A Fall Alabama Road Trip with Enterprise

A North Alabama Fall Road Trip to the Shoals

[shareaholic app=”share_buttons” id=”20872686″]

Every few years, my cousins and I get together for one epic weekend of exploring, card game marathons, cocktailing and just enjoying each others’ company. Where we go has been all over the map—Lake Martin, Alabama; Destin, Florida; Tullahoma/Nashville, Tennessee; Birmingham, Alabama—but a couple years back we settled on a location that was new to all of us: a fall trip to the Shoals.

A Fall Alabama Road Trip with Enterprise

This post was last updated in September 2021.

Why we chose our trip to the Shoals

When you’ve got a group of 10—though two couldn’t make it, so it wound up being a group of eight instead—scattered throughout the South and want to pick somewhere central, you’ve got to go where the rental houses are. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to find a house to accommodate so many unless you look for coastal areas or a region near a lake with ample recreational facilities.

A Fall Alabama Road Trip with Enterprise

In the beginning, we toyed with the idea of Kentucky Bourbon Country (too far for the Memphis folks), the Smoky Mountains (too crowded in peak foliage season) and even the waterfalls around Nashville (no houses that could accommodate all of us) before confining our quest to North Alabama around Pickwick Lake.

A Fall Alabama Road Trip with Enterprise

After settling on a trip to the Shoals, I searched VRBO and HomeAway and finally found the perfect place on Airbnb: a four-bedroom house on the lake/Tennessee River with plenty of communal space for chilling, cooking and playing cards.

A Fall Alabama Road Trip with Enterprise
A Fall Alabama Road Trip with Enterprise

A Fall Alabama Road Trip with Enterprise

Best of all, the price was right: The eight of us paid a total of $761 for the weekend, versus some of the other homes we found that were that for a single night (and thus, way out of our budget). And we were right on the lake, too! You can’t beat that morning view.

A Fall Alabama Road Trip with Enterprise

What to do on a trip to the Shoals

I’ve been known to create a pretty fun weekend itinerary or two in my years of travel, if I do say so myself, and Cousins Weekend is no different. I like to ensure that everyone eats and drinks to their heart’s content and that we leave no local spot uncovered. After all, most of us only have a few free weekends a year to go out and explore—gotta make them count, right?

A Fall Alabama Road Trip with Enterprise
As such, SVV and I got down there before the rest of them to scope out the terrain. After picking up our rental car in Tullahoma on Friday morning, we hit the road and drove two hours to the town of Florence—with a couple of stops along the way (an Amish market, a few street murals, the usual).

A Fall Alabama Road Trip with Enterprise

Day 1: Florence

This was my first of many visits to Florence, Ala., the heartbeat of “the Shoals,” which also comprises Muscle Shoals, Sheffield and Tuscumbia, despite growing up just two hours away. There’s a lot going on down in the quadrant of towns, from music to dining to outdoor fun.

A Fall Alabama Road Trip with Enterprise

By the time we arrived in Florence, it was high time for lunch; SVV was getting hangry, and that’s never a good thing for either of us.

A Fall Alabama Road Trip with Enterprise

My friend Corinne had told us to eat all the things at Odette, and given she went to college in Northern Alabama, we didn’t question her judgment. Lunch and cocktails at Odette it was!

An Alabama Road Trip: Florence, Muscle Shoals and Tuscumbia
An Alabama Road Trip: Florence, Muscle Shoals and Tuscumbia
An Alabama Road Trip: Florence, Muscle Shoals and Tuscumbia

An Alabama Road Trip: Florence, Muscle Shoals and Tuscumbia

This cute Court Street bistro had a great selection of lunch items, but the server raved about the burger that for a change, SVV and I both ordered the same thing (and licked our plates when we were through). I’ve since been back to Odette a half-dozen times, and it never disappoints.

An Alabama Road Trip: Florence, Muscle Shoals and Tuscumbia

A Fall Alabama Road Trip with Enterprise
A Fall Alabama Road Trip with Enterprise

An Alabama Road Trip: Florence, Muscle Shoals and Tuscumbia

After lunch, we powered through the food comas and strolled around downtown Florence. What a delight of a town you are, Florence. So many cute boutiques, cafes and the like—why can’t every mid-sized city be so charming?

A Fall Alabama Road Trip with Enterprise
A Fall Alabama Road Trip with Enterprise

An Alabama Road Trip: Florence, Muscle Shoals and Tuscumbia

A Fall Alabama Road Trip with Enterprise
A Fall Alabama Road Trip with Enterprise

Word on the street is that Billy Reid having his flagship store on Court Street has done wonders for this town. We didn’t go in—not within this writer’s shopping budget, unfortunately—but I wouldn’t say no were an invite to his annual summer Shindig to pop up in my inbox.

An Alabama Road Trip: Florence, Muscle Shoals and Tuscumbia

On our way out of Florence, we stopped at the main entrance of University of North Alabama for a bit of a wander. This DI school has around 7,500 students and is located just outside the downtown core.

An Alabama Road Trip: Florence, Muscle Shoals and Tuscumbia

We had heard that they had a pair of lions, which I only assumed to be statues guarding the entrance.

A Fall Alabama Road Trip with Enterprise
A Fall Alabama Road Trip with Enterprise

Nope, the real deal! Meet Una and Leo III, the UNA mascots. They live in a lion habitat right next door to the president’s house.

A Fall Alabama Road Trip with Enterprise

Corinne also had told me to drive over the O’Neal Bridge to shoot the Old Railroad Bridge, and once we did, we spotted a cool park on the Florence side of the river and headed back just in time to catch the sunset.

A Fall Alabama Road Trip with Enterprise

And we were so glad we did: The golden glow of November really stole the show, and McFarland Park was a diamond in the rough: RV campers, tent campers and day trippers alike spread out through the tall pine trees comprising this sprawling riverfront park.

A Fall Alabama Road Trip with Enterprise
A Fall Alabama Road Trip with Enterprise

Then, we drove the 45 minutes on to Cherokee to meet the rest of the family, have dinner in the house and get our bourbon on.

Day 2: Tuscumbia

We woke up and cooked brunch at the rental house—bacon, mimosas and orange-vanilla French toasted dusted with powdered sugar for those of you who were curious—watched some football then moseyed into Tuscumbia for a late lunch at The Palace.

A Fall Alabama Road Trip with Enterprise

This soda fountain and sandwich shop occupies an 1833 building, and it’s got that sort of old-school nostalgia that never gets, well, old.

A Fall Alabama Road Trip with Enterprise
A Fall Alabama Road Trip with Enterprise

Tuscumbia also happens to be the home of Helen Keller, though we did not visit her birthplace. Instead, we heard a singing fountain and were drawn down to Spring Park where there’s a waterfall, playground and plenty of fowl to chase.

An Alabama Road Trip: Florence, Muscle Shoals and Tuscumbia
An Alabama Road Trip: Florence, Muscle Shoals and Tuscumbia
An Alabama Road Trip: Florence, Muscle Shoals and Tuscumbia

Next, we headed into the Shoals to attempt to visit a few of the prominent music studios like the Muscle Shoals Sound and Fame. Only, we got there at 2:30pm to find they all closed at 2pm! Rookie error not checking that beforehand, but I inaccurately assumed if an attraction was open on a Saturday, it would at least stay open until 4 at the earliest.

A Fall Alabama Road Trip with Enterprise

Oh well. Lesson learned.

A Fall Alabama Road Trip with Enterprise

Instead, we did what this crew does best: We went to drink beer. Last year, I met Rob and Michelle, the good folks behind Singin’ River Brewing, many years ago in Nashville, and I was excited to check out their brewery for myself.

An Alabama Road Trip: Florence, Muscle Shoals and Tuscumbia

It’s a very spacious, dog-friendly converted warehouse with plenty of TVs for watching the games (go Vols!) and an adjoining facility, the Oak Barrel Room, used for private events and as a live music venue.

An Alabama Road Trip: Florence, Muscle Shoals and Tuscumbia

We had a couple of rounds before taking a taxi to our next stop: theMarriott for a drink in its 360 Grille, a rotating bar on the top floor of the hotel.

An Alabama Road Trip: Florence, Muscle Shoals and Tuscumbia

After a quick round there, it was off to Wildwood Tavern for more craft beer and craft hot dogs (yes, that is a thing!) in addition to the friendliest service we found in Florence. Go to this casual tavern if you’re looking for a laid-back experience and exposure to some unique brews.

Wildwood Tavern in Florence, Alabama

Day 3: Decatur

The crew got up and moving early and we were out of our rental house by 10:30am. SVV and I decided to take a different route home through Huntsville, which led us to the darling town of Decatur, which was mostly shuttered for the day (see: anywhere on a Sunday in the Deep South) but which I’d love to return to on a weekday and check out more in depth.

A Fall Alabama Road Trip with Enterprise

A three-hour drive turned into seven as we stopped at plenty of other places along the way, but isn’t the art of unpredictability the beauty of a road trip in the first place?

A Fall Alabama Road Trip with Enterprise
A Fall Alabama Road Trip with Enterprise

What a weekend in the Shoals costs

  • Rental car: $62.26 for three days
  • Lodging: $96/person
  • Gas: $19.30 total
  • Groceries: $40/person
  • Nice lunch out in Florence: $23/person
  • Casual dinner out in Florence: $13/person
  • Pharmacy lunch in Tuscumbia: $8/person
  • Trip to the brewery: $9/person

A Fall Alabama Road Trip with Enterprise

Plan your own trip to the Shoals

Even if you aren’t within driving distance of Alabama like we are, I encourage you to take advantage of your next free weekend and get out of town with family and friends—you can fly into nearby Huntsville, then rent a car and make the trip to the Shoals.

A Fall Alabama Road Trip with Enterprise
A Fall Alabama Road Trip with Enterprise
An Alabama Road Trip: Florence, Muscle Shoals and Tuscumbia
An Alabama Road Trip: Florence, Muscle Shoals and Tuscumbia
An Alabama Road Trip: Florence, Muscle Shoals and Tuscumbia

An Alabama Road Trip: Florence, Muscle Shoals and Tuscumbia

A Fall Alabama Road Trip with Enterprise
A Fall Alabama Road Trip with Enterprise

A Fall Alabama Road Trip with Enterprise

An Alabama Road Trip: Florence, Muscle Shoals and Tuscumbia

For more North Alabama travel tips:

 


 

SAVE THIS POST FOR LATER

An Alabama Road Trip to Florence, Muscle Shoals and Tuscumbia
An Alabama Road Trip to Florence, Muscle Shoals and Tuscumbia
An Alabama Road Trip to Florence, Muscle Shoals and Tuscumbia
COMMENTS
  • November 15, 2016

    Wow – what a cost efficient trip. Looks like a lot of fun!

    I had no idea about airport car rentals being more expensive than rentals away from the airport – thanks for the tip!

    • November 16, 2016

      No problem! I only learned it about a year ago, and now I always book the closest location to the airport (which is usually only a mile or two and totally worth the hundreds of dollars saved).

  • November 15, 2016
    Libby Yates

    Love this trip idea Kristin! I have been in search myself of a place for a cousins weekend that would be inviting, convenient for most and not expensive.

    Thanks!

    • November 16, 2016

      Yes, only two hours from T-Town and I imagine not too far from your Mississippi folks. You might even be able to find a cool place in the Shoals/Florence, but if not, the lake is a nice recreational area and only about a 40-minute drive.

  • November 15, 2016
    Tom Risner

    I grew up here and wish I had known you were traveling to my wonderfully unique hometown! Trowbridges in downtown Florence is a great place to get ice cream or have lunch. I would recommend watching the documentary “Muscle Shoals” to understand our rich music history. UNA is a great university and won three Div II national championships in Football and Basketball.

    • November 16, 2016

      I know you did! I actually was driving around the old Victorian homes near downtown wondering if you four had lived in any of them before moving to Tullahoma.

      And the documentary is on my to-watch list!

      • November 16, 2016
        Tom Risner

        We did live in one of the Victorian homes on Wood Avenue across from the University and very close to Leo’s cage.

  • November 16, 2016

    Never thought about really exploring the southern states until I started reading your blog! It’s wonderful to get a real perspective on places to go/things to do. Love the pictures!

    • November 16, 2016

      Well, I’m glad you’re open to it now, Janet! =) So much beauty in the Southern states, but often the conservatism in this part of the country keeps people away (don’t let it; everyone is kind here).

  • November 16, 2016
    Leticia

    Love it! I am in desperate need of fresh ideas for traveling and can always count on you! Thanks for all great tips and tricks and fun spots!

    • November 17, 2016

      No problem, girl! I also love discovering new-to-me spots that I would have never thought to visit in my earlier travel years.

  • November 16, 2016

    The fall looks so beautiful in these pictures!

    • December 29, 2016

      Nothing beats autumn in the South in my opinion! I’m missing it so much right now as everything is dead =(

  • November 17, 2016

    Alabama looks really nice.

    It always surprises me on how America can look very old school, in some parts. And I like it!

    • November 17, 2016

      It is a bit surprising, even to someone like me who grew up in a small town in the South! After spending so many years in big cities, I really relish finding these quaint, old-timey small towns that feel so distinctly Americana.

  • November 18, 2016

    Wow ! Very informative indeed. I find it very helpful and relevant. Love your post. 🙂

  • November 18, 2016

    Obviously I was in Alabama with the wrong person! At the very least I was in the wrong part! I am a big fan of Enterprise, I use them whenever possible, the have fantastic customer service, as a professional marketer they are a standard for the study of NPS scores. I too try to go outside the airport when renting cars, it is so much easier!

  • November 18, 2016

    I love how you guys travel with family so often–it always looks so fun! And wow, what a deal this trip was, especially compared to the outrageous prices we often have to pay here in CA. So many fun details in the buildings and restaurants you visited.

    • December 29, 2016

      Thank you so much, Jenna! One reason we don’t come back to visit the in-laws more is how dang expensive it is to do anything in California. I much prefer the prices of the South 😉

  • November 19, 2016

    Sounds like an awesome road trip, beautiful photos! I also love the house you guys picked on AirBNB, the view of the lake is gorgeous.

    • December 29, 2016

      It was one of the only affordable ones in the area, would you believe it? It was under $200 per couple for the weekend. A steal, I think!

  • November 19, 2016

    I must admit I’ve never given much thought to Alabama but Florence and the Shoals(sounds like a great name for a band) look like a lot of fun. The rental price for that lake house was a steal!

    • December 29, 2016

      Well, the Shoals IS famous for its recording studios, so maybe there was a band of that name (if not, we can be Florence & the Shoals, ha)! I still need to watch the documentary, but I highly endorse a visit to this cute area if ever you’re further down south =)

  • November 21, 2016

    Kristin, you plan the best weekend trips… How do you come up with all these ideas? I usually get so overwhelmed with all the options and the pressure to choose something amazing, I tend to go with the easier & safer options. This doesn’t always work out.. You need to teach me, oh wise one, I think my weekend & road trips would never be the same then!

    • December 28, 2016

      I seriously decide how far I want to drive—in this case, three hours max for each of us—and draw a ring on the map and see what falls within it. It’s a fun game! Then I get busy Yelp-ing and asking others for recs 😉

  • December 22, 2016

    I’m so jealous of these trips! Making it a life goal to do with Olivia and our three cousins someday. Although we are pretty spread out… Boston, Chicago, Miami and, um, Thailand!

    • December 28, 2016

      Well, there’s simply one explanation: One of you just needs to get a private jet already!

  • May 17, 2017

    My University friends and I also plan an annual trip together, but usually it is to a ski resort area about 2 hours North of Toronto even though half of us aren’t skiers or snowboarders. The whole point is to rent a cottage with a group of 12 people and just relax and chill. It costs us less than $200 CDN/person when you factor in gas, portion of cabin rental, food and miscellaneous spending. However, with the ski passes being relatively more expensive for this particular resort, we are looking at heading to some ski resorts in Western New York next year instead to help reduce costs for the skiers and snowboarders in our group.

  • March 8, 2019
    Beach Catcher

    Loved the post, can’t believe it’s 2 years old already! The pictures are amazing, fall really suits Alabama! I only traveled the state during Summer, twice, and had some experiences that became some of the best memories of my life. The food, the people, the American spirit. I will definitely visit again when the leafs turn yellow!

  • August 2, 2019
    Bryan Johnson

    This post has such great pictures! I’m located in Huntsville, but after reading this blog I definitely want to try and visit Florence more. Great read!

  • December 28, 2021

    I loved reading about your experience in North Alabama. Your descriptions really made it come alive for me. Happy travels!

Leave a Comment