20 Things To Do In Auburn AL

The campus of the University of Auburn might be one of the city’s main attractions but there’s much more to see beyond the hallowed halls of one of the largest universities in the South. Auburn is a small city in eastern Alabama with a youthful spirit and rich history.

Founded in 1839, this city of 60,000 people blends a young spirit with the great outdoors and a vibrant arts scene to make Auburn a fun town to explore. Catering to students on a budget, Auburn is affordable and has some fantastic attractions. So, check out these things to do in Auburn, Alabama.

Auburn, Alabama

20 Things To Do In Auburn

1- See The Auburn Tigers Play Football

Auburn is very much a college town centred around the campus of Auburn University, and no place brings this aspect of the town alive like Jordan-Hare Stadium on game day.

Seating upwards of 80,000 fans, the stadium is the home of the university’s football team, the Auburn Tigers and hosts various other events such as music concerts and performances throughout the year.

With over 75,000 season tickets sold annually over the last 18 years, finding good seats for a game at Jordan-Hare can be challenging, however, those that do are in for a magical experience.

Jordan-Hare Stadium is at 251 S Donahue Dr, Auburn, AL 36849.

2- Go Bar-Hopping In Downtown Auburn

Auburn’s reputation as one of the best college towns in the United States is well-deserved, with tons of budget-friendly attractions and many bars and clubs throughout the city’s Downtown area.

Downtown Auburn is the city’s nightlife, eating, and live entertainment capital and is the place to be when the sun starts to set.

Bar-hopping is made easy in Auburn’s Downtown area thanks to the many affordable venues which cater to students and the compact nature of Auburn, where everything is within walking distance.

3- Enjoy The Outdoors At Chewacla State Park

The sprawling Chewacla State Park covers 696 acres (282 ha) and is filled with outdoor attractions, including a 26-acre (11 ha) lake, picnic areas, camping grounds, and plenty of greenery and shrubbery.

Apart from the usual park activities and landmarks found inside your typical state park, Chewacla State Park has stone cottages, communal grills, and two creeks for fishing, which visitors can use when staying overnight or just for the day.

Chewacla State Park is at 124 Shell Toomer Pkwy, Auburn, AL 36830.

4- See Birds Of Prey At Southeastern Raptor Center

Hosted in Jordan-Hare Stadium on Fridays before Auburn home and away games, the Southeastern Raptor Center puts on a live show for locals with various birds of prey, including hawks, eagles, and falcons.

All the birds on show are residents of the Southeastern Raptor Center, and many cannot be released to the wild due to prior injuries or being raised by humans for too long.

The Southeastern Raptor Center supports and treats these majestic creatures, using the proceeds from the performances in Jordan-Hare Stadium to fund the centre.

Southeastern Raptor Center is at 1350 Pratt-Carden Dr, Auburn, AL 36849

5- Stroll through Kiesel Park

The dog-friendly Kiesel Park allows its four-legged visitors to run free within large, enclosed areas while their owners enjoy the park’s creeks and nature trails.

Kiesel Park is Auburn’s largest public park and is the site for all sorts of Auburn events throughout the year.

The park is home to the annual Auburn CityFest, the Easter Egg Hunt, and the Fall Sundown Concert Series and several Auburn attractions, such as the Greek revival-style 1850 Nunn-Winston House.

Kiesel Park is at 520 Chadwick Ln, Auburn, AL 36832.

6- Have Fun At Auburn CityFest

Starting in 2000, the annually held Auburn CityFest takes place in Kiesel Park and draws over 40,000 visitors, making it one of the most significant events in Auburn.

On the last Saturday of April, the festival plays host to artists, musicians, food, and a variety of entertainment that caters to kids and adults alike.

The festival grows by the year and has quickly become one of Alabama’s biggest attractions.

Not only is the festival itself a great destination to stop by, but the surrounding Kiesel Park makes attending the festival much more fun to visit for the entire family and can easily be done on a budget.

Auburn CityFest is at 520 Chadwick Ln, Auburn, AL 36832.

7- Visit The Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art

Established in 1948, the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art is one of the most expansive museums of its kind in the region, specialising in contemporary and traditional art.

The museum started with 36 paintings and has grown into a facility with over 2,000 individual artworks today.

The museum is a lovely Auburn destination to plan a visit to, and well worth a tour or two while spending time in Auburn.

Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art is at 901 S College St, Auburn, AL 36849.

8- Explore The Louise Kreher Forest

Situated inside 120 acres (49 ha) of lush woodlands, the Louise Kreher Forest Ecology Preserve & Nature Center is a natural oasis donated to the University of Auburn in 1993.

The centre has several outdoor attractions catering to visitors of all ages and includes a beaver lodge, eagle nests, outdoor playgrounds, and scenic nature trails, all surrounded by thick forests.

Donated by Dr Louise Kreher Turner and Frank Allen Turner, the centre is a delightful place to visit in Auburn and always a fun and relaxing activity for the entire family.

Louise Kreher Forest Ecology Preserve & Nature Center is at 2222 N College St, Auburn, AL 36830.

9- Sample Craft Brews At Oktoberfest

Auburn proves that Bavaria is not the only place where Oktoberfest is popular, putting on an annual Oktoberfest of its own since 2008.

Originally established with just 150 people, Auburn Oktoberfest has grown rapidly, features many local breweries, and is one of the city’s top attractions.

Held in October every year, the festival draws many visitors who look forward to sampling the newest craft beer variants brewed in Alabama and around the country.

So, do look forward to dropping into the Auburn Oktoberfest whenever you’re in Alabama during October.

Auburn Oktoberfest is at 620 S Donahue Dr, Auburn, AL 36832.

10- Tour The Campus of Auburn University

The University of Auburn is what the entire city of Auburn was built around and permeates everything in and around Auburn, from its historic sites to outdoor attractions.

The university’s campus is impressive, with several iconic Auburn landmarks, such as the famous Samford Hall and its clock tower.

This 24,000-student campus is a leader in arts and applied science and was founded in 1856.

Today, the University of Auburn is one of the largest universities in the South.

It has one of the most picturesque campuses in the entire United States, which visitors are free to tour by themselves or with a knowledgeable tour guide.

Auburn University is at 23 Samford Hall, Auburn, AL 36849.

11- Race Against Time At Auburn Escape Zones

Escape rooms have become a hit in cities worldwide ever since it was first introduced in Japan and California, and in Auburn, it’s certainly no exception.

Auburn Escape Zones is the place to go if you’re in the mood to solve complex riddles and puzzles in a fun and controlled environment.

It’s a hit for families in Downtown Auburn.

The venue has various interactive escape rooms to solve and guarantees a memorable experience that won’t break the bank to enjoy.

Auburn Escape Zones is at 1234 Commerce Dr, Auburn, AL 36830.

12- Catch A Basketball Game At Neville Arena

Formerly called the Auburn Arena, the newly renamed Neville Arena is the home venue of the University of Auburn’s basketball team.

Capable of seating approximately 10,000 people, the arena is a hotspot on game day and on the university’s campus.

Opened in 2010, the venue has hosted several big games and promises a lively affair whenever the Tigers are in the building.

Auburn might be more known for their football team, but catching a live basketball game in the Neville Arena is a fantastic outing that’s always an entertaining experience.

Neville Arena is at 250 Beard-Eaves Court, Auburn, AL 36849.

13- Tour The Donald E. Davis Arboretum

Established to educate people about plant life and preserve the region’s native species, the Donald E. Davis Arboretum is a tranquil oasis that visitors can explore and enjoy for free.

The Donald E. Davis Arboretum is an outdoor learning centre by the University of Auburn, local schools, and community organisations, displaying several trees, plants, shrubbery and flower species native to the region.

This is the perfect place to have a picnic or a stroll and is one of the best free places to visit in Auburn.

Donald E. Davis Arboretum is at 181 Garden Dr, Auburn, AL 36830.

14- Shop For Fresh Produce At Auburn’s Farmers Markets

Auburn is home to excellent farmers’ markets selling all sorts of fresh produce, delicious meals and knickknacks weekly.

Often organised during the summer months, Auburn’s farmer’s markets are a real treat and are usually free to wander around.

The top weekly markets in Auburn are the Acre Farmers Market, Ag Heritage Park’s market and the Grows Farmers Market.

All three are free and connect shoppers with locally sourced produce from farms surrounding Auburn, making them excellent spots to visit to support the local community and enjoy the great outdoors.

15- Hike The Auburn Tuskegee National Forest

The Auburn Tuskegee National Forest is an expansive, 11,252-acre (4,554 ha) park north of Tuskegee and west of Auburn.

Tuskegee is the USA’s smallest national forest and is known for its diverse topography, which includes valleys, hills, rivers and mountains.

Only a 20-minute drive from Downtown Auburn, the Tuskegee National Forest is a favourite camping spot for travellers wishing to escape the city.

It is full of fantastic outdoor attractions and activities, such as the 8.5-mile (14 km) Bartram National Recreation Trail, which whisks travellers past the region’s beautiful flowers, trees and plants.

Auburn Tuskegee National Forest is at 125 National Forest Road 949, Tuskegee, AL 36083.

16- Support The Arts at the Jay and Susie Gogue Performing Arts Center

Situated on the University of Auburn campus, the Jay and Susie Gogue Performing Arts Center puts on regular performing art shows that inspire and engage.

The centre is the top performing arts venue in eastern Alabama and is capable of searing up to 1,450 people at any given time across its two performance halls.

Hosting ballet, opera, chamber arts, dance, theatre productions, and music concerts, it’s one of the best places to visit in Auburn to indulge your inner thespian.

Jay and Susie Gogue Performing Arts Center is at 910 S College St, Auburn, AL 36849.

17- Play Golf At Indian Pines Golf Course

Golf Digest voted Auburn as the best golf city in the United States, and Indian Pines Golf Course, a par 70 course covering an area of 6,310 yards (5,770 m), is considered the city’s best.

Constructed and opened in 1946 as a 9-hole course, the Indian Pines Golf Course only became an 18-hole course five years later.

Following a devastating fire in 1999, the course had to be redesigned, however, the golf course survived the setback and is now a municipal golf course that everyone can enjoy.

Indian Pines Golf Course is at 900 Country Club Dr, Auburn, AL 36830.

18- Sip Lemonade At Toomer’s Corner

The popular Auburn drugstore on Toomer’s Corner is more than a hundred years old, serving freshly squeezed lemonade to locals for generations.

Founded by Sheldon Toomer, a former player on the Auburn Tigers football team, Toomer’s Corner has become an ingrained part of Auburn’s identity and is still associated with the university’s football team.

Toomer’s Corner is always a busy venue selling its famous lemonade in Jordan-Hare Stadium on game day.

The shop sells fresh lemonade made from natural ingredients and is housed in a historic building in Downtown Auburn.

Stopping by Toomer’s Corner is an iconic thing to do in Auburn.

Toomer’s Corner is at 112 S College St, Auburn, AL 36849.

19- Visit Historic Pebble Hill

Pebble Hill, also commonly known as the Scott-Yarbrough House, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a stunning example of Greek revival-style architecture of the 19th century.

Built by Colonel Nathaniel J. Scott in 1847, Pebble Hill was the colonel’s home throughout the Civil War and the centrepiece of the 100-acre (40 ha) plantation on which the house sits.

Today, Pebble Hill houses the Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for Arts & Humanities of the University of Auburn and is a wonderful destination to tour while visiting Auburn.

Pebble Hill is at 101 S Debardeleben St, Auburn, AL 36830.

20- Watch a Tigers baseball game at Plainsman Park

Plainsman Park, officially known as the Samford Stadium–Hitchcock Field, is the home venue for the Auburn Tigers baseball team and can seat around 4,096 fans on game day.

Once rated as the best college baseball venue in the United States, Plainsman Park was first played in 1950 and was inspired by famous ballparks such as Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, and Camden Yards.

Catching a baseball game at Plainsman Park is one of Auburn’s best things to do and guarantees an exciting day out with friends and family while cheering on the Tigers.

Plainsman Park is at 351 S Donahue Dr, Auburn, AL 36849.