Auburn, Alabama — the “Loveliest Village on the Plains” — is a spirited college town built around Auburn University and its football-mad “War Eagle” traditions. Beyond Jordan-Hare Stadium and Toomer’s Corner, it offers a state park with waterfalls, campus museums and gardens, and nearby Black-history landmarks. Set in east Alabama near the Georgia line, it also makes a natural base for a wider Alabama road trip. Here are the 25 best things to do in Auburn.
Fun Facts About Auburn, Alabama
Auburn is nicknamed the “Loveliest Village on the Plains,” a phrase drawn from Oliver Goldsmith’s 1770 poem that also gave the town its name.
It’s home to Auburn University, founded in 1856, and the football-famous Auburn Tigers, whose fans shout “War Eagle.”
After a Tigers victory, fans roll the oak trees at Toomer’s Corner with toilet paper — a beloved tradition since 1971.
The corner is named for Shel Toomer, who founded Toomer’s Drugs there in 1896; it’s still famous for fresh-squeezed lemonade.
Auburn was founded in 1836 and sits in Lee County in east Alabama, near the Georgia line.
Auburn’s top outdoor destination sits just south of downtown, where roughly 700 acres of woods surround 26-acre Lake Chewacla. Chewacla State Park packs a lot into that footprint: hiking and mountain-biking trails threading the hills, a waterfall spilling over a dam, and a lake wide enough for a genuine escape.
Come to swim off the day’s heat, cast a line, or paddle out in a non-motorized boat across the still water. Trails suit both hikers and riders, so you can log miles on foot or on two wheels. If one day isn’t enough, cabins let you stay the night and start again at dawn.
A short drive from Auburn at Moton Field in Tuskegee, the Friends of Tuskegee Airmen preserves the story of America’s first Black military pilots. Run by the National Park Service, this historic site keeps their WWII legacy alive across a landscape where these aviators trained and rewrote what the country believed was possible.
Step inside the museum and hangars to walk among exhibits that trace both a pivotal chapter of World War II and a milestone in the civil-rights struggle. It’s a moving, deeply significant stop that rewards anyone willing to make the trip out from Auburn for an afternoon of genuine American history.
Sprawling across 124 acres, Kiesel Park is Auburn’s largest green space and a favorite spot for anyone wanting to stretch their legs. Open meadows roll into quiet woodland, and walking trails thread through both, giving you room to wander at your own pace and soak in the calm.
A historic farmhouse lends the grounds a touch of local character, while the popular off-leash dog area makes this a go-to for four-legged companions and their owners. Best of all, it costs nothing to enjoy, so a leisurely stroll or an afternoon of fresh air is always yours for the taking.
Few venues command a Saturday like Jordan-Hare Stadium, the roughly 88,000-seat home of the Auburn University Tigers. As one of the largest stadiums in the country, it looms over campus as both landmark and cathedral, the beating heart of a town that lives and breathes college football.
On game days, the place transforms. Tens of thousands of fans pack the stands, and the roar rolls across the field in waves that you feel in your chest. Even if you can’t catch a game, it’s a must-see stop for any college-football fan passing through Auburn.
Right in the heart of the city, Town Creek Park is the kind of green space that draws locals for a lazy afternoon and welcomes visitors just as easily. A quiet pond anchors the grounds, ringed by walking trails that loop past playgrounds and shaded picnic areas perfect for an unhurried lunch.
The amphitheater turns the park into a natural gathering spot, hosting community events that give the space a lively, neighborly buzz. Whether you’re strolling the paths, spreading a blanket for a picnic, or letting the kids burn off energy at the playgrounds, it’s an effortless stop for an easy family outing.
Tucked into the Auburn University campus, the Donald E. Davis Arboretum makes a green retreat from campus bustle. Its walking paths wind past native Alabama and Southeastern plants and trees, each labeled specimen an invitation to slow down and actually learn the names of the leaves overhead.
A calm pond anchors the grounds, drawing you toward a bench or a slow lap on foot. Best of all, it’s free, so a quiet nature stroll costs nothing but time. Come for a mid-afternoon breather, a botany lesson without the classroom, or simply somewhere unhurried to walk and think.
Auburn University’s art museum, the Jule Collins Smith Museum, gathers rotating exhibitions and a permanent collection under one roof, making it one of the city’s genuine cultural highlights. Whether you’re chasing traveling shows or returning favorites, it rewards an unhurried afternoon of wandering and looking closely at whatever happens to be on the walls.
The experience spills outdoors, too. Landscaped gardens frame outdoor sculpture worth strolling through, and an on-site cafe gives you a reason to slow down between galleries. It’s the kind of stop that blends art, greenery, and a bite in one visit, easily filling a relaxed slot in any Auburn itinerary.
Where campus spills into downtown, Toomer’s Corner is the symbolic heart of Auburn, a single intersection that stitches the university to the city. Anchoring it is Toomer’s Drugs, the local institution known for fresh-squeezed lemonade, and the corner has drawn students, alumni and visitors together for generations.
The real magic arrives after a Tigers victory, when jubilant fans stream in to roll the historic oak trees with toilet paper until the branches hang white. It’s a joyful Auburn tradition worth witnessing, and even on a quiet afternoon the spot rewards a lemonade and a slow look around.
Tucked into the woods on the edge of town, Kreher Preserve & Nature Center is Auburn University’s slice of protected wilderness, laced with hiking trails that wind through shady forest to a quiet pond. Gardens edge the paths, and the whole place is free to explore, making it an easy escape for families and solo wanderers alike.
Come for a peaceful walk beneath the canopy, then linger by the water where the pace slows to a hush. The preserve also runs outdoor education programs, so a stroll can double as a chance to learn about the local landscape. It’s a gentle, unhurried counterpoint to campus bustle, and endlessly welcoming for kids.
Just a short drive from Auburn, the Smith Mountain Fire Tower rewards a little effort with a lot of reward. This restored historic fire lookout crowns Smith Mountain near Lake Martin, and reaching it means lacing up your boots for a hike along the mountain’s trails toward the summit.
Climb the tower and the countryside unfolds in every direction, with panoramic views sweeping across the shimmering expanse of Lake Martin and the rolling terrain beyond. It’s a free outing that pairs a rewarding trail walk with a genuine payoff at the top, making it an easy favorite for hikers and view-seekers alike.
A short drive from Auburn, the Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site preserves the legacy of Booker T. Washington and the pioneering scientist George Washington Carver on the historic grounds of Tuskegee University. This National Park Service site ranks among the region’s most significant Black-history destinations, and it rewards anyone curious about the roots of American education and innovation.
Two landmarks anchor the visit. The Carver Museum spotlights the discoveries of George Washington Carver, whose ingenuity reshaped Southern agriculture, while The Oaks, Washington’s own home, offers an intimate look at the man behind the institution. Together they turn a day trip into a walk through a defining chapter of history.
Golfers passing through the Auburn-Opelika area will find a welcoming public round at Indian Pines Golf Course, an 18-hole layout open to players of every skill level. Whether you’re a seasoned regular or just chasing a relaxed afternoon on the greens, this course keeps things approachable without any members-only fuss.
Beyond the full 18 holes, the property includes a driving range for loosening up your swing before the first tee, plus a clubhouse to regroup afterward. It’s an easy, unpretentious spot to squeeze in some golf during your visit, suited equally to confident swingers and beginners still finding their rhythm.
Tuskegee National Forest holds a quiet distinction as the smallest national forest in the country, tucked just outside Auburn. Its woodland trails invite hikers and horseback riders alike, with the well-loved Bartram Trail threading through the trees. Shaded picnic areas make it an easy place to slow down and breathe.
Beyond the trails, a replica cabin honors the legacy of Booker T. Washington, adding a thread of history to your walk. Best of all, the recreation here costs nothing, so you can wander, ride, or spread out a lunch without watching a meter. It’s a genuine local escape into green.
Tick, tick, tick. At Auburn Escape Zones, the clock is the enemy and the only way out is teamwork. Several themed rooms wait to be cracked, each packed with puzzles that reward the sharp-eyed and the quick-thinking. Gather your group, read the room, and start pulling the story apart, one clue at a time.
This is a natural fit for families, friends and colleagues chasing a shared challenge over a simple night out. Team outings especially thrive here, where cooperation and communication decide whether you beat the countdown. Expect plenty of laughter, a few false starts, and that satisfying rush when a stubborn lock finally clicks open.
Plainsman Park is Auburn University’s baseball stadium and the home of Tigers baseball. It regularly ranks among the best college-baseball atmospheres in the country, and that reputation is easy to understand once you’re inside, surrounded by fans who treat every inning like it matters.
Catch a Tigers game in spring, when the ballpark comes alive with the crack of the bat and the roar of the home crowd. Even without a game on the schedule, it’s worth taking in the ballpark itself to soak up the setting behind one of college baseball’s liveliest venues.
Just up the road in Opelika, the Museum of East Alabama gathers thousands of artifacts into an unhurried portrait of the region’s past. Textiles, well-loved toys, vintage machinery and the everyday objects of ordinary life fill its rooms, each piece adding another thread to the story of how this corner of the state took shape.
It’s the kind of local-history stop that rewards curiosity, letting you wander from hand-worked cloth to humming old equipment at your own pace. For anyone hoping to understand east Alabama beyond its main streets, the collection turns scattered heirlooms into a warm, tangible sense of the heritage that still shapes the towns around Auburn.
At the Southeastern Raptor Center, part of Auburn University, injured eagles, hawks, owls and falcons find rehabilitation and a second act as feathered ambassadors. This is also the training ground for the eagles that make their famous pre-game flight above the stadium on Auburn football days, sweeping down over the crowd to land at midfield.
Public education shows bring you eye-to-eye with these birds of prey, as handlers introduce each raptor and explain the work of caring for and releasing wild ones. It’s a rare, up-close encounter with talons and wingspans you’d normally only glimpse from a distance, and an easy favorite for families and bird lovers alike.
Roughly a 40-minute drive from Auburn in the small town of Shorter, Victoryland is a regional entertainment destination built around a casino floor, a racing venue and an attached hotel. It’s the kind of day-trip escape that trades the quiet of college-town streets for the bright hum of a gaming hall.
Inside, banks of electronic gaming machines set the pace, so you can settle in and try your luck for a while. On-site dining means you won’t have to break the spell to grab a bite, and the hotel makes it easy to turn a spontaneous afternoon into a full overnight stay.
A short drive from Auburn in Alexander City, the Wellborn Musclecar Museum houses one of the largest muscle-car collections anywhere, and it’s a pilgrimage for anyone who loves American horsepower. Rows of rare, gleaming machines fill the floor, each one a rolling chapter in the golden age of Detroit muscle.
Beyond the cars themselves, the collection spills over into memorabilia that captures the era’s swagger and style. It’s a genuine must for automotive enthusiasts, so plan ahead and arrange your visit by appointment. Even casual visitors leave grinning, wowed by the sheer scale, shine, and rarity of what’s parked under one roof.
If your crew can’t agree on one activity, GoodTimes Bowling settles the debate by offering all of them under one roof. This sprawling family entertainment center in Auburn pairs classic bowling lanes with a buzzing arcade and escape rooms, so competitive spirits and puzzle-solvers alike find their groove without ever stepping back outside.
It’s built for groups who’d rather stay put than hop between venues. A full-service restaurant handles the hunger that inevitably follows a few frames, while the bar keeps grown-ups happy between turns. Rain, heat, or a restless afternoon, this all-in-one indoor spot turns an ordinary Auburn outing into something the whole family remembers.
Home to Auburn University’s basketball squad, Auburn Arena packs in the roar on game nights, when the student section turns the place electric and the Tigers feed off every possession. Also known as Neville Arena, it’s the beating heart of hoops season on the Plains, and a hard ticket when a big matchup rolls into town.
The building isn’t just for basketball. Between tip-offs it swings open for concerts and events, drawing crowds who come for the energy as much as the show. Whether you’re chasing a raucous game-day atmosphere or catching a touring act, this is the spot on campus where Auburn shows up loud and turns out in numbers.
Roadside-attraction hunters, this one’s worth the detour. The Museum of Wonder Drive-Thru sits down in Seale, a short trip from Auburn, where folk artist Butch Anthony stacked shipping containers into a museum you experience from your car window. Roll past oddball art and curiosities without ever unbuckling.
What you get is pure, unfiltered Southern folk art with a wink. The collection leans into the strange and the handmade, a jumble of curiosities that rewards curious eyes and open minds. It’s a genuinely one-of-a-kind stop, the sort of quirky landmark that turns an ordinary drive into a story worth telling.
Lace up your boots and head for the Cherokee Ridge Alpine Trail, a scenic footpath tracing the shore of Lake Martin just outside Auburn. The route climbs over ridges and threads past quiet coves, opening onto wide water views at nearly every turn. It rewards the effort with genuine backcountry calm.
This is a proper day hike rather than a quick stroll, so pack water and plan for a few unhurried hours. The natural setting feels remote yet sits within easy reach of town, making it a favorite escape for anyone craving fresh air and lake scenery. Best of all, it costs nothing.
Locals know Municipal Park as Auburn’s easygoing green heart, a spot that asks nothing of you but a lazy afternoon. Kids scramble across the playgrounds while families claim shaded picnic areas, and the whole place carries that unhurried, welcoming feel of a neighborhood park where everyone belongs and nobody’s in a rush.
Lace up and follow the walking paths for a gentle loop, or settle in for a pickup game on the sports facilities. Best of all, it’s free, making it an effortless stop for outdoor recreation. Whether you’re stretching your legs or spreading out a blanket, this is Auburn at its most relaxed and refreshingly simple.
Tucked into downtown Auburn near Toomer’s Corner, Acre is a farm-to-table restaurant where acclaimed chef David Bancroft turns local ingredients into inventive Southern cuisine. The setting is stylish without being stuffy, and the kitchen’s devotion to what’s grown nearby gives every plate a distinct sense of place worth crossing town for.
Beyond the dining room, an outdoor garden roots the whole concept, connecting the food you eat to the soil it came from. It’s the kind of thoughtful, ingredient-driven cooking that rewards a leisurely visit, making the restaurant a standout stop for anyone eager to taste Auburn’s creative Southern table at its best.
Getting to Auburn
Auburn sits directly on Interstate 85, the main corridor linking Montgomery to the southwest with the Georgia state line and Atlanta to the northeast, so most visitors simply exit the interstate at one of the city’s interchanges. US Highway 29 runs concurrent with the interstate through town and threads onto the streets that lead toward campus, while US Highway 280 provides an alternate route toward Columbus and, farther on, Birmingham. Coming from any direction, a car on the interstate is the simplest way in.
The city has its own general-aviation regional airport just east of downtown, but there is no scheduled commercial service there, so travellers flying in choose a larger hub and drive the rest. The regional airport in Montgomery is roughly an hour to the southwest, and the big international hub in Atlanta is about an hour and three-quarters northeast straight up the interstate; airports in Columbus and Birmingham are also within driving range. There is no passenger rail station in town, so those relying on the tracks connect through Montgomery or head to the nearest station farther north; long-distance bus service runs along the interstate corridor through the neighbouring city.
Getting Around Auburn
The heart of Auburn is genuinely walkable: the downtown core beside the university campus packs shops, restaurants, and green space into a compact grid where you can leave the car behind for an afternoon. Campus itself, the parks, and the museum district are easy to stroll or cycle between, and a rideshare or the university-linked shuttle system fills the gaps for short hops. Bike lanes and multi-use paths connect several of the parks and greenways, making two wheels a pleasant option in mild weather.
Beyond that central zone, though, the city spreads out along the highway corridors and a car makes life much easier, especially for reaching the state park on the southern edge of town, the outlying neighbourhoods, and anything near the interstate. Parking is generally straightforward: expect metered and garage spaces downtown that fill up on game weekends, and free lots at the parks, the arboretum, and the larger attractions. If you plan to base yourself downtown and only venture out occasionally, you can rely on walking plus the odd rideshare; for a trip built around the outdoor sites, keep the car.
Where to Stay in Auburn
For a first visit, base yourself in or beside the downtown core next to campus. This central district puts you within walking distance of the shops, dining, the stadium, and the fine-arts museum, and it has the liveliest evening atmosphere, though it is also the busiest and priciest area on football weekends. Staying near the university is the natural choice if your trip revolves around campus events or the college-town energy.
If you would rather trade the buzz for calm, look to the quieter residential neighbourhoods spreading south and east of the centre, which sit closer to the state park and the greenways and suit travellers here for the outdoors. Lodging clusters along the interstate interchanges are the practical pick for road-trippers and anyone arriving late or leaving early: they favour easy highway access and value over walkability, and a short drive still connects you to everything in town. Match the district to your priorities: central and walkable, quiet and near the parks, or convenient by the highway.
Where to Eat in Auburn
The densest concentration of places to eat is the downtown strip beside campus, a college-town dining district where casual spots, coffeehouses, and sit-down kitchens sit shoulder to shoulder within an easy walk. The commercial corridors radiating out along the main highways add more variety, from quick bites to family-style tables, and are where you will find the bigger, car-friendly clusters. For local flavour, this is the American South, so the plates lean toward Southern comfort cooking.
Look for the regional staples: slow-smoked barbecue with the pork and ribs that define the style, fried chicken, catfish, and shrimp and grits, alongside soul-food sides like collard greens, black-eyed peas, mac and cheese, and cornbread. Sweet tea is the default drink, and no meal is complete without a slice of pecan pie or a bowl of peach cobbler for dessert. Seek out the dishes and the districts rather than any single address, and you will eat well throughout your stay.
Auburn is known as a college town built around Auburn University and Tigers football at Jordan-Hare Stadium, its “War Eagle” spirit, the tradition of rolling the oaks at Toomer’s Corner, and its nickname the “Loveliest Village on the Plains.”
Is Auburn worth visiting?
Yes. Beyond game-day energy, Auburn offers a waterfall-filled state park, campus museums and gardens, family attractions, and easy day trips to nationally significant Black-history sites at Tuskegee.
How many days do you need in Auburn?
One full day covers campus, downtown and Chewacla State Park. A weekend lets you add Tuskegee’s historic sites, Lake Martin hikes and a college sporting event.
What is there to do in Auburn with kids?
Families enjoy Chewacla State Park, the Southeastern Raptor Center’s bird shows, Town Creek Park, GoodTimes Bowling and the Donald E. Davis Arboretum.
What is Toomer’s Corner?
Toomer’s Corner is the downtown Auburn intersection where campus meets city, famous for Toomer’s Drugs’ lemonade and for the oak trees that fans roll with toilet paper to celebrate Auburn Tigers victories.
When is the best time to visit Auburn?
Fall is electric if you want the college-football experience, while spring and early fall bring pleasant weather for the parks, campus and Lake Martin. Summers are hot and humid.
How far is Auburn from the Tuskegee historic sites?
The Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site and the Tuskegee Airmen site at Moton Field are a short drive (about 20–30 minutes) west of Auburn, making them an easy half-day trip.
