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Tuscaloosa is a city of about 110,000 people on the Black Warrior River in west-central Alabama. It is named after Tuskaloosa, a Mississippian chief who fought the Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto in 1540, and it served as the state capital from 1826 to 1846. The ruins of the old capitol remain in Capitol Park downtown.
The University of Alabama, founded in 1831, defines much of the city. Its leafy campus includes the President's Mansion and the Gorgas House, two of the few buildings to survive the Civil War burning of the campus, and Bryant-Denny Stadium, home of the Crimson Tide, holds more than 100,000 fans on football Saturdays. The Paul W. Bryant Museum celebrates the team's legendary coach and championships.
Downtown, the restored Bama Theatre and Cultural Arts Center host films and performances, and the Tuscaloosa Riverwalk follows the Black Warrior River for miles. Moundville Archaeological Park, about 15 miles south, preserves one of the largest prehistoric Native American sites in North America, and Lake Tuscaloosa offers boating and fishing.
The flagship state university's campus centers on the Quad, a large tree-shaded lawn overlooked by Denny Chimes bell tower and the columned Gorgas Library. Visitors can walk the grounds freely and visit campus museums. Use visitor parking decks, as most lots require permits.
Home of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team, one of the largest stadiums in the country with more than 100,000 seats. The Walk of Champions outside has statues of the program's national championship coaches. Game days fill the city, so book lodging months in advance.
A museum on campus devoted to Alabama football history and legendary coach Paul Bear Bryant, with trophies, game footage, memorabilia and a replica of his office, including his famous houndstooth hat. Allow about an hour. It is busy on home game weekends, so go earlier in the week.
Housed in historic Smith Hall on the university Quad, this museum displays fossils, minerals, mounted animals and a meteorite that struck a woman in Sylacauga in 1954. The building's grand main hall is worth seeing. Admission is low and hours follow the academic calendar.
A small museum in the 1920s home of Will J. Murphy, a Black undertaker, showing furnishings and exhibits on African American life and history in Tuscaloosa. Tours are guided by staff. Opening hours are limited, so call ahead before visiting; it is near downtown.
One of the oldest buildings on the University of Alabama campus, built in 1829 as a dining hall and later home of the Gorgas family, it survived the burning of the campus by Union troops in 1865. It is now a small museum with period furnishings and silver; admission is free.
An Italianate mansion completed in 1862 for state senator Robert Jemison Jr. on Greensboro Avenue, now restored with period furnishings and used as a museum and event space. Guided tours explain antebellum and Civil War era history. Check the schedule; hours are limited.
A downtown park preserving the ruins and foundations of the Alabama State Capitol building, used when Tuscaloosa was the state capital from 1826 to 1846; the building later burned in 1923. Columns and steps remain. It is free, quiet and good for photos and a short walk.
About 15 miles south of Tuscaloosa, this site preserves 29 earthen platform mounds built by Mississippian people around 1000 to 1450 AD, with a museum of artifacts and a walking loop. You can climb the largest mound. Allow two hours; it hosts a Native American festival each fall.
A restored 1938 movie palace downtown with an atmospheric interior that shows a night sky with twinkling stars, now used for films, concerts, theater and community events. It is run by the local arts council. Check the program, as it opens to the public mostly for events.
A paved path along the Black Warrior River that links downtown to the university and the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater, with river views, benches and play areas. It is popular for walking, running and cycling. Go in the early morning or near sunset to avoid summer heat.
A large reservoir north of the city with wooded shores and coves, used for boating, fishing, kayaking and swimming. Public access points include marinas and boat launches. It supplies the city's water, so some rules apply; check access and parking rules before you go.
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