Madison & Nicholas
Things To Do
Singin' River Brewing
Singin’ River Brewing Co. is the The Shoals’ first Craft Brewery. Cheers! Hours: Tuesday - Friday: 4:00pm - 9:00pm Saturday: 2:00pm - 9:00pm
Fame Recording Studios
The studio that created the “Muscle Shoals Sound” — FAME Recording Studios, located on Avalon Avenue in Muscle Shoals. Still a working studio, this is where the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section got its start. FAME was host to artists such as Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, Duane Allman, Otis Redding, the Osmonds, Paul Anka and many others. In the last 50 years, FAME Studios recorded or published music that sold over 350 million copies. Tours are Mon – Fri 9 am & 4 pm; Sat 10 am – 2 pm 256-381-0801 www.fame2.com
Muscle Shoals Sound Studios
The Rolling Stones, Rod Stewart, Paul Simon, Cher, and others recorded some of their biggest hits in the Shoals, and much of that happened in a little nondescript building at 3614 Jackson Highway in Sheffield. Recently renovated by Apple/Beats, the facility has become a recording studio once again, in addition to conducting tours of the studio where iconic hits like “Wild Horses” were made. The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, also known as the “Swampers”, created Muscle Shoals Sound Studios here, and later moved it to a location on the river in Sheffield. Hours are 10-4 Monday - Saturday with tours on the half hour 10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 1:30, 2:30, 3:30 Tickets $15.00 Veterans with ID and Senior discount offered Pet Friendly 256-978-5151 www.msmusicfoundation.org
Alabama Music Hall of Fame
Learn more about the number of talented people from Alabama who changed the course of musical history, including Tommy Shaw of Styx, Lionel Richie, Bobby Goldsboro, Jim Nabors, Emmylou Harris and many, many more. Climb aboard a tour bus used by the supergroup Alabama or make your own kind of music in an actual recording booth. Open for tours Tue – Sat 9 am – 5 pm 256-381-4417 www.alamhof.org
Ivy Green
Ivy Green is the name for the childhood home of Helen Keller, America's "First Lady of Courage." The house was built in 1820 and is a simple white clapboard house. The actual well pump where Helen Keller first communicated with Annie Sullivan is also located on the grounds. The property includes the cottage where Keller was born and the house where she spent her early childhood. "The Miracle Worker" play is performed on the grounds each summer. Monday through Saturday 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Last tour starts at 3:45 p.m. daily
George H. Carroll Lion Habitat
The University of North Alabama in Florence (UNA) boasts the only live Lion mascot in the country living on campus. On July 22, 1974, former UNA president Dr. Robert M. Guillot brought a 35-pound lion cub to the campus and Leo spent the next 14 years "roaring" the school to victory. A great outpouring of support from the Shoals community resulted in Leo II being brought to UNA in July of 1988. In 1997, Leo II was selected as the nation's "Second Best Mascot" by Sports Illustrated. Leo III and Una, born on November 18, 2002, now reside on the campus in the 12,764 square-foot George H. Carroll Lion Habitat, a must-see visit for all families!
The Children's Museum
The Children’s Museum of the Shoals is the only museum of its kind serving Northwest Alabama. Navigate the flowing Tennessee River, examine the pets at the Pet Vet, discover the mysteries of nature in the Science Center, be a star on the Shoals Sound stage, unearth fossils in the Dino Dig, search for precious stones in the Gem Mine, imagine they are on the Tribal Trails, and pretend to be bankers, campers, entrepreneurs, and so much more. The possibilities are limitless as children stretch their imagination! Hours: Wednesday-Saturday 10:00-5:00
Robert Trent Jones Golf Course
The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at The Shoals is home to two 18-hole championship courses and lies between the Wheeler and Wilson dams on the Tennessee River. Wheeler Dam is named in honor of General Joseph "Fighting Joe" Wheeler - the only Confederate General to attain the same rank later in the United States Army. The Fighting Joe course at The Shoals was the first Trail course to break 8,000 yards. Travel + Leisure Golf named Fighting Joe one of the top new courses in 2004. The second course, the Schoolmaster (named for President Woodrow Wilson who was responsible for getting Wilson Dam built and was also known as "The Schoolmaster" of politics), opened in the Summer of 2005. 36 Holes on The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail • Fighting Joe Course: Par 72 • Schoolmaster Course: Par 72• Greens Fees: Start at $65 + tax (prices vary by Trail site and season)
Ricatoni's Italian Grill
A Florence staple! Opened in 1996, Ricatoni’s has catered to the public with several signature items, including pizzas cooked in a wood-burning oven, freshly-baked bread with herbs and olive oil, and “old country”style entreés. The man behind it all is owner Rick Elliott, also known as Ricatoni Valentino from his numerous TV commercials. With an emphasis on atmosphere and exceptional service, he has turned his restaurant into the popular choice for both locals and travelling visitors. Hours: Sunday - Thursday: 11:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. Friday - Saturday: 11:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Frank Lloyd Wright - Rosenbaum House Museum
An American architectural treasure, this house was built for newlyweds Stanley and Mildred Rosenbaum of Florence, Alabama, in 1939. The house is the only structure designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in the state of Alabama, and one of the only such houses in the southeast that is open to the public. The Rosenbaum House is open to the public. Tuesday-Saturday: 10 am- 4 pm Sunday: 1 pm - 4 pm