'''Florence''' is a city in northwest Alabama near Mississippi and Tennessee.
Get in
By car
US Highway 72 which runs from East-West from Chattanooga to Memphis passes through Florence. Most major attractions, hotels,restaurants, etc are located on or near US 72 or Florence Blvd as its known within the City of Florence. US Highway 43 runs North-South from Nashville, TN to Mobile Alabama. It travels the same path as US 72 through Florence.
Florence lies about 48 miles west of Interstate 65 Exit 351 in Athens, Exits 340A-340B Decatur/Huntsville, Exit 310 at Cullman.
By plane
Near Florence, there are a few options for flying in and out. Northwest Airlines has service to Northwest Alabama Regional Airport. More flights can be found leaving from Huntsville, AL; Birmingham, AL; Nashville,TN; and Memphis, TN. Huntsville would be the shortest drive at just over one hour. The others are a little more than two hours drive.
<listing name="Northwest Alabama Regional Airport" alt="" directions="" address="1729 T. Ed Campbell Drive, Suite A in Muscle Shoals, AL" phone="256.381.2869" email="flymsl@aol.com" fax="256.381.2915" url="" hours="" price=""></listing>
<listing name="Port of Huntsville" alt="" directions="" address="1000 Glenn Hearn Blvd, Huntsville, AL" phone="256.772.9395" email="info@hsvairport.org" fax="256.772.0305" url="" hours="" price=""></listing>
Get around
See
Museums
<listing name=" Frank Lloyd Wright Rosenbaum House Museum" alt="" directions="" address="601 Riverview Dr" phone="256-740-8899" email="" fax="256-760-6382" url="http://www.wrightinalabama.com" hours="Tu?Sa 10AM?4PM, Su 1PM-4PM" price=""></listing>
The Florence Indian Mound & Museum. ttp://www.florenceal.org/Community_Arts/Local_Attractions/index.html. u-Sa 10AM-4PM. Tennessee Valley area's largest domiciliary mound. Features typical workmanship of the Indians who lived in this area before the Cherokees, Chickasaws, and Creeks.
The Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts. howcases artists from around the Southeast, and offers classes and workshops to people of all ages. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. ttp://www.florenceal.org/cultural/artsandmuseums.html.
. ttp://www.flo-tour.org/popes.html Pope's Tavern.
Pope's Tavern. erved as a hospital along the way of many Civil War soldiers from both the North and South. It also served time as a stagecoach stop, a tavern, and an inn. The museum houses Civil War artifacts as well as antiques from the 18th and 19th centuries. This remains one of Florence's oldest standing structures..
Children's Museum of the Shoals. ontains exhibits displaying the history, people, and events that make up the Shoals' history. The museum is designed to promote learning in a hands-on environment. The museum offers educational workshops year-round for children of all ages.. ttp://www.flo-tour.org/childrensm.html.
The Forks of Cypress. as a cotton plantation located in Florence. The remains can still be seen in the form of 24 Greek columns and the Jackson Family cemetery.. ttp://www.timesdaily.com/article/99999999/ETS/70222025/1107/TOURISM.
Other Sights
<listing name="Wilson Dam" alt="" address="" directions="" phone="" url="http://www.tva.com/sites/wilson.htm" hours="" price="" lat="" long="" email="" fax="">This 110x600 feet Dam is part of the TVA system. The maximum lift is 100 feet, it is the highest single lift lock east of the Rockies.</listing>
Do
Festivals
W.C. Handy Festival. ttp://www.wchandymusicfestival.org/. Enjoy jazz and blues as Florence celebrates its native son.
Fishing near Wilson Dam. mall Mouth Bass Capital of the world. ttp://www.tva.com/sites/wilson.htm. Enjoy the fishing at the "Small Mouth Bass Capital of the World" at Wilson Dam. This fisherman's favorite is a regular on popular fishing shows.
Hiking on Wilson Dam's network of hiking and walking paths. ttp://www.tva.com/sites/wilson.htm.
Water Sports. otor Boating; Water Skiing.
Florence Rennaissance Fair. ilson Park. owntown Florence. ttp://www.alarenfaire.org/alabama_renaissance_faire.htm. ourth Saturday and Sunday in October. ree. Held in Wilson Park this unusual event draws 30,000 ? 40,000 people each year to its site in downtown Florence, Alabama. It is always held on the fourth Saturday and Sunday in October, taking advantage of the fall weather and foliage. Wilson Park hosts a variety of vendors, events, and demonstrations with a medevile theme.
The Sam Phillips Music Celebration. tarted January 2005. It is an annual week long event that takes place the first week in January by celebrated with events that include the Sam Phillips Birthday Party, "Conversations on Sam," Sam Jam Concert, Muscle Shoals to Music Row Live and a finale concert. Sam Phillips is known for his Rock n' Roll, Gospel, Rhythm & Blues, Country & Rockabilly recordings.. 56-764-8121.
The George Lindsey/UNA Film Festival. s named in honor of Florence native, George Lindsey Lindsey is an actor who is most famous portrayal of Goober Pyle on The Andy Griffith Show. Lindsey is a UNA - known then as Florence State College - graduate.. ttp://www.artsalivealabama.com.
Arts Alive. egan in 1986 and celebrates the art of Southern artist who gather to display their work in Wilson Park.
The Spirit of Freedom Celebration. howcases music, and fireworks to celebrate Independence Day on the banks of the Tennessee River.
Trail of Tears Commemorative Motorcycle Ride. ommemorates the final point at which area Cherokee Native Americans were shipped off to Oklahoma and the mid-west by the Indian Removal Act of 1830. ttp://www.al-tn-trailoftears.org/.
First Fridays in Florence. rts and music event that occurs every First Friday from April through December in Historic Downtown Florence..
Books
Read '''The Store''' by T. S. Stribling. This is the 1933 Pulitzer Prize winner that many believe was inspired by Rogers Department Store which closed in 2001.
Sports
NCAA Division II Championship Game. s held at Florence's Braly Stadium. ttp://www.d2championship.com/.
Buy
Regency Square Mall. 01 Cox Creek Parkway. Regional Mall consisting of 4 main Anchors, Sears, JC Penney, Dillards and Belks. Department Stores. Contains most mid price national chains and is the focal point for surrounding shopping centers and big box stores.
Eat
360 Grille and Lounge. enaissance Tower; Dam Tower. -256-246-3600. ttp://www.marriott.com/hotels/hotel-information/restaurant/mslmc-marriott-shoals-hotel-and-spa/. pen for Dinner. Alabama's only revolving restaurant overlooks the city and Tennessee River.
Dale's Restaurant. -256-766-4961. ttp://www.dalessteakhouse.net/history.htm. pen for Dinner. Steakhouse serving steaks and seafood.
Drink
Sleep
Marriott Shoals. arriott Hotel. 00 Cox Creek Pkwy S. ttp://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/mslmc-marriott-shoals-hotel-and-spa/. Part of the State of Alabama Retirement Systems Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. Unusual in that it was built next to existing Conference Center and Tourist Attraction (Renaissance Tower) which Marriott now manages.
Contact
<listing name="Emergency Number" alt="" directions="" address="" phone="911" email="" fax="" url="http://www.florenceal.org/Police/Florence_Police/Telephone_Directory/index.html" hours="" price=""></listing>
<listing name="Police" alt="Main Line; General Information" directions="" address="" phone="1-256-760-6500" email="" fax="" url="" hours="" price=""></listing>
<listing name="Fire" alt="General Information" directions="" address="" phone="" email="" fax="" url="http://www.florenceal.org/Public_Safety/Fire/index.html" hours="" price=""></listing>
<listing name="Animal Control" alt="" directions="" address="02 East College Street Street" phone="1-256-760-6431" email="" fax="1- 256-740-4668" url="http://www.florenceal.org/Public_Safety/Animal_Control/index.html" hours="" price=""></listing>
Get out
<listing name="Alabama Music Hall of Fame" alt="" directions="" address=" Tuscumbia, AL" phone="(800) 239-AMHF" email="info@alamhof.org" fax="256-381-1031" url="Alabama Music Hall of Fame " hours="" price=""></listing>
<listing name="U.S. Space and Rocket Center" alt="" directions="Direct interstate access from I-65 and I-565 in Huntsville, Alabama. The U.S. Space & Rocket Center is located at exit 15 off I-565." address="ne Tranquility Base
Huntsville, Alabama" phone="" email="" fax="" url="http://www.spacecamp.com/museum/" hours="Daily 9AM-5PM, closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day" price="Adults $20.95; Children (6-12) $15.95; Under 6 years free"></listing>
<listing name="Moon Tree" alt="Loblolly Pine germinated on Apollo 14 in 1971 mission." directions="" address="Tuscumbia, Alabama" phone="" email="" fax="" url="http://www.alabama.gov/portal/secondaryContent.jsp?page=Standard_MoonTree" hours="" price=""></listing>