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Brick storefronts along a railroad that still carries freight through the middle of town give Opelika its character. This east Alabama city of about 32,000 people, the seat of Lee County, sits right beside Auburn and has become a weekend draw for golf, live music and small-town dining.
The town grew up in the mid-1800s where rail lines met, and much of its downtown and the Victorian houses of the Northside Historic District date from the decades that followed. The restored commercial blocks on Railroad Avenue now hold boutiques, cafes and a craft distillery, overlooked by the 1896 Lee County Courthouse.
Golfers come for the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at Grand National, families ride the miniature Rocky Brook Rocket in Municipal Park, and the Museum of East Alabama tells local stories. Auburn University, Chewacla State Park and the coves of Lake Martin are easy side trips from town.
Railroad Avenue and South 8th Street form a compact downtown of restored brick buildings with boutiques, coffee shops, a distillery and restaurants with sidewalk seating. Freight trains still roll through the center. Visit during the On the Tracks food and wine walks for the liveliest evenings.
A leafy residential district north of downtown with Victorian, Queen Anne and Craftsman homes built when Opelika was a busy railroad town. It suits a slow walk or drive, and the annual Christmas Tour of Homes in December opens several of the finest houses to visitors.
A free local history museum on 9th Street with exhibits on Lee County's railroads, farms, schools, businesses and military veterans, plus everyday objects from the early 1900s. It makes a good rainy-day stop, and the volunteer staff are happy to share stories about the town.
Completed in 1896, this Classical Revival courthouse with a columned portico and white cupola anchors the eastern edge of downtown. It still serves as the county courthouse, so the exterior and lawn are the main draw; photographers like it in the warm light of late afternoon.
Three courses wrap around Lake Saugahatchee at this stop on Alabama's Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, often praised among the best public golf in the South. A Marriott resort and spa sits on the grounds. Book tee times early for spring and fall, the busiest seasons.
A city park south of town surrounding Spring Villa, an 1850s Carpenter Gothic plantation house with a long reputation for ghost stories. The grounds have a fishing pond, walking paths and campsites. The house itself opens mainly for events and seasonal Halloween tours.
A beloved miniature train that loops through the trees of Opelika Municipal Park, running on warm-weather weekends for a small fare. The park around it has playgrounds and picnic shelters, making it an easy half-day with young children. Check the city parks page for current hours.
A craft distillery on Railroad Avenue making single malt whiskey smoked with pecan and peach wood, plus gin, rum and vodka. Tours walk you past the stills and end with a tasting; book ahead on weekends. The shop sells bottles that make a very local souvenir.
Each year, working songwriters from Nashville and beyond play their own hits in small venues around downtown Opelika, telling the stories behind each song between sets. Passes cover several stages and shows often sell out, so watch for the lineup announcement and buy early.
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Log in to add photosPhoto: Spellck, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: SaveRivers, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Rivers A. Langley; SaveRivers, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Rivers A. Langley; SaveRivers, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Spellck, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Spellck, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Spellck, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Spellck, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Spellck, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Rivers A. Langley; SaveRivers, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Rivers A. Langley; SaveRivers, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: 2Krunchy, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Spellck, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Annabjones20, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Rivers A. Langley; SaveRivers, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Spellck, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: AuburnPilot, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: AuburnPilot, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: AuburnPilot, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: AuburnPilot, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Rivers Langley, http://www.facebook.com/saverivers, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
