should have plenty of time to ride as many roller coasters as your heart desires before leaving the park. For more information, see sixflags.com/overGeorgia.
