Best Things to Do in Tuscaloosa During the Week
Not going to lie, the spring semester in Tuscaloosa is a lot more boring than the fall semester. What are we supposed to do when there is no football to make sure we get together with our friends at least once a week? Thankfully, there are a lot of different activities happening during the week that everyone in your friend group will enjoy. While this is definitely not a comprehensive list, it’s a good place to start if you’re looking for the best activities to do in Tuscaloosa during the week.
1. Trivia
If you’re looking for something more lowkey, trivia is the way to go. It’s such a great way to show off all the random facts you’ve picked up over the years! There is trivia going on almost every day of the week in Tuscaloosa, and most bars have some type of food or drink specials going on too. Plus, if your team is one of the three teams with the highest number of points at the end of the night, you get a prize (usually bar cash)!
Where you can play:
- Black Warrior Brewing Company- Tuesdays at 8
- Innisfree Irish Pub- Wednesdays at 9
- Egan’s- Wednesdays at 9
- Wilhagan’s Tap Room- Thursdays at 8
- Druid City Brewery Company- Fridays at 8
2. Bingo
Being a trivia buff is not everyone’s thing… and that’s okay! Another great option if you’re looking to hang out with your friends at a bar is bingo! There’s no skill involved, just luck (and believe me when I say that you’ll need it)! Bingo starts at 10 on Thursday nights, but you might want to get there early to score a good table. If you get a bingo, you’re most likely taking home a gift card (think Starbucks, Victoria Secret, Amazon, etc.), and if you don’t, you get to throw your bingo card at the winner. It sounds like a win-win to me!
3. Bowling
If you’re looking for something with a little more ~exercise~ involved, Bowlero is right up your alley (see what I did there?). Everyone was so excited when we got a fancy new bowling alley this past year, and Bowlero definitely lives up to the hype. They have food/drink/bowling specials almost every night of the week which is perfect for anyone balling on a budget. Do you have friends who aren’t all that into bowling? That’s cool! They also have an arcade AND a sports bar which makes this one of the most flexible activities for college students looking for something to do during the week.
4. Snow Hinton Park
Are you a thrill-seeker? If your answer to that was a “yes” then I have just the thing for you! If you’ve ever driven down McFarland, you’ve probably noticed a weird metal-looking thing in what looks like the middle of nowhere. The weird metal thing is actually a slide and the middle of nowhere is Snow Hinton Park! Instead of a ladder, you have to climb up a web of ropes and cross a rope bridge to get to the slide. It’s kind of scary the first time you go through it, but it’s so fun that it’s worth it! I recommend going at night after all the kiddos are in bed though.
5. The Riverwalk
You know, sometimes you just need to spend a really chill day hanging out in nature. The Riverwalk is a trail along the Black Warrior River and is close enough to campus to walk! If you’re the type of person who needs exercise to decompress, the Riverwalk is a pretty place to go for a run. If the thought of running sounds as terrible to you as it does to me, it’s also an ideal spot to hang up your hammock and curl up with a good book!
6. The Tuscaloosa Amphitheater
From The Lumineers to Brantley Gilbert, there’s always someone putting on a show at the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater. Different artists from different genres come to perform at the amphitheater ensuring that there is something for everyone! The amphitheater is conveniently located in downtown Tuscaloosa which makes it so much easier to grab dinner and drinks before enjoying an awesome show! Click here to check out the calendar of upcoming events.
7. University Programs
This option is very specific to the University of Alabama Students. University Programs is responsible for planning fun activities for college students on most Thursday and Friday nights! They have set up casino nights, giant game nights, movie nights, and pretty much anything else you can imagine. This is especially a good option if you’re trying to save money because everything they do is free! Most of these events have free food as well which is a plus.
8. UpSurge Trampoline Park
Do you want to relive the glory days of your childhood? That was a trick question because the answer is obviously a “yes”. It’s time for you to head on over to UpSurge Trampoline Park and jump your little heart out. Bonus points if you can do a flip! The catch is that you have to buy a pair of socks from UpSurge, but they’re only $3 and you get to keep them for the next time you go to the trampoline park! At least you get a sick new pair of socks out of the deal!
9. Lake Nicol
This is the perfect destination on a hot spring/summer day! Unfortunately, you’ll have to wait for it to warm up again before you head out to Lake Nicol, but at least you have something to look forward to! It’s about a 20-minute drive from Tuscaloosa, but it’s worth it for sure. Lake Nicol has cliffs you can hang out on, however, it IS illegal to jump off of them so I wouldn’t advise doing that, as well as paths you can hike down to get to the water.
