Alabama's 'Druid City' Is A Vibrant College Destination With River Charm, Youthful Vibes, And Majestic Oaks

With a nickname like "Druid City," you might expect to see processions of darkly robed figures stalking around Tuscaloosa, Alabama. But no, those are just college students from the University of Alabama — in their graduation robes, let's say. About as far removed from their city's Celtic priest namesakes as possible, these students lend a youthful energy to a place that's still within arm's reach of mighty oaks that'd make the ancient druids proud. Add to this a riverwalk and river market on the south side of the cooly-named Black Warrior River, the not-quite-Stonehenge-but-still-old ruins at Capitol Park, arenas like the Coleman Coliseum, and museums like the Alabama Museum of Natural History, and you've got a hip city speckled with unusual mystique.

That mystique started early in Tuscaloosa's history, and paved — or rather planted — the way to the present. Back in 1837, six years after the founding of the University of Alabama, resident Thomas Maxwell replaced some of the chinaberry trees in his yard with oaks. It isn't clear how or why, but that simple decision started a chain reaction of oak planting along his street. Soon enough, Tuscaloosa became known as the "City of Oaks," which somehow evolved into "Druid City." Druids, of course, are the ancient Celtic priestly class described in the first century B.C. writings of none other than Julius Caesar, who wrote that druids considered oaks sacred.

By the 1940s, oaks filled Tuscaloosa's downtown. Those oaks still hold sway over Tuscaloosa's streets, right along with the city's entire history. This includes the Tuscaloosa Riverwalk, an array of antebellum buildings, students filing in and out of the University of Alabama along the city's eastern-central section, right down to local taprooms like the Druid City Brewing Company.

Any trip to Tuscaloosa needs to include a jaunt along the Tuscaloosa Riverwalk, which runs alongside William Bacon Oliver Lake and the Black Warrior River. Specifically, we're talking about the green, lamppost-lined walkway on the south side of the river. While you could start anywhere along the route, the eastern end just so happens to be where the University of Alabama has its rowing team headquarters. They might not practice along a river as wide or wild as Alabama's free-flowing Cahaba River, but the waters all around Tuscaloosa are certainly picturesque. And yes, there are oaks.

From the University of Alabama's rowing team headquarters, the Tuscaloosa Riverwalk stretches a pleasant 30-minute walk to the Tuscaloosa River Market, which is another must-see. The market is part-community hub, part-venue rental, and part-farmer's market that serves as an excellent way to glimpse local life. If you time your walk right, you can even stop by the brunch-focused, bright and cheerful Another Broken Egg Cafe near the market for some nicely composed yet cozy dishes (and mocktails for fun).

The riverwalk's western end stops at the outdoor live music venue, Tuscaloosa Amphitheater, perfect for a show while you're in the city. From there, you can head south to glimpse Tuscaloosa at a time when its oaks were new and it didn't have its nickname, Druid City. Right in a row, you can visit the Old Tavern Museum, Capitol Park, Battle-Friedman House & Gardens, and the Jemison-Van De Graaff Mansion. Capitol Park contains the ruins of the old state government building, which was in use from 1826 to 1846. The other three buildings, dating from 1827 to 1859, are an inn and two private residences, respectively.

One of the more interesting things about Tuscaloosa is its combination of history meets young population vis-à-vis the University of Alabama. Out of Tuscaloosa's total population of 116,000 in 2025, about 40,000 people are between 15 and 25 years old — that's roughly 35%. Naturally, this age composition changes the feeling of Tuscaloosa, just as it would any city. Looking at Tuscaloosa from a bird's-eye view, the University of Alabama along University Boulevard occupies a big chunk of the city's northeastern section south of the Black Warrior River. 

It's on and around the campus that we find vibrant locales, such as Tuscaloosa's Rhodes Stadium (for softball) and the indoor arena, Coleman Coliseum. It's also where we find the Alabama Museum of Natural History, Denny Chimes (a monument built to honor a beloved University of Alabama president), and the university's sports memorabilia museum, the Paul W. Bryant Museum. All in all, this should show you the role that the University of Alabama and its young population played and plays in Druid City. That, plus places like the nearby Baumhower's Victory Grille, a sports bar, and the casual, doubtlessly student-filled-at-lunchtime Newk's Eatery. And don't worry: There's still oaks everywhere around here.

But in case this isn't enough to satisfy your day trip, Birmingham (and its international airport) is less than an hour away along I-20. A cool, artsy city that serves as Alabama's "cultural capital," Birmingham also has plenty of excellent food options to go around. And if you want a taste of one of the quirkiest Alabama towns packed with Southern flavor and lake adventures, you can always make the trip to Lake Martin, located roughly equidistant from both Birmingham and Tuscaloosa.