the loveliest village on the plains
when it comes to college towns, auburn is virtually unmatched. this east alabama town runs wild with school pride, and knows everything from football to food. affectionately known as the loveliest village on the plains, here’s what you need to know:
sights
first, a little bit of history: auburn university was founded in 1856 as the east alabama male college, and in 1872 became the first land-grant college in the south. a few name changes later & auburn university became the school we know & love in 1960.
today, with over 150 majors to choose from, roughly 30,000 students find themselves at a top ranked university in everything from happiest students (princeton review, 2022) to best university and value in alabama (niche.com, 2022).
next, some noteworthy locations: samford hall is an iconic university building in the center of campus. built in 1888 after the original building, affectionately called “old main” burned down, samford hall is named after former alabama governor william james samford. on sunny afternoons, you’ll find students camped out on the green with textbooks and lunch from one of the restaurants on college street.
jordan-hare stadium is home of the sec’s best football team, the auburn tigers (yes, i said it!!!) outside you’ll see statues of greats like bo jackson & pat sullivan. i don’t know what it is about college stadiums but i get chills. so many traditions and memories made. directly behind the stadium is newly named neville arena where the tigers basketball team sold out every single home game in the 2021-2022 season.
the war eagle wall has been an iconic photo-op since the ‘60s when a local storeowner took it upon himself to paint the downtown wall with auburn’s famous phrase, war eagle. what is war eagle? it’s like saying hey, how are ya? or gooo tigers! it’s camaraderie and i love it. anywhere i go in an auburn ball cap, someone greets me with this friendly saying. war damn eagle!
after you get your photo in front of the wall, be sure to stop into the j&m bookstore. a family-owned storefront since 1953, pick up an aubie sweatshirt or ball cap here to show your school spirit.
just a few steps away from the war eagle wall is toomer’s corner. at the intersection of college street and magnolia avenue is one of the most recognizable landmarks on campus. this corner is known to be covered in toilet paper after significant school wins. the tradition is rumored to have started back in the 1970s after a football player was quoted saying, “we’re going to beat the no. 2 out of alabama” who was ranked second in the country at the time. auburn ran back two punts for touchdowns to seal the deal and beat the crimson tide. students then fled to toomer’s corner and began rolling toilet paper to celebrate. the rest is history.
eats + drinks
while being known for game day celebrations, toomer’s corner was actually named after the old time drug store that still stands today. toomer’s drugs has been in the area since 1896 and was founded by sheldon toomer, a halfback on auburn’s first football team who later went on to be a state senator. order yourself a glass of their famous fresh squeezed lemonade - promise you won’t regret it!
sheila c’s burger barn is that hole in the wall place that students and locals alike flock to. the name gives it away, but expect to find juicy burgers & french fries. it’s comfort food & it’s definitely needed after a night downtown.
for a bit of a nicer meal, head to hamilton’s on magnolia. the lobster bisque and chicken provençal are delightful and my personal favs but it’s really known for seafood and steak dishes. most nights you can find live music too!
live oaks, also conveniently located downtown, boasts an appetizing menu & an equally tasty drink list. remember toomer’s lemonade? imagine that mixed with peach schnapps, vodka & simple sugar! menu favorites include chicken bacon ranch flatbread, shrimp and grits and braised short ribs. the outdoor patio is a great place to grab a bite to eat on a nice day (and auburn alabama has plenty of em!)
moe’s original barbecue is a must visit while in town. the dishes found on their menu are about as southern as you can get and in the best way — smoked meats slow cooked daily with homemade sides like mac and cheese, potato salad and cornbread. there are a ton of locations around the country, but auburn just feels special. the downtown location has a tree in the middle of the restaurant and there’s always small groups of college students just hanging out and catching up.
zazu gastropub in opelika is a relaxed restaurant with a jam packed menu featuring comfort food dishes with a twist like hushpuppies with jalapeño jam and bacon cured duck breast. they partner with local farms and businesses to provide the freshest ingredients!
no place is complete without a classic italian restaurant and for the auburn area that place is ma fia’s. i usually try to stay away from say “best ever!!” because it sounds gimmicky but the cheese ravioli is honestly the best italian dish i’ve ever had. unfortunately ma fia’s suffered an ugly fire in the summer of 2022 and current reopening plans have not been announced yet.
mo’ bay beignet’s is a new spot on the block, offering mouthwatering beignets with various syrups like strawberry, cinnamon and buttercream. they fry em fresh and serve em warm!
as it is a college town, i’d be remiss without mentioning a few places to grab drinks:
auburn draft house - casual american pub with simple (yet flavorful!) bar food
skybar - THE college bar to be at. i’m talking karaoke & well drinks
ariccia - located in the hotel at auburn, ariccia has some potent, upscale drinks
the hound - aside from fantastic food, handcrafted cocktails are their speciality (and the whiskey selection is top notch)
irish bred pub - travel just outside of town to nearby opelika and stop at irish bred pub for spirited libations at “the place where friends meet”
sleeps
i've stayed at the crenshaw guest house half a dozen times and each visit is more charming than the last. this 1890 bed and breakfast was home to auburn university professor burton crenshaw and his family as well as auburn students who lived on the second floor. the home features victorian era details, hardwood floors, spacious rooms and a large front porch, perfect for people watching on sunny afternoons.
crenshaw also offers a detached guest cottage in the back, aptly named the pat dye cottage after auburn's legendary football coach (r.i.p). it's ideal for families or those who prefer a little more privacy. you'll notice beautiful landscaping with fragrant flowers and shady trees, many of which were actually planted by pat dye himself.
mary jo, the caretaker, makes everything so damn special. she asks us each day what we’d like for breakfast and even takes note of allergies to ensure that everyone can enjoy something. she baked gluten-free chocolate chip cookies for my mom (from scratch!!!!) and always makes sure there are homemade cookies left out each and every day.
the attention to detail is astounding and doesn’t go unnoticed. i mentioned in passing that i really enjoyed the butter cookies she made one day and when we left, she had a to-go box ready for us. you don’t often find places like the crenshaw guest house.
auburn alabama is a place that gets in your heart & never leaves. i always get so excited to visit and i know i’ll be back some day!
have you visited auburn? what have i missed?