Florence, Ala., makes a great travel destination

Music festivals, fishing tournaments, outdoor adventure and museums depicting the history and development of the area are just a few of the things that make it a popular travel destination.

Just a few hours drive from North Georgia, the Florence area is a great choice when making your travel plans. It truly offers an adventure in Southern culture.

My recent trip to Florence was during the annual W.C. Handy Music Festival, which is held each year in July. Hundreds of live music is performed throughout the area during the nine-day festival honoring the “Father of Blues.” The festival brings 100,000 visitors to the area each summer. Next year’s festival will be July 17-26.
Handy was born in Florence in 1873. He became famous for his blues compositions, including “Memphis Blues” and “St. Louis Blues.”

Our music stops included a moving performance at the church where Handy’s father and grandfather served as pastor and an outdoor concert on the grounds of a park. We also heard some great music in more intimate settings at restaurants and smaller music venues during our stay.

At the Handy Church at Greater St. Paul AME Church, we heard some of the most amazing gospel music. The evening featured Reginald Thomas, Handy’s Community Choir, Athena Shipley and the Unity Praise Team.

The Riverside Jazz celebration at McFarland Park in Florence was a great night out for families. A special treat was a performance by the Navy Band, including a few solos by Tommy Stanley, a recent Nashville Star finalist.

Another Handy Festival highlight for us was the annual Street Strut. Festival attendees show off their ornate umbrellas and clothing as they parade through town and then around the fountain in Wilson Park. It’s a festive event and everyone joins in on the fun. We even grabbed an umbrella and joined in the parade through town.

After the Street Strut, a new addition to the festival was featured in the downtown area. The first annual Sweet Tea Challenge was held on the steps of Region Bank. Sponsored by Y’all Magazine, it featured 61 entries for the best sweet tea.

OTHER STOPS IN FLORENCE

For a look at Handy’s life, make time to visit the W.C. Handy Home and Museum. The log home where he grew up is attached to the museum. Among the memorabilia on display are Handy’s piano and trumpet.

We also saw some Handy memorabilia at the Alabama Music Hall of Fame. Memorabilia from musicians with roots to the state are featured in the museum. The hall of fame has everything from a touring bus used by country artists, Alabama, and a car owned by country musician, Webb Pierce.

While in Florence, be sure to visit the Ivy Green, Helen Keller’s birthplace and childhood home. Tours of the home, as well as the guest cottage next door are offered. One of the highlights is seeing the pump where she said her first word, water.

If you visit during June or July, also plan to attend a performance of “The Mircale Worker,” the story of Keller’s life, on the grounds. This is a moving tribute to an amazing woman.

Another stop during our visit was the Rosenbaum Home, where you can tour the house designed by famed architect, Frank Loyd Wright. This Usonian style home is one of only 26 built in the United States. The City of Florence bought the home from the original owner in 1999 and tours are now offered.

History of the town is presented at the Pope Tavern Museum. It was originally a home built in 1830 for Leroy Pope, the founding father of Florence. The city bought the home in 1965 and it was opened as a museum in 1968. The home is one of the oldest structures in Florence and is known as being a stop for Andrew Jackson when he traveled to the Battle of New Orleans.

MUSIC STUDIOS

Northwest Alabama, known as “The Shoals,” has long been called the “Hit Recording Capitol of the World.” You can visit some of the historic working music studios in the area, including Fame Studio and Muscle Shoals Sound Studio.
Visits to Fame Studio and Muscle Shoals Sound Studio are like stepping back in time. The furnishings and décor have a very retro feel and likely look much like they did during the years when the studios were used by artists such as Aretha Franklin, Cher, The Osmond Family and Alabama.

Both studios are still used. During our visit, Angela Hacker, last year’s winner of Nashville Star, was recording at Fame Studio.

WHERE TO EAT

This area of Northeast Alabama has a wonderful variety of restaurants, with catfish, barbecue and fine dining among the offerings. Among the stops during our visit were:

•Bronzeback Café at the Marriott Shoals Hotel & Spa, where I had a wonderful pan seared ahi tuna. The premium sushi grade tuna is seasoned with black pepper and cooked to order. We also enjoyed breakfast at the hotel several times. They have a great breakfast buffet.

•Robert Trent Jones Golf Course, where we had lunch outdoors overlooking the beautiful golf course. The reuben was a delight. Corned beef is topped with sauerkraut, swiss cheese and thousand island dressing served on grilled rye bread.

•360 Grille, high atop the Renaissance Tower. You’re 30 stories high as you overlook the Tennessee River and historic Wilson Dam. The view along makes it well worth a visit.

•Dales Steakhouse, where I had an amazing filet mignon grilled and seasoned with Dale’s famous sauce. It was a tender, great steak.

•Country Boys, where breakfast options include chocolate gravy and biscuits. Yummy. Chocolate is a great way to start the day.

•On the Rocks, a new restaurant that opened June 2 in downtown Florence. Buffalo shrimp salad is a spicy treat. It has Buffalo shrimp, tomatoes, lettuce, onion, shredded cheese and fresh blue cheese crumbles. They specialize in “food you can eat with your fingers.” Live music is also featured. We enjoyed listening to Jeff Henson and Jordan Denton during our lunch.

•Bunyan’s BBQ, where I tried a something I had never heard of before but that I loved. The hot slaw cabbage was a great addition to the pork sandwich. Add mustard, hot sauce and red and green pepper and you have a great sandwich.

•Rosie’s Cantina, where I had a veggie burrito. The sauteed mild peppers, mushrooms, onions, zuchinni, carrots, mixed cheese and ranch sauce made for a wonderful lunch.

•Trowbridge’s, an old fashioned soda fountain built in 1918, is a great place to go to get a scoop of ice cream at a great price.

•Stanfield’s Steakhouse, offers family dining at affordable prices. It’s known for steak, but I chose fried catfish, which was simply wonderful. Homemade dessert selections include Hershey pie, red velvet cake and peach cobbler. Also try fried pickles. They’re perfect—a crunchy, salty treat.

WHERE TO STAY

Marriott Shoals Hotel & Spa is the perfect headquarters during your visit to Northwest Alabama. It’s worth a trip to Florence just to stay in this luxurious hotel. Among the special features are soft comfortable bedding, a large balcony, a large flat screen TV, a huge pool pool with a waterslide and a great view of the Tennessee River. Even locals come here for a vacation.

Several restaurant options are located at the hotel and live music is offered nightly at Swampers. The hotel also has a 6,000 square foot spa and salon and is the only full-service spa in Florence. It’s a great spot for relaxation and some pampering.

Located at 800 Cox Creek Parkway South, the Marriott is located near all of the major attractions in Florence. For more information, call 1-800-593-6450.

For more information on visiting Florence, go to www.VisitFlorenceAl.com.